This week Ann Beatty was invited onto the panel of the London 2050 Summit to join the discussion on how technology will continue to shape our lives, and to offer a perspective of what the implications are for global education.
In the U.K. and globally, the pandemic has seen large numbers of people forced to work and socialise from home. Most of us are discovering new technology and experimenting with how it can be used to fill the gaps left by the various lockdowns. For some it means looking at entire home automation to enhance home life, work and entertainment life, and including these ideas in the new housing construction work of the future. For others it means questioning the pervasive role of technology in our lives, and building a future directed by human needs, not the needs of productivity and profit in isolation.
Technology is exciting, the possibilities are limited only by our imagination, and our development funding. So much is possible, but we need to make sure it is always fit for the purpose it is being used for. Algorithms are not better than teachers at predicting grades. Internet lessons can be a good way to deliver some aspects of education, if you have a stable internet connection and a device to study on, but online learning cannot replace professional expertise and the passion of teachers who inspire learning in students.
We have to be aware of the way we use technology to educate ourselves too, the potential for “Generation Google” is a double edged sword. It’s brilliant what we can learn and discover on YouTube and Google, but we have to be aware of the algorithms that are putting the content we consume up onto page 1 of a Google search.
The fact is we need the right technology for the right situation. In T
he Gambia we found that solar radios were the right solution, to take into account not only a lack of internet connection, lack of equipment, and a lack of access to power. Working in a diverse range of countries makes us acutely aware of the limitations of the technology we have. Our technological advances are still very dependent on infrastructure put in place decades ago. Where that infrastructure does not yet exist, our technology fails. Likewise, if our infrastructure fails so does the technology that we now wholly rely on too. By including everyone in the picture of development we are finding a more robust and sustainable way forward for everyone.
The new 5G network forces a network structure based on digital capitalism. Potential threats to cyber-attack, sharing and use of our data. We need to keep our focus on how to use data to benefit humankind rather than just distract us from the gravity of our current situation.
We are already testing the boundaries of the tech world we have built. The Social Dilemma documentary by Jeff Orlowski (2020), highlights the dangerous impact of digital social networking. The need to connect is a very important drive, and if our connections, our communities and even community spaces are all brought online, then we lose a fundamental part of that connection, especially the power of physical touch. The Covid-19 lockdown periods have been like an experiment in how far can digital socialising go. Our experiences with this range from frustration and isolation to the joy and convenience of being able to chat with someone on the other side of the world without having to travel.
In education there is definitely a global digital divide, not all children have access to technology and yes, many children are addicted to smart phones but you cannot learn effectively on smart phones. In many families they do not have a quality laptop or computer, they may not have the space to learn in their homes. We are in a situation where the U.K. government set up a scheme for laptops to be provided in April of this year to families who needed them but the outcome was that only 37% of children who needed them were able to access these devices (Children’s Commissioner Aug 2020). If we cannot feed our children adequately and many families have to visit food banks there needs to be a review of the whole system as hungry children cannot learn even if they have access to the technology. We now have the time to Reflect, Re-imagine and Reset learning but it will need investment and we must not miss this opportunity globally.
We need to invest in education, and for that we need to go back to basics. we need a method of delivering quality education to people, we need to connect with each other, to make the connection with each other, ourselves and the world.
Clearly technology is a brilliant tool to transform our world, and tackle our deepest challenges too. It just has to be fit for purpose. So sometimes we have to remember that the low-tech solutions can be the best. Not everyone has access to the technology that others take for granted. Most of us are not in control of the technology we are surrounded by.
So, this is what we need to be asking. Is this technology being used for the advancement of the human race, is it inclusive and is it sustainable? If it is driving the divides between people, if it is only being harnessed for productivity and the profits of a minority and driving the chasm between the wealthy and poor, then maybe we need to take action to alter the direction. When do we have enough technology? Doesn’t that depend on what we are using it for?
To move forward, we need to ask the right questions.
Gary Whitehall ended our panel discussion with this: If you want to do one thing that will make a difference, ask yourself this, “What can I heal?” Use technology to do that thing.
Thank you, please tell us in the comments below what you will heal with technology.