Every few years, a new technology appears on the doorstep of schools and universities that promises to transform education. Latest? Technologies and apps that include or utilize generative artificial intelligence, also known as GenAI.
These technologies are marketed as potentially useful for education. For example, the founder of Khan Academy claimed at the beginning of his 2023 Ted Talk, “We are on the brink of using AI for perhaps the greatest positive transformation in the history of education.”
As optimistic as this vision of the future may be, the reality of educational technology over the past few decades has not lived up to its expectations. A rigorous examination of technology after technology, from machines to computers to mobile devices to massive open online courses (MOOCs), shows how technology continues to fail to transform education. It became clear.
But educational technology evangelists have forgotten, are unaware, or are simply indifferent. Or you may be overly optimistic that the next new technology will be different from what came before.
As vendors and startups market AI-powered products to schools and universities, educators, administrators, parents, taxpayers, and others need to ask questions based on past lessons before making purchasing decisions.
As someone who has studied emerging technologies in education for many years, here are five questions that I believe school authorities should answer before purchasing technology, apps, or platforms that rely on AI.
1. What educational problem does this product solve?
One of the most important questions educators should ask is whether technology will make a real difference in the lives of learners and teachers. Is the technology a solution to a specific problem or a solution to explore a problem?
To make this concrete, consider the following: Imagine purchasing a product that uses GenAI to answer course-related questions. Does this product solve an identified need, or is it being introduced into environments simply because it can provide this functionality? and universities should conduct a needs analysis to help identify their most pressing concerns.
2. Is there evidence that the product works?
Strong evidence of the impact of GenAI products on educational outcomes does not yet exist. For this reason, some researchers are encouraging education policy makers to postpone purchasing products until such evidence is found. Some suggest that it depends on whether the product's design is based on basic research.
Unfortunately, there is no central source of product information and ratings, so the responsibility for evaluating products falls on the consumer. My recommendation is to consider the GenAI pre-recommendations. We ask vendors to provide independent third-party research on their products, but we use multiple measures to evaluate the effectiveness of their products. This includes reports from colleagues and key evidence.
Don't settle for a report explaining the potential benefits of GenAI. What you're really looking for is what actually happens when a particular app or tool is used by teachers and students in the field. Be wary of unsubstantiated claims.
3. Did educators or students collaborate in the development of the product?
There is often a disconnect between what entrepreneurs build and what educators need. This leads to products that are disconnected from the realities of teaching and learning.
For example, one of the drawbacks of the “One Laptop Per Child” program (an ambitious program that seeks to put small, inexpensive, yet rugged laptops into the hands of children from poor families) is that the laptops are That it is designed for an idealized younger version. Not the kids who were actually using it, but themselves.
Some researchers have recognized this gap and developed initiatives that bring entrepreneurs and educators together to improve educational technology products.
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Questions to ask your vendor include: How were educators and learners included? How did their opinions influence the final product? What were their main concerns and how were those concerns addressed? Were they representative of the different groups of students who might use these tools in terms of age, gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, etc.?
4. What educational beliefs shape this product?
Educational technology is rarely neutral. It is designed by people, and people have beliefs, experiences, ideologies, and biases that shape the technologies they develop.
It's important that educational technology products support the learning environment that educators want for their students. Questions to ask are: What pedagogical principles guide this product? What kinds of learning specifically does it support or inhibit? Don't stick to generalities like learning theory or cognitive theory. there is no.
5. Does the product provide a level playing field?
Finally, people should ask how the product addresses educational inequality. Will this technology help reduce learning gaps between different learner groups? Or will it help some learners (often those who are already successful or privileged) but not others? , is it of no use to others? Are we taking an asset-based approach to addressing inequality or a deficit-based approach?
Education technology vendors and startups may not have the answers to all of these questions. But you still have to ask questions and consider them. The answer could lead to product improvements.
