An Overview of Educational Technology for Preservice Teachers in the Digital Age

Abstract

Technological tools, including networking hardware, media, and machines, have been incorporated into education to facilitate learning for many decades. The conveyance of knowledge through technology becomes fast, easy, and enjoyable for the learner while vastly improving the understanding of concepts. Research insights reveal that through the use of technological tools, the participatory capacity of students increases, and interest levels are raised. Education has evolved, over the centuries, in its form, nature, and manner of deliverance. When written communication had not yet developed, word of mouth and observation were the most common means of passing knowledge from one generation to the next. Teaching was mostly verbal, delivered through plays, songs, and poems. Writing as a means of communication only gained significance by the end of the 15th century. The use of chalkboards and blackboards as a method of learning and teaching gained popularity at the end of the 18th century. Still, now in the 21st century, more advanced technological tools play an important role in facilitating learning and teaching. This study examines the effectiveness of educational technology in English teacher education programs, emphasising the development of preservice teachers’ language and pedagogical skills.

The IAFOR International Conference on Education – Hawaii 2024 Official Conference Proceedings

“…This includes providing interactive and engaging activities that can increase understanding and retention of information, supporting collaboration among learners from diverse backgrounds through access to various resources, and enabling selfdirected exploration while also improving administrative tasks such as grading or recordkeeping processes. Moreover, digital tools are found to offer tailored support is based on individual learner's needs, encouraging engagement, that lead to better performance outcomes (Saykili, 2019;Adipat et al, 2021;Phoon et al, 2021). Technology also allows automation of assessments thus minimizing educator biases and positively impacting educators too (González-Zamar et al, 2020).…”

“…Among many, several challenges require immediate attention, such as unequal access to technological resources, inadequate training and support for educators to effectively use technology, resistance from some educators based on preconceived notions of teaching and learning, knowledge gaps among educators regarding technology usage coupled with high costs associated with implementing new technologies, lack of nuanced human interaction crucial for collaborative learning and social development, and technical problems that could interrupt the learning process. Additionally, there's an intergenerational communication gap between educators 'digital immigrants' and learners 'digital natives', implying different levels of comfort or competencies when using technology (Malik and Malik 2017;Saykili, 2019;Adipat et al, 2021;Jangjarat et al, 2023;Fischer, 2021;Rawas, 2023;Azevedo and Azevedo, 2020;Bahroun et al, 2023;Phoon et al, 2021). These challenges are compounded by concerns over academic integrity, ethical considerations, and data privacy.…”