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Why the education sector lags behind when it comes to tech?
Unlike other industries, education sector worldwide (esp k-12), generally lags behind in implementing smarter technology solutions. Every industry has properly functioning, and highly advanced ERP systems but still that doesn't stop them from implementing next generation mobile solutions and employ the power of data analytics for informed decision making. This is probably because they realize that the massive penetration of mobile and social technologies have changed the way people live, work and communicate and hence they expect the same experience in every walk to life, be it their work life or grocery shopping.
Why education sector fails to understand this? Why not only parents but school admin itself doesn't have real time access to school activities? Why is analytics not employed to convert vast amount of disparate amount of data into actionable insights in schools? Why ain't students and teachers able to communicate through their mobile devices. Why is "anywhere anytime" still an unknown concept for the education sector?
- dalke 12y agoDecades of attempts to convert this "vast amount of disparate amount of data into actionable insights" have found that it's far more complicated than you think. See for examples http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_data_mining http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_data_mining and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_analytics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_analytics for some of the well-known names for these sorts of analytics. For example, "Investing in expensive data analysis systems may not be as important as investing in ways of measuring teacher effectiveness that can identify the specific supports teachers need to improve their practice." - http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/may10/vol67/num08/Using_Value-Added_Measures_to_Evaluate_Teachers.aspx http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/may1... . "Value Added Measures" are one of the many attempts at applying analytics to education. The error rate and variability of that method is so high as to make it unusable. See http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/resources/value-added-measures http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/resources/value-added-measu... . I cannot reconcile your statement with the last 15 years of high-stakes testing, which were justified by saying they could do the analytics that you think haven't been considered. Nor with the many attempts, dating to at least PLATO in the 1960s, to develop computer assisted instruction systems, with data acquisition and analytic components. Edit: Also, "Google Apps for Education" - https://classroom.google.com/ https://classroom.google.com/
- arusha_imtiaz 12y ago"Investing in expensive data analysis systems may not be as important as investing in ways of measuring teacher effectiveness that can identify the specific supports teachers need to improve their practice" I didn't really get this statement. You would need a data analysis system for measuring teacher effectiveness as well. They r in no way separate.
- dalke 12y agoThere are such things as inexpensive data analysis systems.
- bediger4000 12y agoIn the USA, education is circumscribed by tradition. Everything, from length of school year, to subjects taught, to curriculum, is bounded by tradition. If tech isn't in schools, that's fine, because nobody in 1955 had tech in their schools, and what's good enough for old folks is good enough for kids today. Sorry to be so grumpy, but I'm pretty sure that's what the real reason is.
- arusha_imtiaz 12y agotrue that. And it's worse here in Pakistan.
- dalke 12y agoThere are indeed all sorts of traditions. Football teams and homecoming are traditions that seem to have little to do with education. But just like there are schools without football teams, there are also schools with year-round teaching. Tradition can't be the only reason. In the 1980s there was a big debate on if calculators should be allowed in schools. Technology won. So clearly we have technology in schools now which wasn't there in 1955.