Technology in the classroom | Ethan Dickens | TEDxPascoCountySchoolsED
Technology's educational integration can alleviate physical strain from traditional materials while enhancing engagement through multi-sensory interaction. The speaker advocates for adopting modern, interactive tools to supplement, rather than be replaced by, traditional teaching methods. This position is supported by citing the ability of apps to provide engaging, five-sense learning experiences compared to heavy physical textbooks. ## Theses & Positions - Technology, when used correctly, can lift physical weight off the shoulders and create an interactive learning experience that can be better than teaching sometimes by real teachers. - The current generation, which was born into technology, is in a unique position to build solutions that allow younger generations to learn effectively despite control from older generations. ## Concepts & Definitions - **Interactive learning experience:** Learning that engages the student using multiple senses. - **Five senses:** The sense mechanisms required to fully retain information taught by a process (audio, visual, doing). - **Technology:** Used ubiquitously in modern life, from the military to cars and schools. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Reducing physical load:** Replacing heavy textbooks (e.g., a 10-pound textbook, implying 50 pounds for 5 classes) with lightweight technology, like a phone (3 grams). - **Interactive Learning Implementation (Algebra Nation model):** Combining textual material, video watching (seeing an instructor write), listening (audio), and physical writing (doing) to engage all three learning skills. - **Parental/System Safeguards:** Utilizing features like "Parenthood controls" on phones to create safeguards against criminal or financial misuse of technology. ## Examples & Cases - **Textbook Weight Comparison:** Comparing a 10-pound textbook to the weight limits for an 112-pound average boy (max recommended weight: $\sim$22 pounds). - **Digital Textbook Providers:** Listing services like *mcdougald inline textbooks*, *hope mcdougald pearson online*, or *mcgraw-hill* for online textbooks accessible via a smartphone. - **The Dinosaur Icon:** The dinosaur on Samsung phones is identified as the "kids mode" feature. - **Algebra Nation Process:** Using a physical textbook while simultaneously watching a video of an instructor writing on the same book, listening to the explanation, and writing notes. ## Tools, Tech & Products - Smartphones (used for accessing online textbooks). - Laptops. - Video games. - *Safari button* (used as an example of a clickable function). - *mcdougald inline textbooks*. - *hope mcdougald pearson online*. - *mcgraw-hill*. - *UC mouse*. - Samsung phones (featuring the kid's mode/dinosaur icon). ## Numbers & Data - Average child usage time: **seven and a half hours daily**. - Textbook weight estimate: **10 pounds**. - Total textbook weight estimate (5 classes): **50 pounds**. - Average boy weight: **112 pounds**. - Recommended backpack weight (20% of body weight): **about 22 pounds**. - Weight of a smartphone: **3 grams**. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - The potential overuse of technology, specifically when children spend $\sim$7.5 hours daily consuming media. - The concern that older generations who control school systems may not understand the current generation's relationship with technology. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - The generation that grew up with technology must work together to create a system that allows for modern, beneficial use of technology in education, overcoming the restrictions imposed by older generations. ## Verbatim Moments - *"A technology you understand that an average child would use it about seven and a half hours daily consuming media with laptops smartphones video games anything."* - *"it can lift weights off shoulders and it create an interactive learning experience like no other that can even be better than teaching sometimes by real teachers"* - *"If you were to take out your phone you would realize that this phone is only around 3 grams"* - *"we use the three learning skills audio visually and actually doing it"* - *"there'd be a little man on the screen and he'd write on the same exact book so as we as we watch the video we would write it"* - *"Parenthood controls can control what your children do and create a safeguard for anybody on your technology on smartphones on computers"* - *"The generation here is the generation that builds up all of our superintendent's all of our people that create rules and to control our education"*