The New Educational Technologies And Learning

Ibrahim Michail Hefzallah has been on the faculty of Fairfield University since 1968. At present, he is a professor of educational technology and the chair of the Educational Technology Department of the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions.

Educational technology is a creative blending of 'idea' and 'product' technologies with subject-matter content in order to engender and improve teaching and learning processes. Educational technology is often associated with the terms instructional technology or learning technology. 'Product' technologies are tangible; for example, computer hardware or software. 'Idea' technologies are cognitive frameworks or schemes; for example, the Multiple Intelligence Theory proposed by Howard Gardner. When products are thoughtfully blended with subject matter content (such as mathematics or science concepts) for a specific audience in a specific educational context (such as a school), one is using 'educational technology'. The words educational and technology in the term educational technology have the general meaning. Educational technology is not restricted to the education of children, nor to the use of high technology.

Technologies, such as artificial intelligence and augmented and mixed reality, continue to be implemented to support the process of teaching and learning. However, technological advances and new applications should not be seen as a replacement for the requisite consideration of proper needs analysis, instructional design, and educational philosophy within courses or training; rather it should serve as an enabler to allow faster and more open access to learning for individuals. Educational Technology and the New World of Persistent Learning provides innovative insights into technology integration methods within classroom settings including how they can empower students and how they can be used in the creation of dynamic learning experiences. The content within this publication examines e-learning, robotics, and tutoring systems and is designed for academicians, educators, principles, administrators, researchers, and students.

Recent advancements in technology have led to significant improvements and developments within learning environments. When utilized properly, these innovations can serve as a valuable resource for educators and students. Exploring the New Era of Technology-Infused Education is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on the implementation of emerging technologies in contemporary classroom settings. Highlighting theoretical foundations, empirical case studies, and curriculum development strategies, this book is ideally designed for researchers, practitioners, educators, and academics actively involved in teaching and learning environments.

This book addresses the issues confronting educators in the integration of digital technologies into their teaching and their students’ learning. Such issues include a skepticism of the added value of technology to educational learning outcomes, the perception of the requirement to keep up with the fast pace of technological innovation, a lack of knowledge of affordable educational digital tools and a lack of understanding of pedagogical strategies to embrace digital technologies in their teaching. This book presents theoretical perspectives of learning and teaching today’s digital students with technology and propose a pragmatic and sustainable framework for teachers’ professional learning to embed digital technologies into their repertoire of teaching strategies in a systematic, coherent and comfortable manner so that technology integration becomes an almost effortless pedagogy in their day-to-day teaching. The materials in this book are comprised of original and innovative contributions, including empirical data, to existing scholarship in this field. Examples of pedagogical possibilities that are both new and currently practised across a range of teaching contexts are featured. ​

This book is the outcome of a research symposium sponsored by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology [AECT]. Consisting of twenty-four chapters, including an introduction and conclusion, it argues that informational content should not be the main element of education, and that to provide more for learners, it is necessary to go beyond content and address other skills and capabilities. It also discusses the false premise that learning is complete when the information is known, not when learners seek more: their own directions, answers, and ideas. The authors assert that the ability to synthesize, solve problems and generate ideas is not based on specific content, although education often focuses solely on teaching content. Further, they state that content can be separated from the learning process and that instructional design and educational technology must be about the skills, habits, and beliefs to be learned.

This book highlights all aspects of innovative 21st-century education technologies and skills which can enhance the teaching and learning process on a broader spectrum, based on best practices around the globe. It offers case studies on real problems involving higher education, it includes policies that need to be adaptable to the new environments such as the role of accreditation, online learning, MOOCs, and mobile-based learning. The book covers all aspects of the digital competencies of teachers to fulfill the required needs of 21st-century classrooms and uses a new pedagogical approach suitable for educational policies. Innovative Education Technologies for 21st Teaching and Learning is the first book that addresses the teaching and learning challenges and how those challenges can be mitigated by technology which educational institutions are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This book is suitable for teachers, students, instructional and course designers, policymakers, and anyone interested in 21st-century education.