What are the different applications of educational technology ?

The applications/scope of educational technology is in following areas:

(i) Mass education

(ii) Historical information

(iii) Costly and hazardous experiments

(iv) Gaming and simulation

(v)Distance education and many more.

Educational technology is used to raise the efficiency of education. But with the passage of time, the system of education is facing new problem to be tackled. So, the hardware and software of educational technology are ever expanding. Following are some of the applications of educational technology that are worth noting.

(i) Mass education:

There has been explosion of population and knowledge. There is, therefore, a need to educate the masses. So, educational technology has a tremendous application to educate a large section of people and to impart a large amount of knowledge in a limited span of time. In this regard, the mass media viz., TV, radio, newspaper and other modern technologies like computers and information technology (E-mail, internet, etc.) has a lot of scope.

(ii) Historical information:

Any branch of knowledge that we deal with has a historical base. Such information is of tremendous importance for the students to understand any branch of knowledge in its totality. Such incidents when occur can be recorded with the help of audio-video cassette or documented in the form of a written or printed material. Such documents become the source of information for learners to learn. The main advantage of such documents is that we cannot create or repeat the history once more howsoever wg try hard and place it before the learners.

(iii) Costly and hazardous experiments:

In many fields of science and technology there are some experiments having great implications for effective learning which are not advisable for the teacher to conduct in the classroom because of cost and health hazards involved. Such experiments, once conducted carefully in the laboratory or elsewhere can be recorded with the help of new electronic technology and be used by teachers and students for effective learning.

(iv) Gaming and simulation:

If historical events which are either costly or hazardous which cannot be conducted, then educational technology can rescue us by doing the same through simulation. Computer technology in this regard plays a main role. This can provide a lifelike picture of phenomena in three dimensions. It can also show the operation of different parts of a phenomenon and the consequences. The other possibility is games. Children can learn, through play, many concepts that just cannot be taught in the formal set of the classroom. The gaming and simulation has a great scope in the training of military personnel and in the field of aviation.

(v) Distance education:

Educational technology has a great scope in distance education and open school programme. Today there is a great need for personnel training and education on regular basis for updating oneself in the field of work. In this regard, distance education programmes, a relatively less formal process of education, have acquired new status. Educational technology with its innovative practices can educate the learners who cannot come to the classroom setup for their education. In this regard programmed learning materials, modules, contact programme and counseling are some innovations which can help distance learners.