Difference between instructional and educational technology

Even though the terms educational and instructional technology may seem compatible, they have important subtle
differences.

While educational technology is based on a wider scope including philosophical aspects, essential approaches, both
theoretical and applied subjects on using technology to support education, instructional technology is related to the
usage of the technology on how-to perform instruction along educational processes.
In case this sounds confusing, mind their end goals: Instructional technology’s main goal is to enhance both teaching
and learning processes while educational technology primarily aims at technological literacy for everyone.

Distinguishing these two is even simpler through the simple definition of both fields: Instructional technology is the
tool and educational technology is the manual for using that tool.

Okay, now you know the difference between educational and instructional technology, but how about the
employment prospects?

The job outlook for instructional coordinators is bright as the employment rate is projected to grow 6 percent from
2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.
Now that we cleared that one up, let’s walk you through a more detailed elaboration of both instructional and
educational technology.

WHAT IS INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY :-

Instructional technology is a specific technology field related to creating resources for learning. Academics
described it as “the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of
processes and resources for learning.”

Shortly, instructional technology deals with the process of using technology for instruction. It describes the
technologies that facilitate access to all types of information along with other processes including acquisition,
processing, storage, and dissemination.

What is the goal of instructional technology? It is primarily applied to enhance the communication of learning
material. It serves the role of adding additional dimensions to the information, “bringing it to life”, so to say.

In essence, this field revolves around executing technology-driven instructions for both online and offline learning
models for teaching and learning in a specific area. Their execution and delivery comply with a pace at which a
student would be able to apply to solve a problem or systematically develop their ideas.

WHAT IS EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY:-

Educational technology definition translates to a wide array of teaching-and-learning–related software and hardware
that’s increasingly being used in educational institutions across the globe. It’s student-centric, with a focus on how
applications whether desktop, web-based, or mobile create a new and exciting platform for the delivery of
knowledge and skills.
It implements theories of instruction, learning, behavioural and cognitive psychology to assess, design, implement,
and evaluate study material. The same goes for solving instructional and performance issues.

Now, it’s a great time to debunk the difference between the technology of education and technology in education.
The technology of education, also referred to as EdTech, encourages the use of technology to enhance the process of
learning of the current school curriculum.

On the other hand, technology in education (TechEd) focuses on learning how technology works. This includes
innovation through technology, coding and programming, and computer science. It is an integral piece for preparing
students to create their own tools rather than becoming plain consumers.

To conclude, educational technology serves to facilitate collaboration and enhance knowledge transfer in an active
learning environment. Its main goal is to deliver lessons in ways that are interactive and immersive via augmented
reality or virtual reality for educational purposes.

CONCLUSION:-

With the increased digitization of all industries existing, and especially with the current pandemic situation we’re
witnessing, it has become quite clear that the technology in learning is here to stay. What matters the most is
choosing the right type of technology to support your learning objectives and enhance the learning experience for
both the students and the teachers.