Educational technology aims to improve the learning process through the development, application, and evaluation of systems and techniques. It involves optimizing instruction through the arrangement and systemization of scientific methods and new equipment. The roles of educational technology include providing 24/7 access to information, facilitating social interaction and digital content sharing, serving as a teaching aid, and making lessons easier and faster. Its important functions are to improve teaching and learning, analyze the teaching-learning process, enhance educational goals, train teachers, develop curriculum and teaching materials, support teaching strategies, develop audio-visual aids, help address problems, and identify community needs. Educational technology should be used comprehensively to develop 21st century skills, support innovative teaching and learning, and create robust

1. ROLES and FUNCTIONS
OF
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
in the
21st CENTURY EDUCATION

2. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
• Educational technology is the development, application and evaluation of systems, techniques
and aids to improve the process of human learning. (Lucido and Borbaro, 1997)
• Educational technology basically means all the intellectual and operational efforts made
during recent years to regroup, arrange and systematize the application of scientific methods
to the organization of new sets of equipment and material so as to optimize learning process. (
British Journal of Educational Technology, 1971)

3. ROLES OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
• Technology allows for 24/7 access to information;
• Constant social interaction;
• Easily created and shared digital content;
• Serves as an teaching aid in teaching-learning process;
• Gives new information to both teacher and the learner;
• Source of knowledge for every students;
• Makes the lesson easier and faster; and
• Provides interest to both teachers and learners.

4. Important Functions of Educational Technology
1. Improvement of Teaching
It tries to find out the different variables of teaching , their interlinks, effects upon each other,
relationships, theories of teaching, phases of teaching principles in teaching, maxims of teaching.
Developing the theories of teaching , it helps in improving the quality of education
2. Analysis of the Teaching –Learning Process
Educational technology aims at analyzing the process of teaching –learning process thoroughly.
Tries to establish better relationship between teaching and learning.

5. 3. Improvement of Learning
It facilitate more and more of learning in less time. It takes the help of various empirically
established generalizations from psychology , sociology, physical sciences, engineering etc.
4. Enhancing Goals of Education
The objectives of education are being reviewed and revised with the passage of time. Educational
technology helps in enhancing the right objectives in the light of the changed circumstances and
changed environment
5. Training to Teachers
The changed of environment with new curriculum and new materials is to be handled by the
teachers. Right type of training to the teachers is the need of the hour. Educational technology
can render its valuable help in training of teachers also

6. 6. Development of Curriculum
Keeping in view the objectives of education, which have been finalized by education technology
thereafter, comes the developing right type of curriculum. Only a suitable type of curriculum will
help in the attainment of goals.
7. Development of Teaching-Learning Materials
Teaching l-learning materials are also important as anything else in the teaching-learning
process.
8. Teaching – Learning Strategies
A strategy plays an important role in the hands of teacher in every teaching-learning situation.
The strategy has to be the right one which should be according to the materials and is able to
bring about effective teaching learning.

7. 9. Development of Audio-Visual Aids
Audio-Visual aids have always played an important role in teaching –learning process. They
need be used according to the times.
10. Help in Overall Improvement
Educational technology helps in locating the problems in the different areas of education. It also
helps in remedying the draw-backs.
11. Identification of Needs of the Community
Educational technology identifies the needs of the community. It helps in providing equal
education opportunities to backward people, disadvantaged students and deprived sections of
the society.

8. • Use technology comprehensively to develop proficiency in 21st century skills
Even if all students mastered core academic subjects, they still would be woefully underprepared
to succeed in postsecondary institutions and workplaces, which increasingly value people who
can use their knowledge to communicate, collaborate, analyze, create, innovate and solve
problems.
• Use technology comprehensively to support innovative teaching and learning
To keep pace with a changing world, schools need to offer more rigorous, relevant and engaging
opportunities for students to learn-and to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways.
• Use technology comprehensively to create robust education support system
To be effective in schools and classrooms, teachers and administrators need training, tools and
proficiency in 21st century skills themselves. Used comprehensively, technology transforms
standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development, learning
environments and administration.