Educational Technology and Digital Pedagogy
What the domain covers
Educational Technology and Digital Pedagogy tests whether you can use technology to support learning, not merely to decorate it. Items cover TPACK, SAMR, LMS use, blended and online design, accessibility, privacy, digital citizenship, equity, asynchronous discussion, multimedia learning, and emerging tools such as generative AI.
Core rules and concepts
- TPACK integrates technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge; strong lessons justify the tool through learning purpose.
- SAMR describes substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition; higher levels change tasks, not just delivery.
- Accessibility should follow recognized guidelines such as WCAG: captions, transcripts, alt text, keyboard access, contrast, and readable structure.
- Privacy and records rules matter: FERPA governs education records; HIPAA may apply in health-care placements, not automatically in every classroom.
- Digital citizenship includes privacy, respectful communication, source evaluation, and responsible AI use.
- Online discussion needs clear prompts, protocols, deadlines, and facilitation to avoid serial agreement.
- Equity requires checking device, broadband, software, language, and disability access before assigning a tool.
- Multimedia design should reduce extraneous load and pair words with relevant visuals.
Worked example
A class needs to analyze a community case collaboratively. A social media group is convenient but raises privacy and archiving concerns. Better: use the institution’s LMS discussion board with a structured prompt, assigned roles, a visible rubric, and a requirement to cite evidence. Add a low-bandwidth option and allow an audio or text response. The reasoning: the tool supports the learning objective, keeps records within approved systems, provides accessibility, and avoids public exposure of case material. SAMR level is modification because collaboration changes how evidence is debated, not just where it is posted.
Traps that cost marks
Do not choose technology before defining the learning problem. Do not assume students have equal access. Do not post identifying client material in public tools. Do not treat captions as optional. Do not let AI use bypass stated learning outcomes. Do not confuse a learning management system with a pedagogical strategy.
Key points
- TPACK ties tool choice to content and pedagogy.
- SAMR asks whether technology transforms the task or only substitutes.
- Accessibility and privacy are planning requirements, not add-ons.
- FERPA and HIPAA have different scopes; know the setting.
- Online discussion needs structure, roles, and facilitation.
- AI use should be governed by explicit learning and integrity expectations.