TECHNOLOGICAL ADAPTABILITY IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: A CASE STUDY

The ultimate goals in education are the need for enhanced teaching-learning experiences from students and teachers and access to quality education. Technology is an option through which these goals can be reached. We define Educational technology as the effective use of technological tools in learning. The concept encompasses an array of tools, such as media, machines and networking hardware, as well as considering underlying theoretical perspectives for their effective application [1]. The application of theories of human behavior theories to educational technology derives input from learning theory, educational psychology, and human performance technology. Of all the different approaches that exist within educational technology we will focus on Blended Learning. Blended Learning emerges like the overlap of online and face to face education. From this perspective, Blended Learning is a solution to integrate the different kinds of technological advances with the interaction offered in traditional learning. To meet the needs of this formal education program, several companies have gotten involved on the development of learning technology which has generated an expansion of scientific groups focusing on E-Learning systems. However, research shows that up to 60% of any kind of implementations have failed despite improvements in technology, content development, increased knowledge and awareness [2]. On the other hand, there are changes in the way that students learn, in the style in which teachers deliver their lessons and also in the physical environments where the teaching-learning process is held. Even the role physical environments play in our learning is just beginning to be studied and understood. All these changes are motivated by the development of Learning technologies and also by the ever-changing pedagogical methods. The technological evolution on Educational Technology emanates from users' (teachers and students) needs but also from the surrounding socio-cultural and demographic changes, climate variability, regulations, and aesthetic tendencies. In this context, "technological adaptability is crucial to support the building sustainability by ensuring users' well being and safety (comfort, quality of life, positive interaction....), long-term building value (longevity, cost effectiveness, strong image, etc.) and functional efficiency (multi-functionality, efficient physical and virtual connections, etc.)" [3]. Based on the premise that adaptability is essential in all educational technology development; in the present paper we study the effects of implementing a Blended Learning application called PowerChalk [4] in a school environment with different kinds of needs. PowerChalk is a software based on modular programming that allows to quickly ameliorate any problem within the system and evolve to new features to improve any learning process [5,6]. The modular structure also enables a Distributed Software Development with unexpected benefits from a pedagogical point of view. In the present paper we show case the development process and as a preliminary outcome, the pedagogical and technological benefits of Technological Adaptability in Educational Technology.