Charles Darwin
Role of Educational Technology in the Knowledge Society
Education as an essential activity in the development of society has seen major transformations, from which the new methods and models of the modern educational system have emerged. The relationship between the individual and society becomes more complex via education, as the individual gains the capability to make his contribution that would balance the benefits of his living among other individuals. In this context, education represents the basis of a society oriented education towards the futuristic goals as knowledge becomes the main component of the economic and social growth. Globalization and the changing world economy are driving a transition to knowledge-based economies. In particular, developing countries need knowledge-based economies not only to build more efficient domestic economies, but to take advantage of economic opportunities outside their own borders. In the social sphere, the knowledge society brings greater access to information and new forms of social interaction and cultural expression. Individuals therefore have more opportunities to participate in and influence the development of their societies. Many countries around the world are investing in educational technologies to improve and update the education they provide their younger generations. Developed nations such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States are achieving students-per-computer ratios below 5:1, and their governments are deploying high bandwidth in schools. They are also consistently promoting research on the use of educational technologies inside the classrooms for many different educational, cultural and social settings. Developing countries are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with their present human resources in a global economy that regards information as an
References: Educational Technology, 2002: p. 5-13 Crook, C., Computers and the Collaborative Experience of Learning Burniske, R.W. and L. Monke, Breaking down the Digital Walls. 2001, Albany: State University of New York Press. Githiora-Updike, W., The Global Schoolhouse, in The Digital Classroom, D.T. Gordon, Editor. 2000, Harvard Education Letter. Fullan, M. and A. Hargreaves, eds. Teacher Development and Educational Change. 1992, The Falmer Press. Hargreaves, A., Changing Teachers, Changing Times. 1994: Cassell.. Ertmer, P.A., Responsive Instructional Design: Scaffolding the Adoption and Change Process. Educational Technology, 2001 Papert, S., The children 's machine: rethinking school in the age of the computer. 1993, New York: BasicBooks Potashnik, M., et al., Computers in Schools: A qualitative study of Chile and Costa Rica. 1998, World Bank Human Development Network. Callister, T.A., The computer as doorstep: Technology as disempowerment. Phi Delta Kappan, 1992. 74(4): p Editors. 2003, IAP Information Age Publishing Schank, R.C., Designing World-Class e-Learning Roschelle, J.M., et al., Changing how and what children learn with computer-based technologies. Children and Computer Technology, 2000 Vygotsky, L.S., Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. 1978, Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.