The Internet in Education: Making Our Decisions Right

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The Internet in EducationMaking Our Decisions
Right

• Dr. Kyle L. Peck
• Penn State University
• April 24, 2002

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Success comes not from making right
decisions but from making decisions right!
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The Microcomputer...
Seymour Pappert, MIT

• is infinitely plastic. (capable of changing
  from one tool to another).

has several important roles to play most are
supported by research.
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But, educational technologies are tools.
Like other tools

• They can be used well or badly.
• They can be used appropriately or inappropriately
  (or not at all).
• They can save money or cost too much.

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Sherry Turkle (MIT)

• "The possibilities of using this thing poorly so
  outweigh the chance of using it well, it makes
  people like us, who are fundamentally optimistic
  about computers, very reticent."

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There are MANYRight Answers.
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• To Make a Million Dollars

Start with two million dollars
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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Identify a REAL PROBLEM.
• Think with others about how to address the
  problem
• Roles for technology will become apparent.

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Its NOT about the technology!

• Its not about getting X computers in each
  classroom.
• Its not about putting laptops in every students
  hands.
• Its not about automating processes.
• Its not about satisfying parents demands for
  technology in the schools
• ITS ABOUT SOLVING REAL PROBLEMS.

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• What ARE our
• Real Problems?

(People in odd numbered rows, please stand, turn,
and face those behind you to form groups of about
four.)
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• What ARE our
• Real Problems?

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• These are Complicated!

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• No Silver bullets!!!

Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond Columbia University
The changes we need will be holistic (or
systemic).
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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Approach the solution with systems thinking.
• Prepare the Players
• Assess Early and Often
• Adjust based on assessments
• Evaluate after!
• Learn!

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Many Factors Maintain the Status Quo.
Change happens whenmotivation overpowers
resistance.
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Many Factors Maintain the Status Quo.
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• A systemic approach involves identifying and
  modifying variables that are important and
  modifiable.

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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Approach the solution with systems thinking.
• Prepare the Players

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• The Keys to successful Implementation

• Systems Thinking
• One or more Action Plans that covers the
  bases
• Professional development
• Critical Milestones
• Both Technology and Non-Tech Steps

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• The Keys to successful Implementation

• Systems Thinking
• One or more Action Plans that covers the
  bases
• Interest and support that overpower other
  pressing demands
• Assessment
• Redirection
• Perseverance and Patience

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The AECT Project Enhancing Learning Through
Technology
Advancing the Educational Contributions of
Technology
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The AECT Project

• Is a PT3 Catalyst Grant, designed to help
  teacher ed institutions
• Will define what teachers in 37 different
  teaching roles should be able to do and know
  about technology, to improve student learning
• Shows tech skills in context
• Offers tools to help teacher educators
• Offers tools to help preservice and inservice
  teachers

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Tools for Teachers

• Clear Standards for 37 teaching roles
• Required Technology Strategies
• Required Technology Skills
• State Specifications, too
• Technology Accomplishment Inventory
• Goal/Strategy Browser
• Ed Tech Advisors
• Action Planner
• Technology Audits
• Learning Resources
• Technology Certificates

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The AECT Project Enhancing Learning Through
Technology
Advancing the Educational Contributions of
Technology
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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Approach the solution with systems thinking.
• Prepare the Players
• Assess Early and Often

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What Gets Measured Gets Done.
"'What gets measured gets done' is a simple maxim
in school life. And what gets done fills the
school day. Therefore, what states set as
curricular criteria and standards for assessment,
in large measure, determines what and how
teachers teach." "If what gets measured gets
done, then it makes sense that what gets measured
should be an important focus during any change
process. What gets measured establishes the
criteria and standards for what really
counts (Taylor and Bullard, 1995)
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Late one night
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How do you assess something like Teamwork?

• Observe individual students working in
  teams
• Use videotape to capture the session
• Use a rubric to guide your observation
  and to record data
• Use multiple raters to establish reliability
  of scoring (trained parent volunteers?)
• Gather data on multiple occasions
• Look for trends in the data
• Compare trends of control and experimental
  groups

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What IS a Rubric?

• A scoring device used to assess complex
  performances
• Generally consisting of rating categories
  into which responses are classified
• Often encompassing several elements of
  the performance
• An excellent way to develop student
  performance!

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Why Use a Rubric?

• Teachers expectations generally increase as
  they develop a better understanding of the
  performance.
• Student performance generally increases because
  they learn what good performance is.
• Parents develop a better understanding of
  student progress and how to help
• Teachers work harder, but its worth it!

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To Develop a Rubric...
(Set aside about2 hours!)

• Step One List the components or
  elements that comprise the performance.
• Step Two List distinct ratings for each
  element, with descriptors of each.
• Step Three Test the rubric by using it to
  assess student performances.
• Step Four Revise the rubric as experience
  dictates.
• Hint Resist the temptation to use only a
  summary score. Much good information may be lost!

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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Approach the solution with systems thinking.
• Prepare the Players
• Assess Early and Often
• Adjust based on assessments

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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Approach the solution with systems thinking.
• Prepare the Players
• Assess Early and Often
• Adjust based on assessments
• Evaluate after!

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• To Make Decisions Right

• Start with a good decision.
• Approach the solution with systems thinking.
• Prepare the Players
• Assess Early and Often
• Adjust based on assessments
• Evaluate after!
• Learn!

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There are MANYRight Answers.
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Heres one real problem technology can help us
address.
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We dont want this
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We dont want this
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We dont want this
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We dont want this
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We want this!
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One Students Opinion
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• Students are Different!
• But we teach as if there was an average student.

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The Average Student
Chris OChangsteinez, Average Student
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• Change is hard
• but technologies can help.

• Technologies can
• Help students learn in powerful ways
• Help teachers help students
• Help YOU be a more effective leader.

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Will technologies replace teachers?
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Any teacher who can be replaced by
technology should be!
Dr. Paul Welliver
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Will technologies replace teachers?
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• Technologies will not replace teachers,
• but
• teachers who use technologies well will replace
  those who dont.

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Will technologies replace teachers?
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Technologies will re-place teachers.
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Technology can be the
that brings innovationinto your school!
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(No Transcript)
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Great Moments in Evolution
Renaissance v2.0
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Thank you in advance!

• Make the mostof this wonderful opportunity!

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Questions / Comments?

• kpeck_at_psu.edu
• http//aect.org/pt3

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Moores Law

• 1.5 years 2
• 3 years 4
• 4.5 years 8
• 6 years 16
• 7.5 years 32
• 9 years 64
• 10.5 years 128
• 12 years 256
• 13.5 years 512
• 15 years 1,024
• 16.5 years 2,048
• 18 years 4,096
• 19.5 years 8,192

• The power of computing will double every 18
  months.

When todays middle school students reach their
prime...
25 years 131,072 30 years
1,048,576 37.5 years
33,554,432
Their computers will be 33 million times more
powerful!