Education and technology - Research Proposal Example

Educational technologies are being utilized in every aspect of learning and more increasingly, students are being asked to access information from technological sources. Methods of instruction must change in order to keep up with the ever-changing world and educational institutions must cease the technological movement. Over the last few years, technology has advanced rapidly and there have been literally hundreds of published studies investigating its educational effect. Although there might not yet be a definitive conclusion since it is becoming apparent that the type of learning that technology best enhances is difficult to quantify (Johnson, 1996), there are many research reports that indicate students can now maximize the benefits of education by use of a variety of technology-rich educational environments.

Walsh and Reese, (1995) argues that education has received a much needed boost in the form of distance learning and that a key catalyst for the growth of distance learning is video communications. The Walsh and Reese report, which focuses on distance education networks that had been established in a variety of states including Georgias GSAMS, Missouri, and California, describes how distance education can extend and improve the quality of an institutions educational offerings, provide substantial economic benefits, and offer a strategic advantage in penetrating potential new market segments, including corporate education, continuing adult education, and job training.

The authors suggest that the key to the success of these and hundreds of other networks is video. They argue that when combined with other media, video has proven to be a highly effective way of getting and holding students attention, so real learning can take place. As DIgnazio (1993) holds that as businesses had been building electronic highways, education had been creating an electronic dirt road. He argues