This question is central to work being undertaken by colleagues at UTS and internationally. Evidence and data are increasingly emphasised in educational contexts, with the spread of What Works centres such as the Educational Endowment Foundation (UK), Evidence for Learning (Australia), the What Works Clearinghouse (USA), international (PISA), national (SATS, NAPLAN, etc.
As researchers, we care that our educational systems improve, support all learners, and are grounded solidly in research evidence. But how do we work with stakeholders like educational technology startups to support effective use of that evidence?
Whether they’re driven by commercial interests or not, most developers and companies care about positive impact. Of course, impact helps in selling products, but it’s also a key motivation in why people develop and refine technologies: they care about supporting learning.
We asked five experts if schools should ban mobile phones in classrooms. Four out of five experts said no.