Modern educational technology refers to the theory and practice of using modern educational theory and modern information technology to realize teaching optimization through the design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of teaching and learning processes and resources.

Modern educational technology originated in the United States in the 1930s. The development of modern educational technology in China began in the 1980s and originated in the United States. At that time, it was called audio-visual education in China.

At that time, slides, movies and other media used in audio-visual education activities, compared with the initial oral knowledge and later printed media, were used in teaching, and their communication mode jumped a big step, belonging to the category of modern educational technology, but it was not a complete modern educational technology, but only the initial stage of the development of modern educational technology.

There are two main branches of modern educational technology research in China. One is academic school, mainly professors and experts who specialize in teaching and research of educational technology in some colleges and universities. Most of them pay attention to theoretical research and macro-research of educational technology under the guidance of theoretical basis, and they are far-sighted and condescending.

The other is the practical school, mainly represented by teacher Yan Ping, which pays attention to the practical application of modern educational technology in teaching, and hardly involves theory. In teaching, only practical skills and software applications are emphasized, and the flexibility and efficiency of application are emphasized. We usually call this school "Modern Educational Practical Technology".