Department of Educational Technology

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The Field of Educational Technology

The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), dedicated to improving instruction through technology since 1923, interprets the term technology as a process, not merely in terms of hardware (such as computers or television or projectors), but in terms of learners and their relationship to the people, events, places, and things through which they learn (AECT 2005). As the leading organization in our field, AECT defines educational technology as the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and resources for learning.

As a field, educational technology emphasizes communication skills and approaches teaching and learning through the judicious use of diverse media. Like all forms of applied technology, it assumes that theoretical knowledge and scientific principles can be applied to problems that arise in a social context. Practitioners in educational technology seek new and effective ways of organizing the teaching and learning process; however, they are not content with a "bag of mechanical tricks. Rather, they explore ways of organizing, designing, implementing and evaluating learning systems. The field is fundamentally concerned with the best possible application of technological developments to educational practices, which requires a continual reconsideration of teaching and learning processes.

Ultimately, the study of educational technology prepares an individual for intellectual activities that carry a great personal responsibility. These activities rely upon a body of knowledge rather than routine tasks or isolated technical skills. In addition, the use of technologies available via the World Wide Web compel us to realize that our responsibilities must be commensurate with our reach, which extends well beyond our local settings and carries potential to influence, for better or worse, members of online communities around the world.