This week I watched a presentation from Dr. Bonnie Stewart about datafication. Before this, I didn’t know what datafication was at all, but i found her presentation really interesting. She talked about her own career journey first, how she started out as a teacher, then did her master’s, and kind of fell into running an online education program. I thought it was cool that she basically learned how to use a computer by having to do the job, not because she was “a tech person” from the start. She also talked about how she had a background in humanities, and she kept connecting technology back to people, power, and how we live.
One of the main points that stuck with me was how every time we touch a device, we leave traces behind. Our clicks, searches, and actions become data that can be turned into patterns, be monetized, and sold. I use my phone all the time without really thinking about what I’m leaving behind, so hearing that was a shock. She said datafication promises to get rid of human error and make everything more “efficient,” but it also means a lot of decisions get made based on data about us, not by people who actually know us.
I also found it interesting when she talked about how so much has been digitized now, that people who don’t have cell phones or easy access to the internet are at a real disadvantage. Things that used to be more accessible face-to-face are now behind a screen. That made me think about students and families who might not have the same access, and how that can impact their opportunities in school and beyond. It also made me think about seniors. I know my grandparents struggle using technology and the internet, so this can make it harder for them.
Something I found interesting was when she talked about tests and teachers. She talked about how in the US, and sometimes in Canada, teachers can lose their jobs if their students don’t do well on standardized tests. Because of that, teachers end up teaching just for the test and stop spending time on experiences, discussions, and exercises that aren’t going to “show up” on a written test. As someone going into education, that worries me, because that’s not the kind of classroom I want.
Near the end, she mentioned how coding used to be the big thing schools were pushing for, kids had to learn it early, and now a lot of coding work can be automated. I remember my grandpa always wanting my sister and I to work on our coding because he told us it would be helpful in the future. That really showed how fast things change. I liked her line about literacy: “Literacy is the ability to take skill to the next level so you can make meaning out of it.” It’s not just about knowing how to use technology, but understanding what it’s doing and what it means for people.
