ROLE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHER EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

In recent times our educational needs have grown beyond the competence of our teachers know how. Since no education system may rise above the quality of its teachers and the training facilities, teacher education and the training facilities are being continuously given major emphasis in all educational planning and development in Nigeria.

In these crucial endeavour teachers need help by being provided with instructional materials, which will enhance effective teaching and learning at all levels of education i.e primary, secondary, post-secondary, and tertiary - from the local, state and the federal governments. Educational technology can be considered either as a designed science or as a collection of difference research interested in addressing fundamental issues, of learning, teaching and social organizations.

The importance attached to educational technology include, improved open access to education, including access to full degree programmes, it also develops once designs proper and accurate curriculum for the attainment of specific goals, it also analyses and evaluate the teaching learning processes.

The important functions of the educational technology are described as follows:

i.            It identified educational goals and objectives of the community.

ii.          It develops and designs proper and accurate curriculum for the attainment of specific goals.

iii.        It analysis and evaluates the teaching learning process.

iv.         It develops and organizes suitable instructional materials for teaching learning process.

v.           Better integration for non-full time students, particularly in continuing education.

vi.         Improved interactions between students and instructors. (Sharma & Sharma, 2006.)