There are approximately 80,000 Alexas under the age of 18 in the United States.
Educators are experts at helping children crack the reading code, the doorway to knowledge. Technologists are experts at breaking the AI code, the doorway to the future.
Educators must implement best practices in educational technology when integrating voice assistants. Amazon's voice assistants are beginning to permeate the education sector as educators discover how to utilize voice technology in classrooms.
The outcomes of using a human name for voice assistants indicate using "Alexa" in the education sector doesn't follow best practices and leads to a plethora of issues. Using "Alexa" as the wake word in your classroom marginalizes a group of children regardless of if you have a student named Alexa.
If you're using "Alexa" as the wake word in your classroom, modeling best practices and appropriate implementation of technology by changing it to Amazon or Computer is critical. Educators have a responsibility to prevent Amazon's mistake from filtering inappropriately into the education sector.
Is the purpose of educational technology to?
- accelerate or inhibit successful student outcomes
- highlight a child's name to an excessive degree or use inclusive wake words
- facilitate opportunities or create transference behaviors towards children
Educate your students on why you're implementing this change if you are using "Alexa" as the wake word. Most importantly, consider encouraging your students to ask their parents to change the wake word at home. Remind your students about their responsibility of being kind to others and respecting people's names.
Have you ever seen a worksheet with a child's name listed this many times?