Is The 25-year history of ed-tech (Weller, 2020) relevant to my work?

The middle section of The 25-year history of ed-tech (Weller, 2020) provided the opportunity to reflect on my school’s relevance. With the launch of Linden Labs in 2003 and four years later, Second Life and Virtual Worlds came a unique, virtual 3-D meeting space, allowing universities to deliver virtual lectures using virtual islands (Weller, 2020). The problems experienced during this time of ed-tech history are very similar to what we experienced with online learning during the start of the pandemic. In 2007: 1. imagination was lacking, and viewers experienced nothing more than a straightforward lecture, 2. glitches occurred due to computer hardware and lack of high-speed broadband connection, 3. there was interference with classes held in public spaces, 4. some learners were at a disadvantage because there was no screen reader support, and 5. students with dexterity issues suffered. At the end of the last school year, schools in K-12 experienced these issues—the tools did not reach the range of students’ needs. The tools failed.

My school is a physical building filled with social connections between a diverse group of people—students, parents, teachers, administration, and support staff. This unique community of learners is the social piece that guides the future of our students. As I continue reading The 25-year history of ed-tech, I cannot help but focus on the years of failure. Did the failure year after year occur due to the lack of social connections? According to Weller, Twitter and social media were revolutionary; however, we do not use these social media tools in our school. As of last week, we are back in the building teaching live classes. The race is on to connect to students and build relationships. Physical distancing and masks are barriers. We have an opportunity to slide into the digital private space in Office365. I’m hopeful and full of wonder. Will this year be a pivotal moment in the history of tech-ed? Will we finally see a contradiction to the theme of ed-tech failure? Give me a moment, and let me check my email for parent responses to the increased use of screens.

Weller, M. (2020). 25 Years of ed-tech. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771993050.01