Myths and Realities about Technology in K-12 Education

1
Myths and Realities about Technology in K-12
Education

• Glenn Kleiman
• EDC Center for Online Professional Education
• Harvard Graduate School of Education

2
Starting Assumptions

• Technology is changing our world
• Technology is changing what our students need to
  learn
  
• Technology can have significant impact on how we
  teach and how we learn
  
• The core of K-12 education remains unchanged
  good teaching will always be the key

3
Technology can help teachers and students

• access information
• develop basic skills
• explore
• record
• organize
• analyze

• produce
• create
• communicate
• practice
• individualize
• collaborate
• and lots more!

4
The Challenge

• Putting these capabilities to effective use

5
Discussion Question

• What are some misconceptions, unrealistic
  expectations, or myths you have encountered
  about technology in K-12 education?

6
Myth 1

• Putting computers into schools will directly
  improve learning more computers will result in
  greater improvements.

7
Eyes on your own work
Keep your eyes on your own screen.
8
Research from Union City, NJ

• Systemic reform with technology can have
  significant positive impact on student learning
  in high need districts
  
• It isnt quick, it isnt easy, and it isnt just
  about hardware, wires, and basic training in
  their use
  
• Thanks to Fred Carrigg, Executive Director for
  Academic Programs, Union City NJ Schools, for the
  following information

9
Union City, New Jersey

• 60,000 Residents In 1.4 Square Miles
• 1990 Census - Most Densely Populated Urban
  Community In The U.S.
  
• 48 Blocks Long, 5 Avenues Wide
• One School Every 4 Blocks

10
Union City SchoolDistrict Demographics

• 9803 students, 14 schools
• 93 Latino, 95 Minority
• 68 do not speak English at home
• 32 are enrolled in bilingual/ESL programs
• 14 have been in the country less than 3 years
• 80 receive free or reduced lunch

11
1989

• Verge of NJ state Takeover
• Failed 44 of 52 state Indicators
• Low Test Scores
• Poor Staff and Student Attendance
• Inadequate Resources (textbooks, materials and
  supplies)
  
• Little Staff Professional Development
• Inadequate Community Participation and Support

12
Union CityDistrict Wide Restructuring

• New
• Urban Model
• Awarded State Certification (1995)
• Passing rates for 8th grade 8 EWT 80

• Old
• Failing District
• Threatened with State Takeover (1989)
• Passing Rates for 8th grade EWT 30-35

13
(No Transcript)
14
Key Components of Systemic Reform to Create a
Technology Friendly Environment

• Organizational Changes
• Curricular and Methodological
• Time and Space
• Cooperative and Collaborative Environment
• Staff Development
• Systematic
• Individualized
• Long Term
• Technology resources

15
Union City District Wide Restructuring

• Old
• Traditional Curriculum based on texts rote
  learning
  
• Traditional periods
• Computer labs with separate curriculum
• Subject area teaching
• Central management
• Limited professional development
• Limited parent involvement

• New
• Inquiry based instruction with authentic
  materials
  
• Block scheduling
• Classrooms with integrated technology
• Interdisciplinary teaching
• School-based management
• Continuous professional development
• Increased parental involvement

16
Five Factors for Success in Union City

• Leadership and collaboration
• Strong base of teacher support
• Teachers at the center of curriculum revision and
  school decision making
  
• Sufficient funding from a variety of sources
• Attention to public relations
• For more info http//www.union-city.k12.nj.us/

17
Reality 1

• There will be minimal educational return from
  technology investments unless technology is one
  component of a well-designed educational
  improvement plan.

18
Discussion Question

• What educational purposes should technology serve?

19
Myth 2

• There are agreed-upon goals and "best practices"
  that define how computers should be used in K-12
  classrooms.

20
Findings of the National Teaching, Learning and
Computing National Survey

• Directed by Hank Becker, UC-Irvine
• Funded by U.S. Dept of Ed and NSF
• Detailed survey of national sample of schools and
  teachers
  
• All reports are available at http//www.crito.uci
  .edu/tlc/html/tlc_home.html

21
Teaching philosophy is linked to objectives for
computer use

• Constructivist teachers objectives
• communicating, presenting information,
  collaborating, getting information
  
• Transmission oriented teachers objectives
• reinforce skills and remediate skills

22
Computers are used more frequently when

• Computers are in the classroom (as opposed to
  labs)
  
• Teachers have more expertise with computers
• Teachers have more constructivist (vs.
  transmission) oriented approaches
  
• There are longer class periods
• In-depth learning of fewer topics is encouraged

23
Impact on teachers over time
24
Reality 2

• Educational goals and approaches must be
  clarified and plans for purchasing, using and
  evaluating the impact of technology must be
  developed to fit those goals and approaches.

25
Discussion Question

• How has your use of technology in the classroom
  changed from when you first started using it?

26
Myth 3

• Once teachers learn the basics of using a
  computer they are ready to put the technology to
  effective use.

27
Apple Classroom of Tomorrow (ACOT) research

• With effective professional development and
  ongoing support, teachers go through stages of
  development in coming to use technology
  effectively

28
1. Entry stage

• teachers learning new tools themselves
• beginning to plan classroom use
• Will the effort be worth the results?

29
2. Adoption stage

• begin to blend technology into existing classroom
  practices
  
• but dont significantly change their practices
• How can technology help me teach more effectively?

30
3. Adaptation stage

• technology well integration into existing
  classroom practices
  
• begins to see real benefits in students
  engagement and work
  
• How can I incorporate technology more fully?

31
4. Appropriation stage

• technology used by teacher and students as a
  natural element of all work
  
• classroom practices begin to change somewhat
  (e.g., more project based learning, use of
  primary resources)
  
• How could I ever do my job without technology?

32
5. Invention stage

• technology used in exploring new ways of teaching
  and learning
  
• students show high levels of skill in using
  technology
  
• students show abilities to work independently and
  collaborative, problem-solve, find and evaluate
  information
  
• What should I explore next?

33
A General Sequence of Change

• Entry -- why bother?
• Adoption -- how might this be useful?
• Adaptation -- how else can it help us?
• Appropriation -- how could we get by without it?
• Invention -- what new possibilities does it open
  for us?

34
Reality 3

• For technology to be used fully in schools,
  significant changes are required in teaching
  practices, curriculum, and classroom
  organization.
• These changes takes place over years and require
  significant professional development and support
  for teachers.

35
Discussion Questions

• What plans (of all types, not just technology)
  has your school or district developed in the last
  few years?
  
• Is the use of technology integral to those plans?

36
Myth 4

• The typical district technology plan is
  sufficient for putting technology to effective
  use.

37
Reality 4

• To use technology effectively, we must fully
  integrate it into school improvement plans,
  professional development plans, special education
  plans, etc.
• Technology must be viewed as providing tools to
  help us meet central educational goals, not as
  defining a new, separate set of goals.

38
Myth 5

• Equity can be achieved by ensuring equal
  student-to-computer ratios

39

• Oh, we finished the basic subtraction. Now
  were designing a series of interrelated
  transformational geometric comparisons.
  

40
Reality 5

• When considering issues of equity, we need to
  examine all the essential conditions for making
  technology into effective tools for teaching and
  learning, not just the number and type of
  hardware available.

41
Discussion Question

• What myths would you add to the list from your
  experience?
  
• List so far
• Technology Thats all you need to succeed
• Goals We all agree, dont we?
• Professional Development Basic training is
  enough
  
• Plans Technology is on its own
• Equity Counting computers is the test

42
Some more myths

• Putting technology in the classroom will improve
  the quality of teaching
  
• Technology and web-based learning saves time and
  money
  
• The impact of technology on student achievement
  can be isolated and shown to increase student
  test scores
  
• Gifted students benefit more from technology
• If you build it they will come

43
Challenges for Tomorrow
44
To be Open to the Impact of Rapid Change

• Writing will produce forgetfulness in the
  souls of those who have learned it, through lack
  of practice at using their memory... To your
  students you give an appearance of wisdom, not
  the reality of it... they will appear to know
  much when for the most part they know nothing..."
  (Socrates in The Phaedrus)
• This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be
  seriously considered as a means of communication.
  (Western Union internal memo, 1876.)
  
• There is no reason anyone would want a computer
  in their home. (Ken Olson, president, chairman
  and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation,
  1977.)

45
To Avoid Being Seduced by Technology

• I believe that the motion picture is destined to
  revolutionize our educational system and that in
  a few years it will supplant largely, if not
  entirely, the use of textbooks. (Thomas A.
  Edison, 1922.)
• With the new Internet-enabled media, the center
  of the learning experience is fundamentally
  transformed, shifting from the teacher to the
  student. And the learning process in the
  classroom is much more active, with students
  discussing, debating, researching, and
  collaborating on projects. (Don Tapscott, author
  of Growing Up Digital)

46
To Address 21st Century Learning Goals
Demonstrate technological literacy
Communicate using variety of media
Access and exchange information
Compile,organize and synthesize
Draw conclusions and make generalizations
Know content and locate information
Become self-directed learners
Collaborate and cooperate in teams
Interact in ethical ways (From ISTE and CEOFor
um)
47
What Does It Take to Meet These Challenges?
48
(No Transcript)
49
For More Information

• glennk_at_edc.org
• http//www.edtechleaders.org
• http//www.neirtec.org