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Creating a one-size-fits-all learning process is incredibly difficult. When it comes to learning, each person has a different way of approaching and comprehending certain topics. This is why computer scientists are always developing new technologies to complement different types of learning.

One common misconception is that education technology (edtech) is a fairly recent phenomenon. Justin Reich points out that computer scientists and learning scientists have partnered together to create computer programs that help teach human beings ever since the beginning of the technology\\u2014even when we still worked with those computers that took up entire rooms.

In this episode, Alexander McCaig and Justin Reich discuss how edtech can be used to strengthen the school system\\u2014and in turn, what we need to do to make the most out of these new developments.

Don\\u2019t Judge Fishes for Their Ability to Climb Trees

Is our current school system set up to accommodate a variety of learning styles? There is only so much that a human teacher can do, especially if they are assigned to teach large groups of students. Imagine having to effectively tweak your instruction to maximize the learning experience for 26 elementary students, who are all learning the basics of education; or a lecture hall of 140 college undergraduates, who are expected to build on what they already know by following new lines of reasoning.

This is where machines come in. The expectation is that they optimize the individual learning trajectories of each student.\\xa0

The key to making the most out of these new technologies is to set reasonable expectations. These technologies were not created to disrupt or overhaul existing systems; rather, as Justin Reich puts it, they were created to \\u201cbe domesticated\\u201d by the complex and rich educational systems that we already have in place.

Our job is to look at these new technologies, not to replace our systems of learning, but to see where they can fit in a particular place, for a particular population, and with a particular purpose in mind. There is nothing disruptive about their presence.\\xa0

How Do You Learn Best?

One exciting thing about being a human is that we are all incredibly different. We have different interests, cultural backgrounds, background knowledge, and personal preferences. And one key feature of human brains is that we have a limited working memory.

This means that the field of education is constantly trying to find a sweet spot between this duality: in some cases, we\\u2019re all the same; but in others, we\\u2019re all wonderfully different.

What environment helps you learn effectively? On one end of the spectrum, learning amidst peers and from mentors is necessary. For these people, education must have a social aspect, or a peer review of sorts, for it to be truly effective. These people struggle with online learning, remote education, and edtech.

On the other end of the spectrum, we also have those who prefer learning everything from online, behind the comfort of an internet screen. They process information best when learning is independent and self-directed.

Of course, there\\u2019s no need to be one or the other completely. Plenty of us fall in the middle, where online learning is okay but must be supplemented with a social aspect as well.

Balancing Automation and Creative Reasoning

How do we strike a balance between automation and creative reasoning? One strength of computer-based learning is that you can use incredibly effective tools to evaluate the quality of your computation. However, technology does not yet have the capabilities to evaluate an individual\\u2019s ability to reason from evidence.

For example, becoming a musician takes a lot of work. True musicians don\\u2019t just play pieces; they also know how to execute beautiful, emotionally-charged orchestral performances. Behind the scenes, a pianist needs to spend hours on end just practicing their scales because this helps develop mastery and fluency in specific parts of that domain.\\xa0

Once this part of the performance is committed to memory, pianists can move into more complex performances where they can quickly recall these well-rehearsed materials, while their attention shifts to other aspects of the piece such as tone, speed, and strength.

Flight simulators work in a similar way. They aren\\u2019t expected to teach you everything about flying a plane. This technology exists so that you can learn how to mentally automate certain aspects of flight, so that you can shift your attention to other experiential concerns when you get to work on the real deal.

The Problem With Teaching Reason

Justin Reich points out that there are two challenges with teaching people how to reason. First, humanity does not have a universal set of reasoning facilities. This means that the way we reason differs depending on the topic we are on. For example, we can\\u2019t apply the reasoning we use in cooking to hairdressing.

Second, plenty of evidence suggests that people who are capable of reasoning proficiently, have made it to that point because they have deep factual knowledge in the domain in which they are reasoning.

On that note, Justin Reich revealed that his perspective of an ideal school system would be capable of two things. First, it is capable of finding things that individuals have a natural affinity for and care about, and then creating\\xa0 the avenues to help them develop their proficiencies. Second, it should be able to have a consensus about topics and ideas that the system believes everybody should know about.\\xa0

This creates a good sounding board for people to start developing their reasoning skills.

Closing Thoughts

Changes in the education system don\\u2019t just happen because we innovate new technologies. We also need to look at tweaking the curriculum, looking at professional development, analyzing schedules, testing the relevance of our systems. This is not just an organizational change, but a political and social one as well.

As Justin Reich puts it, it\\u2019s not about removing everything and replacing it with something else. It\\u2019s a step by step process of making something a little bit better right now, so that we have the capacity to change again.

Every tech solution poses new questions is a human capital problem. The introduction of new technologies must be accompanied by human support. That\\u2019s how we can make edtech, and the human learning experience, more effective and meaningful.

What\\u2019s your data worth? \\xa0www.tartle.co

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