As a modern ESL instructor, I cannot imagine my class without technology. Until recently, I would identify only electronic devices in my classroom as technology. However, having carefully studied Tony Bates’ publication A Short History of Educational Technology, my understanding of this term has significantly broadened.
How can we define educational technology? This term would definitely be rather broad as it can encompass almost any teaching means. In his publication, Tony Bates starts tracing the history of educational technology from oral communication and the introduction of written communication. We would hardly associate these teaching media with the word “technology” nowadays, which reminds me of Neil Postman’s statement in his talk Five Things We Need to Know about Technological Change: tools and devices become “mythical” over the time and start being treated like a part of nature rather than an invention. However, I do not see this as a degradation of our understanding of technology, quite on the contrary – the more technologies we get used to, the more motivated we are to keep creating new ones. So, if I had to define educational technology from the perspective of a modern instructor while considering the contributions of the past, I would define it as means, devices, or tools that make the process of learning efficient and engaging.
Till now, I would say, my understanding and practice of educational technology had been forming both consciously and subconsciously by the historical and philosophical contexts. On the one hand, I had never thought about how such seemingly common invention as printing has brought me, my peers, and numerous generations before us to where we are now. I had never valued the fact that, thanks to the printing press, we are able to obtain standardized education (Tony Bates) and keep passing this knowledge on. On the other hand, if we view technology in the present day context, I have always tried to stay aware of the new technological advancements and incorporate them into my teaching process. For instance, my students and I have been using various online ESL resources and platforms, such as Wordwall, Ellii, Raz Kids, Miro, etc. I have even started using Twee, an AI tool created specifically for teachers to make task and lesson preparation faster and easier. My students and I also use multiple electronic devices in the classroom, such as computers, a smart board, and even smartphones.
Some instructors might argue that such tools as AI or smartphones would not be a good addition to a class, but I believe that every new educational technology can prove to be useful if applied rationally and moderately. While it is natural for humans to fear new developments (Neil Postman), it is also true that we cannot avoid them, and they will eventually become an inseparable part of our lives. Therefore, I firmly believe that educators should do their best to make technology their friend, not their enemy, and use it to advocate and support effective learning. Following this principle helps me understand educational technology better and be open to new innovations and ideas.
Nice post, Kateryna. I am happy to read about your bonding with technology. The role of print media is more in making technological advancements. It’s up to the individual to make the correct usage of a device. No doubt, technology brings new ideas and creativity and human mind can give it an appropriate shape.
Hi Kavya, thank you for taking your time to read my post! 🙂 I really appreciate your comment.
Hi Kateryna, I am really enlightened by your thoughtfulness about importance of technology in Education. I am glad you did a thorough research on the provided topic and demonstrated many new concepts for us.
Looking forward to learn more from you in future!!!
Best regards,
Gurjinder Kaur
Hi Gurjinder, thank you very much for your kind words! I look forward to exchanging knowledge with you as well!
Hi Kateryna, thanks for this beautiful post. I never would have thought of oral communication as a form of technology. However, I really agree with you that “printing has brought me, my peers, and numerous generations before us to where we are now”. More importantly, thanks to textbooks used in schools, I wouldn’t have been able to access pieces of information on subjects taught in school. And I think printing is still relevant in today’s society, despite the advancement in technology. As an educator, I also look at technology as used decades ago from the aspect of using audio, picture graphs, and models, which have all now been transformed with the help of sophisticated tools and software. Truly, technology has come to stay and I agree with you that the best approach to using it i to make it our friend and not enemy.
Hi Ayodele, thanks a million for reading my post so thoroughly and singling out the thoughts you liked most! I am happy we both see technology as our potential “friend” and helper rather than an enemy. 🙂
Great post, Kateryna! I agree, to make technology our friend, not our enemy. We can use it as a tool especially in the educational sector. It’s great that you’ve been using lots of various technological tools in your work as an ESL instructor. These tools truly can help you and other ESL teachers to teach English in a more engaging manner.
Hi Raul, thanks a million for your comment! 🙂 I totally agree, the tools I have been using have been of a great help both to me and to my students, and I am always eager to learn more and implement newly emerging technologies!
Hello Kateryna. I really enjoyed the positions you took in your blog post. You gave excellent detail on the importance of educators keeping up ith technology and EMBRACING it. I believe this is the key part of this stance. AI is a scary term to bring up at division meetings, but if teachers AND students are taught how to use it appropriately, this new generation of tech could be unbelievably useful. Thank you also for the connections to our readings. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Hi Eddy, thanks for your kind words! I agree with you that AI is definitely a “scary” term for modern educators. As we discussed during our second class, humans are always opposed to technological change at the beginning. However, over time we will, hopefully learn to embrace it! 🙂