I recently found an article about the future of educational technology by Nellie Deutsch of University of Phoenix.
http://www.nelliemuller.com/Future_Trends_in_Educational_%20Technology.htm
She brought up some great points. She believes that “the future of technology will enable people to be life-long learners.” People will no longer rely on schools and universities as the only places where they can learn new things. Now anyone can learn anywhere, at home, at the office, or even in the car. Deutsch believes that future learners do not have to depend on their memories. They can store information on their personal computers and be able to retrieve it at all times. “Teachers' roles will ultimately change since they will no longer be providers of information. They will be facilitators who concentrate on the teaching of social skills rather than academic or technical expertise.”
I believe the use of educational technology will continue to grow. Computers today are like the automobile in the 1920s. At first everyone was a little afraid of them and few people used them. Now people could not get along without them. Computers will evolve in the same way.
Sam,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I hope you're feeling better!! :)
This was an interesting article and I can't say I agree with all Ms. Deutsch had to say... We do use computers and cell phones to help us with our memory, yet we still depend on our memory for many things. Teachers roles are changing, yet there still needs to be an academic and technical expertise present if we want to be effective educators. Many older adults are afraid of technology, as I've witnessed with my grandparents, yet with a little assistance, they can be taught like the rest of us digital immigrants. I do agree with the comment that schools are no longer the only place to learn. We have many options now and learning can take place at home, as seen by the number of online universities and use of laptops and hand held devices. I agree with you - the use of computers will continue to grow - as we've seen this tremendous growth in the past 10 years!
I also researched the future of educational technology. I agree with the belief that technology allows anyone to be a life-long learner. Through my research, most articles talked about the influence that online education will have with new opportunities for those looking for a different type of education. I like the point that teachers will no longer be just the provider of information, but now act as a facilitator to guide students in a student-centered classroom environment. I still find it shocking to find teachers who are fearful of technology, but soon want more of it once they see how it makes their job easier and more effective.
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