Technology is an increasingly
influential factor in education. Computers and mobile phones are used
in developed countries both to complement established education
practices and develop new ways of learning such as online education (a type of distance education).
This gives students the opportunity to choose what they are interested
in learning. The proliferation of computers also means the increase of
programming and blogging. Technology offers powerful learning tools
that demand new skills and understandings of students, including Multimedia, and provides new ways to engage students, such as Virtual learning environments.
One such tool are virtual manipulatives, which are an "interactive,
Web-based visual representation of a dynamic object that presents
opportunities for constructing mathematical knowledge" (Moyer, Bolyard,
& Spikell, 2002). In short, virtual manipulatives are dynamic
visual/pictorial replicas of physical mathematical manipulatives, which
have long been used to demonstrate and teach various mathematical
concepts. Virtual manipulatives can be easily accessed on the Internet
as stand-alone applets, allowing for easy access and use in a variety of
educational settings. Emerging research into the effectiveness of
virtual manipulatives as a teaching tool have yielded promising results,
suggesting comparable, and in many cases superior overall
concept-teaching effectiveness compared to standard teaching methods.[citation needed]
Technology is being used more not only in administrative duties in
education but also in the instruction of students. The use of
technologies such as PowerPoint and interactive whiteboard
is capturing the attention of students in the classroom. Technology is
also being used in the assessment of students. One example is the Audience Response System (ARS), which allows immediate feedback tests and classroom discussions.[15]
Information
and communication technologies (ICTs) are a “diverse set of tools and
resources used to communicate, create, disseminate, store, and manage
information.”[16]
These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting
technologies (radio and television), and telephony. There is increasing
interest in how computers and the Internet can improve education at all
levels, in both formal and non-formal settings.[17]
Older ICT technologies, such as radio and television, have for over
forty years been used for open and distance learning, although print
remains the cheapest, most accessible and therefore most dominant
delivery mechanism in both developed and developing countries.[18]
In addition to classroom application and growth of e-learning
opportunities for knowledge attainment, educators involved in student
affairs programming have recognized the increasing importance of
computer usage with data generation for and about students. Motivation
and retention counselors, along with faculty and administrators, can
impact the potential academic success of students by provision of
technology based experiences in the University setting.[19]
The
use of computers and the Internet is in its infancy in developing
countries, if these are used at all, due to limited infrastructure and
the attendant high costs of access. Usually, various technologies are
used in combination rather than as the sole delivery mechanism. For
example, the Kothmale Community Radio Internet uses both radio
broadcasts and computer and Internet technologies to facilitate the
sharing of information and provide educational opportunities in a rural
community in Sri Lanka.[20]
The Open University of the United Kingdom (UKOU), established in 1969
as the first educational institution in the world wholly dedicated to
open and distance learning, still relies heavily on print-based
materials supplemented by radio, television and, in recent years, online
programming.[21]
Similarly, the Indira Gandhi National Open University in India
combines the use of print, recorded audio and video, broadcast radio
and television, and audio conferencing technologies.[22]
The term "computer-assisted learning" (CAL) has been increasingly used to describe the use of technology in teaching.