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According to Educational Technology: A Definition with Commentary, “Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources” (Januszewski & Molenda, 2008).
This was by far my favorite assignment. I LOVED being able to create an info-graphic and used the site Piktochart. This tool allows you to modify free templates or start from scratch and create your own. It was very easy to navigate and had many icons, images, shapes, fonts, colors, etc. to choose from. I ended up spending a lot of time creating my info-graphic because it was fun to be creative and I wanted to make my graphic so that I could post it somewhere in my own classroom! I will definitely be using this site again. I also added a QR icon and code, using goo.gl/ so that anyone that views this graphic from Piktochart will be directed to this post. This was such a fun assignment and I really enjoyed being allowed the freedom to create from our own perspective, however we wanted!
I created this image by breaking down each part as I read. My take on the definition is that it is a journey. That is why I chose to use the winding lines that lead throughout the definition. There are so many parts to the definition, and I tried to use visuals and fonts that I felt uniquely represented each part. Even though it is a journey, I believe all parts are related in some way and build off one another.
Reading the first chapter of this book really clarified the definition of education technology. The authors did a great job of clearly defining each sub-part. Before taking this class, my idea of educational technology was using computers or devices as a part of learning and it was a very broad and vague picture. Now, I see that it is so much more. The definition is all about finding the best ways to not only use our knowledge to teach students, but also how to do it in an appropriate way that will promote life-long learning.
Technology is constantly evolving, and in my eyes, a journey as well. The graphic that I created has a light bulb at the end of the road. The reason why I chose this image is to show that the journey is never ending. Every second a new idea or advance in technology is occurring. While it is our duty as educators to keep up, at times it is necessary to take a step back and look at the big picture. In this case, breaking down the definition really provided clarity of what educational technology truly means. By creating this graphic, I will always have a visual to remind me on days where I get caught up in the newest devices and trends. Although these are important aspects, the bigger picture and definition of educational technology show the key essentials.
Ally Gilin: EDTECH Learning Log 