1. The document discusses factors to consider when selecting educational technologies for distance learning programs. 2. Technology should support educational goals and decisions, not drive them. The chosen technologies must serve the instructional program goals and facilitate learning. 3. Multiple factors should guide the choice of technologies, including supporting best practices, designing for ease of use, and building on existing infrastructure. The needs and skills of both instructors and learners are important to consider.

1. CHAPTER 21: TECHNOLOGY
Best Practice: Technology should not drive educational
decisions around distance education—rather,
technology should support educational decisions.

2. TECHNOLOGY
 educational technology as technological tools and media
that assist in the communication of knowledge, and its
development and exchange. educational technology for
learning management systems (LMS), such as tools for student
and curriculum management, and education management
information systems (EMIS)

3. THE CHOICE OF TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD BE
GUIDED BY MULTIPLE FACTORS:
• “What should teachers know and be able to
do as a result of this instructional program?”
• “How best can we do this: face-to-face, via
distance, or both?”
1. Support the goals
of the instructional
program
• must serve as the best vehicle to address the
needs and goals of the teachers the distance
education program is designed to serve.
2. Select the
instructional
system
• technology/technologies selected must be
appropriate for curriculum delivery and support
teacher effectiveness (Farrell & Isaacs, 2007).
3. Facilitate
learning

4. THE CHOICE OF TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD BE
GUIDED BY MULTIPLE FACTORS:
• learner-centered instruction
4. Support best
practices in instruction
• Prepare when technology breaks down
5. Include back up
and support
• distance learning
• must build on a country’s available
communications, networked or broadcast
infrastructure
6. Build on existing
infrastructure

5. THE CHOICE OF TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD BE
GUIDED BY MULTIPLE FACTORS:
• skills and readiness of distance instructors
and learners is a critical in selecting a
particular mode of distance education
delivery.
• technology medium identified must be easy
enough for instructors and learners to use
7. Design with
ease of use in
mind
• New technologies offer options to expand
educational opportunities and improve
educational quality.
5. An eye to the
future

6. COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES
 Allow self-paced instruction. Computers allow
learners to proceed at their own pace, receive
feedback immediately, and review as often as
they like.
 May incorporate text, graphics, audio, and
video. With the trend toward digital audio,
digital video, and computer animations, it is
easy to incorporate various media into
computer programs.
 Allow high levels of interactivity. Computer
technologies allow embedded questions and
interactions, as well as online collaboration.
 Provide written record of discussions and
instruction. Computer logs can easily be
generated for computer interactions in distance
learning.
 Inexpensive. With access to the Internet, it is
relatively inexpensive to participate in computer
technologies for distance learning.
 Worldwide access. The Internet can be
accessed by millions of people throughout the
world. There is no other way to reach so many
people for so little money.
 Require hardware and software. At a minimum,
a computer and Internet connection are
required for most distance learning options that
involve computers.
 Generally rely on written communications.
Although it is possible to include audio and
video in computer-based distance learning,
most of the communications are in the form of
text.
 Require substantial planning . E-mail and other
asynchronous computer technologies require a
great deal of planning and preparation on the
part of the instructor.
 Computer viruses. If students send
assignments via a computer, there is always a
risk of viruses -- especially if they send
programs or attached files.
 No guaranteed performance. Computer
networks are notoriously unreliable. If students
wait until the last minute to check their e-mail
messages or search the Web, there is always
the risk the server may be down or the
Websites may have moved.
Advantages Disadvantages

7. CONCLUSION
Distance education is not about technology, it is about
people—about improving the knowledge, skills,
attitudes, aptitudes, and values of teachers with the
ultimate aim of improving the learning and
achievement of our students of today and
tomorrow.