Week #2 What is Educational Technology?

I believe Educational Technology represents many things.  As we created our Mind Map, it made me think of the 3 things I feel represents Educational Techonology to me.
1. Facilitates learning
2. Enhances instruction
3. Provides a safe, welcoming environment that learners can feel comfortable working in.

It is very hard for educators to find safe learning environments that bring about learning and enhance the experiences of their learners.  This is really an important part of teaching and Educational Techonology has been helping educators for years.  Even if you think about simple items such as the calculator and projector.  Now educators can bring real-life expereiences into the classroom like the item I have linked.  No matter the age, students around the world are experiencing these situations.  My link shows a kindergarten class using alphabet cards that come to life in the classroom.  Amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx4_d9pK4ZY&feature=player_embedded#!

Anyone can become a learner through educational technology not just students.  Educators fall under this umbrella because the high tech world moves and changes so quickly.  It just blows my mind how many opportunities I have had in the last few years to learn so much in Educational Techonology and how it has improved my choices as a teacher.

Reading a few articles opened my mind to just how amazing this field is and what a variety of opportunities it can provide.  The components below explore so many areas of Educational Techonology I honestly had never thought about. 

Design, Development, Utilization/Implementation, Management, Evaluation, Analysis

I really look forward to learning more about these categories and sharing them here soon!