Tech-filled classrooms: What exactly are we trying to accomplish?

3 January 2012 1,428 views No Comment

Chuck Dietrich, CEO of SlideRocket, wrote this article on the effectiveness of digital classrooms, where he argues that perhaps the current debate is not framed correctly. I think he makes some excellent points, most importantly about deciding what we really should be evaluating. I’ve read a number of articles lately about school districts that have spent a lot to buy technology for their schools, yet their test scores are not going up at all. The conclusion of these article tends to be that therefore technology does not necessarily improve learning; something that anyone who works with technology in learning already knows – it’s not the presence of technology that’s important, it’s how you use the tool.

What bugs me is that there is no discussion of how technology is being used, if teachers are receiving appropriate training, if teachers feel they have support when they need it to get help with the technology, etc.

Another thing I find funny is that we are basing “quality of learning” by standardized test scores – because at least right now it’s the only way we know of to objectively compare learning across schools and across districts. However, standardized tests measure one type of learning, and much of the push to use technology has been surrounding the desire to improve another type of learning completely – reflective thinking, problem solving, deeper learning. So, tests that measure rote learning show that a tool that isn’t meant to improve rote learning DOESN’T improve rote learning??? Why, exactly are we shocked by that?

I agree that with all the money being spent on technology, schools need some way to justify it and that just isn’t easy right now given the assessment tools we have. However, the public isn’t reading thoughtful, research-based journal articles, they’re reading alarmist newspaper articles like the ones I’ve mentioned and the question is what message is getting out there. Technology in schools is still very new and we’re working out the kinks – and there’s a lot we still don’t know. That’s an OK message too!

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4nitsirk/


Elisa teaches online professional development courses for teachers at teachertechtraining.com.
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