“The notion of a curriculum containing the content-knowledge to be taught in schools is itself being challenged, as new kinds of ‘adaptive’ learning software are developed that can semi-automate the allocation and ‘personalization’ of content according to each learners’ individual data profile” (Williamson, 2017, p7)
I started my online research this week by looking for negative practical examples of algorithms in use. I had been struck by Knox’s (2015) comment that they are not necessarily guarantors of objectivity or efficiency and decided to do a general search with the term ‘education’ not input. The first example that came up in my Google search was around immigration services in the USA adjusting the algorithm to ensure that detainees were kept in jail. Interestingly, there was nothing negative about the Google search algorithm in my Google search!!
I then did the exact opposite and searched for positive examples and this was where I was first taken down an education pathway. The article about schools being able to teach remotely despite the COVID-19 outbreak was just one example of what came through in my search with just “algorithm” “positive”.
It was at this point that the algorithms really started working, especially on YouTube as my list of recommended videos became full of positive stories about algorithms in use, especially in education. My process was not too different to my usual weekly search except for the fact that I clicked on (not liked) every recommended video to see where it would take me. I’m usually a bit more selective but felt in the mood to be taken on a journey – I sometimes do this with music videos on YouTube when I’m on my own and trying to wind down after a late evening football match with a glass of red – and the journey was worth it.
I was taken to some videos around Alt School and the personalised learning program. This type of education has interested me for a while and it was particularly interesting to see it in a primary setting. The MSc in Digital Education is not always geared towards primary teachers so I feel that I’ve often had to tailor it to my own interests and this was an example that jumped out at me. One thing that stood out was how selective the school, and could be. I asked myself how something similar could be adapted in the context where I work as we regularly receive students who haven’t succeeded elsewhere. This thought process did put in place the final piece of the puzzle for this week though and sparked research into adaptive learning software. I have had some exposure to this (I trialled Mathspace at my school in 2018 and was a big fan) and made me realise that this is the topic where I’d like to focus my dissertation. Last semester, I regularly found logical links between the two courses I was studying from the start but it hasn’t been so evident this time around. I’ve finally found the link!
Knox, J (2015), ‘Critical Education & Digital Cultures’ in Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory, M.A. Peters (ed.)
Williamson, B (2017), Big Data and Education: the digital future of learning, policy, and practice, Sage