Resisting the Allure of Shiny New EdTech Toys

The world of educational technology has not slowed down one tiny bit. There is always a wave of emerging tech depending on the nature of the season in education. I won’t go through a laundry list of all the past examples, but we just barely made it out of COVID and figuring out all those things (remember making Google Slides emoji classrooms) and then BAM Silicon Valley drops generative AI upon the world. And because of the human nature to try to be caught up with whatever is trending, it can be all too easy to get caught up in the excitement around the latest AI tool or adaptive learning platform. Vendors make big promises about how their new products will revolutionize teaching and learning. With each new Silicon Valley edtech tool that comes to the scene, there's pressure from administrators, students, and parents to adopt and implement the shiny new toy.

But we've all seen this cycle before - the new tool is rolled out amidst much fanfare, only to get abandoned a year or two later when the next big thing comes along promising to be even more transformative. All the time spent training staff and integrating the tool into curricula gets wasted. This constant churn causes change fatigue and can leave everyone feeling skeptical about investing effort into new initiatives.

While we have seen plenty of trends come and go in education, AI is unique in that it is permeating all aspects of life and society. This does not mean that we don’t have to be cautious of a company promising solutions when the problem(s) has not even been identified properly, but it does mean that there are more than ever before.

It's a phenomenon known as the "shiny toy syndrome" - that alluring but temporary burst of novelty and satisfaction from a new tool or technology, regardless of whether it's truly needed or effective. The root causes are our hard-wired tendency as humans to seek out and get a dopamine rush from new experiences, combined with FOMO about being left behind. And yes, I can find myself caught up in this, but I do feel that with age (I won’t say wisdom) I have grown to be a bit more hesitant.

Shiny Toy Syndrome manifests when educators or institutions frequently switch between technologies, chasing the promise of enhanced learning experiences or administrative efficiency. The initial excitement about a new tool often overshadows the practical evaluation of its impact, leading to repeated cycles of adoption and abandonment.

Symptoms to Watch For

·      Frequent Switching: Rapidly changing from one educational tool to another within a short period.

·      Focus on Novelty: Prioritizing the acquisition of new technologies over the effective use of existing ones.

·      Underutilization: Investing in multiple platforms without achieving full utilization or thorough evaluation.

·      Resource Drain: Allocating time and money to new tools, potentially at the expense of more proven solutions.

For educators, shiny toy syndrome can be extremely costly and counterproductive if not kept in check. So how can we filter out the fads from truly valuable innovations? Here are some suggestions:

1.     Implement a mandatory cooling-off period before adopting new tools or technologies. Resist the impulse to jump on the bandwagon and instead allow time for careful evaluation. For example, I have not really promoted or suggested any tool of AI outside of learning how to function with the LLM because most at this point are simply wrappers of the data sets to make things look easy, but in most cases the ease of life appeal is really addressing issues that are not the problem in the first place and so we need to first evaluate what is the problem we are seeking to solve.

2.     Analyze the true need behind the desire for the new tool. Is it just novelty driving the interest, or will it genuinely enhance learning outcomes in a way your current tools cannot? Get input from teachers AND students and so far, these voices are missing outside of the outliers. We need to educate more folks so we can ensure all voices are at the table. And more importantly have we even found a table to allow people to come sit down and engage?

3.     Engage in metacognitive practices to understand the underlying reasons for wanting to switch tools. Consider whether a new tool genuinely enhances learning outcomes compared to current technologies. Consider the full costs of switching, including training, transition logistics, curriculum redesign, and potential learning disruption. Do the benefits outweigh these? Have we even taken the time to consider these elements prior to AI?

4.     Use a systematic framework for evaluating new tools objectively based on criteria like research evidence, user experience, data privacy, compatibility, and more.

5.     Reflect on past experiences with newly adopted tools. Which were successes or failures, and why? Allow these lessons to inform future decisions. And maybe begin to test the waters with your people who like to experiment and trial things. After a trial period, critically assess the impact of the new tool on educational outcomes and discuss its effectiveness with peers.

6.     Seek balanced perspectives from multiple stakeholders before deciding whether to adopt a new technology at a school or district level.

Questions for Reflection

·      What underlying needs are driving the desire for new technology?

·      How do the proposed tools enhance or disrupt current educational practices?

·      What long-term benefits do these tools offer over existing solutions?

Activities to Implement

1.     Technology Audit: Conduct an audit of all current technologies used within your educational setting. Assess each tool's usage, effectiveness, and educational impact to identify redundancies or gaps.

2.     Peer Review Session: Organize a peer review session where educators can share experiences and insights about different technologies they have used. This can foster a community of learning and help educators make more informed decisions about technology adoption.

The goal is not to be a stubborn Luddite closed off to innovation. It's about being an intentional and discerning filter for technological change. New technologies can be powerful enablers of better learning when properly vetted and implemented. But they can also be costly distractions if we lack discipline around evaluating their true benefits. Developing this discipline will save energy and enable more sustainable edtech integration. By using a disciplined approach to technology adoption, educators can ensure that new tools are not just new but necessary and effective. This approach supports a stable, productive educational environment where technology genuinely enhances learning and teaching efficiency.