Educational Technology can be described as the application of media born out of the communication revolution through the production and use of a range and variety of electronic information carriers that would make projection and amplification possible. Lumsdaine, (1964) in Adeyanju, (2000) Going by this description, educational technology is seen as a tool's technology with emphasis on the use of hardware or equipments for carrying on series of instruction. Another description of educational technology sees it as a procedure that involves a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of learning in terms of specific objectives based on research on human and non human resources such that the outcomes brings about a more effective instruction (Tickton,1970). There is also a third approach that views educational technology as systems approach. This approach describes a systematic process of managing ideas, resources, people, hard ware, software, facilities and the environment in identifying and solving educational problems. It is in the light of the above that the recent developments in the field of educational technology would be viewed.
Moririset, 1996 comments that the society has been credited for creating technology but technology is simultaneously creating society. This is so because people have become (compulsive information consumers). The result is such that even the academic institutions seem to be competing with one another to survive the exponential growth of emerging technologies and changing global markets. The Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in Nigeria is an institution that leads in Information Communication th Technology ICT. (OAU, speeches delivered on the 34 convocation ceremony p. 22).
There are other institutions and universities that are craving for universal access and therefore in search of ways to attract students to the virtual classroom. Such institutions, having ‘the vision of making’ would be have the choice for the students to earn degrees via distance education. In line with the current trends, educators await the promise of technology's power that would guide them leading to an improved self and improved educational system.
Education is involved in organizing micro/activities at the level of small groups but it also use the vast resources of educational technology like the radio, television, and programmed material for the purpose of increasing efficiency in instructional delivery to a larger group of audiences.
While thinking of the technology in education in contemporary times the main concern must be on how equipments and machine can deliberately be used to accomplish the traditional teacher centred activities. The current thinking, however, is the use of the technology education, means that the systematic application of the resources of scientific knowledge to the process that each individual has to go through in order to acquire and use knowledge. The new thinking will ensure that energy is not wasted, and full integration of all relevant resources of the technological age would be adequately utilized purposefully.
In the secondary school education system in Nigeria, the ICT race has led to the school's compulsory computer education. Aside the school, it is becoming apparent that most discipline of study has imbibed the culture of the use of the computers. In almost every employment, the computer is now an important tool for efficiency, improvement and precision of job or task execution. It might be said that computer literacy is already a prerequisite to employment on almost all professions in Nigeria. In line with the current trends, the federal government of Nigeria has made it mandatory for institutions of higher learning to develop computer literacy programmes. The work force of Nigerians have also been given a period to upgrade themselves on computer knowledge. This step is found to yield positive result as more literate Nigerians are becoming experts on computer issues.
The youth especially are found working at cyber café in the communities, in towns, and in institutions of higher learning to connect the global village. This is made possible because they can have access via computer modem and telephone connection that has become common feature in e-mail connections to the internet.
There is a need to trace the history of the development of educational technology. The rock surface served as the media on which the stone-age man expressed his/her ideas using sharp objects to communicate through figures, symbols and images. It is also known that the Assyrians used cuneiform, beads and match sticks, stones and figures to count. The Egyptians also used hieroglyphics for visual communication. They have the history of writing that the generations after generations had used to improve the civilization. As writing developed, the age of the printing press was made possible.
Johann Guttenberg's rediscovery of the printing machine at about 1455 AD revolutionarized communication on paper. That happened to be an improvement on handcut wooden blocks as used in Asia at about the fifth AD for printing purpose. While printing had been going on as at 868 AD, Guttenberg is printing technique was novel. Printing of books made knowledge available to more people and it complemented the blackboard and chalkboard demonstration. While there are shades of chalkboard like wood, metal, glass, plastic, state, cement, etc., (Ogunranti (1981) in Adeyanju (2000),) it was the development of the printing press that paved the way for the age of mass communication.
The development in science and technology of the electronic and communication led to the age of mass communication. Traditionally, it was the talking drum, reports of gun shot, and burning of bush/smoke, etc., that served as a way of communication in the rural Africa. These methods were taken over by radio wave that communicates to millions of people at the same time. The television (big-media) has brought distant places close to us. The radio-cassettes, tape recorder, video, fax, e-mail and the computer have become the bedrock upon which the future of the development of Educational Technology rests.
In the words of Dieuzeide (1976) the purpose of educational technology is not to provide each individual teacher with his/her own audio-visual out fit, but to reform the functioning of the educational system. Developing nations of the world will continue to provide Educational Technology the opportunity to analyze and reorganize the existing institutions within available budgets. It is perceived that educational technology will continue to influence the individual as well as the global community that constitutes the world in similar but with different patterns. Some of the areas of inevitable influence are as listed;
Many ideas have originated recently most especially in the area of ICT (Information Communication and Technology). The huge amount of information being received will further enrich the field of Educational Technology in future. In answering the question of what comes next after computer, it seems that technologies will continue to be made perfect and life will be better for the users.
It is expected that the number of graduates and degree holders will increase as a result of distance education programs pursue through 'Virtual universities”
Certainly, innovations will be better planned in the developing world as a result of internet networking. Most of the innovation which had failed to take roots in Nigeria in the past were either unplanned or witnessed poor planning. The future will be expected to be much better. Educational technology advancement would make this possible.
Since knowledge will not be static, it is expected that there will be collaboration all over the world between the Departments of Educational Technology with other higher institutions (Polytehcnics, Universitities, Colleges of education and industrial set ups, etc) including the Distance Learning Centers.
Access to the “Virtual Library” as it is being created in schools will change the roles of the traditional libraries.
The paper examined the contemporary stature and future of educational technology vis-à-vis the definition and purpose for which education should serve in a developing country. The rudimentary stone-age period, The rediscovery of the printing press leading the chalk board to mass communication, are all mile stones upon which the new technologies have used as spring board for further development of teaching and learning. It is obvious to state that with the growth of computer literacy in Nigeria, most institutions of higher learning, including the industrial sector inclusive will use the newly found access to global data communication for increasing the enrollment into virtual classroom in future.