EdTech Tag

09 May

Posted at 15:08h in Conferences, Technology

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending the 31st Annual Tech Conference at Harvard Business School. The goal of the conference was to bring together business leaders, students, and key tech stakeholders to discuss how technology is shaping society across industries, nationalities, and public and private spheres. It was a great opportunity to hear from some of the most innovative and influential people in the tech industry.

Throughout the day, there were four keynote presentations and several breakout panel and workshop options that focused on topics such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, entertainment tech, and Fintech, among others. Since I am interested in how to leverage technology to achieve positive social good, I chose to attend the breakout sessions on education, climate, and diversity in tech.

(Watch a TikTok of Evelin’s experience here.) 

Ed Tech

During the EdTech breakout session, the panelists stressed the importance of prioritizing diversity in UX research panels and studies to ensure the development of equitable, inclusive, and accessible products for all learners and educators. When asked about priority areas for innovation, the panelists agreed that EdTech companies should focus on developing products that enhance student-teacher communication, particularly using machine learning methods. One panelist gave an example of creating a product that allows schools with larger teacher-to-student ratios to ‘clone teachers.’ Essentially, educators could create a 1-on-1 video or tailored messages for their students who may be struggling with attendance or any other issue impacting their engagement. This would enhance their relationships and ensure students do not fall behind. Interestingly, the panelists also discussed the need to embrace new AI technologies like ChatGPT rather than seeing them as a threat. According to them, these tools are already helping overwhelmed teachers create lesson plans, promoting self-directed learning, and inspiring students to pursue STEM careers.

Climate Tech

Some of my favorite breakout sessions at the conference were about climate tech, which refers to technologies and innovations that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the impact of climate change. The key areas of innovation include clean energy (development, efficiency, and storage), carbon capture & storage, sustainable food & agriculture, and smart transportation. At this moment, investors say that climate tech is hot in venture capital because of its potential to help with foreseeable climate challenges that will arise in the next 20 years. According to them, “climate tech can be a billion dollar business with a trillion dollar impact in the world.” The climate tech companies represented at the conference reflected on their own journeys and identified gaming, energy discovery, and the cooling crisis as areas where their ventures are gaining investor endorsement. Here are a few examples:

      • Companies like Carbon Counts are addressing climate change through Play-to-Plant™ gaming, where players grow forests in-game and the company plants, grows and protects trees in the real world on their behalf.
      • Zanskar is using AI, big data, and advanced sensing techniques to discover geothermal energy because it is a key component of a 100% carbon-free electric grid.
      • Therma is using data science and machine learning to eliminate food and energy waste, all to address the cooling crisis. They are already working with major chain restaurants and other businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.

 

Diversity in Tech

As someone who identifies as Latinx and first-generation, issues of diversity and inclusion are especially important to me. With the rise of the tech industry, diversity in tech is a crucial area that needs attention. Historically, the tech industry has struggled with a lack of diversity, inclusion, and representation. The panelists reflected on the many barriers to entry for BIPOC communities who are first generation with limited networks, including unconscious bias in hiring and a lack of diversity in positions of leadership. Further, many of the panelists have experienced feelings of impostor syndrome, or the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s efforts or skills. Unfortunately, impostor syndrome disproportionately affects high-achieving individuals from underrepresented communities. To alleviate these challenges and foster a more diverse and inclusive industry, the panelists suggested establishing mentorship programs to support BIPOC students or career-changers, reevaluating hiring practices, and supporting aspiring tech entrepreneurs and BIPOC startups, among other things.

Overall, the 31st Annual Tech Conference at Harvard Business School was a unique opportunity to learn about the latest trends and innovations in the tech industry.

As technology and our dependence on it continue to grow, it is increasingly important that products, programs, and services we help develop as researchers are not only profitable but also contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future. Attending this conference has equipped me with valuable knowledge and insights that I can apply in my role as a UX Researcher to take a more impact-driven approach.

By Evelin Garcia

20 Dec

Posted at 22:24h in Education, Technology

In late October, Mark Zuckerberg announced the naming of his umbrella company, Meta. The name was specifically chosen to closely identify the premier force that is shaping the metaverse. Facebook describes the metaverse as “a set of virtual spaces where you can create and explore with other people who aren’t in the same physical space as you. You’ll be able to hang out with friends, work, play, learn, shop, create and more. It’s not necessarily about spending more time online — it’s about making the time you do spend online more meaningful.”

Comments and editorials have been and will be flooding news outlets, social media, and conversations around the remaining water coolers. Early reactions have focused on the companies facilitating this change rather than the potential that this evolution may unlock for society’s greatest challenges. It would be naïve to think that the emergence, development, and cultivation of the metaverse has been or will be rooted in altruism and concern for the public “good.” Judge it as you may, my point is not to persuade you to think this is a “good” or “bad” thing, rather I aim, as a researcher does, to think about the ways that the metaverse will create impact and change and explore the lever by which it does this.

Because I study the development of educational programs, media, and technology, I would ask that you consider the role that the metaverse could play in the operation and support of kids and families. Simply stated, it may help us all as a society raise children more effectively. In my work over the past few years, I have specialized in understanding kids and families, especially when they interact with technology and media. I have had the privilege of working with world class companies that are in the business of creating solutions for kids and families that make their lives safer, richer, and easier. By engaging with these partners over time, I have come to know that they are not only incredibly talented in their skills but also genuinely strive to make the world a better place.

Let’s also recognize that the metaverse has the potential to level the playing field in a variety of disciplines by developing inclusive platforms from the outset. According to the Equity by Design proponents, inequity is designed into systems and with help and intent can be designed out of them. Designers should not focus their considerations on the bulk of the curve when designing but rather aim to create solutions for those in the margins of society. Solutions that are developed in this way, they claim, have historically created not only solutions for those in the margins but have also created unintended benefits for the greater society.

If we accept for the moment that the metaverse will be a reality and a large part of all our lives in the future, designing for the margins yields the biggest benefit for society as a whole. That means there is an optimistic and altruistic core of intent underlying the actions of those designing components of the metaverse for kids and families. I can’t help but wonder (in the truest sense of the word) about what could be possible as a result of this evolution.

Will it be possible for children of incarcerated parents to sit with an imprisoned mother or father and read books together at night? Could deployed soldiers take a few minutes to play catch with their daughters before they got on the bus for school? Could the field of education ∂be leveled by removing the barriers of geography, resources, and time?

The metaverse will never replace the “real” world. It lacks the palpable energy generated by bringing people together in a physical space. This is the kind of energy that all living things emit, and which connects us with our most prehistoric instincts. Conversely, the metaverse is, at its root, a futuristic cognitive experience which reengages emotional references and allows for implicit connection when the physical is impossible.

Research must be a fundamental part of the evolution into this new space. Social scientists must strive to understand how the metaverse and those who support the welfare of families can create a mutually beneficial relationship that fosters a healthier, happier, and more engaged society.

Dan Warren, Ph.D. is Director, Youth Development and Education at Fluent Research. Dan holds a doctorate in Human Development and Child Study from Tufts University and taught elementary school in Massachusetts for nearly a decade.