History of Technology

Unveiling how Technology shapes Learning Experiences

In our recent educational technology class, we explored how technology evolved from the ancient times to the present day, transforming the learning landscape. Contrary to the common thought that technology solely deals with digital tools, we found a new  definition of technology, as, simply the application of knowledge for practical purposes.

We discussed how the definition of technology has broadened over the years. Whether it is early tools like hand axes ,innovation of fire or the latest developments like the printing press and refrigerator, technology has always been about human resourcefulness. The indigenous planting technique known as “Three Sisters” planting technique, speaks loud about how knowledge can be applied to improve efficiency and viability.

The central idea of our class was that educational technology has always sparked excitement combined with skepticism, let it be early innovations like blackboard and film or recent ones like smartboards and online learning tools. However, each progress has its own pros and cons as stated by Neil Postman

Another fruitful part of the discussions dealt with the concept of “hard and soft technologies”. A common example of “hard technology” is the refrigerator as it serves the specific function of keeping food cool, whereas, smart phones come under the category of “soft technology” as it does multiple functions of phone, camera, radio, computer, calculator and much more. As educators, we have to consider these details while we integrate technology into our teaching practices.

A topic of debate that came across in our class discussion was “How important is medium in delivering education?”. I read this source and found that some people sided that medium is like a vessel for information whether it be a textbook, a video or a digital tool, while others opined that medium plays an important role in shaping learning experiences. This debate directs our attention towards the fact that while choosing a tool for teaching, we must critically examine its effect on student learning.

The gist of the session was that educational technology is not merely limited to a latest gadget, its any tool or method that improves the process of learning. We as educators must strike a balance between the benefits and potential drawbacks of any novel tool before integrating it in our student’s learning process.