Changing Ed Tech Priorities Timeline by

The Covid Pandemic (2020-2021)

caprioag — 2025-01-30 19:36:02 UTC

Something that greatly impacted how we see technology today is the Covid-19 Pandemic (2020-2021). During this time, while everyone was under quarantine, schools were unable to provide proper education. Schools had to move to strictly online, forcing them to implement new technology tools and ideas into the curriculum. This revealed serious issues regarding educational technology, and thus has influenced proper training in order to relieve the inadequate technology training.

Release of ChatGPT (Nov. 30, 2022)

caprioag — 2025-01-30 19:40:41 UTC

As ChatGPT and other forms of AI have evolved, educational technology has been lagging behind. Many educators advocate against the use of AI in classrooms, but as AI gets more and more developed, it will be difficult to overcome in a classroom setting. This fact has lead schools to begin encouraging teachers to incorporate more technology into their lesson plans, which has created an even larger need for a NETP.

A Call to Action for Closing the Digital Access, Design, and Use Divides (2024)

caprioag — 2025-01-30 20:42:21 UTC

The NETP for 2024 has numerous goals for educators. Three areas are highlighted in the plan, including the Digital Use Divide, the Digital Design Divide, and the Digital Access Divide. The Digital Use Divide section explores the idea that providing students with more engaging and creative ways of learning through technology, as well as learning how to use that technology, versus passive technology use. The Digital Design Divide section illustrates how many teachers do not have a genuine understanding of how to utilize technology in a positive way, and thus don't use it's full potential. The goal here is to decrease this misunderstanding, and expand the opportunities for teachers to develop optimal learning experiences. The Digital Access Divide section explains that there is a gap between students who have a great deal of opportunity to utilize active technology and students who do not have the ability to access useful technology. The goal here is to close that gap by providing excellent internet access and a laptop to ensure that those who cannot afford it on their own don't miss out on exceptional online learning.