Educational Technology

Preface

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) poses a significant challenge to our educational system. This book is intended for preservice and inservice teachers, as well as educators training these teachers. It offers a concise overview of key topics in ICT in education.

The goal of this edition is to enhance the education of pre- service trainees through a three- pronged, research- based approach:

1. To help you grow as a teacher, supported by substantial research indicating that students benefit from having “better” teachers.

2. To increase your understanding of ICT’ s roles in curriculum content, instruction, and assessment, all supported by research. ICT is now an essential content area across various disciplines you teach or plan to teach.

3. To develop your higher- order thinking, problem- solving skills, and critical analysis- focusing on ICT’ s role in tackling complex problems and performing sophisticated tasks across all curriculum areas.

This book aligns with the updated curriculum of the Educational Technology paper in the D. El.Ed course, which tends to overemphasize computer applications while underemphasizing other ICT aspects. It emphasises broad topics such as ICT in curriculum, instruction, assessment, enhancing students’ problem- solving abilities, and other professional dimensions. The focus is on cultivating higher- order knowledge and skills.

Alternatively, this text can serve in the Educational Technology course for both preservice and inservice teachers, building on the foundational skills taught during the first year of the D. El.Ed program.

As you explore this book, you’ ll recognise that ICT in education is a broad, complex, and rapidly evolving field. While ICT offers great potential to significantly improve education, only a small part of this potential has been realised so far. Additionally, the pace at which ICT advances now surpasses the rate of effective implementation in educational settings, widening the gap between ICT’ s possibilities and current application.

ICT changes quickly. What can you and your students learn now that will remain valuable for decades or a lifetime, rather than just until the next “new, improved, better, faster, more powerful” ICT product emerges? This book aims to provide some answers.

Your Feedback on this book is important to us for future editions.

Dr. Anamika Singh Dr. Seema Srivastava