The Other Side of Edtech
To be clear, I’m not talking about the dark underbelly of educational technology.
Although that would make simultaneously the most boring and fascinating documentary on Netflix.
No, I am talking about the less visible, less tangible aspect of using technology in the classroom.
From my experience, you can run two seemingly similar sessions using laptops or tablet devices, but the results are wildly different.
In one, when you look at the class, they appear to be a room full of young drones staring into a tiny rectangle that seems to diminish and belittle them. As if its suffocating frame keeps them enslaved to the linear task within which they are trapped.
In the other, unshackled ideas in the form of invisible giants seem to leap and bound around the classroom, charging and crashing into each other like huge electrons, summoned by keyboard strokes like physical music made manifest.
This is what I mean by the other side of edtech.?
The part the big tech companies can’t sell you. The part that doesn’t come pre-installed on your 1:1 devices.
This is the problem so many schools face. That they received their shiny new Chromebooks, loaded up Google Classroom and then…
The digital revolution was in appearance only.
Now, this is not the case in all schools, of course. And if your school tells a different story then we need you to do exactly that: tell your story.
Because schools aren’t often learning this best practice from within their walls. Or even within their multi-academy trusts.
The innovative teachers are getting their professional development horizontally from online educational communities, on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
They rely on others in the trenches, who are running experiments every day, to feed back what the situation is looking like on the ground.
Educators are diligent, loyal and professional - and will deliver their curriculum content as has been advised, especially if it claims to be research-backed. But educators are also smart, discerning and creative and will immediately know if something falls flat or doesn’t engage their learners.
Then they’ll have to take precious time in their already jam-packed day to edit and rewrite it.
So how can we help summon the wild ideas and have them bounding about in our tech-infused classrooms?
It’s with clever and creative curriculum and lesson design.
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The stuff the big tech companies can’t sell you. The stuff that doesn’t come pre-installed on your 1:1 Chromebooks.
Alright then, Bolton, enough with your wishy-washy vague platitudes - give us the goods.
Well, I can only offer advice from my own experience. My own experiments. But in this way, it is research-backed (I did the research, yes you're welcome).
Motivating task
Choose a motivating meaningful task that is multidisciplinary. The task or project should have a particular purpose, so the students have to make decisions in line with this purpose. It could be to “raise awareness” about an issue, to be persuasive, to solve a problem for a particular person. Something which requires a set of skills more in line with the real world of work.
Creative Design Element
Add a creative design element, even if it's not an art subject. The visual and personal creative element will immerse students in the topic and help memory retention (as well as exercising creative muscles). Think students designing their own escape room on a topic or making a video on Adobe Express.
But in line with the first point, try to improve over your students simply “presenting information” about a topic. This task lacks the drive necessary for full student-led engagement. Use a creative conceit, such as:
Make it collaborative
Humans are social animals. The skills they will learn in having to listen, share and compromise will far outweigh any knowledge gained from the specific topic.
And the fun they shared will be remembered.
Showcase and Share
Have your students create something personal and tangible that they can share. If it’s a video, dim the lights. If it's a pitch or presentation, get an audience. Add some stakes to get all of their neurons firing and give them a reason to get engaged and invested.
These are just some of the ways you can infuse digital technology with purposeful and considered pedagogy to bring learning to life.
And please, tell your story in the comments:
How has your school made #edtech meaty and meaningful? I'd love to nick your ideas and later pass them off as my own.
Follow me Tom Bolton for more edu schmaltz - or visit my website www.tomboltonedu.com to see how we might be able to team up and take over the world ???
??Innovating Teacher Education through Gamification, AI and EdTech | The Great Discovery ?? Partnerships and Networking | E-Learning & Course Creator ?? | Teaching, Coaching & Facilitation |Altruistic opportunist
8 个月Hey Tom Bolton I was just discussing something like this with a colleague today and thought of you. It doesn't matter how great the technology is if we don't use it right. My mom was shocked when smartboards first made it to her district. A colleague of hers volunteered to have it installed but only used it so he wouldn't have to worry about the "notes" getting erased. Years later, I watched as a teacher sat at one center but left Starfall open on the smartboard for another center and was impressed by how carefully students used it! My jaw also dropped when I saw the elaborate Google sheet my daughter and her friends had designed to organize their character relationships for a Lore SMP on Minecraft. It was mindboggling. I know this didn't really answer your question, but I like the contrast between those activities. From teacher-centric to teacherless!
Digital learning research and development coordinator at St Albans School
8 个月This is a great read. I recently worked with year 8s to create digital lab report video. I was super impressed with the results and App-smashing involved! https://x.com/bcscott36/status/1806399727665074300
Authentic learning for every student | STEM Education Innovator | AI-Enhanced Teaching | Professional Learning | Curriculum Design | Learning Experience Design |??| Grammarly Ambassador
8 个月Keeping your monster theme… Slaying the dragon of disengagement ?? The key lies in providing students with meaningful tasks that spark curiosity ?? Educators can use this key unlock curiosity by encouraging students to develop their own questions igniting their natural inquisitiveness. ?? Guiding students through explorations where answers aren’t simply given, but discovered, equips them with the tools and skills to navigate past barriers to engagement. ?? Empowering students to use their answers to develop solutions to real-world problems transforms them into dragon slayers in their own right—ready to confront and conquer the challenges that once hindered their learning. ?? Every student has the potential to be a dragon slayer, armed with curiosity, knowledge, and the resilience to overcome disengagement. ???
Tom Bolton Interesting article! We also made a post about how technology affects educational platforms)
Chief of Staff to startups & scaleups | Mentor to Founders | Angel Investor | Passionate about Education | Carbon13 Domain Expert | Effective Altruism champion
8 个月Love this Tom Bolton. I think the key is to make it fun, and relevant. e.g. We use interactive escape rooms Collaboration Laboratory so that the students can learn how to navigate conflict and deal with pressure; doing it in an safe online environment means that it's ok to fail, make mistakes and try again!