Education Technology – Getting Started

Before purchasing and setting up the hardware and software, an educator needs to change their whole mindset about instructing using educational technology. The messages we teach our students has change throughout the centuries, however, the medium in which we present these message has not really changed. Sure paper is used instead of tablets, pencils instead of chalk and white boards instead of chalk, but these are really not revolutionary changes.

Computer technology and the internet are revolutionizing the way educators instruct students. These twentieth century advances used properly make our lives more efficient, and in turn they can help educators deliver curriculum more proficiently.

Educators need to realize that today’s student is more comfortable typing up a paragraph on the computer rather than writing it on a piece of paper. These students have had technology and the internet in their lives since they can remember and they are very comfortable using it. Many educators on the other hand do remember a time when technology and the internet were not a part of everyday life.

These educators need to become part of the technology revolution in order to be able to integrate education technology into their classrooms. Blogging, web design, video conferencing and joining online communities are just some of the ways educators can become more familiar with the internet and technology era. We can learn from students who are not born knowing how to navigate through the internet or use all the technological gadgets, they simply learn by playing around with technology and by trial and error. Go ahead start playing around before you know it you’ll be an education technology guru.