Keynote Address, Plenary: Technology and Innovation
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Abstract
I begin with a short overview of ten good practices that need to be in place to ensure effective use of ICTs in education:
It’s the learning that matters, not the technology
Teachers must be involved from the beginning
Sustainability built in from the start
Supporting infrastructure must be in place
Appropriate content must be developed
Equality of access for all learners
Continual monitoring and evaluation
Appropriate maintenance contracts
Using the technology 24/7
Good practices, rather than best
So, why are these not done?
I focus here first on the observation that ICTs generally increase inequalities unless very specific actions are taken to ensure that the poorest and most marginalised are able to benefit.
I then explore the various interests that tend to limit delivery of the above ten practices, focusing especially on the activities of the private sector, and especially hardware and software companies, connectivity companies and content developers.
In so doing, I also draw on some of the increasing amount of empirical evidence that the use of computers in education is actually damaging learning.
Implications for innovation
In the final section, I explore some of the implications of these trends for innovation and creativity, paying specific attention to five themes:
Content replication
Memory
Language and literacy
Personalised searching
Privacy and failure
In conclusion
In drawing these reflections to an end, I argue that one way forward is to work towards new and effective models of multi-stakeholder partnerships for education, that address education as something much more important, much more complex, and much more exciting than merely as a vehicle for economic transformation.
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Global
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2013-11