Dave Nagel's article, "Kansas School District Rolls Out 1:1 MacBook Program," tells the story of a school district which is comprised of low socio-economic students and how it managed to obtain sufficient funding to get laptops to every student and teacher in the district. Despite cynicism of a local radio DJ and other naysayers, students did not sell their laptops for drugs, became excited about learning, and became producers as opposed to merely being customers. Not only did students prove these pessimists wrong but they also brought up their reading and math scores above and beyond original expectations.
I love this story of how successful integrating technology in schools benefits everyone. These students not only brought up their standardized test scores but now have the ability to do research, create videos and movies, and experience authentic and challenging learning. I also appreciate the pragmatic approach that the school district has taken by their leasing the computers and software because they will not be stuck with obsolete technology (which becomes "new and improved" on almost an hourly basis).
Monday, May 5, 2008
Critical Issue: Using Technology to Enhance Engage Learning for At-Risk Students
It is especially important that at-risk students have access to technology in the classroom. Students who come from low and lower socio-economic groups need to have the same advantages as all other students. In the past (and even today) students from financially disadvantaged areas have not had the same accessibility to educational technology except for the requisite "drill and kill" programs that are nothing more than glorified video games that teach content area by rote and do not allow students to use collaborative and /or knowledge-building skills in the learning context.
All students should be entitled to explore and produce their own work by using technology instead of schools using technology to instruct students. It is now understood that instruction (with the use of technology) should be interactive, generative, authentic, challenging, etc. How can students be held to a high standard and accompanying expectations when they historically have not been responsible for their own learning? How can we expect them to be energized by learning without the integration of technology?
Unless students can experience challenge and excitement in the learning process, we cannot expect more than what we "put out." Technology is a tool that can be implemented and utilized to help students discover their full potential. I believe Bill Clinton's dream of a computer for every child is an awesome goal; let's do what we can to help realize that dream.
All students should be entitled to explore and produce their own work by using technology instead of schools using technology to instruct students. It is now understood that instruction (with the use of technology) should be interactive, generative, authentic, challenging, etc. How can students be held to a high standard and accompanying expectations when they historically have not been responsible for their own learning? How can we expect them to be energized by learning without the integration of technology?
Unless students can experience challenge and excitement in the learning process, we cannot expect more than what we "put out." Technology is a tool that can be implemented and utilized to help students discover their full potential. I believe Bill Clinton's dream of a computer for every child is an awesome goal; let's do what we can to help realize that dream.
Authentic Learning for the 21st Century
I have always been a hands-on learner so Marilyn Lombardi's article really hit home for me. I didn't realize (before reading Lombardi's article) that most people learn best be doing instead of listening. Now, with the use of technology in the educational setting, this authentic learning is even more accessible than most people have ever imagined.
Authentic learning takes place when students can construct their own learning from computer programs, software, and simulations as opposed to reading about it in a book or having someone (e.g. a teacher or guest speaker) stand in front of the classroom and tell students about it. When students experience authentic learning, they are able to take that learning and apply it to real-life situations as well as future learning in the classroom.
When students can "get their hands dirty" via technology, the learning they construct and experience takes on a much deeper meaning for them than reading about it in a textbook or watching a video about the same subject matter. The learning is life-long and the encoding of the information becomes much more deeply ingrained in students when technology is implemented and integrated in the classroom.
Authentic learning takes place when students can construct their own learning from computer programs, software, and simulations as opposed to reading about it in a book or having someone (e.g. a teacher or guest speaker) stand in front of the classroom and tell students about it. When students experience authentic learning, they are able to take that learning and apply it to real-life situations as well as future learning in the classroom.
When students can "get their hands dirty" via technology, the learning they construct and experience takes on a much deeper meaning for them than reading about it in a textbook or watching a video about the same subject matter. The learning is life-long and the encoding of the information becomes much more deeply ingrained in students when technology is implemented and integrated in the classroom.
New Times Demand New Ways of Learning
Why is it that people want a definitive answer regarding the effectiveness of technology in boosting student learning? This is especially frustrating when it is obvious that educational technology cannot be used when the teaching and learning methods in certain classrooms are clearly outdated! Effective learning can only truly take place when:
There must be a vision of learning. Learners must take responsibility for their own learning, must take a strategic stance, be energized by their own learning (intrinsic motivation), and be a collaborative undertaking. Tasks must be authentic, challenging, and multidisciplinary while assessment must certainly be performance based, generative, seamless and ongoing, and equitable. The instructional model must be interactive and generative and the learning context must be collaborative, knowledge-building, and empathetic.
Grouping of learners must be heterogeneous to ensure diversity and different levels of knowledge, be fair and equitable, and flexible.
Teachers are no longer the "sage on the stage." They must take on new roles as facilitator and guide and must also consider themselves as actual co-learners and/or co-investigators while student roles are no longer those of passive spectators but actual explorers, cognitive apprentices, teachers (!), and producers.
Indicators of high technology performance are access, operability, organization, engagability, ease of use, and functionality. First and foremost, students must have access to technology in schools. This technology must be organized so that students know where it is stored, how transferable are the data and programs from one source to another, etc., and if the programs can sustain student engagement. Is it easy to use? Frustrating to use? If students don't find technology easy and pleasant in its use they will merely stop using it. And, of course, does the functionality of the technology allow for students to take basic concepts and use them as building blocks to take it to the next level?
These are extremely important questions to consider in the implementation, use, and success of technology in education.
- children are engaged in authentic and multidisciplinary tasks
- assessments are based on students' performance of real tasks
- students participate in interactive modes of instruction
- students work collaboratively
- students are grouped heterogeneously
- the teacher is a facilitator in learning
- students learn through exploration
There must be a vision of learning. Learners must take responsibility for their own learning, must take a strategic stance, be energized by their own learning (intrinsic motivation), and be a collaborative undertaking. Tasks must be authentic, challenging, and multidisciplinary while assessment must certainly be performance based, generative, seamless and ongoing, and equitable. The instructional model must be interactive and generative and the learning context must be collaborative, knowledge-building, and empathetic.
Grouping of learners must be heterogeneous to ensure diversity and different levels of knowledge, be fair and equitable, and flexible.
Teachers are no longer the "sage on the stage." They must take on new roles as facilitator and guide and must also consider themselves as actual co-learners and/or co-investigators while student roles are no longer those of passive spectators but actual explorers, cognitive apprentices, teachers (!), and producers.
Indicators of high technology performance are access, operability, organization, engagability, ease of use, and functionality. First and foremost, students must have access to technology in schools. This technology must be organized so that students know where it is stored, how transferable are the data and programs from one source to another, etc., and if the programs can sustain student engagement. Is it easy to use? Frustrating to use? If students don't find technology easy and pleasant in its use they will merely stop using it. And, of course, does the functionality of the technology allow for students to take basic concepts and use them as building blocks to take it to the next level?
These are extremely important questions to consider in the implementation, use, and success of technology in education.
Transforming Learning Through Technology
Tennessee governor Don Sundquist said it all when he stated, "We, as governors, cannot fail to have every child participating in the information age. If we fail, we set our workforce and industry back. If we succeed, we assure that jobs are retained in every community and our children have a bright, prosperous future."
This article, although quite long, explores what we have already learned: the integration of technology in education is a necessity if our children are to be able to live and work in the future, that standards and assessments for such need to be developed and implemented as a means to measure successful learning, and that technology in the classroom cannot take the place of student self-discovery and constructivism; it needs to enhance it.
It is the responsibility of our policy makers to ensure that the long term goals of educational technology are met and monitored accordingly.
This article, although quite long, explores what we have already learned: the integration of technology in education is a necessity if our children are to be able to live and work in the future, that standards and assessments for such need to be developed and implemented as a means to measure successful learning, and that technology in the classroom cannot take the place of student self-discovery and constructivism; it needs to enhance it.
It is the responsibility of our policy makers to ensure that the long term goals of educational technology are met and monitored accordingly.
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