5 Top Educational Technology Jobs
- Software and Applications
- Video Production
- Web Development
- Information Science
- Human Resources Management
There are a number of career specializations in educational technology. Educational technology is a field that studies how technology can be used to enhance learning. Some specializations might involve staying in the K-12 classroom but bringing technology into lessons. Other specializations might take a person outside of the classroom. Below are five specialties under the umbrella of educational technology that a person might choose.
1. Software and Applications
With an educational technology specialization in this area, a person would create software and applications for learners. They could be K-12 or adult learners, and the software and apps might be part of a public school curriculum, online offerings by a university or a training program for a business. People in this job might work for a school system or company, or they might even run their own startups focusing on developing this type of software and applications.
2. Video Production
Videos may be used as a complement to classroom education or for distance education. However, the field of video production is not simply limited to making videos of an instructor delivering a lecture although that can be one aspect. There are a number of innovative ways in which video can be used in education, and the video producer can be critical in making that happen. Video production may encompass webcasting, which gives students the opportunity to be onsite at any number of events. For example, NASA produced a webcast to teach school children about life in space that allowed students to submit questions.
3. Web Development
People who have an educational technology specialization in Web development might build the framework for online courses. They might also develop websites and online resources that can be used for education and training. One dynamic use of technology in learning is real-life simulations delivered via computer, and this could also be one aspect of web development.
4. Information Science
Another specialization in educational technology is library work. Media specialists and school librarians may have a degree in educational technology that allows them to assist teachers in using technology in the classroom. The field of librarianship is increasingly reliant on technology, and a library professional with a specialization in this area will be able to introduce more resources that use technology to the school.
5. Human Resources Management
People may think of education technology specializations primarily in terms of K-12 or college and university classrooms, but educational technology is also an important element of training in the workplace. For a person working at the intersection of human resources management and educational technology, training would be the focus using much of the technology discussed above ranging from video to apps and more.
Related Resource: 30 Best Master's in Educational Technology Online Degrees
Technology has transformed education. From massive open online courses, or MOOCs, offered free by many universities and foundations to apps that allow people to learn languages to the rise of online education and more, educational technology has broadened the reach and methods of education. Forbes even reports technology such as games and virtual reality growing in use. The five career paths listed above are only a few of the career specializations in educational technology available, and this dynamic field is likely to continue expanding in the coming years.