Technology Issues for Administrators

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Technology Issues for Administrators
They said this computer can do anything! So,
go ahead Stop Billy from sticking peas up his
nose. I dare you!

• A Workshop
• presented by
• Karen Work Richardson

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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!

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Wednesdays Agenda

• Introduction
• The Big Picture
• Personal Reflection
• Technology Standards for Administrators
• Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow
• Technology Use Stages
• Technology Integration Indicators
• Hands-on Activities

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A Little Philosophy

• Hegel and educational technology
• Thesis
• Antithesis
• Synthesis

Oh, great! Shes starting with Hegel?! Well be
here all day!
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How Long Does It Take?
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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
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Jane Healy, Failure to Connect

• Accuses techno-pushers of hysteria then says,
  If you dont limit computer time, dont be
  surprised when he starts to have attention,
  learning, or social problems. (p. 226)

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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 200

Anchor, 1996
9
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.h
tm
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Todd Oppenheimer

• Quotes Stoll Computers in classrooms are the
  filmstrips of the 1990s. We loved them because
  we didnt have to think for an hour, teachers
  loved them because they didnt have to teach, and
  parents loved them because it showed their
  schools were high-tech. But no learning
  happened.

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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?

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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

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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/06
2000/archives/kachala.html
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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
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The Right Question

• What software is being used, how well is it
  matched to the schools 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?

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Its Not Just About Technology

• Check the Apple Unit of Practice Its just a
  good lesson plan with perhaps a little more
  thought to the tools
• http//www.apple.com/education/professionaldevelop
  ment/uop.html

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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 dont 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
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Wall Street JournalHard Lessons

• Computers are a tool, not a subject.
• Kids flourish when everyone has a computer but
  schools arent spending enough to guarantee that.
• Schools cant handle hand-me-downs.
• Computers dont 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
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Issues for Administrators

• Infrastructure
• Network
• Hardware
• Access
• Software
• Personal Productivity

• Implementation
• Policies
• Professional Development
• Integration
• Evaluation
• Program
• Faculty

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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

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Activity Time

• Reviewing and commenting on the Technology
  Standards for Administrators

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

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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

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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

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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

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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-t
ec/publications/lessondoc.html
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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.
• Hows your infrastructure.?
• Gauge your progress.

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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.
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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 pedagogy

More about ACOT http//www.apple.com/education/k1
2/leadership/acot/
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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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David Dwyer and ACOTThe Down Side

• Lots of work to change the system
• Sometimes teachers perceived changes that just
  werent there
• Teaching kids to use the tools took too much time
  away from content

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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

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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
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Tech Integration Indicators Students

• 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

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Classroom/Lab Indicators

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

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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.

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Thursdays Agenda

• Some Statistics
• An Introduction to Rubrics
• An ACOT Rubric
• Creating Surveys
• Examples
• Using the Profiler

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Designing Great Rubrics

• Make a rubric that covers a range of situations
• BUT dont be too general
• AND too much detail can be a problem
• Limit the number of dimensions
• Choose key, easily understood criteria

Adapted from Technology Learning, August 1999
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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
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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?

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Survey Websites

• http//www.edmin.com/
• http//ichat.edmin.com/surveyRegister.cfm?sc5AF47
  F73-6687-11D5-8813009027D22F1C
• http//www.formsite.com
• http//fs7.formsite.com/ivyrun/ivyrunform/index.ht
  ml
• http//profiler.scrtec.org/

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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