ET is NOT IT
Education Technology is NOT Information Technology
by
Dr. Nora almansour Aleisa
What is EdTech
What Experts say
Dr. Mia Williams:
Educational Technology is the integration of technology into teaching and learning. Educational Technologist infuse the design of teaching and learning with technology-rich practices to enhance student learning, yet there are many facets within the field of educational technology. For example, using technology to develop instructional materials and design online learning environments focuses on the development of a product to facilitate learning. When done well, it incorporates broader information about educational theory and practice, but the end goal is a specific digital mechanism to facilitate learning of information. As an alternative example, facilitating student use of multimodal tools to construct projects and engage in critical thinking, problem solving and apply creative solutions, currently called the maker movement, is an application of educational technology. The object of this learning is to enhance the student learning process through student use of the technology to create and thus learn.
Dr. David Kindrick:
EdTech: “is the design, development, of an educational outcome that results regardless of the tools used, and the levels and it is not restricted by particular levels or the content.
I T: is the transference of data where it is left to the user or learner to interpret that data into meaning
People confuse becuse the word of Technology, so we should move the word (Technology) and use instead the word ( Instructional design).
Dr. Kelly, EdTech Professor Assistant:
Here are my ideas on information technology and educational technology.
I didn't realize the two were often confused. I tend to think instructional technology and educational technology are more often interchanged.
I believe information technology (IT) refers to the hardware, software, computer systems and the network. Careers in this field may relate to any of these areas. Often schools have IT specialists who focus on running the technology department and assisting others to ensure their technology concerns are taken care of and the system runs smoothly.
To me educational technology is the facilitation of learning through the integration of technology. It incorporates the instructional design of the information, as well as the technology "material". So this would include the planned pedagogy, theory, content and tools etc.
Personally when I refer to educational technology I determine that it is in the field of academia, but (to me)instructional technology is more related to training possibly in business.
Dr. Nora Almansour; As an expert I say:
Ed Tech includes both a study of the theoretical and philosophical bases and the practical application of specific strategies.
Educational Technology is used in a variety of settings, including schools, businesses, homes, governments, non-profit organizations, and others. It is used by a variety of people, from parents to educators, other professionals, and it includes all kinds of students, whether formal or informal. Finally, I think that that the term educational technology means both the theories and specific practices utilized in educational approaches and also the technological tools, media, software, hardware included and used in these educational approaches and delivery.
Dr. William Tankovich, Front Range Community College Instructional Designer:
I think the differences and distinctions vary from person to person and from college to college. In our college the Instructional technology Department (IT) deals with the underlying technology infrastructure. They maintain and troubleshoot the computers and classroom tools like projectors. They also handle software installation and email.
Our Educational Technology (ET) department is responsible for issues related to our learning management system (LMS), Desire2Learn (D2L). While we are part of the Online Learning department we also support face to face instructors who use D2L. In addition we also work with instructors who are designing online courses.