| Recent years have seen a new title appearing | | | | developers who have found a niche in education, |
| among the job vacancy ads, that of learning | | | | or educators who specialized in incorporating |
| educational technologist. The terms "learning" and | | | | technology into their teaching. It is fast becoming |
| "educational" technologist are equivalent, with | | | | a recognized career path with a growing number |
| "educational" favored in North America while | | | | of institutions offering qualifications in educational |
| "learning" is preferred in Great Britain. But what | | | | technology. |
| exactly does this rapidly growing profession do? | | | | The learning technologist often fulfills an advisory |
| According to the Association for Learning | | | | consultancy role, enabling established teachers |
| Technology: | | | | utilize technology to better impart their expertise |
| "Learning technology is the broad range of | | | | to learners. This could mean improving on-campus |
| communication, information and related | | | | education, eg by means of a virtual learning |
| technologies that can be used to support learning, | | | | environment (VLE) such as Blackboard or Moodle, |
| teaching, and assessment. | | | | or using distance education to make that |
| Learning technologists are people who are actively | | | | knowledge available to a whole new audience. |
| involved in managing, researching, supporting or | | | | Numerous opportunities exist within the public and |
| enabling learning with the use of learning | | | | private sectors. Universities are employing |
| technology." | | | | e-learning to better serve internal students, eg |
| The role can encompass a broad range of tasks, | | | | making lectures and notes available online, and to |
| the most common of which are described below. | | | | expand into distance learning. Corporations are |
| Essentially, it describes a practitioner in the field of | | | | finding e-learning to be an efficient and effective |
| learning/educational technology, ie the application | | | | means of training their workforce. |
| of technology to facilitate learning. | | | | The learning technologist may also find |
| The traditional process of teaching requires both | | | | themselves in the more sensitive role of |
| expertise in the field being taught and an | | | | "champion" for new technologies, particularly within |
| understanding of how people learn. | | | | the public/university sector. In this case |
| Technology-mediated learning, e-learning, requires | | | | management has decided e-learning is the way |
| the additional knowledge of both technology, and | | | | forward and the learning technologist is charged |
| how it can enable and enhance learning. | | | | with "selling" the idea to an unconvinced or |
| The learning technologist will certainly have a | | | | skeptical staff. |
| broad knowledge of current technologies, including | | | | E-learning is now an established part of education |
| (but not limited to) the Internet, VLEs and various | | | | and seems set to continue growing exponentially |
| mobile digital devices. S/he may be a practitioner, | | | | for the foreseeable future. This growth also brings |
| eg Web designer/developer, or able to | | | | a growing need for talented practitioners able to |
| commission the production of new resources, or | | | | contribute to the successful application of |
| just able to effectively select and adopt existing | | | | technology to learning. For those who can identify |
| resources. Ideally s/he will also have some | | | | and exploit those technologies that truly add value |
| appreciation of the educational process. | | | | to the learning process there will be high demand |
| Learning technologists come from varied | | | | and commensurate rewards. |
| backgrounds, perhaps Web / multimedia | | | | |