THE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

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The educational technology is the sum total of activities that can make
someone change their external environments (material) or internal
(behavioral). A systematic application of scientific knowledge resources
needed by each individual process to acquire and use knowledge.
When it comes to superficially "new technologies", we incorrectly using an
adjective, since it again what with the latest mistake, "the latest in
application techniques. In technology education, first as we have said
repeatedly, we must not confuse machines or devices with application of
technologies that have more to do with the organization of means and
resources with the same means. The resort does not have to go out of style,
or be used while it lasts as usual do. An appeal may be eternal if the mind
that uses creativity has adequately planned to make it useful. The Socratic
method we use it, with different content, like we use the blackboard or the
book. An encyclopedia on CD-ROM does not lose its character as a free,
what changes is its method of use, ease and speed in handling, quality,
mobility and sound of your artwork.

USING MULTIMEDIA
Today we can not express in relation to audiovisual technologies, linked to
the media without reference to 'cross-media' or 'media' consisting of the
simultaneous or successive use of various audiovisual resources. Currently,
the term "multimedia" is trying to reduce to a set of computing devices that
make up among them an operational unit. And the meaning is restricted,
confusing the part with the whole. We must not forget that the term
multimedia is already used in treaties of 1965 referred to any joint use of
audiovisual media. We are still far from being in classrooms all
computerized, and we use a complementary manner to the analog and
digital, video, sound and the CD-ROM.
A realistic application of the concept of "multimedia" is the preparation of
teams of various types of materials that develop a particular topic. The kit
contains discs, tapes, slides, sheets, films, leaflets. even three-dimensional
objects, recordings, and psychomotor laboratories for trainings or teaching
of foreign languages. Multimedia slide shows are already using sound and
images from multiple projectors, retrotransparent, etc.. This type of
presentation can now be done using projections from computer programs,
but we must not forget very creative systems, a few years ago, but not by
new technologies should be moot. The planning and programming for this
class of presentations is otherwise very demanding as successful only if
very careful preparation.

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN EDUCATION

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The last ten years have been extremely fruitful in technological advances
applicable to education in order to offer the best and most important
experience for the students and make it extend to an increasing number. It
is absolutely proven that the use of 'multimedia' improves student learning
while reducing instructional time and cost of education.
The students need for their professional future use of technological means,
they vary greatly in their ability to sense and learning, therefore, in
individual educational requirements. Some learn quickly and easily through
oral or printed information with a minimum of direct experiences. Most
require more concrete experiences that include the broadcast media.
There are many cultural factors that affect learning and therefore students
need a wide range of experiences that includes real aspects, visuals and
abstract symbols. The new requirements and work expectations that the
student has advised greater public participation in learning through active
methods of investigation and experimentation.
Educational programs need to be assessed in terms of efficiency and
application flexibility as to time, personnel and resources available. The job
application requires a preparation that requires the knowledge of everything
that has to do with the information society, new technologies, the
multiplicity and professional variation, the interaction of resources, and in
short, anything that facilitates job placement and training.
Teachers using new technologies may be released for work orientation. The
new standards in teaching that takes into account new technologies and
media to enhance learning mean new roles for teachers. It is the teacher
who must provide all information, as this can be presented most effectively
by appropriate means, either to give to large groups or for each student to
expand itself alone, or for use in a small group discussion. Teachers and as
individuals and as teams are released from routine work and can make truly
professional and creative guidance of students who had been neglected
until now. This work involves counseling and guidance: wide participation in
planning and production of audiovisual materials to suit the needs of groups
or individuals to whom they are intended.
The use of technology to improve communication necessary to change the
routine methods by more agile to achieve educational goals. The great
resistance of teachers to these changes is because the break with routine
disturbs a common situation. Also, incorrectly believed that the new media
dehumanize teaching, moving to teachers and education will therefore
automatically without human quality that gives the communication between
teacher and student.
Today, with increasing fields of study, the content thereof, specialization
and professional growth in demand, what actually happens and what
educators often fail is that the true humanization and personal seal can only
be achieved with appropriate use of technology resources, freeing the
teacher from routine work and the mere transmission of information, to
enable the job of counselor and guide in the training of their students.
THE EDUCATION PLANNING TAKING INTO ACCOUNT TECHNOLOGY
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The new teaching patterns described above require careful and detailed
planning is generally neglected in traditional procedures. Now, must look
not only to the subject, content and individual differences of students but to
many other factors influencing the success of the learning process. Bringing
all these elements, we can develop a systematic design planning or
teaching. One of the essential elements of design, forecasting, organization
and production of teaching resources.
Specialists in the use of the media should work with teachers to help them
develop teaching plans or designs for their daily classes for work units or for
a complete course. The success of these designs teaching requires careful
planning and a realistic face many problems to be solved. This does not
happen by chance and improvisation, but involves a rigorous method that
the teacher knows that over which should act, making appropriate decisions
and action carried out systematically.
The means to be used in the "design" are required by the objectives,
content and methods. The media are supplementary to education, nor their
support: they are the stimulus itself. In light of this concept can not accept
the obsolete design of the media as auxiliary aids. You must determine what
it means, how and when they will provide more effective and efficient
experience for students.
Just as different objectives require different kinds of learning activities and
resources also need to be adequate to match the required tasks. Certain
media can be better than others for certain purposes (sound or impression,
moving picture, CD-ROM, internet). In other cases, use of available
equipment, convenience, cost and other factors may be determinants of the
election.
This approach to teaching and learning taking place "specifically", in relation
to performance targets and to meet the specific needs of students. Wanting
to produce locally all the needed materials is costly and therefore
impossible for the time lost. As new technologies such as CD-ROMs, etc.. Are
still very limited availability of educational programs, much more complete
video. Maybe in the future the producers try to develop materials carefully
planned so that they have the flexibility to adapt to different general topics,
and with slight modifications in its use to local circumstances. But leave the
door open for its own production of additional material and application
specific purposes.

The media are merely auxiliary professor

Audiovisuals, other media related to them, the media in general and those
based on computer technology, are much more than mere adjuncts. The
means of this kind are often the vanguard of educational progress and when
used properly affect the structure of plans and programs and what is more,
they come to change the inner structure of the learning process. These
media are essential for effective communication in teaching large groups
and are the only means of communication in many educational programs for
tutoring or independent study.

MANY TEACHERS DO NOT USE MEDIA IN CLASSROOMS

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Most teachers do not understand or accept the didactic value of audiovisual
resources. Many believe that if they are not front of the class, speaking,
exhibiting or performing, learning fails. Others are refractory to the use of
the image, since in one form or another as a "degradation" of academic
dignity, dignity that in his view can be maintained only by oral
communication and reading. This attitude is understandable since "you
teach as taught 'and teachers, with few exceptions, have received an
education based on the verbiage throughout his life and especially in their
professional training or university.
The use of visual aids had its difficulties in the past. Both the material and
equipment should be requested well in advance. The machines were difficult
to transport and operate, it was necessary so completely darkened
classrooms. For these and similar reasons it was not worth using often
movies or slides.
The content of commercial materials, often left much to be desired with
regard to the specific needs of teachers at a particular time or
circumstance. The typical educational film was too overloaded with
concepts. Students could not hold so much material or where it related to
the immediate situation. Possibly only a small part of the film containing the
topic that was being considered, but it was very difficult to prepare in
advance the part that should be used, and also to this part is presented as
the teacher would have wanted.
Finally, misleading or overzealous and premature audiovisual materials
made by vendors and some teachers, coupled with the philosophy of our
consumerist society, without having made a careful evaluation and testing
has produced adverse effects on the acceptance and subsequent use of
these resources.
For many teachers, unfortunately, have been ancillary audiovisual materials,
accessories, to be used if enough time and always after having given the
verb classes and studied the textbooks.
On many occasions, making it truly the Spanish proverb that the best is the
enemy of good, to use the best, forget the good, ie, for wanting the last
word we use technology not didactically multitude of possibilities that can
be creatively used appropriate source learning.

Training in the Third Millennium

Learning to learn
Learning to know, to penetrate the meaning of the information
Learning to do, prepare for work and leisure time and unemployment
Learning to live with others, reflecting attitudes and behaviors of respect,
dialogue and listening, to practice tolerance and understanding of different
cultures.
Learning to be, as learning oriented towards the construction of personal
identity that includes as a basic ingredient to finding the referents of
meaning to life and live.
Learning to read critically information, icons, still and moving images,
computer generated images, virtual reality, and all that, plus the culture of
print, comes from the world of new technologies.