As I sit here to create a post regarding my definition of technology I began to think that just last night in one of my posts for ETEC 511 I was discussing a topic very similar to the one we are currently looking at in this class. In our discussion about what we think technology and educational technology means I wrote:
Before this course when I thought about technology or educational technology my definition would have been regarding just the objects themselves (eg. televisions, ipads, smart boards etc.) I had not previously thought about the fact that that technology also includes all the activities that can be done with these objects as well as the knowledge created through these objects and also the will that we have to work with these objects. This changed my whole thinking about what technology means and now makes my definition encompass many other facets of technology.
As I researched the definition of technology it became clear to me that technology means a lot more than just the objects that are created/invented, but also must include all of the things that we do with these objects and how they are used to share learning and information with others. There is a short blurb below the picture that I chose and it says:
“Computers and electronic technology are in the classrooms for good. Many schools have 1 to 1 initiatives that put a computing device into the hands of each student. This graphic is a challenge for teachers to move beyond the obvious and traditional uses of computers (browsing, clicking, chatting, and gaming) to inventing, designing, creating, building, sharing.”
In today’s educational world we are slowing moving away from the “traditional” uses of technology (although these are still valid) and moving towards using technology to help students create, design, explore and invent things where they can bring their ideas and learning to life.
