Educational Technology Concepts

• Technology refers to the combination of processes and products used in applying knowledge, encompassing tools from pencils and paper to advanced electronic devices.
• Information and Communication Technology Literacy (ICT) is the ability to use digital technology, communication tools, and networks to access, manage, integrate, create, and communicate information within a knowledge society.
• Education Technology involves using technology in teaching and learning, including non-digital (flip charts, pictures) and digital tools (hardware, software).
• Digital Literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the internet
• Digital learning is learning that is accompanied by technology.
• Online digital tools and apps require an internet connection to access information; Zoom and Google Meet are common examples.
• Offline digital tools and apps can be used without internet access.
• Instructional technology involves design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of learning processes and resources
• Software refers to programs controlling instructions and accompanying documentation, typically stored on disks or tapes when not in use.
• Multimedia is the sequential or simultaneous use of various media formats in a self-study program.
• The Internet is a global network infrastructure connecting millions of computers, allowing them to communicate.
• The World Wide Web (WWW) is a graphical environment on computer networks for accessing information, including text, data, sound, and videos, and is built on top of the Internet.
• Web access is the ability to get on the internet to get the most out the array of available education resources.
• Webquest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format where learners primarily use information from the web, created using programs like word processing with links to websites.
• Productivity tools are software associated with computers and related technologies, used for personal, professional, or classroom tasks, such as Microsoft Office and Apple Works.

Technology Tools

• These are instruments used for doing work and helping achieve goals through technology
• Data/calculation tools include spreadsheets, excels, sketchpads and probability constructors for calculations
• Design tools are used to make models and designs for creating and building
• Discussion tools offer four different approaches to online discussion and interaction, like threaded discussion forums, blogging, live chat, and video conferencing
• Email tools are great for sending messages, photos, videos, and files globally
• Handheld devices, such as PDAs, GPS, GIS, electronic keyboards, digital cameras, mobile phones, and handheld computers, have become popular among learners
• A Blog is an online journal where information posted by teachers and students are arranged
• There are blogs used for communication, blogs used for instruction, and blogs used for both
• A Wiki is an editable website, usually with limited access, allowing collaborative creation and posting of written/digital work
• A Vlog is a video blog where an entry is posted as a video instead of text.
• Podcast is a video/audio clip on a single topic, like a radio talk show, for retrieving and disseminating information
• Google Apps is a cloud-based tool in the Google server for home and school, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Google sites for blogs/wikis, and Google Docs for word processing
• Facebook is a popular social networking site used by students and adults worldwide to present information on themselves.

Overview of technology in education, including ICT literacy, digital literacy and digital learning. Explains the difference between online and offline digital tools. Also covers instructional technology.