Towards a unified agenda for the next generation of engagement in educational technology

Background/Question/Methods

For decades, technology has provided opportunities to influence both what and how we teach science. That influence has largely been felt in terms of how we teach rather than what we teach. Technology has made it easier to illustrate ideas, manage classes, and analyze data.  But at its core, these practices don't necessarily change what we teach. 

As technology has progressed, and pioneering teachers, professors, academics and technologists have advanced our understanding of the possibilities and realities of educational technology we are now at a place where what we teach is also changing. 

Ecology, a field of vast temporal and spatial scales, complex systems, and significant student misconceptions, stands to gain significantly from this transformation.  We can explore, construct and deconstruct systems of great scale and complexity with ease.  We can challenge student misconceptions and adapt to each individual's understanding. We can enable students to learn experimental methodologies and practices in low risk environments.  And we can do so in ways that engage new audiences of future scientists and educated citizens.  

Results/Conclusions

Using these technologies effectively both demands and enables us to think about the knowledge, practices and understanding that we value as scientists and educators.  Do we want to assess and evaluate understanding of complex systems or experimental methodologies?  We can do that now in effective and practical ways. Do we want to enable interdisciplinary investigations with novice students, modelling real professional practices?  We can do that as well.  It just requires us to do some learning.  The technologies and projects on this panel show the way forward for educators and researchers, but they also lay out the challenges that lie ahead.