Do tech tools raise achievement?

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Permalink Reply by Tom Jenkins on June 22, 2010 at 4:31pm

Hi Mary. Unfortunately, I have no trouble believing many parts of the article. In my experience, if there is a new gadget or gizmo many teachers want them just for the sake of having them. For example: Whiteboards- Many people use them as they would a dry erase board or a screen. They claim to use a whiteboard in their room, but they don't save screen shoots for later use or to post to the web as a reference, they don't allow the students to manipulate objects on the screen, etc. This is just one particular thing that pops into my mind, but I'm sure stands true with virtually any tool.

The real question is what can be done help utilize the equipment in the classroom. Often times teachers are provided with a piece of equipment and then expected to use it without and training. That's where using the web as a resource comes in handy. Personally, I can honestly say that this site has allowed me to become more proficient with tools in my classroom. All I had to do was ask and/or read other posts...............I would encourage any of you that are looking to improve with a particular technology in the classroom to reply to the this blog or in the forums. Between all of the members of this community, they will be an expert somewhere or at least we can try to figure it out collectively ;) Just let us know what we can do to help.

Tom

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Permalink Reply by Mary Henton on June 24, 2010 at 9:20am

Thanks, Tom,
I'm not surprised that your experience confirms some of the descriptions in the article. But there MUST be teachers, schools, and districts who do it differently. I know that you do, for example! And there are others on this site who use digital tools effectively and not just as glorified colored markers.

I like the idea of saving screen shots for later use. Hmmmm.....could put a screen shot from a previous lesson or activity up on the board and ask kids, in small groups, to review the main points that were discussed during that lesson/activity. That might be an interesting way to assess what students learned or didn't learn.

M

Tom Jenkins said:

Hi Mary. Unfortunately, I have no trouble believing many parts of the article. In my experience, if there is a new gadget or gizmo many teachers want them just for the sake of having them. For example: Whiteboards- Many people use them as they would a dry erase board or a screen. They claim to use a whiteboard in their room, but they don't save screen shoots for later use or to post to the web as a reference, they don't allow the students to manipulate objects on the screen, etc. This is just one particular thing that pops into my mind, but I'm sure stands true with virtually any tool.

The real question is what can be done help utilize the equipment in the classroom. Often times teachers are provided with a piece of equipment and then expected to use it without and training. That's where using the web as a resource comes in handy. Personally, I can honestly say that this site has allowed me to become more proficient with tools in my classroom. All I had to do was ask and/or read other posts...............I would encourage any of you that are looking to improve with a particular technology in the classroom to reply to the this blog or in the forums. Between all of the members of this community, they will be an expert somewhere or at least we can try to figure it out collectively ;) Just let us know what we can do to help.

Tom

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Lawson on June 25, 2010 at 1:02am

Mary and Tom, I agree with both of you. Just as with any other tool, it is not the tool - rather the user - that determines the outcome. The same is true for an artist, an architect, or a musician.

Since the first computers have been placed in schools, some educators have believed that putting a student in front of technology will magically engage the student. NOT! This past year I taught many different courses for initial credit in a computer managed instruction lab. The biggest complaint my students had was, "I need a teacher to explain this to me." My biggest concern was that they were succeeding using the model from the 50s and 60s - teacher writes notes on the board (in this case it was the computer giving the notes), students copy notes, students sort of memorize notes, pass tests, and forget all they had "learned." Such "learning" definitely does not meet the needs of 21st century citizens.

One thing we do know is that we should address the learning styles of students. In the traditional lecture classroom, auditory learning is the style used most. Interactive whiteboards certainly add the visual aspect to learning that many - including me - need. When the entire class is involved in interactive activities, yet another style is used.

I am fortunate to have had a projector for my computer for about 20 years (minus my first 2 years teaching health.) In teaching computer applications, I believe this tool is key to students understanding and to allowing the class to move forward at a quicker pace. Most teachers have not had this opportunity. IWBs are their first opportunity to teach in such a visual way.

One of the biggest changes in education provided by wired schools is access to primary sources, current events, and numerous sources no school could afford in the days of print. My students are almost always more engaged when they are dealing with "real" and relevant information/data/sources. I saw this when I borrowed a projector when I was teaching health. The students were much more involved in the lesson when they could see real pictures and data related to the topic being studied. While not 'interactive," it did make a difference in learning. (Later I was able to get a projector for our class.)

A hindrance to the IWBs is the time it takes to create flip charts. Thankfully, the newest Promethean software is much more intuitive and easier to create interactive lessons. Teachers who are most successful are those in districts where teachers are required to do at least a week of training with other teachers in order to have a board. The collaboration with teachers of like subjects is worth as much as the training. This was obvious in a training I recently attended. Teachers had the boards for a year before getting extensive training. They were thankful for the opportunity for training.

Also, I am not sure we should be overly concerned that every lesson have students coming up to the board to do interactive activities. How is this different from engaging a few students in a classroom using traditional strategies? A few are at the board - the rest sleep - or at least their brains are on pause.

I believe whiteboards are excellent tools to use for formative assessment in classrooms that have ActiveExpression types of devices. These tools allow teachers to check for understanding of all students in the classroom. Every child must answer; therefore, no one can be totally disengaged. I liked the Active Expressions more because they allow the teacher to pose questions that require higher order thinking and more thoughtful answers.

Another strategy available with the newest version pf Promethean software is the ability to use 2 pens simultaneously.

While my comments are somewhat "scattershot" in that they address different aspects of interactive white boards in the classroom, perhaps I can summarize my thoughts in this way. First, is it necessary to throw out all the "old" ways of teaching when an IWB is introduced into the classroom? Must every lesson feature a flip chart and interactive activity at the board? Personally, my answer is, "No." Just as a ruler can serve many purposes, so can an IWB.

The success of the lesson rests in the hands of the teacher. A master teacher takes all the tools available and skillfully uses them to mold students into learners.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Henton on June 25, 2010 at 11:57am

Thanks, Rebecca, for your thoughts and examples. So, let's take the conversation in a slightly different direction: What does effective professional development in the use of digital and/or web-based tools look like? I think this is appropriate regardless of the venue (elementary, middle grades, high school, college, adult ed of any sort). We've all sat through PowerPoint presentations that were abysmal: presenter reads directly from the slide. I can read slides faster than someone can read the content out loud!

So...how do we help teachers, regardless of whom or what they teach, to learn how to use digital tools effectively? Here are some of my random thoughts:
- Give the teachers time to play and explore the particular tool--not with an eye to students, but for themselves, first. Give the teachers a reason to need to play and explore (e.g., a team of teachers has to develop a curriculum or lesson collaboratively; so they do it using Google docs, a wiki, Moodle, or some other appropriate tool).
- Teachers have time to step back and reflect on their own experience with the tool. What did they like? Not like? What was easy to use? What was frustrating?
- Now transition to application to classroom and use with students. Exploration and consideration of how the tool would fit for the classroom.
- Design/develop lessons/activities using the tool. But work in teams or with partners, preferably a "more able peer" (following Vygotsky model).
- Try out the activity. Step back and reflect. Ask the questions: How did this tool strengthen student learning? How do I know that? What is the evidence?
- Engage in conversation with peers, teaching team, professional learning community around these questions.
- Apply that learning to next lesson or activity.

When we teach teachers about the particular tool, we neglect to confirm the premises from which the teachers are already teaching. If the teachers are NOT oriented to teach from the perspective of student need, student interest, student voice, then why should we expect the digital tool to be used otherwise? So, maybe that's one of the places we're making mistakes in professional development around digital and web-based tools. We neglect to start by examining teachers' understanding of their role in the classroom. We neglect to address what it means for a classroom to be student-centered and constructivist.

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Lawson on June 25, 2010 at 11:08pm

Mary, I'd like to address effective professional development for teachers by sharing a couple of experiences.

Last week I was fortunate to be able to participate in two days of Promethean training. (Please forgive me for mentioning this particular product .. it is simply the brand chosen by the two school districts here.)

The trainer was wonderful. He is a former classroom teacher. He prepared his lessons keeping the needs of teachers in the classroom at the forefront of his thinking. He shared challenges he had experienced. He introduced new concepts/tools, etc. Then, gave time for experience with that tool. He welcomed questions from teachers - even if they were on a bit different aspect of the product than those he planned. Best of all he let us know he welcomes our emails and invitations to come work with us in our classrooms. Perhaps the most surprising, he asked us if we thought teachers would be offended if he referred them to materials he is preparing for the district website instead of taking time to re-write the answers to common questions. In other words, he showed tremendous respect for teachers, their needs, and their feelings. (Yes we encouraged him to write once - and refer us to materials available 24-7 instead of wasting his precious time re-doing.)

Since these were short - 1 day - courses, teachers did not have to complete a product. He is offering more in depth classes for those projects.

Mary, you asked about activities teachers should complete during PD. Just as our students are different and have different needs, teachers are the same. Introducing - having some practice activities - then assigning a project is a good progression. However, teachers should have choices of projects. Some teachers want to collaborate on one project. Others want to see several projects that are available to all teachers of that discipline. I believe there should be a choice of working alone or in collaboration with others. One deciding factor is the subjects/grades taught by attendees.

One attitude we should all guard against is "I know it all and don't need to be here." As I tell my students, I have paid good money to attend workshops when I learned only one new thing - however, that one new tool was worth the cost. We can always deepen our understanding, learn to troubleshoot better, etc.

This is the most effective way for learning new tools, I believe.

However, learning to teach differently requires inspiration. Back in the early days when Apple really wanted the education market, they had some of the most inspiring presentations I have ever seen. They made me want to learn to better engage my students using technology. Before teachers will make the effort, they must see success in action. Administrators must also believe students will learn better using constructivist strategies. Without the backing of the administrator, teachers will not be given the freedom to teach differently.

BTW, if teaching differently - creatively - is such a wonderful thing that charter school are founded upon the principal - why not use this strategy in public school?

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Permalink Reply by Angela Crawford on August 28, 2010 at 3:03pm

Just wanted to let you know that I have been reading this exchange and find it interesting. Unfortunately, I have so little technology in my room that I have found it difficult to participate. Thanks,
Angie

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Permalink Reply by Mary Henton on August 30, 2010 at 10:31am

Thank you, Angela. Glad you've found the discussion interesting. What technology do you have access to? Can you and your kids get out on the web from class?

Angela Crawford said:

Just wanted to let you know that I have been reading this exchange and find it interesting. Unfortunately, I have so little technology in my room that I have found it difficult to participate. Thanks,
Angie

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