VOA教育报道2023--UN Report: Education Technology Should Be Used Carefully

UN Report: Education Technology Should Be Used Carefully

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how useful digital technology could be for schools. But it also showed the limitations of technology in the educational setting. Millions of students were able to attend classes online to avoid spreading the virus. But many students failed to learn by such methods. Their educational progress slowed and in some cases went backwards¹.

Digital tools and the internet have made it easier for students to access educational resources. However, a large number of schools around the world remain unconnected to the internet. Additionally, digital tools have entered markets that have no official supervision². Such educational products do not require any testing or proof as to their value to schools and learners.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) argues against unsupervised wide use of digital tools and AI in education. A recent UNESCO report says there is little evidence that wide technology use improves learning. The organization says digital educational tools can never replace the human connection of teacher and student.

Audrey Azoulay is UNESCO's Director General. She says there is a very large divide, or gap, between rich and poor countries when it comes to digital resources. Just 40 percent of primary schools worldwide have access to the internet, she said. Many schools also lack electricity, especially in Africa and Central and Southern Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa, just 32 percent of schools have electricity.

And, internationally, about one-third of students were unable to attend online classes during the pandemic.

"Even if connectivity was universal, it would still be necessary to demonstrate ...that digital technology offers real added value in terms of effective learning," the report says.

Often, technology changes faster than it is possible to study it, the report says. Educational technology products change every three years on average. In Britain, for example, just seven percent of educational technology companies had done studies to judge the effectiveness of their products.

UNESCO also reported that many companies pay for studies on the effectiveness of their own product. These studies are not independent examinations.

Pearson, an education technology company, has a tool called Successmaker for teaching math and reading. Independent studies show the tool has little or negative effectiveness in learning. But the company stands by the results of the private study it paid for. That study found the product very helpful to learning.

UNESCO says such companies need to be better regulated³. Azoulay said just 14 percent of countries require data protection in education.

"Student data should not be used either by education technology or advertising⁴ technology companies for marketing⁵ purposes," the report says. Yet a study of 163 products found that 89 percent of them gathered student data and sent them to third-party companies, often for advertising purposes. This usually happened without the student or parent knowing, the study said.

UNESCO argues that technology holds great possibilities for education. But studies have shown that educational technologies are most effective when a teacher is involved in the instructional process.

"We must never forget the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning," Azoulay said, adding, "no screen will ever replace a teacher."

Words in This Story

access — n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone

negative — adj. harmful or bad

regulation — n. an official rule or law that says how something should be done

instruction — n. the action or process of teaching

 

dimension — n. the amount or number of things that something affects or influences

1 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

2 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

3 regulated   

控制( regulate的过去式和过去分词 )； 管理； 调整； 调节

参考例句：

• The activities of credit companies are regulated by law. 信贷公司的业务受法律的制约。
• A person's behavior is often regulated by his circumstances. 人的行为常受其所处环境的约束。

4 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

5 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。