Monday 2 February 2015

Customized teaching apps and cloud based technology in the classroom is a tool that looks like it’s here to stay. There are those who swear by it and those who feel it is invasive and impersonal. Post-secondary education has been forever changed by the internet as a research tool but customized teaching apps and cloud computing have yet to prove themselves in the classroom. On the one hand being able to use student data to personalize content for a student with dyslexia or ADHDA can only be seen as a boon to teaching people with barriers. According to Ashley Wainwright, marketing coordinator at Securedge Networks, there are more pros than cons:  http://www.securedgenetworks.com/strategy-blog/20-Pros-and-Cons-of-implementing-BYOD-in-schools
But consider this; when I use social media my personal information is sold to advertisers so that they can bombard me with advertising that directly relates to what I have been posting or viewing. All of us need to consider that educational apps are mostly designed and distributed by large corporations that most certainly have another agenda besides helping to personalize the learning experience. The last place I want to see corporate logos is in the classroom.
In the film Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise and based on the story by sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, there is a scene where Tom Cruise’s character is walking through a shopping mall and is inundated with personal holographic advertisements that refer to him by name. The ads are triggered by retinal scanners that reveal all his personal information. Although it's fiction, it’s not too far removed from the reality of today’s targeted internet advertising. Whenever you google something, post something on Facebook or Twitter or install an app on your phone, your personal interests are being used by advertisers to customize the content of what advertisements you receive - this scares me. It’s a fine line between invasion of privacy and clever marketing. Most people don’t bother to read the privacy policies when they install an app or sign up for a social media account. They simply skip that part like I did when I got my IPhone and click on “agree”, which gives the company free reign when it comes to selling your information to advertisers. You in turn are at the mercy of advertisers every time you turn on your device. Not only is this annoying, it begs the question, “is this even legal?” When it comes to using technology like customized teaching apps in the classroom, are you putting your student’s privacy at risk when you ask them to use this same technology? Is it somewhat morally ambiguous for a student to be writing an essay on say, censorship and be blasted with pop up ads for Westboro Baptist Church? Although freedom of speech applies to advertisers as well as it does to anyone else, shouldn't some things be ad free? Education certainly should be one of the places that we should not be subjected to the whims of corporate greed.

The case for technology in the classroom is a strong one, despite pop-up ads from fly by night on line universities. Using student data to customize teaching apps makes sense. If cloud based technology responds in real time to the activity of each user, the teacher can then customize the learning experience for each pupil. Agile and responsive custom learning apps can certainly be a helpful thing for teachers and students. If an app can take into account reading levels and analyse a person’s weak points then it’s much easier for the teacher to help that student learn in ways that make sense to them. Most importantly is finding ways to use new technology in the classroom without eroding the very personal and unique student teacher relationship, for which there is no substitute.


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