Week+5+Technology's+Role+in+Learning

**What the Experts Say**

Technology is best used in teaching and training when the end result is the ultimate goal. Although this sounds obvious, it means that the technology must be completely and seamlessly interwoven into the teaching. Technology also should not be included for the sake of being modern, but that it actually benefits learning and helps the student reach the learning objectives more effectively and efficiently.

Technology is being adapted to meet the needs of learners. Like in marketing, where you have to market where your target audience is, in learning it is the same. For example, “tweeting” is common among twenty-somethings. It can be argued that perhaps answering questions via Tweeter is a time saver since the usual greetings can be eliminated and simply the answer provided.

Using technology does not always turn out positive. At TISOH, we implemented a blog a year ago to help instructors communicate. It didn't work as we failed to teach the instructors on the value of blogging and the exact steps needed to do it. He technology eventually fell by the wayside until months later when it was replaced by a much simpler wiki accompanied by adequate training.

Technology can be demystified by doing two things. Show the value of the technology to the audience and accompany it with appropriate training.

Technology can easily intimidate learners. Especially those not in the X or Y generation. The two steps I outlined above can help. The general rule however still is to implement only when a clear advantage is obvious.

**Instruction with Technology** Added ”Technology" row to the week four's learning theory matrix.