Educational Technology

Educational technology, also known as learning technology, is the discipline of using technology to improve pedagogy. “Technology” includes both material innovations like computers, and new developments in the process of teaching such as the Dewey system.

Some of the hardware tools that are being used in education today are computers, projectors, smart phones, and scientific and graphical calculators. These can run a variety of programs to aide in education, starting with games for young children and moving on to complex programs for students in high school, college and beyond.

Theories that have deeply influenced educational technology include behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism. Psychology is also playing an increasingly large part, with a new discipline called “connectivism” - dealing with the effects of technology on life and learning - gaining increasing importance.

As educational technology deals primarily with the use of digital aides in learning, it is obvious that distance learning has become one of the major targets for development. Many courses in the educational technology program field itself are digital in nature, which means that students can complete distance degrees while holding on to their existing jobs.

An educational technology program is most popular as a post-graduate course at the master’s or PhD level. The field is highly challenging, requiring a number of trained, dedicated and creative personnel to devise as well as disseminate new methods.

An educational technology degree is extremely useful for people in the teaching profession. Other than teaching the subject itself at the university level, graduates can also take up jobs at all levels which demand the use of audio, video and computers for instructional purposes. Research institutes also employ educational technology specialists to design custom programs, record events, and help in learning and disseminating information.

Curriculum design also requires personnel who are familiar with the latest technology, especially with e-learning going to whole new levels. Audio and video now play crucial roles in the classroom, with cutting-edge professionals now working to use online games and virtual worlds in educational technology.

In the corporate and health care sectors, the educational technology program is being used to train new personnel as well as to keep existing staff updated on the latest developments and advances in the industry. Designing training modules and training professionals to administer technology schooling would fall under the duties of an educational technology specialist.

Information hubs and media centers today usually employ directors who have an educational technology degree. Since these institutions deal with information and its transmission, it is crucial for them to stay up-to-date with educational technology.

The salary of an educational technologist is similar to that of a teacher, averaging in the middle $40,000 range in the USA as of 2010. As a career option, an educational technology degree is looking like a highly viable option for fresh college graduates as well as teachers who want to stay current with developments in technology.