Why Technology Can't Fix Education | Mary Jo Madda | TEDxChicago

Summary

The speaker, an education journalist, critiques the Silicon Valley narrative that technology alone can revolutionize education. She shares experiences, including a failed experiment where students used devices 90% of the time, leading to poor academic outcomes. Contrasting this, she highlights successful integration of tech in the classroom, emphasizing the crucial role of teachers. The speaker advocates for a balanced approach, combining technology with human interaction, to create optimal learning environments.

Takeaways

• 🍎 The speaker compares the appearance of an apple to the perception of the American public education system, suggesting that appearances can be deceiving when it comes to educational outcomes.
• 📊 American students' performance is evaluated against 71 other countries, indicating a global context for educational standards and achievements.
• 📰 Journalists often focus on teachers as the root cause for educational shortcomings, with headlines like 'rotten apples' and 'crackdown on lazy teachers'.
• 👩‍🏫 The speaker's personal experience as a math and science teacher highlights the existence of excellent teaching practices that are not always recognized.
• 💡 A shift in narrative is observed in Silicon Valley, where technology is seen as the solution to educational challenges, with a belief in the potential of AI and digital tools.
• 🏫 The case of USC hybrid high school in Southern California exemplifies the challenges of implementing technology-heavy educational models, with initial outcomes showing more credit deficiencies among students.
• 📱 The Los Angeles Unified School District's iPad initiative is cited as a cautionary tale, where a lack of teacher input and professional development led to its failure.
• 💼 The speaker's move to Google reflects a personal belief in technology's potential, but also a recognition that it is not a panacea for all educational issues.
• 👨‍🏫 The importance of the teacher factor is emphasized, with teachers being key in asking critical questions and building relationships that technology cannot replicate.
• 🎓 A successful turnaround at the USC hybrid high school is attributed to increased teacher involvement and financial support for educational tools, leading to a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate.
• ❓ The speaker concludes with a call to action, prompting the audience to consider how to best balance technology and human interaction in educational settings.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's talk?

The main theme of the speaker's talk is the relationship between technology and education, specifically questioning whether technology can solve all the problems in the education system.

Why did the speaker choose to focus on Silicon Valley for her education journalism?

The speaker chose to focus on Silicon Valley because it presented a new narrative where technology was seen as the solution to all educational problems, which she wanted to explore.

What was the outcome of the USC hybrid high college prep experiment mentioned in the script?

By the end of the freshman year, 50 percent of the incoming freshman class at USC hybrid high college prep was credit deficient, meaning they were worse off than when they started.

What was the issue with the iPad initiative by Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)?

The issue with LAUSD's iPad initiative was that it lacked teacher input in decision-making and provided minimal professional development for teachers on how to incorporate devices into the classroom.

How did Ricardo Elizalde, a public school teacher, use technology to help his students?

Ricardo Elizalde used technology by creating a student project that involved Macs and iMovie to help his students create animated digital shorts, which they dubbed with the English they had learned, boosting their confidence.

What changes were made at the charter school system in Los Angeles that improved the students' performance?

The charter school system brought in a new leader from Chicago who emphasized more consistent teacher-student interaction in the classroom and provided each teacher with $3,000 to spend on technology or software of their choice.

What was the final outcome for the first freshman class at the charter school system after the changes were implemented?

After the changes, 100% of the first freshman class graduated and were accepted into four-year colleges and universities.

What was the speaker's observation about the job posting for an executive director of personalized learning in Chicago Public Schools?

The speaker noted that while over a thousand positions were eliminated from Chicago Public Schools, a high-paying position for an executive director of personalized learning was posted, which was to bring technology into the system.

What is the 'triangular relationship' the speaker supports in education?

The 'triangular relationship' the speaker supports involves the student, the technology, and the teacher, where all three work together for effective learning.

What is the crucial question the speaker wants the audience to consider?

The speaker wants the audience to consider how to balance the utility of technology with the beauty of human nature to create the best learning environments for students.

Outlines

00:00

🍎 The Apple of Education: Technology's Role in Learning

The speaker begins by using an apple as a metaphor for the American education system, highlighting the discrepancy between its promising appearance and the actual performance of students on a global scale. Journalists often blame teachers for this performance, but the speaker, a former math and science teacher, argues that there are many great teachers who don't get the recognition they deserve. The speaker then shares their journey into education journalism, particularly focusing on Silicon Valley's belief that technology will revolutionize education. They question this narrative by recounting their experiences and investigations into the impact of technology in education, such as the USC hybrid high college prep program, where students spent most of their day on devices but ended up performing worse than when they started. The speaker also discusses the failed iPad initiative by LAUSD, which spent a billion dollars on providing iPads to students without significant teacher input or training, leading to its eventual failure.

05:02

💼 The Power of Teachers: Beyond Technology

The speaker introduces Ricardo Elizalde, a public school teacher who teaches English to non-native speakers, as an example of the importance of teachers in education. Ricardo noticed a lack of confidence in one of his students, which led him to create a project using Macs and iMovie. This project allowed students to create animated digital shorts and dub them with English, boosting their confidence and allowing them to demonstrate their learning to their families. The speaker then returns to the USC hybrid high story, noting that the school system brought in a new leader from Chicago who recognized the need for more teacher-student interaction and provided teachers with funding to integrate technology into their classrooms effectively. This change led to the entire freshman class graduating and being accepted into four-year colleges. The speaker emphasizes the importance of the teacher factor in education, suggesting that while technology can be a tool, it is the teachers who ask the best questions and build relationships that technology cannot replicate.

10:04

🌐 Balancing Tech and Humanity in Education

In the final paragraph, the speaker addresses the audience directly, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and drawing attention to a 2016 report that highlighted the elimination of over a thousand positions, including teaching roles, while simultaneously advertising for a high-paying position focused on integrating technology into the system. The speaker argues for a triangular relationship in education, where the student, technology, and teacher all work together. They advocate for a balanced approach that leverages the benefits of technology while preserving the irreplaceable human element of teaching. The speaker concludes by posing a crucial question: how can we collectively determine the best learning environments that balance technology with the importance of human interaction and relationships in education? They emphasize the sacred nature of the bond between teachers and students, which should not be replaced by technology.

Keywords

💡Technology

Technology in the video is framed as both a potential solution and a challenge in education. The speaker critiques the over-reliance on devices, such as iPads in the LAUSD, which failed without proper teacher involvement. While technology can enhance learning, as seen in examples like virtual reality experiences, it should not replace the crucial role of teachers. The video emphasizes the need to balance technology with human interaction in classrooms.

💡Teachers

Teachers are portrayed as the essential human element in the education system. Despite advancements in technology, the video underscores the importance of teachers in fostering relationships with students, asking important questions, and addressing student needs that technology alone cannot. The success of USC Hybrid High improved when teachers were re-integrated into the classroom, reinforcing the idea that technology cannot replace the teacher-student connection.

💡Student-Teacher Relationship

The student-teacher relationship is described as sacred and irreplaceable by technology. The video highlights this relationship as central to effective learning environments, as teachers provide emotional support, ask insightful questions, and create personalized learning experiences that a device cannot. The speaker gives the example of Ricardo Elizalde, a teacher who helped a student build confidence through a creative technology project, showing how relationships drive success.

💡Personalized Learning

Personalized learning is the concept of tailoring education to individual student needs, often through the use of technology. The video questions the implementation of personalized learning initiatives, such as the hiring of a high-paid executive director in Chicago, while simultaneously cutting teaching positions. It suggests that personalized learning through technology alone may not be as effective without teacher involvement and interaction.

💡iPad Initiative

The iPad initiative refers to the failed attempt by the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to improve education by providing every student with an iPad. The video explains that the initiative lacked teacher input and proper professional development, leading to its failure and the resignation of the superintendent. This example is used to illustrate the risks of adopting technology without considering the essential role of educators.

💡Hybrid High

Hybrid High is a charter school in Southern California associated with the University of Southern California. Initially, students spent 90% of their time on devices with minimal teacher interaction, which led to poor performance. However, after hiring a new leader who re-engaged teachers and provided funds for educational technology, the school improved, and 100% of students graduated. The story of Hybrid High serves as a case study in balancing technology with teacher involvement for successful education outcomes.

💡Educational Outcomes

Educational outcomes refer to the performance and achievements of students in the education system. In the video, outcomes are linked to the integration of technology and teaching methods. For instance, Hybrid High initially saw negative outcomes when students were overly reliant on devices, but once teachers played a more active role, graduation rates improved. The message is that positive educational outcomes require a balanced approach between technology and teacher interaction.

💡Silicon Valley Narrative

The Silicon Valley narrative is the belief that technology alone can solve the problems in education. The speaker critiques this mindset, which is prevalent in the tech-driven culture of Silicon Valley, where innovations like artificial intelligence are seen as cures for educational issues. The video challenges this idea, suggesting that while technology can be a helpful tool, it is not a panacea for educational reform without human elements like teaching and student relationships.

💡Professional Development

Professional development refers to training and resources provided to teachers to help them effectively integrate new tools, such as technology, into their classrooms. The video points out that a lack of professional development was a key reason for the failure of the LAUSD's iPad initiative. Teachers were not adequately trained on how to incorporate iPads into their lessons, which ultimately undermined the initiative’s success.

💡Artificial Intelligence in Education

Artificial intelligence (AI) is mentioned as part of the broader Silicon Valley narrative that promises AI will revolutionize education. The speaker is skeptical of this claim, highlighting that while AI may offer certain advantages, it cannot replicate the critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and relationships that teachers bring to the classroom. The video encourages a more nuanced view of AI, seeing it as a tool rather than a comprehensive solution to educational challenges.

Highlights

The American public education system is often criticized for its performance compared to other countries.

Journalists often focus on teachers as the reason for poor educational performance.

The speaker's personal experience as a teacher highlights the existence of incredible teaching examples that are not widely recognized.

Silicon Valley's narrative suggests that technology can solve all educational problems.

The speaker's journey as an education journalist in Silicon Valley to explore the role of technology in education.

USC hybrid high's experiment with technology in education, where students spent 90% of the day on devices.

50% of USC hybrid high's freshman class ended the year credit deficient.

LAUSD's failed iPad initiative, which allocated a billion dollars for iPads but lacked teacher input and professional development.

The importance of considering the teacher factor in educational technology implementations.

Ricardo Elizalde's innovative use of technology to help a non-native English speaker build confidence.

The success of USC hybrid high after adjusting their approach to include more teacher-student interaction.

100% graduation and college acceptance rate for the first freshman class at USC hybrid high after implementing changes.

Chicago Public Schools eliminated over a thousand positions, including teaching roles, while hiring for a high-paying tech role.

The potential issues with a classroom model that relies solely on technology without teacher involvement.

The triangular relationship model that includes the student, technology, and teacher for effective learning environments.

The sacred relationship between teachers and students and the importance of not replacing it with technology.

Transcripts

[Applause]

[Music]

hello Chicago this is an apple some of

you may look at it and think that

reminds me of the American public

education system or any education system

for that matter yet despite how red and

juicy and plump it is it doesn't

necessarily correlate with the realities

of how American students are performing

when you look at them and their

performances compared with seventy-one

other countries worth of students across

the world

journalists are the first ones to jump

on this and try to figure out exactly

what the reason is for this sort of

performance and typically they focus on

teachers here are some examples rotten

apples crackdown on lazy teachers what

the heck is going on in these schools I

can tell you from firsthand experience

because I was a sixth and seventh grade

math and science teacher at one point

that there are some incredible examples

of teaching out there they just don't

always make it to the forefront and so

about four and a half years ago I

decided to put my money where my mouth

is figuratively and join the education

journalism world but I chose to move

somewhere very in particular the Silicon

Valley whoo where all of a sudden an

entirely new narrative was brought to my

attention

technology is going to solve all of our

problems

technology can fix education the Silicon

Valley billionaires remake schools

artificial intelligence is going to do

everything we need it to do

well when I first heard that I started

to feel like Morgan Freeman and this

meme which is one of my favorite memes

and you'd be surprised how many

powerpoints I put this in in my career

including when I had powerpoints in my

classroom and you know I thought to

myself what is this pressure all of a

sudden I feel to join this narrative to

write about how incredible technology is

for our students so over the next 4 and

1/2 years of being an education

journalist I would endeavor to try to

answer this question can technology

really solve all of our problems

I'm gonna take you back to one of the

most popular article so I ever wrote for

the education technology journalism

organization I used to work for ED Serge

it was about a charter system down in

Southern California USC hybrid high

college prep the University of Southern

California has a large School of

Education and they wanted to run a bit

of an experiment they decided that at

this new charter school they were going

to put students on devices for 90

percent of the day the teacher was there

but sort of put to the side and they had

a lot to work with because a number of

these students were coming in without

proficiency in math science or language

arts so there was a lot riding on this

and yet by the end of freshman year

50 percent of that incoming freshman

class was credit deficient meaning that

they were worse than when they had first

come in it's almost as if the Charter

system took a page out of

the book that Los Angeles Unified School

District wrote who around the same time

had decided to reallocate a billion

dollars in funding from the space in

their budget that was supposed to go to

remaking decrepit buildings in the

district to iPads for all every single

student in the district received an iPad

but there was a bit of an issue with

this very little teacher input went into

this decision making and

very little professional development was

provided to the teachers to help them

understand how to incorporate the

devices into the classroom now some of

you may have read about this and if you

have then apologize for bringing up

those negative memories once again but

approximately two years ago the

superintendent of LAUSD John Deasy

actually resigned and a major reason for

that was because of the ultimate failure

that the iPad initiative had been oh

don't get me wrong I actually recently

joined Google so I theoretically like

technology but I don't think it's the

main thing that we need to fix all of

our problems I think it can be a tool

but here's the thing I saw lacking and a

lot of the stories that I read about

that I wrote that he interviewed people

on and that was the teacher factor

because oftentimes teachers are the ones

that ask the best questions around tools

that are used in the classroom around

how a student is feeling they have those

relationships that a piece of technology

can't simulate

for example Ricardo elizalde is probably

one of the best teachers I've ever met

in my entire life he is a public school

teacher and he spends his life teaching

non-native speakers English

now students in his class even when they

become proficient sometimes lack

something in particular he noticed this

with one of his particular Honduran

students who was doing very well but

when she went home wasn't really able to

speak with her mother because she lacked

one crucial thing

confidence now Ricardo being the

resourceful and innovative teacher that

he is decided I think there's a way that

I can incorporate technology into the

scenario to help her out so he created a

student project that brought in Macs and

iMovie and wrote this story actually for

us after the whole thing happened the

students created animated digital shorts

over which they dubbed with the English

that they had learned and the beautiful

thing about it was that they were able

to take those projects back home and

demonstrate to their families just how

much they had learned

and I'm going to take you back to hybrid

high because actually that story doesn't

end as bad as you might think it did

I'll be honest with you we the the

charter school system did pluck a new

leader actually from Chicago and dragged

him out to Los Angeles but the second

year the charter school system was

around thank God he was there because he

realized that the big missing element in

what they had done up until that point

was teachers in the classroom working

with students more consistently instead

of having kids on devices 90% of their

time but that wasn't all he did he also

made it rain he every single teacher

$3,000 at the beginning of every year

and the teachers could spend that on

whatever software technology they wanted

in addition to that if they really like

something and wanted licenses for the

whole school if they got other teachers

and students on board and the

administrators saw that then they'd buy

licenses for everybody and I am happy to

report that last year that first

freshman class made it to senior year

and graduated

100% of them graduated and

100% of them were accepted to four-year

colleges and universities

it's funny to hear you clap because I

certainly can't take credit for that but

I'm glad that I was able to share that

information with you

now as I'm up here you may be thinking

to yourself okay Mary Jo these are a lot

of California examples I don't know if

you know but you're a TEDx Chicago we're

a different place we have other problems

to deal with like when it's negative 10

degrees outside and first off I totally

get it I went to Northwestern go

Wildcats I'm right there with you

anybody at Northwestern yes

this is why I didn't want to do TEDx San

Francisco

but there's actually a similar example

that I want to share with you that's

something for you to be aware of because

I imagine that many of you have students

in CPS some of you may be funders some

of you may be politicians that make

choices that affect the district so in

2016 the Chicago sometimes that summer

reported that more than a thousand

positions were eliminated from Chicago

Public Schools just gone some of which

were teaching positions now

interestingly enough

simultaneously that same summer a

position was posted on the jobs board

for an executive director of

personalized learning and this

six-figure salary to individual was

going to be amongst other things

bringing technology into the system now

it would be unfair of me to say that

there's a direct causation between these

two things but I think it's something to

be aware of

because in my line of work I hear a lot

of people talk and complain about the

1950s vision that we have of the

classroom one teacher up at the front

students facing forward you know

everything's focused on that one teacher

everything is right there but at the

same time I don't know if this situation

is much better and I've seen this live

where students are sitting in desks

tapped in singular device no

collaboration

no project-based learning no

communicating no soft skill development

and where's the teacher

that's why I fundamentally support what

I consider to be the triangular

relationship and that's where you have

to have three individual pieces working

together the student the technology the

teacher

technology is a wonderful thing I'm not

gonna lie to you I see it do wonderful

things in schools all the time I've seen

it offer access to students with

disabilities I've seen students that

aren't able to travel abroad get access

to incredible virtual reality

experiences that open up new worlds for

them

but before I leave today I want to leave

you with one last crucial question

how do we as a collective figure out the

best learning environments for our

students that balance the utility of

technology

with the beauty of human nature because

I'll be honest with you my friends and

I've seen it firsthand the relationships

between teachers and students is sacred

and that should never ever be eliminated

thank you

you