My 2-cents: Innovative Technologies, Education Reform, Etc.
- My 2-cents:
- Note: My intention in sharing my "2 cents" is not to start or perpetuate a debate, but shed light on what things are like for people who have dedicated their lives to educating young people. This version is in DRAFT form and is in need of editing.
I've worked as a school psychologist in public school settings since the 1980's, in two states, and in several school districts. Teachers are my friends and colleagues, and I care very much about what is happening in education in the U.S. and around the world. Teachers are faced with a multitude of challenges and it seems that positive stories abound, but are rarely shared with the general public.
I started my career when the "A Nation at Risk" report was fueling school reforms across the U.S. Below is an excerpt from the report, written in 1983. How much do the following statements ring true in 2010?
"...These deficiencies come at a time when the demand for highly skilled workers in new fields is accelerating rapidly. For example:- Computers and computer-controlled equipment are penetrating every aspect of our lives--homes, factories, and offices.
- One estimate indicates that by the turn of the century millions of jobs will involve laser technology and robotics.
- Technology is radically transforming a host of other occupations. They include health care, medical science, energy production, food processing, construction, and the building, repair, and maintenance of sophisticated scientific, educational, military, and industrial equipment.
Analysts examining these indicators of student performance and the demands for new skills have made some chilling observations. Educational researcher Paul Hurd concluded at the end of a thorough national survey of student achievement that within the context of the modern scientific revolution, "We are raising a new generation of Americans that is scientifically and technologically illiterate." In a similar vein, John Slaughter, a former Director of the National Science Foundation, warned of "a growing chasm between a small scientific and technological elite and a citizenry ill-informed, indeed uninformed, on issues with a science component."
Yes, part of school reform means that teachers must change what they do, and that our educational systems change what sort of content and skills must be taught. The biggest problem, in from my vantage point, is that our society requires a much larger percentage of students to pursue university degrees, if not more. What was previously known as college prep is now the curriculum "for all".
In an era of web-based Smartphones, Wi-Fi, augmented reality, 3D TV, "smart" wireless sensor networks, and data mining, it is important that school reform efforts include innovative and effective ways to use technology to support the learning of young people. It is equally important that reform efforts explore ways that technology can support the day-to-day work of educators, and with that, support a broader technology-supported ecology of learning and teaching. One change can't happen without the other. For example, to support innovative learning applications and technologies, we must make sure that schools have access to adequate servers and bandwidth to handle the increase demand for multimedia content. There needs to be secure infrastructure in place, especially with the move to "cloud computing" in the not-to-distant future. Also needed are easy to use "smart" applications that can support mobile productivity for both teachers and learners.
Support needs to be in place to handle an increase in communication between home, school, and the community, such as teleconferencing or Skyping and the delivery of "smart" on-line homework tutorials that provide immediate feedback to students. There also is a need for reliable and secure data management systems that support usable, efficient means of data collecting, sharing, analysis, & decision-making... and so much more.
- Educators have become accustomed to bending to forces of "change" from the outside. As I mentioned previously, I started my career during the implementation of reforms generated from "A Nation at Risk". At that point in my life, I was excited about innovation and change for the good, and had faith that if we all worked hard, great things would come forth. Well, after years of working hard through numerous changes, teachers and schools continue to be held in a negative light.
- Over the years, I realized that all forms of educational reforms come with some sort of agenda, and many busy teachers simply do not have time to sort things out before the next wave of new initiatives hits them. Of course, teachers might need to change things up, but that is what they do - and have always done!
Educators must navigate a path that will lead to the benefit of young people - primarily in the areas of learning, development, and preparation for the future. It is often a difficult task. One leg is stuck in the way we've always done things in the schools, and the other stretched out in a leap towards the an unknown, uncharted future: ever-changing and evolving academic standards, "new" learning and teaching strategies, and emerging technologies that have not been thoroughly tried out with real teachers and students in authentic settings or situations.
Despite good intentions, some reformers may not have a deep understanding of what teachers experience day-to-day as they attempt to integrate existing technologies into their practice, let alone emerging technologies and related pedagogical strategies. In my opinion, the "wisdom of experience" of educators is often minimized or ignored by those outside the classroom or schoolhouse who push for seemingly impossible changes. The thoughtful, intelligent ideas of thousands of great educators often go untapped.
I suppose I could write more on this topic, but I don't have the time at the moment. At any rate, there is a need to look at what can be done to effectively bridge the gaps between theory, research, policy, and in-the-trenches, real life practices within our classrooms and educational systems. This is important, because in many regions of the US, school districts will face budget cuts of millions of dollars very soon.
EdGov
Education Week
I have some additional resources related to education and technology research and school reform that I'll post at a later date.
