The Role of Educational Technologies in the Digital Society: A Review

Abstract

Education as an essential activity in the development of society has seen major transformations, from which the new methods and models of the modern educational system have emerged. The relationship between the individual and society becomes more complex via education, as the individual gains the capability to make his contribution that would balance the benefits of his living among other individuals. In this context, education represents the basis of a society oriented education towards the futuristic goals as knowledge becomes the main component of the economic and social growth. Globalization and the changing world economy are driving a transition to knowledge-based economies. In particular, developing countries need knowledge-based economies not only to build more efficient domestic economies, but to take advantage of economic opportunities outside their own borders. In the social sphere, the Educational technologies bring greater access to information and new forms of social interaction and cultural expression. Individuals therefore have more opportunities to participate in and influence the development of their societies. Many countries around the world are investing in educational technologies to improve and update the education they provide their younger generations. Developed nations such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States are achieving students-per-computer ratios below 5:1, and their governments are deploying high bandwidth in schools. They are also consistently promoting research on the use of educational technologies inside the classrooms for many different educational, cultural and social settings. Developing countries are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with their present human resources in a global economy that regards information as an essential asset to design, produce and deliver goods for the changing consumer habits within a dynamic global market. Educational technologies play a major role for dealing with information and its transformation into knowledge, which is a basic requirement for citizens to become effective participants in this new scenario. Consequently, there is a more urgent need to improve the quality and equity of education to bridge the gap between developed and developing nations, and educational technologies are perceived as necessary tools for this purpose. Therefore, the development of the knowledge based society is dependent on the creation of knowledge, on its spreading via educational institutions and on its dissemination via communication and involvement in technological innovation.It is commonly thought that knowledge has replaced industrial organization and production as the major source of productivity. The term ‘Digital Societies’ generally refers to a society where knowledge is the primary production resource instead of capital and labor a stage of development where the main forces behind social advancement, economic expansion, and the general well-being of its citizens are the production, exchange, and use of knowledge made possible by information and communication technology. Globalization and the changing world economy had driven a transition to knowledge-based economies. In particular, developing countries need knowledge-based economies not only to build more efficient domestic economies, but to take advantage of economic opportunities outside their own borders. In the social sphere, the digital societies bring greater access to information and new forms of social interaction and cultural expressions. Individuals therefore have more opportunities to participate in and influence the development of their societies.