More Educational Resources, Stat!

I happen to have many colleagues in the education sector, so I am aware of the fact that standard teaching methods don't fully cut it with younger generations anymore. With this rapid pace of change, it is important for educators to stay on top of trends that might work best for their class through the study of educational research. This information is so crucial because it allows teachers to see what has been successful in the past, and what might need adjusting in order to leave a bigger impact on the children. 

Educational Resource #1: Project Tomorrow 

Many of the teachers that I know are part of districts that allow students to take their Chromebooks home each day to continue their education. Not every child has the means to own their own version of the technology and stay ahead of their schoolwork, so doing this helps lessen the "Digital Divide" as discussed in the 2024 Speak Up report from Project Tomorrow. One of the statistics that intrigued me most from this report is that "5% of students in grades 6-12 use VR headsets" weekly, while roughly "8 in 10 students have no experience with VR" as a part of learning. The price of this type of technology makes it inaccessible to many, but the benefits they pose for learning would be very beneficial. It wouldn't be as easy to take home as the Chromebooks, but putting children in that first-person point of view would create a very memorable learning experience that would likely stick with them longer than a standard lecture. Based on the current trends with technology, I 100% see more schools going down this route in the future; however, there would have to be strong internet filters in place to ensure students aren't visiting harmful sites in their free time.

Image Source: ArborXR

Educational Resource #2: Common Sense Media

Another trend the world of education is facing has to do with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). Common Sense Media analyzed statistics to see how this technology poses opportunities and challenges in K-12 Education. We have been through various technological revolutions in the past, and many people consider this age of AI to be the start of a new era. According to the study, "half of adolescents aged 12 to 18 use ChatGPT at least once a week, both in and out of school". While there are positive aspects like increased efficiency and creative inspiration that come from using AI, I believe that putting too much trust in it can have negative impacts on the education of our younger generations by not questioning sources, therefore reducing their overall critical thinking skills. However, reading these research statistics has removed (a little bit of) my skepticism. One statistic that really stood out to me was that a majority of parents are okay with teachers using AI tools for lesson planning and worksheet development. Teachers are overworked and underpaid, so using this technology to make their jobs slightly easier is a wonderful benefit. I still believe that using AI as a learning tool is something that people should be cautious about, but many schools, including ones in the Gwinnett County Public School District, have created a framework that can reduce the long-term harm that can come from it. This framework helps visualize the 6 different skills that AI can develop when used mindfully.

Image Source: Gwinnett County Public Schools

Though I am not a teacher, these statistics were very helpful to learn about as they provide great resources for educators to understand which technologies are best at allowing their students to grow into the best version of themselves inside and outside of the classroom.