Good Writing
Thoughts on Educational Technology *
The Changing Dynamics of Education
Philosophical Underpinnings of Educational Technology
Constructive Alignment: Redesigning the Design Process

Thoughts on Educational Technology

I am both excited and heartened to read of the diverse and spectacular educational technologies my classmates have experienced. I have given thought to the impact of educational technology currently but not much about its influence historically. However, having to reflect on my first memory of an educational technology has spurred an interesting mix of emotions and practical analysis.

In 1977, on a sunny morning in rural Jamaica, I remember Mrs. Clarke announcing that there would be a special surprise in class that day. Moments later, our sixth grade class was introduced to a beautiful tan, wooden slide rule. A slide rule is a device used for calculations and measurements. It is simple in its construct and similar in design to instruments used by the ancient Chinese and Egyptians. The slide rule is made of two or more elongated components that slide along each other lengthwise. The pieces of wood, plastic or metal have numbers affixed to them. The movement of these components, whilst adhering to some basic rules, allow the user to make calculations.

I get chills thinking about how exciting it was to learn math principles using this technology. Therefore, while multimedia, social networking and web enabled asynchronous tools are impressive technologies, I am compelled now, to think of the role novelty, creativity and simplicity play in the effective implementation of educational technologies.