Concepts Of Educational Technology in Teaching Learning Encounter

Open Educational Resources (OER) are freely available educational materials, including
textbooks, research papers, and multimedia content, that can be used for teaching and learning.
OER reduces the cost of education and promotes accessibility, especially for students in low-
income regions. According to Wiley (2014), the use of OER fosters collaborative learning and
allows educators to adapt and improve resources. Websites like OpenStax, MIT
OpenCourseWare, and Khan Academy provide high-quality learning materials to students
worldwide.

Assistive technology includes tools and devices that help students with disabilities participate in
educational activities. Examples include screen readers, speech-to-text software, and Braille
devices. According to Edyburn (2010), assistive technology improves accessibility and ensures
that students with special needs receive equal learning opportunities. Tools like JAWS (Job
Access With Speech) for visually impaired students and FM systems for hearing-impaired
students enhance learning experiences by accommodating diverse needs.

MOOCs are online courses available to a large audience, often free of charge, providing flexible
learning opportunities. These courses, offered by platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity,
make quality education accessible worldwide. According to Yuan and Powell (2013), MOOCs
enhance lifelong learning and bridge the educational gap for students who lack access to
traditional universities. However, challenges such as high dropout rates and the need for self-
discipline remain significant concerns.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are increasingly being used for
educational purposes, such as peer discussions, collaborative projects, and professional
networking. Social media enhances engagement by allowing students and teachers to share
resources and discuss ideas beyond the classroom. According to Tess (2013), social media fosters
a more interactive learning environment, but it also requires effective moderation to maintain
academic integrity. Platforms like Edmodo and Facebook Groups have been successfully used in
educational settings to facilitate learning.

Virtual labs provide students with hands-on experiences in science and engineering subjects
without the need for physical lab space. These simulations allow learners to conduct experiments
safely and repeatedly. According to Ma and Nickerson (2006), virtual labs enhance conceptual
understanding by providing interactive, risk-free environments for experimentation. Platforms
like PhET Interactive Simulations and Labster offer virtual lab experiences for students across
different disciplines.

Relevant Of Educational Technology in Teaching Learning Encounter

Encourages Independent Learning

E-learning platforms like Udemy and Duolingo support self-paced learning, allowing students to
take charge of their education. According to Zimmerman (2002), self-regulated learning
improves academic success and lifelong learning habits.

Supports Special Education Needs

Assistive technologies like screen readers, speech-to-text software, and Braille devices help
students with disabilities access education. Edyburn (2010) states that these tools promote
inclusion and equal learning opportunities.

Curiosity Driven by Engaging Content

Through engaging and educational content, teachers can spark inquisitiveness in children and
boost their curiosity, which research says has ties to academic success. Curiosity helps students
get a better understanding of math and reading concepts. Creating engaging content can involve
the use of AR, videos, or podcasts. For example, when submitting assignments, students can
include videos or interact with students from across the globe..

Personalized Learning Opportunities

Technology allows 24/7 access to educational resources. Classes can take place entirely online
via the use of a laptop or mobile device. Hybrid versions of learning combine the use of
technology from anywhere with regular in-person classroom sessions. In both scenarios, the use
of technology to tailor learning plans for each student is possible. Teachers can create lessons
based on student interests and strengths. An added benefit is that students can learn at their own
pace. When they need to review class material to get a better understanding of essential concepts,
students can review videos in the lesson plan. The data generated through these online activities
enable teachers to see which students struggled with certain subjects and offer additional
assistance and support.

Facilitates Real-World Learning

Technologies like virtual field trips and augmented reality bring real-world scenarios into
classrooms. According to Merchant et al. (2014), these tools enhance experiential learning and
practical application of knowledge.

Discuss in details historical development of educational technology.

THE SANDBOX

Early 20th Century Classroom

In 1806, the Lancastrian methodology of schooling was introduced in New York City and with
this new method of teaching came a new form of educational technology. Lancaster’s method of
education was appealing because a large number of students could be educated for a low cost.
This method employed a master teacher as well as “monitors” (more advanced students) to teach
large classes of students. The monitors, who had been trained by the master teacher taught
groups of approximately twenty students a skill, such as writing. Students would use a sandbox
on their desk to practice the alphabet: “White sand overlaid the box and the children traced the
letters of the alphabet with their fingers in the sand, the black surface showing through in the
form of the letter traced … After the children had made each of the letters, the monitor smoothed
the sand with a flat iron and a new letter was presented” (Gutek, 1986, p. 62).
Lancaster chose sandboxes because they were the most economically affordable form of
technology available at the time. But by the 1830’s, doubts about the effectiveness of the
Lancastrian system surfaced. With the decline of this teaching method, the use of monitors and
sandboxes ended. Later the sandboxes would be replaced by individual slates. Although they
were more expensive, slates allowed students to practice their writing skills more easily. Erasing
chalk from a slate was quicker and cleaner than ironing the surface of the sandbox.

THE BLACKBOARD

Slate Tablet

While individual slates were used in classrooms during the early 1800s, it was not until 1841 that
the classroom chalkboard was first introduced. Shortly thereafter, Horace Mann began
encouraging communities to buy chalkboards for their classrooms. By the late 1800s, the
chalkboard had become a permanent fixture in most classrooms.

Blackboard

As with many forms of educational technology, learning how to integrate the chalkboard into
classroom instruction was not an easy task. As Shade (2001) explains, “When first introduced,
the chalkboard went unused for many years until teachers realized that it could be used for whole
group instruction. They had to change their thinking from individual slates to classroom slates”
(p. 2).

Similar to more modem forms of educational technology, the chalkboard also received praise
from community leaders. As an example, Josiah Bumstead, a Springfield Massachusetts
councilman, said, “The inventor or introducer of the blackboard deserves to be ranked among the
best contributors to learning and science, if not among the greatest benefactors of mankind”
(Daniel, 2000, p. 1). Thinking of the blackboard as a revolutionary form of educational
technology seems counterintuitive. But it is one of the few types of media that has survived the
test of time and is still regularly used in classrooms today.

MAGIC LANTERN

Magic Lantern

The height of its popularity was around 1870. The predecessor to the slide machine, the magic
lantern projected images on glass plates. By the end of World War I, Chicago’s public school
system had a collection of some 8,000 lantern slides.

LEAD PENCILS
Lead Pencils

Around the turn of the 20th century mass produced pencils and paper become readily available,
gradually replacing the school slate.

STEREOSCOPE

Stereoscope

At the turn of the 20th century, the Keystone View Company began to market stereoscopes. The
three dimensional devices, which were popular in home parlors, were sold to schools featuring
educational sets containing hundreds of images.

FILM

During the next several decades, the American educational system expanded and became more
developed. The price of producing paper and printing books also dropped to levels that enabled
paper to replace slates and allowed each child to have his or her own books. But just as books
were becoming widely available to students, a new form of educational technology began to
emerge, namely film.