Educational technology is a dynamic field of research and study. This dynamism stems mainly from the constant flow of new educational web technologies and the emergence of novel educational technology concepts that provide theoretical underpinnings for these technologies. The challenge for teachers is not only in keeping up with this fast moving trend but also with understanding the basic foundational concepts without which any talk about educational technology integration in class would be futile.
Being aware of the various educational terms and concepts out there is an important step towards making the best of technology in your instruction. To this end, I am sharing with you this collection of resources where you can access definitions of the key educational technology concepts that are now in vogue in the world of education.
1- Digital Learning Glossary of Terms
The New Jersey Department of Education offers this compilation of helpful educational technology terms and concepts for teachers, educators, and students. The list is also available for free download in PDF format.
2- K-12 EdTech Glossary
Lanschool has this extensive list featuring some key educational technology terms and concepts that are in common parlance in the current EdTech world. The list is organized alphabetically but there is no search functionality. You will have to use Ctrl/Command + F to open the Find field and search for relevant entries.
3- Examples of Learning Technology
In this post, Terry Heick from TeachThought provides examples explaining what learning technologies are all about. More specifically, he provides answers to questions related to the definition of education technology for teaching and learning, functions of education technology, words related to educational technology, learning technologies in the classroom, and the different types of educational technology (e.g., Podcasting, gamification, video games, virtual reality, apps. software, Internet of Things, among many others).
4- Educational Technology Terms Infographic by Boundless
This is a visual I shared a while ago here in Ed Tech and Mobile Learning. The visual which is created by Boundless features around 15 important Ed Tech concepts.
