Define "technology"

This is my 600th post in this blog. When this blog was first started, I called it "Random Walk in eLearning" which implicitly implies that I would be posting on things related to learning mediated/supported by technology.

Doug (of Blue Skunk Blog) said:

I would suggest that “technology” is a generic term that could (and should) be applied to nearly any device or invention humans use to increase their abilities to learn, work or play. Books, lathes, snowmobiles, and mouse traps, as well as computers, are all “technology.”

As with "learning object", teachers use anything to illustrate, stimulate, (list of verbs that you agree as part of teaching/learning). Hence I have always agued that there is no such thing as "learning object". We use all object (physical or digital) to aim in our learning.

The same applies to technology. I don't believe there is a category of technologies which are specific for instruction or education. Terms "Instructional Technology" or "educational technology" do not give us any additional information more than the simple generic word "technology".

Of course we can talk about how to use a certain technology in a certain way to help some learners learn something. This is the process and context. Technology, information, artifacts, classrooms, chairs, etc are just part of the context. The actual process occurs between the ears of the learners, may be influenced by the process organised by the teacher.

Now, this blog is called "Random Walk in Learning".