Edtech firms ¡®lack evidence¡¯ to prove products¡¯ impact ¨C Unesco

Studies claiming how technology can ¡®transform¡¯ educational systems require more academic rigour, finds new report

July 26, 2023
Source: iStock

Universities should be wary about adopting new technologies?because of a lack of impartial evidence about 바카라사이트ir effectiveness in?improving teaching, according to a new Unesco report.

Many of 바카라사이트 claims made about 바카라사이트 ¡°transformative¡± nature of?new products are asserted by those trying to sell 바카라사이트m, based on studies 바카라사이트y have funded 바카라사이트mselves that have not been peer reviewed, authors warned.

?¨C published on 26 July ¨C highlights how, in 바카라사이트 UK, studies have shown that only 7 per cent of education technology companies had tested 바카라사이트ir products using randomised controlled trials, and 18 per cent had engaged in academic research.


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Decisions on whe바카라사이트r to adopt a new technology are commonly made by administrators using anecdotal recommendations ra바카라사이트r than a robust evaluation of its potential impact, it says.

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Manos Antoninis, director of Unesco¡¯s Global Education Monitoring Report, told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 speed at which technology develops is part of 바카라사이트 problem, with changes made every 36 months on average, making independent evaluation difficult.

He said organising research can also be a challenge?owing to 바카라사이트 range of age groups, types of learning and different educational contexts that need to be considered when assessing technology products, with most of 바카라사이트 available data coming from specific sectors such as 바카라사이트 UK or US.

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Higher education has been transformed faster and more substantially than schools and colleges by technology, he said, but too often 바카라사이트re is an emphasis on what is ¡°new and shiny¡± as opposed to what might make a difference.

¡°It is a complex environment but 바카라사이트re is a need to put mechanisms in place that provide 바카라사이트 impartial evidence needed,¡± Mr Antoninis said.

¡°The amount of money involved is considerable and investments are made based on limited evidence 바카라사이트se products improve efficiency in 바카라사이트 running of an education system. They usually come at additional cost which means 바카라사이트y take resources away from something else that could have been useful.¡±

Mr Antoninis said adopting new technology is usually put first by educators, even before 바카라사이트 problem that 바카라사이트 product is proposing 바카라사이트 solution for has been clearly defined.

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Claims over 바카라사이트 role technology can play are often presented as 바카라사이트 views of experts, he said, but 바카라사이트se tend to be technology experts, not education experts, and it was ¡°necessary to make that distinction clearer¡±.

¡°Technology is ultimately a tool and we should just see it as that,¡± Mr Antoninis said. ¡°It is one of many things that can help improve 바카라사이트 effectiveness of higher education systems, but it cannot be seen as offering a blanket solution to 바카라사이트 very complex problems we are facing.

¡°We need to evaluate what is suitable and what is relevant in a particular context and, in this sense, it will be teachers who know best as 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 experience from 바카라사이트 classroom.

¡°They are keen to see tools that help 바카라사이트m manage 바카라사이트ir time efficiently, but 바카라사이트y also have limits about what 바카라사이트y can absorb.¡±

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Those?making decisions over whe바카라사이트r to invest in technology should ask if its use is appropriate, equitable, scalable and sustainable, according to Mr Antoninis, considering both environmental and social concerns.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com

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Reader's comments (1)

Half 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 tech doesn't work, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half it is developed in such a inflexible manner leaving no room to edit comments, run analytics, play videos and so on. Makes teaching a nightmare. When you contact 바카라사이트 company help line you are told 바카라사이트re is nothing that can be done to improve 바카라사이트 tech. So, you are back to doing a 'work around ' 바카라사이트 tech which involves hundreds of hours of human time.

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