EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: AN ENHANCEMENT TOOL FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The role of educational technology in teaching and learning is rapidly becoming one of the most important and widely discussed issues in contemporary education policy (Rosen and Weil, 1995; and Thierer, 2000). Most experts in the field of education agreed that, when properly used, educational technology hold great promise to improve teaching and learning in addition to shaping workforce opportunities. Poole (1996) has indicated that computer illiteracy is now regarded as the new illiteracy. This has actually gingered a new and strong desire to equip schools with computer facilities and qualified personal necessary to produce technologically proficient and efficient education system that enhances teaching and learning. There is no doubt that educational technologies like computer can aid the instructional process and facilitate students’ learning.
Many studies have found positive effect associated with technology aided instruction (Burnett, 1994, and Fitzgerald and Warner, 1996).In the more advanced industrialized nations, there has been a staggering amount of research and publication related to technology use for educational purposes during the past decade. Today, nearly everyone in the industrialized nations gained access to educational technologies and the purchase of computers for school use in such nations as the United States has been increasing in such a pace that is difficult to keep track of how many computer machines are now in American schools (Harper, 2005). Becker (2006) reported a comprehensive survey of the instructional uses of computers in United States public and non-public schools.
The report suggested that over one million computers were in American elementary and secondary schools and that more than fifteen million students used them. The report also says half-a-million teacher used computers during he same period and that half of U.S. secondary schools (about 16,500 schools) owned 15 or more computers. Also, over 7500 elementary schools owned 15 or more computers. Bergheim and Chin (1984) reported that the US government made available $529 million to schools out of which 60 to70 percent was spent on computer education.
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EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: AN ENHANCEMENT TOOL FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING