The Most Persistent Myth
Video Overview & Insights
Many technologies have promised to revolutionize education, but so far none has. With that in mind, what could revolutionize education?
Comeback with an update on this...
These ideas have been percolating since I wrote my PhD in physics education: https://ve42.co/phd
I have also discussed this topic with CGP Grey, whose view of the future of education differs significantly from mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vsCAM17O-M
Vim pelo mario sanfelice
I think it is instructive that each new technology has appeared to be so transformative. You can imagine, for example, that motion pictures must have seemed like a revolutionary learning technology. After all they did revolutionize entertainment, yet failed to make significant inroads into the classroom. TV and video seem like a cheaper, scaled back film, but they too failed to live up to expectations. Now there is a glut of information and video on the internet so should we expect it to revolutionize education?
My view is that it won't, for two reasons: 1. Technology is not inherently superior, animations over static graphics, videoed presentations over live lectures etc. and 2. Learning is inherently a social activity, motivated and encouraged by interactions with others.
Part 2?
Filmed and edited by Pierce Cook
Supported by Screen Australia's Skip Ahead program.
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Music By Kevin MacLeod, www.incompetech.com "The Builder" and by Amarante Music: http://www.amarantemusic.com
This video aged like milk, but love the channel otherwise.
Much of one's learning is dependent on their learning style and this is exactly why LLMs and videos are so prolific in use and why it's become the norm for students to self-teach what was supposed to be taught in class. Counter-arguments to the video at 2:39 and 6:23 weren't sufficiently debunked. Instead they are supported by everything discussed in the video. When you say 'heres all the wonderful ways technology has made education accessible to everyone' you can only discredit it being 'revolutionary' if you solely rely on what's being taught in the physical class as education. But increasingly that's not where the learning is happening. That's like solely checking "traditional media" for innovation while discrediting all the new media that is constantly revolutionizing how we take in the same news.
But this video is 11 years old so I guess Veritasium should get some slack.
More User Perspectives
To be fair i think people learn more with youtube than with books so edison was completely right
@oceas163I love this video. Thanks so much!
@Shumai888With other learners and caring teachers. That's a really precise description of why it's so much better to learn with others, it keeps you motivated and inspired. It's really hard to do alone, not to mention you need to know what to learn, in what order or pace so it won't turn out to be chaos. Yeah, good points...
@Nullianets-0AI will revolutionise education.
@mieszekkoleszek6913Overestimating the immediate impact of new technology on education is a recurring phenomenon often described as the "hype cycle," where initial high expectations for transformative change are met with slow, complex, and sometimes underwhelming implementation. While technology holds potential, its short-term adoption frequently leads to overestimations of productivity gains, while long-term, structural changes are often underestimated.
Key Aspects of Overestimating Educational Tech Impact
The Hype vs. Reality Gap: While new technology (like AI or AR) is often heralded as a revolution, its integration into classrooms is slow and faces significant barriers, including infrastructure, teacher training, and resistance to change.
Neglecting Pedagogical Alignment: The mere presence of technology does not guarantee better learning; in many cases, it creates distractions, cognitive overload, or reduces the quality of note-taking and information retention, causing a decrease in academic performance rather than an increase.
Ignoring the "Hidden" Costs: The focus on shiny new devices or software often ignores the massive financial, logistical, and time-related investments needed for training, maintenance, and support.
The "Same-Old" Trap: New technology is often used to replicate old pedagogical methods (e.g., using a smartboard just to show a slideshow) rather than enabling new, more effective teaching and learning strategies.
Evidence of Overestimation
Mixed Results in Performance: Studies indicate that the introduction of 1:1 laptop initiatives or high-tech classrooms often results in no significant improvement in student outcomes, with some data suggesting that improper use can lead to lower, not higher, test scores.
Inequality and Digital Divides: Instead of democratizing education, the sudden imposition of new technology can widen gaps between students with different access to resources and support at home.
Overreliance and Skill Degradation: Excessive reliance on digital tools can diminish students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as they depend too heavily on automated assistance.
Came from the future to say it didn't
@RollingLine111The world was bad and sad, then bam! It got glad! Forget Darwin. I just evolved your brain in the time it took to watch one YouTube video instead of the billions of years that lame proposed! Yay!
@corderrobaxter9569There will be a revolution soon in education, but it won't be brought about by technical advances in the way poo-pooed in this video. It will be brought about by economics.
Large technology companies. large utilities eg electric power, telephone, government departments used to have significant in-house training establishments with classrooms and teacher/instructors. They don't anymore - it became too expensive, teachers could not keep up, and they have been replaced by online / web-based training.
Universities used to teach by having lecturers & professors teach small groups in classrooms. COVID and the cost began a move away from that - today universities now teach via MOOC's and MOC's - massive online courses, with lecturers just doing marking and not talking in a classroom.
Having teachers in schools is expensive - too expensive for modern society. Expensive due to salaries of teachers and administrators, expensive to build and maintain campuses. It will be replaced by AI, not because AI will be a better teacher (it won't) but because it is cheaper.
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@VasavaPince64This is me from future and yeah Ai is here
@SafwanIDRISTechnology significantly boosts education's efficacy by personalizing learning, increasing engagement, and improving access, preparing students with crucial digital literacy for the future workforce. Its benefits include fostering collaboration, providing real-time feedback, streamlining administrative tasks for teachers, and offering flexible, inclusive learning environments, though effective integration requires thoughtful, context-specific approaches rather than a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Key Benefits of Technology in Education
Personalized Learning: Digital tools adapt to individual student needs, learning styles, and pace, ensuring targeted support and challenges.
Enhanced Engagement: Interactive apps, simulations, and multimedia make learning more dynamic and enjoyable.
Accessibility & Inclusion: Technology breaks down barriers, offering resources like e-books and online courses, benefiting diverse learners and expanding reach.
Improved Collaboration: Online forums and shared documents facilitate teamwork and peer learning.
Deeper Skill Development: Cultivates essential digital literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills needed for modern careers.
Teacher Efficiency: Automates grading and simplifies lesson planning, freeing up time for focused instruction.
Real-Time Feedback: Digital assessments provide immediate data, allowing for timely interventions and progress tracking.
Key Considerations for Efficacy
Context Matters: Effectiveness depends on how technology is implemented, not just its presence; high-quality content and pedagogy are crucial.
Bridging the Digital Divide: Efforts are needed to ensure equitable access, especially in underserved areas, to prevent widening existing gaps.
Not a Panacea: Technology enhances, but doesn't replace, good teaching; it's a tool to support effective instruction and deeper learning.
5:44-
@aIbertI279811 years later, in 2026, this video is even more relevant to reality ))
3:35 Watching static (high-quality) illustrations, we not only understand the essence of the material, but we also improve our skills of imagination. And this skill further helps us to move forward where there will be no one to bring to our possession ready to use information. I would say that more practical form of information is better for an already trained adult brain, in order to save time and increase the accuracy of understanding when the "cost of error" is higher, meanwhile more abstract information, perhaps even schematic, is more useful to the young brain. This is my opinion)
6:00 I totally agree! In the modern world, this is true. But it should be noted that the teacher's knowledge should be much deeper than given in the textbook)
4:12 this is the truth
@gnu_canvasOh man the pandemic showed how terrible looking at a screen was for learning. It was better than dying though.
@robsquared26:02 the only thing that has inspired me to learn the most, is the worry about my future, nothing else
@paradewdtu29The right question to ask is:
are we going for education or degree?
because, sure I can watch MIT lecture from youtube and learn
but, do I get job based on it ?
MIT prestige, sure can be they have great lecturer, but MIT prestige is there, because its prestige is there...
Education is not sitting in a desk listening to someone talk.
@kathieharine5982AI is definetly replacing teachers
@chimchar765802:19 dude predicted chat gpt!
@Asif-Ul-Islam-i7fAI will revolutionise education system...
Ha Ha
Now we have AI
@tungduy1246I shall make an attempt in the future.
@PranitSumanYou are so right in pointing out that the most important thing is "What happens inside a student's head?"
This is not only helpful for teacher student setups but also for the self learners like me.
Will you remake this video?
@TRydenT2002I think there is another reason as to why education sector sees less changes. Even if the technology has become superior to teachers in aiding information, they have overloaded facts to an extent that it confuses a learner on what to focus. Teachers not only set curriculum but also make sure that we have holistic learning. This is something which is tough to do on your own.
@FiveMinScapeThis is the reason why I prefer books over the lecture. This is where i get to imagine and visualize and understand.
@SherlockHolmes-v4fTrue, in-classroom learning is so effective. Plus, you yourself are such a good teacher
@NGB-710 years laterโฆ did it revolutionize education?
@yeahokisee2:03 - Welcome to 2025, after a decade of releasing this video we now have the "universal teaching machine" called ChatGPT
Veritasium I would like it if you revisited this topic and made a new video on the impact of AI on education (now and in the future) as there have been several pitches of how this would revolutionize education
2:22 "a hundred years" ๐
"one hundred" or even just "hundred" would sound more "educated" ๐ IMHO
Education should go to the heart of what EVERYONE asks them selves in high school. What do I want to do??
@DeRocco21AI will revolutionize education...
@DeRocco21Much of this rings true, but I disagree that it is our primary goal to make a student feel important or accountable for the task of learning. We know this because the first of those goals can be reached without learning, and the second is only understood over time via success and failure. While it is useful to reinforce those things as learning takes place, I argue it is our job to help students understand how to use knowledge and skill effectively, and how to get more of it.
@SoundAvariceTechnologies are not going to revolutionize education. A change to what is considered education will
@NonneinPSo much talent in one video.
@lizapatton6213Semantics
@mta1864The education system has managed to ignore any developments in the modern since its introduction in Prussia 1763.๐
@rymdpojkeWe need connection in class. And if the teacher started in early age, like 8 years old and went through the years with the same and only student's?
@tirolesI know this video is 10 yrs old, (still relevant:), and someone probably already mentioned it, but if you haven't watched a TED lecture on the "hole in the wall" educational concept, I recommend that you do so.
@ZsOtherBrotherA good teacher is also very adaptable to different learners.
@jrludwig1LASERDISC!
@HillwatchI think YouTube has revolutionized education. A lot of universities have classes online for free. And there are tons of videos about how things work, how to fix things, how to speak a foreign language, etc. It's not personalized, but it's free. - and for that matter, large lecture halls are so personalized either.
@karlmahlmannGreetings from 2025, we have AI now, Edison!
@astenixEducationโฆ for what? Automation will take most jobs, so tell me, apart from entertainment, why are kids going to be educated?
@daveozip4326