Educational technology in schools is often perceived as a single entity, a collection of devices, software, and online platforms. However, beneath this surface simplicity lies a complex, multi-layered system. Effective integration of technology into teaching and learning requires IT leaders to recognize the characteristics of each. Decision-makers, including educators, IT professionals, and school leaders make more informed choices, better resource allocation, and ultimately, a more impactful learning experience if these are understood by all. In this post, I explore how each layer functions and contributes to the overall system.
Layer 1: The Foundation – Moving Bits
The foundation of any educational technology system is physical hardware. This layer involves all the tangible components that form the foundation of the entire digital infrastructure. These are the devices that we interact with, the physical tools through which we create, process, and transmit information.
- End-user devices: This includes the familiar devices used daily in classrooms and offices: laptops, desktops, Chromebooks, and tablets. These are the tools that teachers and students use to access educational content, complete assignments, and engage in digital learning activities.
- Networking hardware: This refers to the infrastructure that allows these devices to communicate with each other and with the broader internet2. This includes the hidden network of wireless access points, switches, and routers.
- The bit—The fundamental unit of information is the bit, which is represented as a zero or one. All the information that a computer processes, whether it is text, images, audio, or video is ultimately manipulated by changing these bits. These bits are often represented as electrical signals, small differences in electrical potential in circuits.
The movement of these bits is the most fundamental activity of the system. To be useful in schools, the bits must be moved from place to place, both within the school building and around the world when accessing resources on the internet. The information that is moved is not just the content that is visible to the end-user but also includes the destination information and the bits necessary to rebuild the information after it is transmitted. The files are broken into packets which are then sent and reassembled at the destination. This process increases the efficiency of a network by allowing multiple users to share a network more efficiently than if each user completed all network interactions before allowing another user to access it.
Layer 2: Using Bits – Software and Data
While the hardware provides the physical infrastructure, the second layer focuses on how those bits are translated into usable information. This involves software that allows us to interact with the hardware and the data that is processed and stored by the system.
- Software applications—Humans cannot (easily) understand data that is in bits, so we have designed software to create files we can understand using controls we can understand. Applications like productivity suites, email applications, video conferencing tools, and many other types of instructional software are used in schools.
- Learning management systems (LMS)—Platforms such as virtual classrooms, library catalogs, and student information systems are crucial for academic operations. Any good LMS will allow for file sharing, discussions and other types of interactions, assignment drop boxes, quizzes, integrate with other providers of content, and integrate with student information systems.
- Student information systems—These databases are used to track academic, attendance, and other records. Good SIS allow for users such as parents and other interested parties to have access to individual student’s records, and these allow school leaders to report data to regulators.
Layer 3: People Completing Tasks – User Interaction
The third layer of the educational technology stack is about human interaction with the systems. This layer recognizes that technology is not just about hardware and software, but also about how people use these tools to complete their tasks. Especially in schools, how humans interact with software and data matters more than any other factor affecting our success.
- User interface design (UXUI)–This focuses on how users interact with the software and data. Effective UXUI design aims to create intuitive and user-friendly interfaces that do not blame the user for systems that do not work as expected.
- Automation—Some tasks may involve the automated transfer of data between systems without human intervention. An example of this is the transfer of grades between an external testing platform and the learning management system.
The introduction of people into the system makes it more complex. The bits must be moved to systems that can use them, and humans must also be able to interact with the software, data, and systems. The user interaction layer recognizes that technology is not simply a tool, but is also a part of the human experience and therefore must be intuitive and easy to use.
Layer 4: Teachers Teaching – Pedagogical Application
This layer is specific to the educational context. It acknowledges that teachers are not just users of technology but also decide how it is used in the classroom. This is where the pedagogical purpose of technology comes into play.
- Curriculum integration—Teachers integrate technology into both the standard curriculum, with predictable needs, and less predictable activities such as research projects.
- Flexible learning—Teachers need systems that allow for the delivery of both predictable lessons and flexible activities, allowing for exploration of new resources.
Because teaching is not predictable, educators often need to request changes to systems as they discover what they and their students need. These requests often arrive at inopportune times for IT professionals.
Layer 5: Students Learning – The Social Dynamic
The final layer of the educational technology stack brings the social nature of learning into focus. This is about how students interact with each other and with technology in the context of the classroom.
- Emerging skills—Students may have varied levels of technical skills, with some of the youngest users being unable to read the labels on the user interfaces.
- Unpredictable learning—Students can introduce an unpredictable element into the learning environment and can introduce chaos into the situation. Lessons may not always go as planned.
Human social interactions add complexity to the educational context, especially in the classroom. Educators plan lessons, which are really guesses and have to adapt as needed. The unpredictable nature of classrooms with students and teachers contradicts the predictability required by many IT professionals. This layer recognizes that the social nature of learning is unpredictable, and the technology (and the professionals who manage it) must be able to adapt to that unpredictability,
Conclusion: A Holistic View of Educational Technology
Educational technology is not a simple collection of hardware, software, and data. It is a complex, interconnected system composed of these five distinct layers, each with its own challenges and opportunities. To effectively integrate technology into education, decision-makers understand and address all these layers. This requires collaboration between IT professionals, educators, administrators, and students.
By recognizing the intricacies of each layer, schools can make more informed decisions about technology adoption, implementation, and support. This can lead to better resource allocation, improved user experiences, and ultimately, a more engaging and effective learning environment for all students. Ignoring any one layer of the system can undermine the overall goal of using technology to enhance education. Recognizing that the system is complex and layered allows decision-makers to make better choices, and this will lead to better outcomes for teachers and students.