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Trends, Patterns, and Ethical Issues That Impact Education: Unit 1 Discussion
After reviewing the provided Issues in Education (n.d.) infographic, I selected technology integration as my topic to review.
This topic appealed to me as I work in the technology industry and am a self-proclaimed tech geek. The two resource materials
reviewed on this topic included the articles Implications of Shifting Technology in Education (Holland & Holland, 2014) and Ed-tech
Companies Tracking Students’ Emotions, Mindsets: A push to use new technology to understand the ‘whole child’ is sparking privacy
fears. (Herold, 2018).
In Implications of Shifting Technology in Education (Holland & Holland, 2014), they discuss the changing dynamics of
younger learners and their propensity to prefer digital modalities of learning. “The newer media offers a more personalized,
interactive method of learning, socializing, and entertainment on a reduced or no-cost basis” (Holland & Holland, 2014, p. 16). The
major concern is the impact on students’ critical thinking, communication tactics, and social connections. Fearing that students will
no longer need some skills being taught currently. “Elementary school teachers have been discussing whether students still need to
know how to physically write with everything going digital” (Holland & Holland, 2014, p. 17). The dynamic changes that come with
advancements in technology can be illustrated by how we approach navigation. When I was in elementary school, I had a class unit
dedicated to map reading. Cross-country road trips involved a thick multi-state map book. In my teenage years, when computers
became more ubiquitous, you would print out your Map Quest directions to take along with you in the car. Additionally, you would
have that map book backup in case there was construction or a closed road. In the early 2000s, we saw the rise of smartphones and
digital standalone GPS devices, eliminating the need for paper maps and providing near-time data on traffic and construction. By
2006, Waze, a free navigation app that uses crowdsourcing for real-time traffic updates, introduced a social component to classic
navigation methods. This example highlights that in some scenarios. technological advancements could create situations where prior
knowledge is no longer applicable. Yet, there are many more examples where “...we might be missing some of the underlying bits of
important knowledge needed to carry us forward in a digital era” (Holland & Holland, 2014, p. 17). The article continues to highlight
various instructional practices that could align with these technological advances, including mobility, problem-based learning,
motivating learning, inquiry learning, communications and collaborations for learning, multimedia rich learning, and active hands-on
learning. Other factors that need to be considered in these learning models are student diversity, globalization, and learning
assessments. As technology continues to advance, “...students still need to have the knowledge and command of effective two-way
communication skills including recording their thoughts, knowledge, opinions, discoveries, and inventions in a clear and concise
way” (Holland & Holland, 2014, p. 17).
In Ed-tech Companies Tracking Students’ Emotions, Mindsets: A push to use new technology to understand the ‘whole child’
is sparking privacy fears. (Herold, 2018), they explore the technology being used to track students’ online activities to evaluate their
emotional state and engagement level. “Their ultimate goal: improve student learning by teaching the software to pinpoint when
children are feeling happy, bored or engaged” (Herold, 2018, p. 1). This type of student tracking is causing concerns both in the
educational and parental communities, questioning whether this type of online tracking is overly invasive. Not only could the
software track your activity, it will also use an algorithmic approach to surface content to keep the student engaged in learning. “For
many parents and teachers, it’s common sense: Kids do well when they pay attention, work hard, and get along with others”
(Herold, 2018, p. 1). This approach doesn’t stop with software, “...cutting-edge researchers are also exploring facial recognition, eye
tracking, wearable devices, and even virtual reality as ways to better gauge what students are feeling” (Herold, 2018, p. 2).
Tracking students’ social and emotional well-being is being used to create a complete view of a student, often in real-time. “Critics
fear an Orwellian surveillance state, in which government and corporations alike invade students’ privacy, encroach on their
individual liberty, and try to manipulate their behavior based on spurious measurements“ (Herold, 2018, p. 2). While these fears
exist, there could be positive outcomes in being able to monitor students’ social and emotional well-being. The article continues to
describe various scenarios when early intervention could be possible with increased access to these types of data points, identifying
at-risk or disengaged students. Supporters of this technology see it as a tool to help improve students, while critics fear tools like this
will manipulate students.
If analyzing this problem today, I would start with an inventory of current research on technology being used in education,
including current legislation on students’ data privacy, current biometric tracking, and parental sentiment on the use of technology
in learning. I would want to understand what issues and gaps remain in keeping students engaged in learning, identifying early
intervention modalities, and enhancing social and emotional well-being. Do students who use tracking-based tools perform better
than students who do not? Does the software and hardware being used enhance or detract from the learning environment? Has
there been any data breaches related to student tracking tools? How are the tools influencing the actions of students? As
technology continues to advance, evaluating its impact continues to provide challenges. For example, the rise of generative AI tools
like ChatGPT can provide a valuable tool for business professionals conducting research, writing communications, and analyzing data
points. Yet, there is concern over feeding company’s proprietary data into these generative models. Does that data now become
part of the public domain? Another example is using automated intelligence to screen potential employee candidates. The
algorithms behind this type of AI can be influenced by the person who is writing the code, creating an unintended bias in reviewing
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candidates, which leads to a broad discussion on the ethical use of AI. No matter the type of technology being implemented (smart
devices, warbles, tracking software) in the learning environment, the focus should be on whether this attracts or detracts from
students success both academically and socially/emotionally.
References
Herold, B. (2018). Ed-tech companies tracking students’ emotions, mindsets: A push to use new technology to understand the ‘whole child’ is
sparking privacy fears. Education Week, 37(36). https://libauth.purdueglobal.edu/login?url=https
Holland, J., & Holland, J. (2014). Implications of shifting technology in education. TechTrends, 58(3), 16–25. https://kapextmediassla.akamaihd.net/EdCommGrad/ED710/ED710_2204E/ImplicationsOfShiftingTech.pdf
Issues in Education [Infographic]. (n.d.). Purdue Global University. https://kapextmediassla.akamaihd.net/EdCommGrad/Media/ED710/ED710_2204E/Issues_in_Education/story.html