Making Schools Smarter

Over the last several years, companies and individuals around the world have made major technological advancements with huge implications for our way of life. This recent storm of digital innovation is known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution (also Industry 4.0 or 4IR). 4IR refers, most popularly, to technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (Mogas, et al.). IoT “permits the interconnection of physical objects with the cloud to provide greater control and interaction” (Mogas, et al.), while AI allows machines to independently take on tasks that previously required humans. The inventions that once seemed like science fiction are now very real and right at our fingertips. With this technology so easily accessible in the forms of ChatGPT, AI art generators, and virtual reality headsets sold as gaming devices, it is no surprise that these advancements are altering many aspects of life. The implications for these innovations include, not least of all, the way we look at education. Bringing 4IR technology into the classroom could mean a lighter workload for teachers, more individualization for students, a more hands-on approach to learning, and endless other possibilities that are yet to be thought up. And there are schools around the world who are making progress towards this reality. Every place on the globe is at a different stage in the process, but some schools have already brought newer technology into their learning environments. 

Some schools around the world are making major advancements to the world of high-tech education. These are known as "smart schools," which are, by definition, "endowed with integral management systems and automated solutions" using "new learning methodologies and advances from the 4IR" (Mogas, et al.). The three main focuses of smart schools are technology, sustainability, and inclusion. The approach is particularly valuable in giving students a more individualized way of learning and in better adopting an inclusive classroom. 

The idea of a “smart school” has changed over time. The term was first used in Malaysia at the launch of the country’s Smart School Implementation Plan in 1997. At the time, this referred simply to bringing computers to the school, transferring school management to digitalized systems and providing IT equipment in the building for student use. In many countries, that kind of move is still considered a major advancement for education. The wealthier countries of today, however, have a different understanding of smart education that involves much newer technology. 

One modern form of education that makes an appearance in taking on new digitalization methods is the Montessori school ideology. Montessori schools use a unique approach to education that is focused on fueling curiosity and love of learning. Mainly engineered for preschool- to kindergarten-age students, the model revolves around independence. For this reason, such schools find a lot of value in new technologies that can tailor the educational experience for each student and further the children’s individualized learning.

The smart school approach is also particularly important in helping to create an inclusive environment that is open students with special education needs (SEN). These students require different educational and engagement methods, so developing lessons plans that can suit both SEN students and the rest of the class is difficult to manage. With smart technologies, however, activities and lessons can be tailored to each student, so the whole class can be included in the same activity while every individual’s needs are met. 

So what does the most ideal smart school look like using the technology of today? It has a structural design that enhances learning, collaboration, and exploration. It integrates sustainability into its structure to be environmentally friendly while engaging students in sustainable practices. There are live updates on a schoolwide platform so parents can track their children’s progress, and there are cameras that measure students’ comfort levels and engagement to aid teachers in making lesson plans and supporting students’ needs. The school integrates advanced digital technology to promote interactive learning. These may be AI chatbots that can act as tutors, or virtual reality lessons that give the students a more hands-on experience. This technology also adapts to individual needs so students of all learning styles and levels can participate and be engaged. The world is still far from realizing this ideal model, but there are certain schools who are making progress towards implementing modern developments to further education. 

This map is not an exhaustive list of all the efforts being made to advance the use of high-tech resources in education. However, such efforts are few and far between, and the map shows the highlights of the work being done and outlines the furthest steps taken around the world in implementing advanced digital technology in the education system. After the imagery of the smart school described earlier, in the section titled “Envisioning a Smart School,” these examples seem underwhelming. That is not to say that virtual reality lessons and automatically generated SLE tools are not interesting. They are a great mark of progress, of course, but in a world of ChatGPT and Oculus gaming headsets, the potential for technology in education is far beyond its current state. 

The map above, despite being a bit sparse, shows an interesting pattern. The developments in educational technologies are limited to the wealthier countries of the Global Northwest and the highly populated countries of Asia. There is little development of the education systems in much of the Global South, particularly South America, Africa, and Australia. In South America and Africa, a school is advanced if it has computers for students to use. There is a concerning disparity between much of the globe in terms of the implementation of new technologies in education. 

Some people express fears that AI will eventually take over the role of teachers. This worry is not unfounded, as AI is more capable than humans in some repetitive tasks, so there is a likelihood of it taking over certain occupations. However, the role of teacher requires many diverse characteristics that are out of the capabilities of AI, at least for the foreseeable future, so teachers are unlikely to go away any time soon. Regardless, AI and other advanced technologies will continue to have a growing influence on learning. Based on the developments discussed in this project, we can expect that more and more learning will start to happen outside the classroom as mobile resources offer more individualized lessons. Classrooms will increasingly become more inclusive learning environments where students with a variety of learning needs and speaking different languages can learn together. Also, as education about technology becomes more widespread, we can hope to see these advancements happening in even more places around the globe rather than limited to a few countries, promoting global interconnectedness and development. According to UNESCO research, “although we are still in the time of weak AI, AI already makes individualized learning possible by means of intelligent systems and helps decision-making by means of data” (Miao and Holmes). If our limited progress in artificial intelligence can already support these endeavors, future advancement could mean the evolution of new processes we have yet to even dream of. 

Lucy Dean, the creator of this page, is a freshman at Gettysburg College. Although undeclared, she is looking to major in International and Global studies, and she felt that this project would be a perfect opportunity to explore the interconnectedness (and lack thereof) of various parts of the globe. 

I decided to use a map to show where the advancements in education technology are happening for two main reasons. First of all, I want the reader to be able to click around on the map and explore the points freely. Second, I wanted to show the trends that caught my eye. There are very few points on the map because this really is an underexplored field compared to all of the advancements in other aspects of technology over the last few years. The points are also limited to a few countries that are either comparatively wealthy or are developing very quickly, so I wanted to show the narrow reach of the smart school initiative.

There were definitely a lot of roadblocks I ran into while creating this project. The biggest one was that I couldn’t find as many examples of smart schools as I initially anticipated, and I feel I would need more to really make an in-depth exploration of the topic. Not only were there very few examples I could find, but the ones I have were also very difficult to discover, so I ended up spending a lot of time digging through rabbit holes of article references to track down just a few examples I could use. While I would have liked more examples to go off of, I still wanted to keep this topic, so I made use of what I had. I also ran into the issue of getting photographs. Because I was analyzing schools, which are characteristically very careful about what photos get put online (and rightly so), I couldn’t get good pictures of the models I wanted to show. In the end, I think the project turned out okay, but if I had more time for a more extensive project, I would have liked to explore more thoroughly the disparities that I briefly discussed between the Global North and South.

I affirm that I have upheld the highest principles of honesty and integrity in my academic work and have not witnessed a violation of the Honor Code.