Technology, The best or worst thing for education | Scott Widman | TEDxYouth@BSPR
Summary
TLDRThe video script explores the dual nature of technology in the classroom, highlighting both its potential as an educational tool and its pitfalls, such as distractions and cyberbullying. The speaker, a middle school teacher, acknowledges the challenges of integrating technology and emphasizes the importance of digital literacy for Generation Z, who are digital natives. The key message is that educators have a responsibility to guide students in using technology responsibly, preparing them for the digital world beyond the classroom.
Takeaways
- π€ The debate on whether technology in the classroom is beneficial or harmful is ongoing and inconclusive.
- π Technology can be a valuable tool for students, enhancing their research and learning capabilities.
- π Technology can also be a distraction, with potential for misuse such as cheating or engaging in unrelated activities during class.
- π The speaker's personal experience with middle school students shows mixed outcomes when using technology in the classroom.
- π Searching for answers online has not provided a clear consensus, indicating the complexity of the issue.
- β οΈ Technology poses risks such as cyberbullying and academic dishonesty, and can mimic addictive behaviors.
- π Technology offers vast educational resources, making information readily accessible to students.
- π Technology is not a passing trend; its presence and influence are increasing rapidly.
- πΆ Generation Z, being digital natives, has never known a world without technology, making it an integral part of their environment.
- π‘ The key is not to ban technology due to its negative aspects but to educate students on its responsible use.
- π Educators have a responsibility to prepare students for the digital world, including developing digital literacy and critical thinking skills.
Q & A
What is the speaker's initial stance on technology in the classroom?
-The speaker is unsure whether technology in the classroom is beneficial or harmful to students, as they have observed both positive and negative outcomes.
What is an example of a positive use of technology in the classroom mentioned in the script?
-Students using cellphones to research with multiple tabs open, cross-referencing sources, and citing information simultaneously.
What is an example of a negative use of technology in the classroom mentioned in the script?
-Students streaming Netflix or using TikTok during class, which distracts them from learning.
What was the speaker's approach to finding a definitive answer about technology in education?
-The speaker attempted to find an answer by googling 'technology in education' but found that the results were inconclusive and only added to the debate.
What are the three things we know to be true about technology in relation to students according to the script?
-Technology can be dangerous, it can be infinitely valuable, and it isn't slowing down.
How does the speaker describe the potential risks of technology in the classroom?
-The speaker mentions risks such as cyberbullying, academic dishonesty, and the potential for technology to mimic addiction symptoms.
What is the speaker's view on the value of technology in advancing student learning?
-The speaker believes technology can advance student learning in ways that teachers or schools alone cannot replicate, providing a vast reservoir of information.
Why does the speaker argue that technology is not a fad and is here to stay?
-The speaker states that technology is not a passing trend like bottle flipping; it has an enduring presence and is integral to the lives of students.
What term is used to describe students who have grown up with technology, and what does it imply?
-The term 'digital natives' is used to describe students who have never experienced the world without the internet, cell phones, and constant access to information.
What does the speaker suggest is the responsibility of educators regarding technology in the classroom?
-The speaker suggests that educators have a responsibility to prepare students for the challenges of being digital natives by providing opportunities to develop digital literacy skills.
Why does the speaker believe that the question of whether technology is beneficial or harmful is the wrong question to ask?
-The speaker believes this question is misguided because it's not about the inherent nature of technology but about how educators can utilize it responsibly to prepare students for the digital world.
Outlines
π€ The Debate on Technology in the Classroom
The speaker begins by posing a question about the impact of technology in the classroom on today's students, seeking opinions through a thumbs-up or thumbs-down gesture. The speaker admits uncertainty about whether technology is beneficial or harmful, citing personal experiences where technology aids research and cross-referencing but also noting distractions like streaming and social media use. The speaker's search for answers online only deepens the debate, revealing that technology can be both a dangerous minefield and an invaluable resource. The speaker concludes by acknowledging the rapid pace of technological advancement and the reality that today's students, known as Generation Z or digital natives, have never known a world without technology. The speaker suggests that the question of whether technology is beneficial or harmful is misguided, as it's an integral part of students' lives.
π¨βπ« Embracing Technology as an Educational Responsibility
The speaker emphasizes that the real question is not whether technology is beneficial or harmful but how to harness it responsibly in education. As educators, the speaker argues that it's their duty to prepare students for the challenges of the digital world. The speaker points out that while schools might ban technology to curb issues like cyberbullying, this is only a temporary solution. Students will still encounter the digital environment outside the classroom, potentially unprepared. Therefore, the speaker concludes that it's the educators' responsibility to integrate technology into the classroom to develop students' digital literacy and prepare them to be independent lifelong learners.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Technology in the Classroom
π‘Digital Natives
π‘Cyberbullying
π‘Academic Dishonesty
π‘Digital Literacy
π‘Distraction
π‘Research
π‘Educational Technology
π‘Infinite Value
π‘Addiction
π‘Independent Learners
Highlights
The debate on whether technology in the classroom is beneficial or harmful for students is ongoing and not easily resolved.
Technology can be a valuable tool for students when used for research and cross-referencing sources.
However, technology can also be a distraction, with students streaming videos or using social media during class.
The speaker admits uncertainty about the best approach to technology in education after five years of teaching middle school.
Google search results on technology in education present convincing arguments for both sides of the debate.
Three key takeaways about technology in relation to students are identified: danger, value, and the inevitability of its presence.
Technology poses risks such as cyberbullying, academic dishonesty, and potential addiction.
On the positive side, technology can greatly advance student learning and provide vast information resources.
Technology's pace is not slowing down, indicating its permanence in education and daily life.
Generation Z, being digital natives, has never experienced a world without the internet or smartphones.
Banning technology in schools as a solution to its negative impacts is only temporary.
Students will eventually face the same digital environment risks outside the classroom without proper preparation.
The question of technology's benefit or harm is misguided; the focus should be on preparing students for digital challenges.
Educators have a responsibility to integrate technology in the classroom to develop students' digital literacy.
The role of educators is to guide students in navigating the digital world safely and effectively.
The importance of fostering lifelong independent learners through the responsible use of technology in education.
Transcripts
I want to start off with the question
technology in the classroom is it better
or worse for our students today and I
want to kind of get your guys insight so
let's see it thumbs up if you think
technology in the classroom is more
beneficial to students all right now
give me a thumbs down if you think
technology in the classroom is more
harmful to students okay
good to get you guys's insights listen
little secret I must admit I've been
teaching middle school for five years
now and I have no idea whether
technology in the classroom is the best
thing in the world or the worst so
example if I'm having students use
cellphones to do some research I'm
always impressed when I see the kid
who's got multiple tabs open they're
cross-referencing sources and citing
information all at the same time and I
think wow technology in the classroom
what a valuable tool but then you see
the kid who's streaming Netflix or
literally doing a tick-tock mid class
and I think wow technology in the
classroom what a needless distraction
this is the problem right if my job as
an educator is to do what's best for my
students in terms of technology I don't
know what's best for my students so I
did what everyone what the question does
I googled it right
long story short googling did not go
well kind of muddied the waters turns
out if you google technology in
education you're gonna find hundreds of
articles that can convincingly argue
both sides from every angle so
admittedly no help there
but the key takeaway is this topics
debatable right and if it's debatable
despite the countless and noble elements
and pissing missing pieces to the puzzle
there are three things that we know to
be true about technology and regards our
students number one we know that
technology can be dangerous right
schools face things like cyber bullying
it can bring problems out of the
classroom into the classroom whether it
be academic dishonesty right it can
technology can make it easier to cheat
that's true and
recent evidence suggests that technology
can even mimic symptoms of addiction
which is concerning for a lot of reasons
but either way we know that technology
is a minefield and we got to be careful
the second thing we know technology can
be infinitely valuable it can advance
student learning in a way that no
teacher or school could ever replicate
it can act as a vast reservoir of
information that not only can turn any
expert into a layman or any layman into
an expert but can do so with a few short
flips of the thumb right so number two
we know technology can be infinitely
beneficial so if you keeping score at
home we are tied up it's one to one we
know technology is good we know
technology is bad and admittedly we're
no closer to answering our question but
the third point that we know to be true
about technology helps clear it up a
little bit third thing that we know is
that technology isn't slowing down in
fact it's speeding up it's safe to say
that technology isn't a fad like bottle
flipping doesn't have an expiration date
it's not going anywhere and if that's
the case and you're a student in 2019
you were born sometime after the year
2000 that makes 100 percent of our
student body card-carrying members of
Generation Z now Generation Z is most
commonly referred to as digital natives
and this term says it all because
they're defining quality is the fact
that they've never experienced the world
without the internet without cell phones
without complete access to the entire
world and if that's the case then that
means that to our students technology is
less of a device that they possess and
more of an environment that they inhabit
right so hypothetically if school is
experiencing cyber bullying issues let's
say they may decide to ban technology
because this the problem is clear
technology has a negative impact on
student learning and the solution is
simple no technology means no problems
but this solutions only
temporary when you consider eventually
that bells gonna rain right and at that
point students are gonna leave the
classroom they're gonna open their
locker they're gonna take out their
phones and they're gonna exit that
safety bubble at that point students are
gonna find themselves in a familiar
digital environment with the same risks
and dangers but this time maybe
inexperienced and underprepared so when
we re-examine the question is technology
more beneficial or harmful to our
students we realize that it's the wrong
question to ask because it doesn't
matter if technology is more beneficial
or harmful to our students when we
remember two things number one as
schools and educators our
responsibilities to do what's best for
our students and our students have a
device in their pocket that is both
infinitely valuable and infinitely
dangerous that's why it becomes clear
that utilizing technology in the
classroom is less of a choice and more
of a responsibility right because as
educators were men's horse and that
means it's our obligation to prepare
students for the challenges of being
digital natives as teachers we have
students practice skills all the time
but navigating digital waters takes
practice too and that's why it's our
responsibility to be able to provide
students with opportunities to develop
their digital literacy skills and become
lifelong independent learners thank you
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