Such are the current contexts education-wise that they are hardly wise. Foolhardy, in fact, they are because of the excessive use of educational technology in the teaching/learning scenario.
During the Pandemic, the ed-tech (as educational technology is fondly known) was the only alternative. Even then, it was noted that very little learning actually took place. In fact, the 'Covid Batch' was, and continues to be, a disparaging term with implications of the 'little learning, more marks' slur.
Post Pandemic, however, the educational sector did not choose to wean itself away from the ed-tech. Instead, over-dependence on e-boards, that is, electronic boards is supposed to be sophistication and modernity! Actually, the tech-smart students, we made them so, are hardly intellectually excited about or emotionally engaged with actual teaching/learning.
They mentally switch off the moment a teacher uses a video, et al, with a mental smirk that s/he can download better stuff, for sure now, given the ChatGPT. They are not much attached to either the class proceedings or to teachers or to the classroom/college because they are NOT learning. Information overload there sure is!Very little learning/knowledge happens, however!! Who worries wisdom-wise?!?
Learners have instead turned in to passive consumers of information. Swanky might be the video or the ed-tech programme(d) material. But the student is not actually handling it the way the traditional paper-pen procedure would force him to.
Significantly, there has not been much systematic scientific study of the effects of ed-tech on students' actual learning. In fact, neither executive skills nor learning abilities such as basic arithmetic, reading, writing have improved perceptibly. Instead, they have gone down drastically.
The screen-time seems to hurt not merely their eyes but their analytical skills as well, given the fact that due to the ed-tech, students are passive consumers, and not active participants in the learning process.
Significantly, neither the tech giants nor their children are 'masters' at the ed-tech! In fact, it is reported that most of the tech wizards do not allow their children near the lappie! Yes, European countries like Sweden, Britain are back to the pen-paper mode, too.
Unfortunately, in India, an extremely irrelevant skill as far as actual learning goes, that is, the sleek use of ed-tech is getting both prioritised and valorised. Are we pushing our learners behind the world in the name of the much advertised technological finesse?
The key term, I would believe/maintain, should be restraint. Educational technology cannot, and need not, be completely wiped out. But it should be used tangentially, most minimally. In brief, now is the time to 'press Pause'!
Pratima@The 'Great Gen' ( born circa,1901-27), the 'Silent Gen' ( born between, 1928-45), the 'Baby Boomers'(1946-64), the 'Gen X' (born circa 1965-1980) may lack the finesse in mindlessly repeating the computerised commands. But even the most ordinary amongst them would be good at arithmetic, reading, and writing.
Look at the millennials, the Gen Z, the Gen Alpha. Most of them are good only at processing and following in the footsteps of an already prepared programme. Excellent they are at screen time which ruins not merely their eyesight. Ask them to write a few sentences, read a passage, manage arithmetics without using a calculator (the basic most R's of learning), they would be at loss totally.
They may be tech native, to use a fancy term. But they are absolute dumbo's otherwise, fragile both intellectually and emotionally. So say educationists and psychology experts. 'Great danger ahead, caution, go slow' should the sign on the expressway to edu-tech/ed-tech!
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