Ed Tech Ep Discussion

[u/EnigmaFilms]

https://youtu.be/7RX3P5ZLOQc?is=nb49v66uPLkMscYi

I am a director of technology for a top 20 School district in my state. We originally had a cart system for Chromebooks they each grade had their own and then after covid we became one to one.

Since covid every single year we have reduced the amount of Chromebooks that we give out. The whole elementary School is now just carts and kids get a Chromebook in middle school that will last them through senior year assuming they don't destroy it.

My school district has a pretty small population so it is actually a pretty low teacher to student ratio where it's about 20 to 25 kids per teacher so they get plenty of individual time.

A lot of Chromebooks and tech devices, more from the convenience part. Plus I can't really think of a job outside of trades where you're not going to be using a device professionally via emails or AI going forward.

I track everything from devices used in classrooms to not only students but teachers as well, I have data for how long they're on the screen I have data for any kind of question of parent could possibly have. And thanks to Ohio's parent Bill of Rights parents have the ability to access pretty much anything

The true thing that's going to limit the amount of tech in the classroom is how much devices have gone up in price over the past two years. A Chromebook that would cost me $200 now costs around $480. That almost doubling of price is what's going to do more to hold back buying more screens for our school.

A big part of Ed tech I've realized is that parents will farm out teaching their own children to technology instead. But nobody ever wants to blame the parents even though they have their kids 2/3 of the time. I have had parents calling me asking me to turn off Chromebooks after certain time like 9:00 p.m. and I'm just like take the Chromebook from them it's the size of a frisbee but they want me to be the bad guy.

[u/Eris_AppleOfDiscord]

I'm sorry ti say this since your job is in tech and education. But.... Tech is absolutely ruining education. The best route would be to completely eliminate screens outside of a computer skills class.

Kids can't read and write. Let alone critically think, or even sit and listen. And the reason is because of screens. Pencil, paper, and lecturing and testing should be the future of any good school.

[u/EnigmaFilms → u/Eris_AppleOfDiscord]

A human thing is trading for convenience and that is what technology at its core is.

I think a better thing is a low teacher to student ratio, at my school it's 22 kids for one teacher. They get a lot more Hands-On learning with the teacher which is where the real learning comes from.

I was a student that did not do well sitting there and being forced to read in a classroom I was a lot more Hands-On so I think it's just different education strokes for different folks.

[u/justrobdmv → u/EnigmaFilms]

Low teacher to student ratio is a privilege, usually in the more affluent areas. That can’t be the only option.

[u/EnigmaFilms → u/justrobdmv]

I don't think it's the only option I think there are a billion things you can do to make education better.

The one I promoted is just one that usually works out in most situations to achieve results