The Puzzle
Where does technology fit into the school reform puzzle? In The Learning Return on Our Educational Investment, Ringstaff and Kelley review research and come to the conclusion that technology is one piece of the puzzle. Initially I treated this conclusion with some skepticism. Too many districts look at technology as an add-on piece in a reform effort that is encumbered with initiative after initiative. My thinking has always been that technology cannot be yet another isolated initiative. Part of the reason we get nowhere where educational reform is concerned is that we have too many initiatives to make sense of any of them.
I believe that technology needs to be integrated into the reform process the way we want it integrated into the curriculum. It’s not an add-on, but rather can be used with other reform efforts such as brain-based learning, Understanding by Design, and Framework for Teaching.
As I read the article further, I discovered that Ringstaff and Kelley believe the same. There analysis of the research indicated that technology, in conjunction with other initiatives, is far more powerful than when it is implemented in isolation. For example, in the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow study (ACOT), the use of cooperative learning environments enhanced the integration of technology. Student achievement was attributed to the technology and the use of cooperative learning - two initiatives working in conjunction. Other initiative, such as the three mentioned earlier, can be enhanced by the integration of technology.
Many initiatives in our schools attempt to foster a constructivist learning environment - one that is learner-centered, interactive, collaborative, focused on inquiry and developing deeper understandings of knowledge. Technology fits best with this style of delivery. It therefore is easy to think of technology working in tandem with school reform issues that endeavor to move teachers toward a more constructivist learning environment.
We must be careful not to think of technology as an add-on. It is a powerful tool that can be a catalyst for a shift toward a more student-centered learning environment. It is just one piece of the puzzle, but a very important one.
Next entry: A specific piece of the puzzle...
Previous entry: eSchool News