Running head: THE EVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY 1

The Evolution of Technology in Education

Week 5 Assignment

Eric Fonseca

Emerging Issues in Educational Technology EDU 356

Instructor Kiffany Scott

October 17th, 2016

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The Evolution of Technology in Education

Technological advances and new software capabilities are creating a way for individuals

to gather information and connect with others easily. The greater connectivity allows for a

continuous learning environment that adapts to the person. Mobile technologies are not likely to

disappear anytime soon and may be used to enhance not only learning outside the classroom but

in the classroom as well. In this paper, mobile technologies will be evaluated to determine if

they can be utilized to enhance critical thinking, add to current content, and present material for

learners. Secondly, an outline of mobile tools that will engage students and how they may be

incorporated into the learning environment will be provided. Finally, hardware, software, and

media will be contrasted with how they have been used in the past and present, and what the

future may hold for educational technology. The new tools and applications that are on todays

market are more accessible, easy to use, and cost-effective than in the past. These technologies

should be advanced and implemented in all facets of learning to keep up with todays changing

environment. To ensure that these tools are applied appropriately, additional studies and research

should be conducted to identify how to obtain the greatest results of these applications and tools.

Mobile Technologies in the Learning Environment

Mobile technologies can include many items such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones.

These items are easily transferred from one location to another and offer opportunities to stay

connected outside of the home, business, and educational environment. One of the key

components of mobile electronics is the ability to connect with others at all times. Being able to

communicate and collaborate enhances our ability to obtain and share information which is a

fundamental component of learning. One of the major differences in classroom interaction and
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capacity to learn outside the classroom is that learning is not strictly done between a teacher and

a student, there is also the capacity for social learning. Quinn (2011) reiterates this by stating

Learner mentor interactions are one thing, but learner learner interactions also have valuable

outcomes (p. 35). The results of those interactions are something that has been focused on in

many educational environments.

Mobile technology is a great resource that can be used in any learning setting for

collaborative purposes. There is a downside to using mobile technology as stated by Taleb and

Sohrabi (2012) who discuss that not everyone has access to afford smartphones with all the

capabilities that are needed for mobile education. Educators are often worried that such

technology will be used for academic dishonesty if not carefully monitored or banned altogether.

Marcoux (2014) identifies Schools now often ask teens to store their cellphones when taking a

test, or they collect them and hold them until the test is done. Yet what has been called cheating

before may now be a collaborative endeavor - the definition of what is being done is often

defined by the teacher or teacher librarian and the lesson (p. 69). Though tests have been

thought of as the primary measure of reaching learning outcomes, there is the idea that a

collaborative project by students working together can also lead to the same learning outcomes.

Through collaboration, learners can demonstrate their ability to reach outcomes instead of

merely writing a response on what the outcome is.

Incorporating Technology in Education

One tool that can be found on mobile devices is social media. Social media is often

considered for sharing personal information, but can be used for learning also. Social media can

allow students to keep in contact even outside of their regular working hours. Some may say that
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interacting for educational purposes outside of normal hours takes away from personal time.

This statement is true, but social interaction is something that can be both personal and

educational without the stress of the traditional learning environment. Social media sites have

grown so popular that even businesses have incorporated them and employees will use them to

keep in contact outside of work. In fact, Social networks like MySpace and Facebook now have

corporate equivalents. This is on top of existing social tools such as e-mail and phones. These

capabilities are increasingly appearing in learning management systems (LMSs) as well, and

they provide rich learning opportunities (Quinn, 2011, p. 77). This quote shows that companies

are interested in workers that can collaborate and solve problems using readily available

technology.

Wiki sites, web conferencing, and voice chatting are also applications that are accessed

through mobile technology. Wiki sites allow students to collaborate in the classroom by

communicating and sharing documents. These sites are easily accessible and are often

customized to the group that is using them. While Wiki sites are a great resource, they often take

time to learn how to use. Wikis also are found in an online environment with a few exceptions,

which make them unsecured when it comes to collaboration using confidential materials. Web

conferencing has expanded into the realm of mobile technology also. Online conferencing

allows learners to access instruction even when not at a computer desk. Also, voice

communication software such as Skype, Google Hangouts, or Apple Facetime can be used for

groups of individuals to work together over long distances.

Though all of these applications seem to be primarily for the use of collaboration they

can be used by instructors to present material and facilitate participation. An instructor may use

social media to determine participation grades for an assignment. Wiki sites can be reviewed for
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participation as well, but may also be used as a way for the student to view projects that the

instructor wishes to distribute rather than providing paper copies or e-mailing. Web conferences

and voice communication services can be used to facilitate material, allow for questions and

collaboration. While these technologies are useful, it is important that the instructor or designer

ensure that they are being used in the correct context. Conducting proper analysis of the goals,

objectives, and learners lead to whether these tools should be employed in the form of primary

facilitation or as a supplement to the material.

The Past and Future of Technology in Education

Technology in the past has been used in education in the form of videos, projectors, and

even some early games. Often technology in the past was used as a way to either add to the

primary instruction or even at times only to pass the time in between topic changes. Technology

began to increase more with the advances in the internet, personal, computers, and mobile

technology. Even with the progress, very little has been done to make these technologies more

than just a supplemental form of instruction. There are many theories as to why technology was

not introduced more into the educational settings of the past. Many were skeptical of the

implementation of technologies into the educational environment as primary resources. One

such observation is by Selwyn and Facer (2014) who affirm As such, the tendency for serious

sociologists of education to shy away from digital technology was undoubtedly underpinned by

justifiable suspicions of faddishness (p. 485). This quote shows that many educators felt that it

may not be prudent to implement these tools if they would only disappear in the future.

Currently, education technology is being applied more than in the past because of the

rising use of the general population and especially youth. Many have now Identified that many of
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these advances are not a fad, but becoming a part of everyones lives. Higher education

institutions are implementing entire degrees of study online, and corporations are using

technology to train their employees. Implementing technology in an early education setting is a

new concept, and many are unsure what the consequences of implementing these devices and

applications mean to younger age groups (Turja, Endepohls-Ulpe, & Chatoney, 2009). There is

also the issue that public schools are funded primarily from government entities whereas

corporations and higher education facilities are not. The funding appears to be a problem trying

to ensure that schools have the infrastructure to incorporate the innovations. Government entities

are always adjusting budgets for education which affects the application of new tools. Though

there is still much doubt, technology has begun to be implemented more in childrens

classrooms. Young learners are being asked to use the internet for research, and courses in

science and technology are becoming requirements.

The future of education and technology is still chaotic as there are many questions

unanswered about how best these tools should be included and to what capacity. While there are

an array of applications and hardware available, there is little research as to how well each item

assists in learning and what are the best techniques for implementing them. Technology is a core

component of the workforce and companies are beginning to use more technology driven modes

of production. This business model shift creates a need for our future workforce to be ready to

enter a company with technological skills to contribute productively. Additional research and

studies are essential to determine how best to include devices and software appropriately based

on learner need, subject matter, and learning outcomes. Once proper studies are completed and

best practices identified, educational entities would fully understand the benefits of technology in

the learning environment.

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Personal Goals and Implementation

Personally, I have taken away a lot of information from identifying how technology can

be implemented in the learning environment. In a corporate setting, I feel collaboration is crucial

to learning outcomes. Introducing learners to new technologies such as secure social media,

instructional games, and social collaboration software are new methods of engaging students and

allowing them to form their conclusions. I feel that by examining best practices about how these

could be implemented in a corporate setting will enable learners to grasp concepts easier and

retain information being presented. The goal of eventually transitioning into an Instructional

Design role with my company means that I will need to use technology effectively that reaches

people over long distances. Using this knowledge will allow for more precise materials that will

reach the desired audience. I plan to continue to search out new applications and devices that

may be useful in training and design.

Conclusion

Indeed, Technological advances and new software capabilities are creating a way for

individuals to gather information and connect with others easily. The greater connectivity allows

for a continuous learning environment that adapts to the person. In this paper, mobile

technologies were evaluated to determine if they can be utilized to enhance critical thinking, add

to current content, and present material for learners. Mobile tools were outlined that engage

students and how they may be incorporated into the learning environment were provided.

Finally, hardware, software, and media were contrasted with how they have been used in the past

and present, and what the future may hold for educational technology. The new tools and

applications that are on todays market are more accessible, easy to use, and cost-effective than
THE EVOLUTION OF TECHNOLOGY 8

in the past. These technologies should be advanced and implemented in all facets of learning to

keep up with todays changing environment. In order to ensure that these tools are implemented

correctly additional studies and research should be conducted to identify the greatest result.
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References

Marcoux, E. '. (2014). Reading & cheating & technology. Teacher Librarian, (5), 69.

Selwyn, N., & Facer, K. (2014). The sociology of education and digital technology: past, present and

future. Oxford Review Of Education, 40(4), 482-496. doi:10.1080/03054985.2014.933005

Taleb, Z., & Sohrabi, A. (2012). Learning on the Move: The use of Mobile Technology to Support Learning

for University Students. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 69, 1102-1109.

doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.12.038

Turja, L., Endepohls-Ulpe, M., & Chatoney, M. (2009). A conceptual framework for developing the

curriculum and delivery of technology education in early childhood. International Journal Of

Technology & Design Education, 19(4), 353-365. doi:10.1007/s10798-009-9093-9

Quinn, C. N. (2012). Mobile academy: Learning for higher education (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-

Bass. Retrieved from the ebrary database.