Where I live, that would be white kids, Asian kids (but not the ones from Myanmar), and the offspring of the Indian physicians who buy up all the McMansions.
But aren’t you describing the attention/enthusiasm breakout of just about any math class? Human teachers inspire some students, bore others, etc. The beauty of software is that it can be designed to reach a variety of students. It can provide different approaches to material, audio, visual, interactive, color-coded, geometry as a music video, repetition, review, connections to other topics, etc etc etc, a multitude of ways to engage students. It doesn’t have to be linear, or rote, it can help students catch up, and those ahead of the curve. Can it provide emotional support? No, but how many human teachers really do that?
I’m not saying KA can replace every human teacher. But that’s just one app. An app designed to aid students, not teach every student from the ground up. Well-designed apps, won’t replace human teachers, but would improve learning for a lot of students, and the workload for teachers.
Based on teacher feedback here, that design hasn’t happened yet, (or maybe no school district has yet been willing to invest in it), but I don’t understand why teachers are so resistant to the very idea. You should be driving the process, which would give you input and control, because it’s surely coming – no administrator will be able to resist the cost savings – instead of being handed a finished product that just makes your life harder.
I think you have a point; but I also think you’re underestimating the degree to which people, especially kids, need and are stimulated and motivated by direct interaction with other human beings.
That’s probably true. Though watching kids ignore all humans in the area while buried in their phone makes me wonder. But I’m not advocating for the elimination of teachers, I was suggesting technology be used to help them.
No. My fifteen years working with hundreds of kids means I’m not describing that, at all.
Please trust that your insight from being one kid who went through school is wildly insufficient for telling veteran teachers what works and what doesn’t.
You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re not remotely in a position to advise me on what I “should be” doing.
Well, no, the idea that only teachers know anything about teaching is crap. I’m not saying I’m special, EVERY kid who went through school knows good/bad teaching – 12 years is a lot of exposure to helpful/worthless teaching techniques.
And ‘veteran’ teacher does NOT equal ‘good’ teacher, given the complete lack of evaluation & removal mechanisms for incompetent teachers.
I’m not ‘advising’ you, I don’t care what you do. But next time you wonder why John Q Public doesn’t offer teachers more support, reread our posts here.
Absolute crap. Why on earth would I think that experts know anything?
Dude, I don’t wonder this. I’ve studied the political context of public education far more than you ever have and likely ever will, going back to the Civil War period and up through modern times. I know exactly why certain folks don’t offer schools more support.
Every teacher is not an expert. There is no test for subject knowledge, or expertise in teaching methods, and no penalty for having neither.
Okay, but I’m a national board-certified teacher, I’ve been teaching for fifteen years, I’m beloved by many many students, I was my school’s teacher of the year in 20-21, I’m the president of our local union which under my leadership has skyrocketed to the biggest local in the state, and I’m telling you you’re wrong.
I was going to say…the Praxis is a rather good test of both subject knowledge and practical teaching knowledge. I know, I took (and passed with above flying colors) 4 of them.
But his insight.
This fundamental lack of respect for teaching as a profession and a skillset is one of the most problematic issues at play in the American educational system. Parents have it, politicians have it, many administrators have it, and ‘John Q Public’ has it.
There are few other skilled professions that get Monday morning quarterbacked quite as much.
With the exception of actual quarterbacks and/or coaches, perhaps.
I was mistaken.
You & every other teacher in the US is a fully qualified expert, both in your subject matter and teaching methods. There is no one outside teaching who knows anything about teaching/learning. No one, except teachers, can possibly understand the intricacies of this singularly demanding profession. To suggest technology has anything to offer teaching is insulting & shows a complete lack of respect for teachers.
So you’ll be shocked to hear that there are actual teachers (traitors!) who share my views. And studies that prove technology can, in fact, help students learn. But I’m confident you can find at least three nitpicks to invalidate every source that doesn’t exalt human teachers as the one (and only) true way.
[https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2013/02/survey-74-percent-educators-support-use-technology-schools]
" In fact, 74 percent of educators surveyed said technology is key to helping them expand on classroom content; the same percentage said technology is a motivational tool; and 73 percent said it helps teachers respond to different learning styles. Moreover, 69 percent said technology has helped do more than ever before for their students."
[(https://news.mit.edu/2019/mit-jpal-what-126-studies-tell-us-about-education-technology-impact-0226]
“Second, educational software (often called “computer-assisted learning”) programs designed to help students develop particular skills have shown enormous promise in improving learning outcomes, particularly in math. Targeting instruction to meet students’ learning levels has been found to be effective in improving student learning, but large class sizes with a wide range of learning levels can make it hard for teachers to personalize instruction. Software has the potential to overcome traditional classroom constraints by customizing activities for each student.”
[How Does Technology Impact Student Learning?]
“Virtual classrooms, augmented reality (AR), videos, different robots, and other technology tools can not only make the class more interesting, but they can also develop more inclusive practices that foster cooperation and intellectual curiosity while also allowing teachers to collect data on student performance.”
[How to Increase Student Engagement With Technology | Chalk]
Yes, you were. Sadly, you’re even mistaken on what you’re mistaken about.
The rest of your post is petulant self-pity combined with lots of cites that demonstrate that you don’t even understand what I and other teachers are saying about technology (hint: I didn’t say anything that disagrees with the idea that “technology is key to helping them expand on classroom content”).
I’m here for productive conversation, so unless you’re willing to take a serious listen to what I’m saying, I’m not sure we have much future as conversation partners.
You do realize, of course, that the cites you provided don’t say a damn thing about what you are supporting. They are all couched with weasel-words like “may,” “can,” etc. The first cite covers so much that it is worthless. “Technology” covers everything from Smartboards to classroom computers to giving the teacher internet access. None of the stuff you offer says what you want it to say.
I’m sure all the teachers in this thread who have advocated against classroom technology of any kind will now change their tunes.
Who were they, again?
Just in case it’s not clear, I’ve advocated a couple of specific ways of using Khan Academy, right here in this thread. I’ve used green-screen technology to help students create entries for the 90-second Newbery Film Fest. I’ve taught Hour of Code, and I’ve used Spheros (programmable self-propelled balls) to teach a force and motion unit that I developed over multiple years. Student collaboration on Google Docs and Slides and Sheets is a staple of my classroom–yes, I teach spreadsheets at the elementary level.
I like technology.
If you’re reading me saying anything different, I submit you’re not reading my words very carefully.
I’ve taught in nine different high schools, and I’ve never seen one where it’s that bad. Teaching to the test is a problem, but we can still at least choose how we’re teaching to the test.
Whereas in DC, charter schools primarily serve non-white students from economically disadvantaged families. YMMV.
I read this somewhat related article in the Washington Post. This Arizona school district is hiring teachers from the Philippines:
It was free, but now when I click it, it wants a subscription.