TFA Founder Voices Skepticism of Edtech

TFA Founder Voices Skepticism of Edtech

Sep 17, 2014

TFA CHIMES IN: Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America and Teach for All, is skeptical about the potential of technology as a cure-all in education. At a NationSwell Council event on September 12, she described her visit to Microsoft’s School of the Future in Philadelphia, where “every single kid in the room was IMing their friends, or trying to fix the computer, or surfing the Internet, while a teacher talked very loudly in the front.” Kopp explained, “If we try to stick technology in there to solve this problem without those foundations [of human connection in the classroom], we’re going to see things go in the wrong direction.” (Hopefully she’s not referring to the many TFA alumni who have started edtech ventures.) Watch the video here.

Editor's note: This post has been edited to clarify Kopp's stance from the video.

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