Vision+of+Educational+Technology

I completely agree with The 2010 Horizon Report in regard to the direction that technology is moving. As stated in the report, technology is increasingly becoming a means for empowering students, a method for communication and socializing. Technology is impacting all of our lives, and especially the lives of students. It continues to profoundly affect the way we work, play, learn, socialize, and collaborate. I believe, as the report indicates, that technology skills are becoming critical to success in almost every arena and those who are more facile with technology will advance while those without access or skills will not. I think that as educators it is our responsibility to prepare our students for what lies ahead. However in order to prepare our students it is crucial that we prepare ourselves. I further believe that it would be very difficult to teach students these new emerging skills if we have not prepared ourselves. We must expose these new technologies to our students as soon as possible. I also believe that if we as educators fail to prepare ourselves we will become obsolete. I can also visualize a time when each student will have access their own personal electronic tutor. It will be a tutor that is specifically programmed for that student. This electronic device will be connected wirelessly to other devices such as cell phones and even game systems. I can also see a time when each student’s desk is connected to a wireless learning system that is controlled by a teacher. This system can also view multiple students’ progress as they listen and interact to a lesson. Maybe it will be possible one day for students to be placed in a learning chamber where all information is electronically sent to the students’ helmets. According to David Jakes (2003), virtual learning environments, when supported by sound instructional models and when combined with the content of the web, can provide an opportunity to integrate multiple types of unique web resources into the learning experience.
 * Educational Technology Vision   **