Disruptive

Technologies

John W. Moravec, Ph.D.University of Minnesota

www.educationfutures.com

Disruptive Technologies

What are disruptive technologies?

• Disruptive innovations

• Contribute to shifts in paradigms of science, creativity, and culture

• Society considers youth to be key innovators and early adopters (not necessarily so, but…)

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Examples of disruptive technologies in education

• In the past…– Steam engine– Tractor– Personal computer– iPod– Web 2.0– m-learning devices

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• Looking ahead…– Semantic Web– Social and cultural

software– General artificial

intelligence

The big picture

1. Technological innovations are critical for national and global competitiveness

2. We (U.S. Americans) are ignorant of disruptive innovations in education

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Impacts on youth

• Challenges– Today’s PK-12 education environment shields youth from

innovations– Preference of sustaining technologies over disruptive

technologies in education– Youth are viewed as a group to market innovations to, rather

than co-create with

• Opportunities– Youth become empowered to innovate in non-formal

environments– Youth may construct new environments, meanings and cultures– Youth may construct viable alternative futures

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Learning from China

• Hand-held learning devices are used by youth…– to learn English– to transmit curricula from top-ranked teachers– to pass exams (“ethical cheating”)

• They think we’re using this stuff!

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More discussion at…

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