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information (data) to determine the Educational Technology
value (efficiency and effectiveness) Educational technology refers to a family
of a group of related educational of technological (software, hardware
activities aimed at achieving the and associated technologies) tools
intended educational outcome (CDC mostly based on computer technology
Program Evaluation, 2018, Stufflebeam devoted to promoting more engaging,
and Shinkfield, 2007, Weiss, 1997; interactive and individualized learning
Fitzpatrick, Sanders, and Worthen, 2004; experiences. Laptops, desktops,
Altschuld and Kumar, 2002). Often multimedia, interactive media, the
mistakenly used interchangeably with Internet, World Wide Web, whiteboards,
classroom testing, the term evaluation iCloud, videoconferencing, cellphones,
is defined and used in many different iPads, virtual/augmented reality,
ways in education. In earlier days, robotics, artificial intelligence, and
quantitative methods were dominant software systems are examples of
in the evaluation scene. However, as educational technology (International
Weiss (1993) said, compared to previous Society of Technology in Education, ISTE,
days, “evaluations are making effective 2021; Lazaro, 2020). The ISTE has created
use of a wider array of methods and standards for students, educators
techniques. Perhaps the most notable and education leaders. As Handal and
difference from earlier days is the more Herrington (2003) argued, how to use
frequent use of qualitative methods educational technology in teaching and
of study. Evaluators today engage in learning should be one of the highest
intensive interviewing, observation, priorities in its implementation.
review of documents, and other such
techniques. They often spend enough Following discussion will explore ways
time on-site to observe changes in the to think about program evaluation
environment, program, and participants in helping stakeholders of education
and to develop insights about understand educational technology in
conditions associated with beneficial order to make informed decisions to
change. They have more to say about improve in teaching and learning.
“how” of programs and the “why” of
consequences” (p. 108). The earlier days Program Evaluation in Educational
Weiss was referring to was a period Technology
when the “effectiveness of social science As a primer to exploring program
in general, and evaluation in particular, evaluation in educational technology,
for guiding the improvement of anti- an understanding of the ways in
poverty policies and programs’’ during which educational environments
the “war on poverty” in the sixties and (e.g., classrooms) implementing
seventies in the United States (p. 107). educational technology differ from
In this twenty-first century, what we as traditional educational environments
a society across the world encounter is is necessary. The goal for using
somewhat similar in nature, not hunger, educational technology in classrooms
but an apathy for education. is to emphasize student-centered

2 Indian Journal of Educational Technology
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021