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.