Vendor-driven hype and wishful policy thinking over robots, increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence software, and expanded virtual teaching feed private and public fantasies about replacing teachers and schools. Taking a step back and thinking about what parents, voters, and taxpayers want from schools–the social, economic, political, and individual goals–makes magical thinking more of a curse in the inevitable public disappointment and cynicism that ensue after money is spent, paltry results emerge, and machines become obsolete.
I end with the obvious point that magical thinking and the accompanying curse afflicts not only educators but also the rest of us, as these homeowners found out:
cassandra clum on 03 Oct 13I was excited to read an article that finally provided me a useful basis of technology in a math class. I was really surprised to read that sciences seem to be the subject that is lagging with tech integration. I realize science is a very hands-on subject, but I would think it would have been a much easier transition, than math.
