Technology Issues for Administrators

A Workshop presented by Karen Work Richardson

They said this computer can do anything! So, go ahead:

Stop Billy from sticking peas up his nose.I dare you!

Web Resources

Links for this workshop and lots of other educational website can be found at My Backflip:

http://www.backflip.com/members/witchyrichy

Have Fun!

Wednesday’s Agenda

Introduction The Big Picture Personal Reflection Technology Standards for Administrators

Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow Technology Use Stages Technology Integration Indicators Hands-on Activities

A Little Philosophy…

Hegel and educational technology Thesis Antithesis Synthesis

Oh, great! She’s starting with Hegel?!

We’ll be here all day!

How Long Does It Take?Number of Years to Reach 25% of Households

7

16

2226

35

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Internet PCs Radio Television Telephone

Years

Years

Jane Healy, Failure to Connect

Blames technology for bad pedagogy and poor parenting

Dismisses most positive research as sponsored by computer corporations or conducted by consultants (p. 22) then quotes a study sponsored by music educators: “Although one might wish for a more objective funding source, the results have been provocative.” (p. 230)

Simon and Schuster, 1998

Jane Healy, Failure to Connect

Accuses techno-pushers of “hysteria” then says, “If you don’t limit computer time, don’t be surprised when he starts to have attention, learning, or social problems.” (p. 226)

Clifford Stoll

Silicon Snake Oil and High Tech Heretic

Seems to advocate no computers in classrooms

Most famous quote: “No computer can teach what a walk through a pine forest feels like. Sensation has no substitute.” (p. 138)

Thinks field trips cost $100 or $200Anchor, 1996

Todd Oppenheimer

“The Computer Delusion,” Atlantic Monthly, July 1997

Suggests that schools are buying computers at the expense of other programs

Questions the need to teach computer skills

http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jul/computer.htm

Todd Oppenheimer

Quotes Stoll: “Computers in classrooms are the filmstrips of the 1990s. We loved them because we didn’t have to think for an hour, teachers loved them because they didn’t have to teach, and parents loved them because it showed their schools were high-tech. But no learning happened.”

Points to Ponder

What are your reservations about technology in education?

What role does technology have in education?

How comfortable are you with technology?

What successful examples of technology integration have you witnessed?

Answering the Critics

Research is slim but getting better Tends to focus on case studies and

narratives of successful programs by motivated teachers and administrators

Plenty of horror stories Check here for a presentation about

research into educational technology: http://www.wmburgweb.com/Resources/Presentations/justify2.html

Jay Sivin-Kachala Vice President of Interactive Educational Systems

Design (IESD), Inc., an educational technology consulting firm in New York City

Conducts research in the field of educational technology

Provides a variety of consulting services related to the development and evaluation of educational software and multimedia products

Develops print materials that supplement educational software

Trains educators in the use of technology

http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/062000/archives/kachala.html

Evaluating Technology Integration…

Is all about asking the right questions.

Which is better technology or no technology? (too broad)

Under what conditions is technology valuable?

Do Computers Make Kids Smarter?

Why Computers Make Bad Teachers

The Right Question

What software is being used, how well is it matched to the school’s curriculum objects, how well is it matched to the needs and learning characteristics of the students, and what role is the teacher playing before, during, and after its use?

It’s Not Just About Technology

Check the Apple “Unit of Practice”: It’s just a good lesson plan with perhaps a little more thought to the tools:

http://www.apple.com/education/professionaldevelopment/uop.html

Wall Street JournalHard Lessons

Computer labs are lousy places for computers.

Struggling students get more out of computers than average or above-average students.

Most teachers still don’t know how to use computers in class.

School systems must plan computer use carefully.

Wall Street Journal Interactive, Technology & Education: What Have We Learned? Nov. 20, 1997

Wall Street JournalHard Lessons

Computers are a tool, not a subject. Kids flourish when everyone has a

computer but schools aren’t spending enough to guarantee that.

Schools can’t handle hand-me-downs. Computers don’t diminish traditional

skills. The Internet and email excite kids by

giving them an audience. Kids love computers.Wall Street Journal Interactive, Technology & Education: What Have We Learned? Nov. 20, 1997

Issues for Administrators

Infrastructure Network Hardware Access Software

Personal Productivity

Implementation Policies Professional

Development Integration

Evaluation Program Faculty

Technology Standards for Administrators

Leadership and Vision

Learning and Teaching

Productivity and Professional Practice

Support, Management and Operations

Assessment and Evaluation

Social, Legal and Ethical Issues

Activity Time

Reviewing and commenting on the Technology Standards for Administrators

http://cnets.iste.org/tssa/framework.html

Points to Ponder

What is your personal vision of technology integration? How is technology being used

In the classroom In the computer lab To facilitate communication To contribute to professional growth

Larry Cuban

“Computer Meets Classroom: Classroom Wins,” Teachers College Record, Winter 1993

Technology historian Begins with the question: “Why is electronic

technology used far less on a daily basis in classrooms than in other organizations?”

Only recently has technology been part of education reform rhetoric

Larry Cuban: 3 Scenarios

Technophile: Electronic Schools of the Future Now

Preservationist: Maintaining While Improving Schooling

Cautious Optimist: Slow Growth of Hybrid Schools and Classrooms

Points to Ponder

Where is your school right now? How is technology being used

In the classroom In the computer lab To facilitate communications To contribute to professional growth

SEIR-TEC Lessons

• The Southeast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium

• Three years, 14 resource-poor schools• Spent 3 to 4 days a month in each school

Read more about the lessons on-line:

Factors that Affect the Effective Use of Technology for Teaching and Learning: http://www.serve.org/seir-tec/publications/lessondoc.html

SEIR-TEC Lessons

• Leadership is key.• Have a plan.• Be patient.• Be realistic about

actual use.• Think beyond

technology to instruction.

• Get tech support and pedagogical help.

• Different populations have different needs and access issues.

• How’s your infrastructure.?

• Gauge your progress.

On Integrating Technology

Visit The George Lucas Educational Foundation for high quality materials related to the best use of technology in education. The website includes articles, interviews and other resources.

Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow

Begun in 1985 as a research program on impact of interactive technologies on teaching and learning

Provided students and teachers an Apple computer at home and school

Provision of technology access Site freedom to develop technology-

supported curriculum and pedagogyMore about ACOT: http://www.apple.com/education/k12/leadership/acot/

ACOTEvaluation

Conducted a series of evaluations at five original sites from 1987 to 1990

Had to constantly find new ways to evaluate outcomes based on up close observation of sites

“Formative evaluation” evolutionary character

ACOT Triangulation

Assess progress based on a range of measures and multiple benchmarks

Compared students’ basic skills performance to nationally reported norms

Comparison of student progress and achievement over time

Comparison of ACOT classrooms with demographically similar classrooms

Gathering data on classroom practices and parents’ background

The Importance of ACOT

The findings about ACOT were less important than the questions it raised about evaluation and current assessment methods

Had a positive impact on student attitudes

Contributed to changing teaching practices

The Inconclusions of ACOT

On standardized tests, ACOT students did not perform any better than comparison groups or nationally reported norms who did not have access to computers or the teaching and learning reforms implemented in ACOT schools

David Dwyer and ACOT

Memphis Schools found significant gains in mathematics and language arts basic skills

30% is the magic number: takes 30% less time to learn the same things with help from the computer

And 30% of your budget should be for training

Most remarkable improvement was in writing fluency

Read an interview with Dwyer and other technology leaders at Technology & Learning Magazine

David Dwyer and ACOT

Points to the importance of instruction as an element in increasing writing skills

Admits that the flaw with ACOT is that participation was voluntary

Dramatic results 90% went to college (15% for school) Dropout rate was 0% (30% for school) Better attendance

David Dwyer and ACOT

Emphasizes need for staff development

Teachers are trained as teams Develops collegiality Encourages them to learn from and

help each other

David Dwyer and ACOTThe Down Side

Lots of work to change the system Sometimes teachers perceived

changes that just weren’t there… Teaching kids to use the tools took

too much time away from content

David Dwyer and ACOTImpact of Technology Over Time Adoption Stage

Struggles May revert to

traditional methods Adaptation Stage

Clear goals lead to improvements

Less use of content software and more of tools

Appropriation Stage Comfortable enough

to forget the technology

Changed to “constructivist” methods

Innovation Stage Opened up

instructionally Project-based

learning

Tech Integration Indicators: Teachers

Accomplishes goals through technology use

Computer activities are a natural part of the curriculum

A routine or system of use is evident A variety of software is in use Teacher uses computer comfortably

Adapted from Technology Enriched Administrators, Virginia Department of Education, Division of Technology

Can explain what they are doing and why they are doing it

Collaborative, inquiry, discovery learning

Enthusiastic Exhibit basic computer skills On task Understand classroom routine

Tech Integration Indicators: Students

Classroom/Lab Indicators

Room arrangement Rotation assignments Supplies are accessible Place for whole group instruction Tip sheet and manuals are

available

Hands-on Activities

Explore the Principal Connection CD

Browse the Curriculum Snapshots collection of best practices

Learn more about the Levels of Technology framework (LoTi) and take an online survey.

Thursday’s Agenda

Some Statistics An Introduction to Rubrics An ACOT Rubric Creating Surveys

Examples Using the Profiler

Designing Great Rubrics

Make a rubric that covers a range of situations

BUT don’t be too general AND too much detail can be a

problem Limit the number of dimensions Choose key, easily understood

criteriaAdapted from Technology & Learning, August 1999

Designing Great Rubrics

Use measurable criteria Choose clear descriptors Use four levels Keep the distance between levels

equal Include those who will be evaluated

in the creation of the rubric

Adapted from Technology & Learning, August 1999

Activity

Review the ACOT Rubric Where do your faculty members

fit? Where do you fit? Would this be a beneficial tool to

review with your faculty?

Survey Websites

http://www.edmin.com/ http://ichat.edmin.com/surveyRegister.cfm

?sc=5AF47F73-6687-11D5-8813009027D22F1C

http://www.formsite.com http://fs7.formsite.com/ivyrun/ivyrunform

/index.html http://profiler.scrtec.org/

Survey Design Tips

Know your purpose Keep them reasonably short Make questions as specific as possible Try to avoid interpretation Give some space for personal comment for

each question if possible Visit this site for details about surveys:

http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/RPT/FACULTY/jconfer/LEI4880/SurveyDesign.htm