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May 2010

Is ICT in Schools Wasted

Atanu Dey on Why Most Investments in Technology for Schools are Wasted

The Educational Technology Debate is one year old this month and to celebrate, we had a Live Debate: Are Most Investments in Technology for Schools Wasted? at the World Bank offices in New Delhi, India. With six great speakers, we focused on the issues around technology implementation in educational systems of the developing world.

This is the opening remarks and initial response of Atanu Dey, a noted speaker on ICT in education and an economist at Netcore Solutions in Mumbai, India to the question: Are most investments in technology for schools wasted?

Continue Reading Atanu Dey on Why Most Investments in Technology for Schools are Wasted

Ashish Garg on Why Most Investments in Technology for Schools are Not Wasted

This is the opening remarks and initial response of Ashish Garg, Asian Regional Coordinator for Global E-Schools and Community Initiative to the question: Are most investments in technology for schools wasted?

Ashish Garg:: Thank you Dr. Kelly and thank you Atanu for trying to make this debate interesting. Even though, I don’t see any reason for us to be here debating about the efficiation of using ICTs in schools and education. Nevertheless let me start by quoting not Shakespeare but Ban Ki-moon from recent times.

Continue Reading Ashish Garg on Why Most Investments in Technology for Schools are Not Wasted

Benjamin Vergel De Dios: Most ICT are Wasted in Schools due to Human Tendencies and Organizational Choices

These examples are only from poor countries but the human tendencies and organizational changes and organizational choices that they make are characteristically universal. Most likely they also exist in many other countries:

  • Lack of Co-ordination,
  • Organizational turf war,
  • Wanting to buy the most expensive and best available technology out there,
  • Using ICT as a political showcase.

These mistakes can’t be corrected unless we do something, so most investments in ICT for schools will likely to be wasted.

Continue Reading Benjamin Vergel De Dios: Most ICT are Wasted in Schools due to Human Tendencies and Organizational Choices

Robert Lattimore: Technology in Schools is Visionary and Benefits Society

The importance of ICT, it will continue to be relevant. It is not that potentially there is waste. There is waste in commercial process. I server a lot of commercial companies that waste, that waste everyday and they’re for profit, seeking to make a profit. ICT in schools is certainly much more visionary and much more for societal benefits.

To learn how to use technology in today’s world is a foregone conclusion. You must know how. It is not like a casual extra. For many of us, we didn’t grow up with it so for us it has been an added skill that overtime we had to learn and but certainly as a parent I can see my children knowing how to use it. It is second nature.

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Sam Carlson: There is Enormous Wastage in the Implementation of Education Technology for Schools

I am absolutely passionate about the vision, about the potential, of education technology. But this motion is not about the justification for education technology or the vision or the potential. Its about the reality of the implementation. This motion is about most investments in educational technology are wasted. That’s an implementation question and it’s not a question about vision or potential or the justification.

I am a big believer in education technology. I am great disbeliever in how education technology has been implemented and I believe it has led to enormous amount of wastage.

Continue Reading Sam Carlson: There is Enormous Wastage in the Implementation of Education Technology for Schools

Wayan Vota: Technology in Schools, in Education, is Not Wasted

The Educational Technology Debate is one year old this month and to celebrate, we had a Live Debate: Are Most Investments in Technology for Schools Wasted? at the World Bank offices in New Delhi, India. With six great speakers, we focused on the issues around technology implementation in educational systems of the developing world. This […]

Continue Reading Wayan Vota: Technology in Schools, in Education, is Not Wasted

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