HundrED has convened a global community of 50 young people from 9 to 20 years of age called the Youth Ambassadors. These students meet every month to discuss a trending theme in education, work on group projects with our innovators and work with us to share their excitement, worries, questions and further insights with the larger, global community of education innovations.
This month, we e-met a few of our Youth Ambassadors and explored the future of technology in K12 education. The youth were asked to reflect on the current reality of their education system with respect to the use of technology and were encouraged to explore the role of it in helping youth thrive in life. Here’s what they had to say!
Marigold, Ishani, Alice & Kate shed light on technology in their education system
Marigold Mioc, Age 9, Canada
“With the technology we have, we could do so much more than we are currently, but I am very grateful for the amount of money our school spends to have access to these things. Many schools are not as privileged as my community and they do not have laptops. Helping other third-world countries get these materials would help their education system immensely."
Ishani Ashok, 15, USA
"In my education system, the use of technology is rare and many times students don't have access to it. My school, for example, prohibited the use of electronic devices during classes and other activities. Most of the time we learn indoors with only a board, books and paper. I think this situation restricts the quality of education and often makes students not know how to use technology in their favor."
Alice Machado, Age 14, Brazil
“Right now my current education system requires the use of computers and technology. I think that affects our students in positive and negative ways. The negative ways include students getting distracted easily, hurting the brain cells, and technological difficulties. The positive ways include finding quick and easy information, it’s a great intro if you would like to have a tech job, and it doesn’t affect the environmental eco system as severely as it were to as paper(deforestation i.e)”
Kate Graham, Age 15, USA
Muneeb, Afikile & Carolina discuss the role of education & technology in helping youth thrive in their own lives.
“I believe that an education system without technology in this era is going to be like a knife which is not sharp. Education and technology are very closely related to each other. With the help of education people developed technologies but unfortunately now we are not having a clear eye on it! Many developing countries are facing this problem that is very serious and has to be overcome urgently. For instance Pakistan is currently working on the old black boards and copies for educating young minds, even in ICT classes children are not taught how to practically use the computer! I think that this is not correct and we should train our young minds according to the present day requirement. This has to be brought up around the world otherwise the youth won't be able to compete with the other minds around them!”
Muneeb Hassan, Age 15, Pakistan
"Yes, Maths and science are very loved, every parent wants their kid to do it. But technical studies are just arts they are also underrated. Now that they heard that in 2020 most jobs will be replaced by robotics, it’s the only time that they are interested in studying technology.
Now our president said they will introduce study of robotics, because of the 4th industrial revolution that is emerging. Other countries teach their kids according to their talents, because their parents understand that if they don’t give their child the education that they deserve. The child will suffer in the future. Such as in China/Japan their kids operate computer at the very young age. And in America most countries check their child’s skill then place them in the appropriate class or school where the skill will be able to be seen and expand from there."
Afikile Madiya, Age 20, South Africa
"When I think about the role of technology, it always comes to my mind a huge solar storm that ruins everything. Drastically. What could happen then? Nowadays a country’s level of development is measured by its technology success, which means that we can’t imagine a future without it anymore. So, think about the solar storm. What could we, youth, do if all our devices were broken? Not only our access to information, but everything: healthcare, bank accounts, delivery services… and education. We think that ICTs makes us free, but we are getting dependent on them. I’m not denying their usefulness or benefits, but we can’t hide the fact that they are unsustainable in many ways and make our world less equal by restricting their access to certain population (just check the answers in prompt 1. Educational development = access to technology). To sum up, I think education, as we all agree, is the main help to let us thrive our own lives. However, should we link it that much to technology? Are we substituting the core educational values with techno items and information overload?"
Carolina Pérez , Age 19, Spain
Youth Ambassador Marigold shares her insight on YouTube!
Some of the key takeaways from the Youth Ambassadors were the inequities in technology education around the world and often within the same country. The Youth Ambassadors were, however, hopeful and wish to see technology as a tool to solve the issue of opportunity gaps in education and use it for the good of the world and its students.
What topics would you like the Youth Ambassadors to dicuss? Let us know!
HundrED Youth Ambassadors are an active community of students from around the world who are passionate about education’s potential and want to be a part of its change together.
