Recently, I've had several conversations with those in the EdTech field all hovering around the same idea: education. Are we teaching teachers tools or are we showing technology to improve a learning outcome? If it is the latter, is EdTech really separate from education?
We talk about the nature of an ITS - helping integrate technology. But, how do we do that? Many of us mention sitting in planning meetings and finding a solution to the problems teachers mention. If EdTech is a solutions-based industry, are we not doing instructional design? I believe we are.
For EdTech to be successful, it needs to be education. It should not be separate. The longer it is separate, the longer it is not part of the education sphere. The longer teachers view it as "just another thing they have to learn." The longer PD needs revolve around "showing us how to use Evernote," etc. and not around "showing us the way to get all students up to par in writing." If it were the latter, Evernote could be just one tool used to solve the larger problem - writing. And, then, we would see change in education. Currently, we are facing the same problems we have faced for centuries.
How do we start changing this framework? Working from the top down or proving success at individual campuses?
We talk about the nature of an ITS - helping integrate technology. But, how do we do that? Many of us mention sitting in planning meetings and finding a solution to the problems teachers mention. If EdTech is a solutions-based industry, are we not doing instructional design? I believe we are.
For EdTech to be successful, it needs to be education. It should not be separate. The longer it is separate, the longer it is not part of the education sphere. The longer teachers view it as "just another thing they have to learn." The longer PD needs revolve around "showing us how to use Evernote," etc. and not around "showing us the way to get all students up to par in writing." If it were the latter, Evernote could be just one tool used to solve the larger problem - writing. And, then, we would see change in education. Currently, we are facing the same problems we have faced for centuries.
How do we start changing this framework? Working from the top down or proving success at individual campuses?
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