Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning
Today, teachers must be well-versed with various tools and software that can enhance classroom activities. For example, they must be able to use digital cameras, CD-writers, modems, printers, laser-disc players, and LCD projectors. In addition to learning how to use these tools in the classroom, teachers must also have an understanding of various teaching methods.
Educational technology encompasses all procedures and aids used in the teaching and learning process. It is used to meet the educational needs of students and employees, from exceptional children to adults. Using technology in the classroom is an important part of our world’s global culture, which demands universal access to education as well as specialized learning for individuals. With the availability of online courses, much of education has become self-directed.
With these tools, teachers can create digital repositories of teaching materials and provide access to students and caregivers. This makes it easy to see what materials are available for a class and can save teachers time. This technology is also useful for teachers who teach remotely. It allows teachers to stay organized and avoid having to sift through old paper resources.
Technology can also help students access education, especially if they are in remote areas. In Ghana, a study published in 2017 evaluated a program that broadcast live instruction via satellite to remote classrooms. The program involved installing technology in the classrooms and connecting them to an Accra studio. Compared to a traditional face-to-face pedagogy, the students’ numeracy scores improved significantly.
What is Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning?
Teachers and students alike can benefit from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. With this technology, teachers can see what kinds of information students are learning and what information is not being effectively delivered. Teachers can also monitor student progress and alert them if students are not meeting their expectations.
Teachers can use educational technology to boost student engagement, develop personalized lesson plans, and connect with students all over the world. EdTech also benefits educators and schools, reducing costs of instructional materials and enhancing educational programs. By leveraging these tools, teachers can use their time more efficiently and make better use of it.
The use of technology in education can improve learning outcomes in both developed and developing countries. But this approach has both potential and limitations. In a low-income country, it may be more efficient to use less technologically advanced solutions. In Shaanxi, China, for example, a remedial math program utilizing audio segments and written materials, used by teachers in public schools, has helped improve math scores by 0.12 SDs in four months. In addition, it has narrowed the achievement gap between high and low-achieving learners.
For example, Beg et al. (2020) evaluated an initiative in Punjab, Pakistan in which grade 8 classrooms received an intervention that included short videos to substitute live instruction, quizzes for learners to practice the material from every lesson, tablets for educators to learn the material and follow the lesson, and LED screens to project the videos onto a classroom screen. After six months, the intervention improved the performance of learners on independent tests of math and science by 0.19 and 0.24 SDs, respectively but had no discernible effect on the math and science section of Punjab’s high-stakes exams.
