Critical Issues for Student Achievement Using TechnologyAchievement Using Technology

Action Plan for perhaps in different ways  Develop learning experiences that engage the learners  Make powerful leaning tools available to ALL students... Learning Environment To Pro

Critical Issues for Student Achievement Using Technology

Action Plan

for Ourtown Area School District

Dr Kyle L Peck, Superintendent

7/24/00

Good evening!! Thanks for Coming!

We appreciate your willingness to invest time with us tonight!

• Business Leaders

• Civic Leaders

• Educational Leaders

–School Board–Teachers Association–Colleges and Universities

• Involved members of the Community

 To open a crucial discussion about the

contributions learning technologies can make in this district

 To summarize my thoughts on the

subject and to invite you to share yours

 To outline first steps we might take in this important direction

 To urge you to make the wise use of

technologies a district priority.

Are what we are all about!

All learn in the same way

(Or do they?)

Modern Thinking about Learning

 Suggests that learning is the process of connecting new inputs with existing

knowledge.

 Proposes that knowledge is

“constructed,” not “transferred.”

 Tells us that our job is to make powerful things happen in student’s minds, where they will “make sense” and learn

unforgettable things.

How does learning happen?

How does learning happen?

How does learning happen?

Stimuli

Stimuli

How does learning happen?

Stimuli

Stimuli

Filtering

How does learning happen?

Short-term Memory

How does learning happen?

Short-term Memory

How does learning happen?

Short-term Memory

You may not actually

“forget” something, but you

might not be able to

“remember” it either.

We remember things that

are “richly connected.”

“Schema Theory”

Dog

“Schema Theory”

Dog Soft

Cute Friend

“Nikki”

Walks in the woods

Vet Bills

“Schema Theory”

Dog Soft

Cute Friend

“Nikki”

Walks in the woods

Bites!

Barks!

Smells!

Sniffs visitors!

Vet Bills

“Schema Theory”

Dog Soft

Cute Friend

“Nikki”

Walks in the woods

Bites!

Barks!

Smells!

Sniffs visitors!

Carpet

“Shag”

“Ber Ber” Expensive

Vet Bills

Active, “hands-on”

experience promotes memorable learning.

“Doing” is better than

watching.

• Attributes Critical to their Success in

and AFTER school

• Levels of Parental Support

• Family’s Socioeconomic Level ($)

• What they need from our schools.

Action Plan for

perhaps in different ways

 Develop learning experiences that

engage the learners

 Make powerful leaning tools available to ALL students.

Learning Environment

 To Promote Lasting Learning…

• Students typically work in cooperative

groups rather than individually

• Students focus on projects that require

solutions to problems

• Teachers arrange for required resources

and act as a guide to students while they set their own goals and 'teach themselves'.

(Roblyer, Edwards, and Havriluk, 1997, p 70)

Action Plan for

Learning Environment

 Shift the emphasis from “teaching” to

“learning”

 Change the culture to promote

collaboration rather than competition

 Provide the longer blocks of time that project-based learning will require

 Provide rich learning resources to

support student inquiry

Professional Competency

 Although we are “student centered ”

the TEACHER is the most

important person in the

Professional Competency

 The new academic standards:

• challenge teachers’ to move students

to high-level performance

• will force changes in assessment for

which teachers are not prepared and

do not have time

 Technologies can help, but

 Few teachers are ready to use powerful new learning tools well.

Action Plan for

Professional Competency

 Identify what teachers of each subject

and level need to know about modern

technologies (It’s “ROLE-SPECIFIC”!)

 Provide opportunities for teachers to gain skill with the identified technologies.

 Show that technological skill is valued.

 Make technologies available to teachers who are ready to use them well.

 Encourage teachers to use tech skill for professional development.

Today’s Technologies

 Are magnificent tools with great potential.

 Tools are designed to solve problems.

 Tools perform best in the hands of a

The Microcomputer

 …is “infinitely plastic.”

(Capable of changing from

one tool to another).

Seymour Pappert,

MIT

 … has several important roles to play

 … most are supported by research.

Good Research Summaries

1) Computers and Classrooms: The Status of

Technology in U.S Schools (See Chapters 3 and 6) 2) The Impact of Education Technology on Student

Achievement: What the Most Current Research Has

to Say (Milken Family Foundation)

3) President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology, Panel on Educational Technology

(PCAST)

4) Background Paper for the Expert Panel on

Educational Technology August 31, 1998 (see Part III "Lessons Learned from Previous Projects")

5) Major Research Studies on Educational

Technology (Milken Family Foundation)

Research on Instructional Use

 “Meta-analysis”

• Combines the results of many studies

to draw summary conclusions

 About a dozen meta-analyses have been conducted, and all found in favor of

Research on Instructional Use

After using tutorial and drill and practice programs:

(In all subjects, at all levels)

All of this depends,

of course, on professional development and teacher “buy in.”

Research on Complex Technology Use

 It is difficult (perhaps impossible?) to separate the contributions of the technology from other variables.

 Technologies are often part of an instructional system designed to produce results that are hard to measure.

According to the Rand Corporation… (1)

“… the ‘more cognitive’ applications of technology are more difficult to evaluate the research data are less extensive, the data that exist are harder to organize, and new

evaluation designs are often needed These more cognitive applications can engage

students in more authentic tasks, often with other students, using computer network

software and databases that are intended not only to improve subject matter learning but to develop skills in cooperation, communication, and problem solving.”

Some Studies Report that

Complex Tech Use Produces:

metacognition, writing, components of IQ, transfer to novel tasks,

& GPA

Don’t ask

“Which is better, this use of

computers, or that use?”

Action Plan for

Technology Capacity

 Identify real problems (goals)

 Investigate technology’s ability to meet

these identified needs

 Conduct cost/benefit analyses,

(understanding that this will be frustrating)

 Acquire technologies that are justifiable, in quantities we believe are necessary

 Develop mindset and budget that

recognizes and plans for replacement of justifiable technologies.

• If you had one tablespoon of

jelly, and 200 slices of bread…

• “Equity” doesn’t mean giving all teachers the same access to

technology.

• It means giving all students

equal access to powerful uses.

Action Plan for

Technology Capacity (continued)

Committee (and use it well)

Other Agencies

System Capacity

 What will it take to support the

effective use of technology?

• A Culture of “Systemic Thinking”

• A “Learning Organization”

• Lots of Professional Development

• A Spirit of Cooperation

Action Plan for

Systems Capacity

 Ask for mentoring from the most

innovative corporations in the area

 Listen to and ACT ON what they say

 Ask for help from the Teachers’

Association

 Fund Professional Development

 Develop a plan to keep and attract systems thinkers!

• Computer Labs open to the Public

• Other ways to help?

 We Can Benefit From Others

• Involve Professionals in Learning

• Develop “Advocates” for Students

Action Plan for

Community Connections

 Talk with the Chamber of Commerce about our renewed commitment to

technology

 Add Team Players with strong Tech

knowledge to Tech Advisory committee

 Listen to them and use their time well

 Develop a plan to use Technology to Serve the Community

 Implement the Plan!

 Is important…

• To prove that technology investments

are sound

• To avert a potential backlash against

schools based on:

students well

• To assess the impact of innovations

Action Plan for Accountability

 Identify Priorities

 Set Measurable Goals

 Develop Strategies to Reach Goals

 I don’t have all the answers.

 (I don’t even know all of the questions!)

 I know that good decisions about

technology will benefit our students and this community.

 I know that bad decisions will hurt both.

 I know that no action is a bad decision.

 I’m asking for this because I believe

 Cognitive strength and highly developed attributes are important contributors to success in life.

 That’s why we’re here!

Thanks for coming!!

 If you’d like to help us put these powerful technologies to work responsibly for our students, send me a note at:

kylepeck@oasd.pa.k12.us

Welcome to the TLA!

 Thanks for coming!

 This week will be DIFFERENT!

 Because of what we know about learning…

• You will be DOING!

• You will be Collaborating!

• We will be Coaching.

Your Assignment for the Week

 Develop a presentation that you can use

AS A TECHNOLOGY LEADER

to move YOUR DISTRICT

toward the EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.

We have assembled

 Templates to guide you

 Resources to inform you

 Speakers to inspire, inform & entertain you

 Facilitators to support you

 GREAT COLLABORATORS to think with you.

The Rest, Is Up To You!

 You will gain from this Academy based

 Attend sessions from which you will

benefit (and which you will enjoy) and

use any spare time to develop your

presentation.

Your “Final Exam”

 You will have a short opportunity to

present your presentation to a small

group of your peers.

 If you do not use this time well, I will

personally send you a virus that will

destroy the contents of your new laptop, and send profane messages from you

to your school board members.

HAVE FUN!

(You deserve it!)