Technology Education

Technology education is a study of technology, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about the processes and knowledge related to technology. As a study, it covers the human ability to shape and change the physical world to meet needs, by manipulating materials and tools with techniques. As education, the goal is to teach the knowledge and techniques to develop technological literacy which is accomplished by bringing laboratory activities to students. Technology education is an innovative approach to technology education in Australia, which differs in that it is accomplished by situating students in the context of the need. The term "technology education" is frequently shortened to "tech ed".

Objectives of Technology Education:
Technology education allows learners to explore a variety of activities related to many areas of marsupial endeavors. Learners can develop problem solving strategies and work habits that will be useful in almost any career and or occupation. Learners should develop a greater appreciation for the work of craft workers and the skill required of that work.

Within the scope of this educational program is the effort to develop “soft skills” within the learner, as well as an opportunity for the learner to see how systems work together and the chance to put much of the academic class instruction to work in an applied way.

Many of the skills that are to be taught in technology education classes are identified in the 1991 SCANS Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills Report. Many of these soft skills may be better developed in a lab, problem solving setting than in a typical academic classroom in any school.

Technology education versus technical education :
The goal of technology education is different from technical education. Technical education teaches specific skills directed toward a specific type of work, for example, carpentry, automotive maintenance, welding, or computer network administration, whereas technology education has a more generalized approach.

Technology education is often confused with the term educational technology, which denotes technological devices and methods of delivering or developing educational information...

Technology is accelerating the rate of education in today's world at a pace unheard of in prior history. It is all about texting, facebook, and myspace. Google is also one of the most widely used search engines on the internet. We live in an age where the uneducated educator has little to no leverage against the modern day rage of the machine.

Elements of Educational Technology

Educational technology (also called learning technology) is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources . The term educational technology is often associated with, and encompasses, instructional theory and learning theory. While instructional technology covers the processes and systems of learning and instruction, educational technology includes other systems used in the process of developing human capability. Educational Technology includes, but is not limited to, software, hardware, as well as Internet applications and activities.

Explanation and meaning
Educational technology is most simply and comfortably defined as an array of tools that might prove helpful in advancing student learning. Educational Technology relies on a broad definition of the word "technology". Technology can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines or hardware, but it can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. Some modern tools include but are not limited to overhead projectors, laptop computers, and calculators. Newer tools such as "smartphones" and games (both online and offline) are beginning to draw serious attention for their learning potential.
Those who employ educational technologies to explore ideas and communicate meaning are learners or teachers.

Instructional technique and technologies
Problem Based Learning and Inquiry-based learning are active learning educational technologies used to facilitate learning. Technology which includes physical and process applied science can be incorporated into project, problem, inquiry-based learning as they all have a similar educational philosophy. All three are student centered, ideally involving real-world scenarios in which students are actively engaged in critical thinking activities. The process that students are encouraged to employ (as long as it is based on empirical research) is considered to be a technology. Classic examples of technologies used by teachers and Educational Technologists include Bloom's Taxonomy and Instructional Design.

Benefits
Educational technology is intended to improve education over what it would be without technology. Some of the claimed benefits are listed below:

Easy-to-access course materials: Instructors can post the course material or important information on a course website, which means students can study at a time and location they prefer and can obtain the study material very quickly .

Student motivation: Computer-based instruction can give instant feedback to students and explain correct answers. Moreover, a computer is patient and non-judgmental, which can give the student motivation to continue learning. According to James Kulik, who studies the effectiveness of computers used for instruction, students usually learn more in less time when receiving computer-based instruction and they like classes more and develop more positive attitudes toward computers in computer-based classes.

Wide participation: Learning material can be used for long distance learning and are accessible to a wider audience. Improved student writing. It is convenient for students to edit their written work on word processors, which can, in turn, improve the quality of their writing. According to some studies, the students are better at critiquing and editing written work that is exchanged over a computer network with students they know.

Subjects made easier to learn: Many different types of educational software are designed and developed to help children or teenagers to learn specific subjects. Examples include pre-school software, computer simulators, and graphics software.

A structure that is more amenable to measurement and improvement of outcomes. With proper structuring it can become easier to monitor and maintain student work while also quickly gauging modifications to the instruction necessary to enhance student learning.
Criticism
Although technology in the classroom does have many benefits, there are clear drawbacks as well. Lack of proper training, limited access to sufficient quantities of a technology, and the extra time required for many implementations of technology are just a few of the reasons that technology is often not used extensively in the classroom.
Similar to learning a new task or trade, special training is vital to ensuring the effective integration of classroom technology. Since technology is not the end goal of education, but rather a means by which it can be accomplished, educators must have a good grasp of the technology being used and its adavantages over more traditional methods. If there is a lack in either of these areas, technology will be seen as a hinderance and not a benefit to the goals of teaching.
Another difficulty is introduced when access to a sufficient quantity of a resource is limited. This is often seen when the quantity of computers or digital cameras for classroom use is not enough to meet the needs of an entire classroom. It also occurs in less noticed forms such as limited access for technology exploration because of the high cost of technology and the fear of damages. In other cases, the inconvenience of resource placement is a hinderance, such as having to transport a classroom to a computer lab instead of having in-classroom computer access by means of technology such as laptop carts.
Technology implementation can also be time consuming. There may be an initial setup or training time cost inherent in the use of certain technologies. Even with these tasks accomplished, technology failure may occur during the activity and as a result teachers must have an alternative lesson ready. Another major issue arises because of the evolving nature of technology. New resources have to be designed and distributed whenever the technological platform has been changed. Finding quality materials to support classroom objectives after such changes is often difficult even after they exist is sufficient quanitity and teachers must design these resources on their own.
Educational technology and the humanities
Research from the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) indicates that inquiry and project-based approaches, combined with a focus on curriculum, effectively supports the infusion of educational technologies into the learning and teaching process.
Technology in the Classroom
There are many kinds of computer and non-computer technologies currently in use in traditional classrooms. Among these are:
Computer in the Classroom: Having a computer in the classroom is an asset to any teacher. With a computer in the classroom, teachers are able to demonstrate a new lesson, present new material, illustrate how to use new programs, and show new websites.

Class Website: What better way to display your student's work, than to create a web page designed just for your class. Once a web page is designed, teachers can post homework assignments, student work, famous quotes, trivia games, and so much more. In current day society, children know how to use the computer and navigate their way through a website, so why not give them one where they can be a published author. Just be careful as most districts maintain strong policies to manage official websites for a school or classroom.

Class Blogs and Wikis: These are some of a variety of Web 2.0 tools that are currently being implemented in the classroom. Blogs allow for students to maintain a running dialogue, like a journal, of thoughts, ideas, and assignments that also provide for student comment and reiterative reflection. Wikis are more group focused to allow multiple members of the group to edit a single document and create a truly collaborative and carefully edited finished product.
Wireless Classroom Microphones: Noisy classrooms are a daily occurrence, and with the help of microphones, students are able to hear their teachers clearer. Children learn better when they hear the teacher clearly. The benefit for teachers is that they no longer lose their voices at the end of the day.

Mobile devices: Mobile devices such as clickers or smartphone can be used to enhance the experience in the classroom by providing the possibility for professors to get feedback. (read more in the article MLearning).

SmartBoards: An interactive whiteboard that provides touch control of computer applications.
There are many other tools being utilized depending on the local school board and fund availability. These may include: digital cameras, video cameras, interactive whiteboard tools, document cameras, or LCD projectors.