ElementsofEducationalTechnology IfyoucouldsetthetimecircuitsonyourDeLoreantimemachine,hiteightyeight milesperhour,andtravelanywhereintime,toanyclassroomaroundtheworld,youwillsee teachersconductingclassesusingeducationaltechnology.TheAssociationfor EducationalCommunicationsandTechnology(AECT)defineeducationaltechnologyas, thestudyandethicalpracticeoffacilitatinglearningandimprovingperformanceby creating,using,andmanagingappropriatetechnologicalprocessesandresources(p.1). Thekeywordinthatdefinitionis,appropriate.Appropriatetechnologicalprocessesand resourcesdifferthroughouttime.Atonepoint,aslabandchiselwereappropriatetoday, mobiletechnologiesareappropriateforfacilitatinglearningandimprovingperformance. TheAECTDefinitionandTerminologyCommitteebreaksthedefinitionofeducational technologydownfurtherintothirteendetailedelements:study,ethicalpractice,facilitating, learning,improving,performance,creating,using,managing,appropriate,technological, processes,andresources.Threeoftheseelementsareessentialtomoderndayteaching. Thestudyofeducationaltechnologyneedstobeanongoingprocess.

s.Study, refersto,Thetheoreticalunderstandingof,aswellasthepracticeof,educational technology,requirescontinualknowledgeconstructionandrefinementthroughresearch andreflectivepractice(p.1).Fourconceptsstickouttomeinthatdefinition:practice, refinementthroughresearch,andreflectivepractices.Educatorsneedtobewillingtotake risksandpracticeusingdifferentstrategiestoincorporatetechnology.Theterm,practice makesperfect,reallyshouldstate,Practicemakesbetter.Technologiesarechangingall ofthetimeandtheresalwaysanewappouttherethatwouldenhanceyourcurriculum.If somethingdoesntworkthefirsttime,teachersneedtoreflectandrefinewhy,andrepeat theprocess.Therearemanyeducatorswhoaretooingrainedintheirpracticesand philosophiestobotherwiththistypeofteaching,oftenselfishlyusingthe,Whatsinitfor me?approach,wheninactualitythestudyofeducationaltechnologyneedstobe somethingselfdriven.Teachersneedtobeselfmotivatedanddedicatedtoimproving theircraft,notbecauseofkeepingupwithAct48hours,butbecausethatswhatsbestfor thestudents. Creating,asanelement,referstotheresearch,theory,andpracticeinvolvedinthe generationoflearningenvironmentsinmanydifferentsettings,formalandnonformal(p.6). WhenApollo13wasintrouble,engineersonEarthhadtobecreativetosolvethe problemsonboardandgetthoseastronautssafelybacktoearth.Theyhadlimitedtime andresourcestomakesomethingwork,andweallknowthatstoryplayedouttobeoneof thegreatesthumanachievementsinengineering.Creativityhasplayedanintegralrolein thesurvivalofhumans.Beingabletobefacedwithachallengeanddesign,develop, evaluate,andimplementasolutionisattherootofhumanexistence.Whenhumansgot

cold,theydevelopedclothing.Whenfarmersneededtogrowseveraltypesoffood,they developedcroprotation.Creativityisanimportantskillforstudentstodevelopinorderto solvetheproblemsoftomorrow,andtechnologicalinfusionintotheclassroomcurriculum canhelpstudentsusedatabasesandsimulationstoseeiftheirsolutionswillhelpchange theworld. Theelementofusing,referstoallowingstudentstohaveahandsonapproachto learning.Ibelievethatusinggoeshandinhandwiththeelementofstudy.Ifateacher doesntdoherhomeworkandlearnthebestwaytousetechnologyandrefusetotake risks,studentsuseoftechnologyfalters.Thisarchaicapproachneedstochange. Teachersneedtoutilizetheresourcesthatareavailabletotheminordertoprovidethe bestlearningspacetheycanandtodifferentiateforeachindividuallearner. Ihaveworkedwithteacherswhodemonstrateallthreeoftheseelements.Thereare teacherswhoparticipateintheirProfessionalLearningNetworkandparticipateinTwitter chatstorefinetheircraftandtolearnaboutnewthings.Ivetriedtospreadnewideasand appsthatIvefoundwithcolleagues.Somehavetakenthemandhavetriednewthings, andthoseriskshavebeenbeneficialtotheteachersandthestudents.Athirdgradeclass usedmyideaofhavingstudentscreateascreencastontheiPadbasedonaconceptthey learnedaboutasawayofshowingtheclasswhattheylearned.Anotherteacher incorporatedSocrativeintotheirclasstobetterevaluatewhatthestudentsunderstand. Thereareyetstillsometeacherswhousetheexcusethatthereisneverenoughtimeto learn,create,andexperiment.Theirstudentsaremissingoutonusingandcreatingto enhancetheirproblemsolvingskills,andIseethatinmytechnologyclasses.Thereare peoplewhosaythatkidsthesedaysknowmoreaboutcomputersthanadultsdo,andin somecasesthatcanbetrue.Ivealsoseenstudentshavenoideawherethingswereona screen,orhavenoconceptofthekeyboardhomerowbecauseskillsarenottranslating outsideofmycomputerlabintotheirclassrooms.Itistimetoencourageinnovationsothat allteachersareinspiredtointegratemorepiecesofeducationaltechnology.
References DefinitionandTerminologyCommitteeoftheAssociationforEducationalCommunicationsand Technology.(2008).Definition.InA.Januszewski&M.Molenda(Eds.),Educationaltechnology: Adefinitionwithcommentary(pp.114).NewYork,NY:LawrenceErlbaumAssociates.