I used to be a schoolteacher, so whenever I read about someone's shiny new EdTech idea, I can't …
I used to be a schoolteacher, so whenever I read about someone's shiny new EdTech idea, I can't help but think that it's a tarpit idea. Every developed country has a set of professional standards for teachers, and teachers who don't live up to those standards are pushed out, sometimes by having their teaching accreditation revoked. In Australia, for instance, there's a set number of hours of 'professional development' that teachers have to do every few years, and if you don't complete them, you lose accreditation and have to find a new career. The professional development activities and courses that meet the requirements are audited by the Department of Education, and have to draw on the latest research in educational psychology: keeping up with the latest research is the entire point of that professional standard. When I did my teacher training, the first thing we were told in the first lecture was to never cite any research older than ten years, because it would be out of date. …
Original discussionTarpit ideas: What they are and how to avoid them (2023) [video]143 source comments · at import