Education Technology or edtech refers to the use of digital or electronic technologies and materials to support teaching and learning. This video shows a presentation on edtech from Senior Open University Lecturer Tom Power. Tom introduces the concept of edtech as well as discussing key points from the body of evidence that exists in the literature.
Tom was the lead author of a Topic Guide that was based on edtech, which was launched by HEART on 13 November 2014. The Guide explores the evidence on relationships between the use of edtech in education, and learning outcomes. It offers recommendations to support UK Department for International Development (DFID) advisers to strengthen the design, implementation and evaluation of edtech programmes.
The guide aims to contribute to what we know about the relationship between educational technology (edtech) and educational outcomes by addressing the following overarching question:
What is the evidence that the use of edtech, by teachers or students, impacts teaching and learning practices, or learning outcomes?
It also offers recommendations to support advisors to strengthen the design, implementation and evaluation of programmes that use edtech. Recognising that technology alone does not enhance learning, evaluations must also consider how programmes are designed and implemented, how teachers are supported, how communities are developed and how outcomes are measured.
About the speaker
Tom Power is Programme Director of English in Action (EIA) at the Open University. EIA is a programme to improve the English Language competence of some 25 Million people in Bangladesh, funded through DFID. EIA provides teacher professional development and classroom resources through low-cost mobile phones, supporting changes in classroom practice for teachers across Bangladesh through peer-learning.
The hashtag #Edtech4dev can be used to join in the conversation with others who have accessed the guide. Tweet to us at @HEART_RES with any comments you might have. Tom can be found on twitter at @25Tom.
