NKUL2021 interview with Neil Selwyn
At the recent NKUL2021 conference, professor Marte Blikstad-Balas at Oslo University, Norway, interviews professor Neil Selwyn at Monash University, Australia, covering a number of issues related to the role of technology in schools – and in society. Researchers are unable to say "what works" or is practical in all situations and in all contexts when using EdTech. Much of the research in the field is positive towards technology and wants to promote its use while providing practical examples of "how to do it." Selwyn, on the other hand, advocates for a more realistic approach to EdTech asking questions about what EdTech is actually being used in schools and who decides what to use.
He draws attention to the various levels of EdTech uses, as learning management systems (LMS) are usually decided top-down, whereas "nifty" apps usually are decided upon by the teachers themselves, resulting in a highly diverse "Wild West" school practice, since some teachers are tech savvy whereas others may not use any technology at all. In addition, teachers bringing in various apps may not understand the ramifications of tech ownership and the legal aspects that may allow the owners/developers of apps to gather data from users. Furthermore and as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, EdTech developers target parents in order to sell their products, creating inequality in a group of students. These apps may not be geared towards a workable pedagogical context, either, since developers may not understand or work with teachers while developing the tools that, then, may constrain teachers.
Selwyn points out that, in Scandinavia, there is a higher degree of communal – and as a result, democratic – decision-making in this field, which he views as positive, but there are still issues, for instance regarding EdTech's analysis of results and performance, the choice of EdTech, digital divides, and the positive aspects of open source software. "So I guess, let a 100 flowers bloom, keep things open, don't be too prescriptive, think about disadvantaged and try not to disadvantage anybody through it. And I keep this conversation going. Be prepared to change things. I think having a device is a wonderful thing... But also have parents and carers and families involved as well... How parents and teachers work together to support technology-based learning."
He draws attention to the various levels of EdTech uses, as learning management systems (LMS) are usually decided top-down, whereas "nifty" apps usually are decided upon by the teachers themselves, resulting in a highly diverse "Wild West" school practice, since some teachers are tech savvy whereas others may not use any technology at all. In addition, teachers bringing in various apps may not understand the ramifications of tech ownership and the legal aspects that may allow the owners/developers of apps to gather data from users. Furthermore and as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, EdTech developers target parents in order to sell their products, creating inequality in a group of students. These apps may not be geared towards a workable pedagogical context, either, since developers may not understand or work with teachers while developing the tools that, then, may constrain teachers.
Selwyn points out that, in Scandinavia, there is a higher degree of communal – and as a result, democratic – decision-making in this field, which he views as positive, but there are still issues, for instance regarding EdTech's analysis of results and performance, the choice of EdTech, digital divides, and the positive aspects of open source software. "So I guess, let a 100 flowers bloom, keep things open, don't be too prescriptive, think about disadvantaged and try not to disadvantage anybody through it. And I keep this conversation going. Be prepared to change things. I think having a device is a wonderful thing... But also have parents and carers and families involved as well... How parents and teachers work together to support technology-based learning."
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