The COVID-19 pandemic showed how useful digital technology could be for schools. But it also showed the limitations of technology in the educational setting. Millions of students were able to attend classes online to avoid spreading the virus. But many students failed to learn by such methods. Their educational progress slowed and in some cases went backwards.
COVID-19 大流行表明数字技术对学校有多么有用。但它也显示了技术在教育环境中的局限性。数百万学生能够在线上课，以避免传播病毒。但很多学生并没有通过这种方法来学习。他们的教育进展缓慢，在某些情况下甚至倒退。
Digital tools and the internet have made it easier for students to access educational resources. However, a large number of schools around the world remain unconnected to the internet. Additionally, digital tools have entered markets that have no official supervision. Such educational products do not require any testing or proof as to their value to schools and learners.
数字工具和互联网使学生更容易获取教育资源。然而，世界各地仍有大量学校尚未连接到互联网。此外，数字工具已经进入没有官方监管的市场。此类教育产品不需要任何测试或证明其对学校和学习者的价值。
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) argues against unsupervised wide use of digital tools and AI in education. A recent UNESCO report says there is little evidence that wide technology use improves learning. The organization says digital educational tools can never replace the human connection of teacher and student.
联合国教育、科学及文化组织（教科文组织）反对在教育中无监督地广泛使用数字工具和人工智能。联合国教科文组织最近的一份报告称，几乎没有证据表明技术的广泛使用可以改善学习。该组织表示，数字教育工具永远无法取代教师和学生之间的人际关系。
Audrey Azoulay is UNESCO’s Director General. She says there is a very large divide, or gap, between rich and poor countries when it comes to digital resources. Just 40 percent of primary schools worldwide have access to the internet, she said. Many schools also lack electricity, especially in Africa and Central and Southern Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa, just 32 percent of schools have electricity.
奥黛丽·阿祖莱是联合国教科文组织总干事。她说，在数字资源方面，富国和穷国之间存在很大的鸿沟或差距。她说，全世界只有 40% 的小学可以接入互联网。许多学校也缺乏电力，特别是在非洲以及中亚和南亚。在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，只有 32% 的学校通电。
And, internationally, about one-third of students were unable to attend online classes during the pandemic.
而且，在国际上，大约三分之一的学生在大流行期间无法参加在线课程。
“Even if connectivity was universal, it would still be necessary to demonstrate …that digital technology offers real added value in terms of effective learning,” the report says.
报告称：“即使连接已普及，仍然有必要证明……数字技术在有效学习方面提供了真正的附加值。”
Often, technology changes faster than it is possible to study it, the report says. Educational technology products change every three years on average. In Britain, for example, just seven percent of educational technology companies had done studies to judge the effectiveness of their products.
报告称，技术的变化速度往往快于研究的速度。教育科技产品平均每三年更新一次。例如，在英国，只有 7% 的教育技术公司进行过研究来判断其产品的有效性。
UNESCO also reported that many companies pay for studies on the effectiveness of their own product. These studies are not independent examinations.
联合国教科文组织还报告称，许多公司付费进行其产品有效性的研究。这些研究不是独立的检查。
Pearson, an education technology company, has a tool called Successmaker for teaching math and reading. Independent studies show the tool has little or negative effectiveness in learning. But the company stands by the results of the private study it paid for. That study found the product very helpful to learning.
教育技术公司 Pearson 有一个名为 Successmaker 的工具，用于教授数学和阅读。独立研究表明，该工具在学习方面几乎没有效果或具有负面效果。但该公司坚持其付费的私人研究结果。该研究发现该产品对学习非常有帮助。
UNESCO says such companies need to be better regulated. Azoulay said just 14 percent of countries require data protection in education.
联合国教科文组织表示，此类公司需要得到更好的监管。阿祖莱表示，只有 14% 的国家要求教育数据保护。
“Student data should not be used either by education technology or advertising technology companies for marketing purposes,” the report says. Yet a study of 163 products found that 89 percent of them gathered student data and sent them to third-party companies, often for advertising purposes. This usually happened without the student or parent knowing, the study said.
报告称：“教育技术或广告技术公司不应将学生数据用于营销目的。”然而，对 163 种产品的研究发现，其中 89% 的产品收集学生数据并将其发送给第三方公司，通常用于广告目的。研究称，这种情况通常发生在学生或家长不知情的情况下。
UNESCO argues that technology holds great possibilities for education. But studies have shown that educational technologies are most effective when a teacher is involved in the instructional process.
联合国教科文组织认为，技术为教育带来了巨大的可能性。但研究表明，当教师参与教学过程时，教育技术最为有效。
“We must never forget the social and emotional dimensions of teaching and learning,” Azoulay said, adding, “no screen will ever replace a teacher.”
“我们永远不能忘记教学的社会和情感层面，”阿祖莱补充道，“任何屏幕都无法取代老师。”