Are we asking the right questions?
Back in 1998, Ted Koppel from ABC Nightline asked Linda Roberts, at that time the Director of the DOE’s Office of Educational Technology, “How do we know that kids and teachers are better off for it?” (referring to all the money spent on educational technology.)
I was reading an article entitled A Project-Based Approach to Assessing Technology by Becker and Lovitts. Their premise is that Koppel’s question is a valid one, but that we haven’t done much with educational technology research in order to answer it. Determining the effectiveness of technology is complex: it is dependent on many variables such as pedagogical approach; convenience, density and quality of the technology and software available; and teachers’ and students’ technical expertise.
So are we asking the wrong questions? Does our research focus too much on computer-specific competencies and the effects “of computers” rather than the effects “with computer?” Do we need to measure different outcomes when we ask the question: How do we know that kids are better for it?
In their article they propose a model that, with more thought, they believe can address the question of how students benefit from the use of technology. My thinking on this is still developing. I just wanted to get some framework down, and post more on this tomorrow.
Next entry: Some other questions to ask...
Previous entry: Cyberguides