Those who develop technological products should be asked to spend their own funds to conduct research to find out the benefits of using their products in schools. They should be allowed to sell only those products that have been extensively researched and found to be helpful to learners and teachers. Any side effects should be noted on warning labels that are affixed to the products.
Most of time technology products are typically purchased by schools and used in classrooms before educators start conducting research to determine if they are effective in learning. This is similar to providing treatment using drugs whose effects have not yet been studied. In this case, if the products purchased, I think it is good to have warning label, for example: This product is not known to produce any gains in learning. Side effects may include seizures, shoulder strain, problems with eyesight, shortened attention span, and other yet unknown issues.
Most of time technology products are typically purchased by schools and used in classrooms before educators start conducting research to determine if they are effective in learning. This is similar to providing treatment using drugs whose effects have not yet been studied. In this case, if the products purchased, I think it is good to have warning label, for example: This product is not known to produce any gains in learning. Side effects may include seizures, shoulder strain, problems with eyesight, shortened attention span, and other yet unknown issues.
This is interesting question! Reflecting from researches I have done with chess! I quite understand the point you are driving. Like in Engineering, where life is critical or the mission is critical, we have systems build to match performance. Systems with Safety criticals like the Airplanes and Ships, test for air-worthiness. Even tools get qualified for such certification. However, in education, it is not so rigorous, because we can always intervene bad experiences. (there is no ethical question there)
However, there are no clause to test products to such extreme engagements. However, even with chess pieces, we have confronted with pieces not qualifying certain standards which are acceptable by the education board. So there are mechanisms that cover this.
We need to be aware of temperament that it offers to children and motivate them. These are motivated by more top-down answers.
I liked this question. I have a different one: Is the use of traditional method for control groups unethical? I think for experimental studies we should use two different treatments. I mean two groups should use new methods...
The solution is base on our brain :) every new methods, technologies effect us positively in a short pariod; change something with your inner peace in one week intervals. Therefore there is no problem... I think, the nature of learning cover this ethical issue
It's a daily question for an innovative teacher. But this is an aspect of a bigger issue: Is use the unproven pedagogy ethical? Is our existing pedagogy actually proven? Does our teaching practice have and deserve student consent?
Thank you Dr. Russell for your answer and the brilliant questions that reflects things that are important more than the technology itself.
Although I do not see a match between the question and the statement, but if I understand the question correctly then you are proposing not to put the cart before the horse. Instead, the focus must be directed to the technology that we have tested already and found effective. Personally, from my experience, I agree with you, Sure, if the university allowed me to adopt and Arabization the LMS that I used (Haiku) it will better than what they already bought. University of Kuwait bought and working with Blackboard. Top-down orders killing our creativity, Don't you think so?
Thank you
Interesting discussion - I agree with Russell's points and think it is beyond technology and it is about teaching practices as well. If you had a new class for the first time, teaching a new subject then the same ethical question could be asked. If you introduced technology then how is this being used and do the teachers understand how to integrate this into the teaching. The use of blackboard is not going to faciliate learning by just simply putting up slides - it is a tool which may help faciliate learning. Technology has been appropriated in many ways to support learningh for example the use of facebook and twitter by students. This is not conventional educational technology nor has it been designed primarily for this purpose but it has been used.
New classroom technologies, new pedagogical methods and new curricula should be adopted carefully and after these being tested enough and proven to be effective or otherwise would be unethical to do so (same as it is illegal to sell unlicensed drugs). However, we need to allow testing on sample groups so as to prove usefulness and detect problems. Actual introducing new technologies, curricula and methods to classrooms must be carefully adopted; e.g. ensure that the lecturers are well aware of the full potential of these newer things and are trained well on their use. Thanks. @AlDmour.
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