2023 Giant EdTech Year In Review

2023

GiantEdTech

Year In Review

Just like summative assessments, this is a wonderful time of year for us educators to take stock of our own learning and professional growth. I sometimes struggle with understanding my own data but often remind myself that just the act of reflection and questioning is an important exercise in understanding how far I have come and the direction I want to be headed in. One of the big benefits of working in a school is that I feel like I get two "New Year" opportunities. August certainly feels like the right time to set those goals and plans for what we want the school year to be. As we turn the page on the calendar and welcome 2024, we are faced with yet another chance to align our practices to our goals and decide how we want the second half of our school year to go.

With that in mind, here are some statistics that I have gleaned from this blog:

Where We've Been:

As you can see, there have been 13,400 views over the last twelve months. The largest number of views came during August and September, while the summer months of June and July also saw a lot of traffic. The day with the single largest number of views was August 26th with 795 views. One of the most popular post was from August 20th, What's In The Toolbox.  This post has a nice short summary of five popular edtech tools that we pay for in our district. Now would be a great time to revisit and review your use of some of those tools. 

The second most popular post was from January of 2023. Quizizz Where Motivation Meets Mastery is a great reminder that sometimes the simple tools are what gets us the most impact for how much effort we put in. 

Coming in third place is a post on Google Workspace. If you haven't seen what's new with our Google tools you are definitely missing out! Click here to take a look at Google Workspace: AI, Pageless Formats, Emojis, and More!

Where We're Headed:

There is no doubt that the use of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning spaces is here to stay. Gamification and personalized learning continue to be trending as well. 

Google For Education, along with Canvas8, conducted a study across 24 countries on the future of education. They released a three-part global report. Here is a link to the entire report. The report has three parts. Below is a brief summary. Think about what each of these means for you and the work you do with students. 

• Part1: Preparing For A New Future

There is a need for educators to rethink the role of education in society. There is a rising demand for global problem-solvers, people who see themselves as lifelong learners, and the ability to adjust and change skillsets that are required for work.

• Part 2: Evolving How We Teach And Learn

The latest advances in technology are changing how the world thinks about teaching and learning. There is a need for a more personal approach to learning. Reimagining how learning is designed will be important for student growth and success. There is also a shift from the role of teachers as the "gatekeepers of knowledge" to the "choreographers of learning". 

• Part 3: Reimagining Learning Ecosystems

Upgrading learning environments through investments in digital infrastructures are helping to create new visions of learning environments. There is a greater need for blending technology, pedagogy, and physical space.  As educators have greater access to data and insights, decisions can be made about which tools and practices can have the greatest impact. There is also increasing demand for more meaningful ways to track student progress and more effective modes of assessment. 

Speaking of Google, have you seen this year's "year in search" video? It celebrates 25 years in search. Check it out:

Key Takeaways from 2023 To Bring Into 2024:

Here are the lessons that I have learned that I am bringing with me as areas of focus for the upcoming year.

1. Artificial Intelligence is here and we are responsible for teaching our students how to use it responsibly, even if we are not 100% sure how to do that.
2. Adaptability and resilience are some of the most important qualities that will help our students in the future. We should be working on how to build these skills.
3. Teaching and Learning requires humanity. Yes, lots can be done with technology, but it's the human connection that keeps us all going, students and staff alike.

See you in the new year!