You’ve probably noticed by now we here at Techfaster have become pretty passionate about education technology. Although I’ve personally been in the tech media for over a decade, it wasn’t until my daughter started Kindergarten, three years ago, that I realized how much edTech was out there. EdTech has quickly become our most popular vertical here at techfaster.com.
Through the past year about 65% of our content has been about EdTech and a resounding 75% of our over 1M impressions per month have been to EdTech stories and shares. We’ve also field abut 100 emails per week inquiring about an EdTech story we’ve posted.
With that in mind, and how fast the EdTech sector has grown over the years we think a cheat sheet to the EdTech vocabulary is in order. We’re out and about at most of the EdTech conferences and events across the country and we’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many people are at an EdTech event for the first time.
What’s with the upsurge? Well obviously mobile devices and mobile apps are making technology in education more accessible. But as I was talking with someone from TCEA the other day, we both realized that our generation as parents, is the first generation that is affluent in tech-ease.
I personally remember going to elementary school in the mid 80’s and getting an Apple II in the classroom. I remember having to explain to my parents just what this computer in the classroom did and why we should get one at home.
Our home had laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets even before our now six year old daughter was born. So the educational technology divide between parents and students is much less. There’s also a turn in older teachers who are now really excited about technology. I remember meeting Margaret Sampson, a 50 year old teacher from Georgia at the Florida Educational Technology Conference back in February. Sampson had just received a 32gb iPad for her 50th birthday from her own children just days before the conference. On day 3 of the conference the iPad was full and her battery was on it’s last legs.
It’s that kind of story, and stories just like hers between young and old, the suburbs, the city and the rural areas which are showing time and time again that technology is at the root of today’s education.
Now let’s be frank here. Teachers love to teach and sometimes they aren’t as humble about learning. So now if you’re ready to go to your first, second or even fifth educational technology event, use the infographic below, created by Boundless, a leader in cloud powered education, to be in the know about cool words like; blended learning, flipped classroom, digital storytelling, BYOD, app, MOOC and more. Here’s to learning:
