Tag Archives: technology

Are classes effective through YouTube?

Are classes effective through YouTube?

Would you know how to change the double push – button discharge mechanism of your house’s cistern? How to prepare an apple pie? And how to make a French braid? Surely you have answered no to any of these questions, but I am sure you would know where to consult to learn how to perform these tasks. “How to […] … learn more→

How teachers can utilize technology in the classroom

How teachers can utilize technology in the classroom

Technology is without a doubt growing and expanding on a monthly basis. It seems like every time you turn around there is a new computer or processor available. There is nothing wrong with this, as it is keeping the market competitive and exciting, but it really makes things difficult for teachers. In fact, most parents […] … learn more→

Laptops in class, Yes or No? (Hint: No)

Laptops in class, Yes or No? (Hint: No)

The world is so dramatically different from what it was 20 years ago, it’s shocking. It used to be a big deal to have a cell phone back then, but nowadays not only does everyone have a cell phone (except me, when not travelling), but these phones have literally all the information of humanity available. […] … learn more→

Education technology: what does 2018 have in store?

Education technology: what does 2018 have in store?

Blockchain with everything Like Ubik, the entropy-reversing spray from Philip K. Dick’s cult novel of the same name, blockchain is everywhere right now. The technology that underpins the bitcoin cryptocurrency and lots of other zeitgeisty developments, blockchain crops up as a miracle solution so often that you could be forgiven for thinking that it was […] … learn more→

Why learn spelling or maths if there’s an app for that?

Why learn spelling or maths if there’s an app for that?

There is no doubt that digital technologies have disrupted our modes of teaching. The resources and inputs into teaching have changed to incorporate computer-aided approaches such as “flipped” classrooms, mobile-phone-enabled interactions, video capturing of lectures and enhanced mixed realities. The old “sage on the stage” model of teaching has been pushed into becoming the “guide […] … learn more→

Why schools shouldn’t approach technology like businesses once did

Why schools shouldn’t approach technology like businesses once did

Computers began reaching the business world during the 1980s. Companies used them to automate many routine manual tasks. This led to what economist Robert Solow dubbed the Productivity Paradox. In 1987, he famously quipped: “You can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics.” The problem Solow had identified was that while computers […] … learn more→

How mobile phones are disrupting teaching and learning in Africa

How mobile phones are disrupting teaching and learning in Africa

Mobile phones have become ubiquitous in Africa. Among younger users, basic phones are most common. But more pupils are accessing smartphones that can connect to the internet – and taking them along to school. Phones are often used in school whether they’re allowed or not. Although they can enable valuable access to information, they also […] … learn more→

Why technology will never fix education

Why technology will never fix education

In 2004, I moved to India to help found a new research lab for Microsoft. Based in Bangalore, it quickly became a hub for cutting-edge computer science. My own focus shifted with the move, and I began to explore applications of digital technologies for the socioeconomic growth of poor communities. India struggles to educate its […] … learn more→