The Power of Computers

1
The Power of Computers

• Changing the Way Teachers Engage Students
• by
• Heather Schilling
• EDTEC 670 Dr. Mullen
• 22 July 2005

2
Background Issues

• Schools acknowledge importance of computers in
  classrooms nearly 100 have Internet access
• Only a handful of educators fully integrate
  computers
• Most use computers as glorified typewriters (Rod
  Paige, Jan 2005)
• Megachanges are occurring all around, but the
  process of teaching has not changed substantially
  over the past 100 years (Ferguson)

3
Obstacles to Full Integration

• Time
• Lack of dialogue about learning processes
  computers can open this dialogue
• No Child Left Behind accountability
  everything must be scientifically researched
  difficulty in distinguishing impact of computers
  on student learning
• Rod Paige consulted 200,000 children to
  create the National Education Technology Plan

4
Key Elements Shaping Computer Use

• International Society for Technology in Education
  has created National Educational Technology
  Standards
• Create important guidelines, profiles, and
  standards for technologically prepared teachers
  and students
• Major implications for teacher prep programs

5
The Focus

• Society sees the importance of computers
• Major focus must be on the teaching philosophy of
  educators
• Look to Constructivism -

6
Atticus High School Revisited

• Rural high school of 548 students in grades 9 12
• Large amount of money spent on computers
• Specific technology plan in place
• Only a small handful use computers in the fullest
  extent
• How can Atticus encourage more of its teachers to
  approach teaching like Mr. Clark?

7
Seymour Papert

• The Childrens Machine Rethinking School in the
  Age of the Computer (1993)
• Avoids term constructivism hasnt been
  successful in transforming education
• Uses term constructionism and mathetics
• Constructionism connotation of construction
  set
• Mathetics from Greek family of to learn
  represents the essence of learning

8
Paperts Criticism

• Traditional, hierarchical schools smother teacher
  creativity and enthusiasm
• We have failed to truly transform the paradigm of
  how we approach learning

9
Teacher Preparation Programs

• Oswego State University New York
• Goals 2000 Preservice Tehcnology Infusion Project
• Integration of technology into teacher prep
  program- collaboration between public school
  teachers, college professors, and future teachers
• Between 1st and 2nd years instructional methods
  of technology rose from 15.9 to 68.9

10
What we learn from Oswego

• Preservice teachers want more technology infusion
• Teacher educators and content methods teachers
  must model this
• Preservice teachers transformed their view of
  their role as teachers from dispenser to
  facilitator

11
Supporting Veteran Teachers

• Provide adequate training
• Teachers must be allowed to learn and play with
  the technology at least 35-50 hours before it
  becomes
• Paradigm shift
• Papert (1993) says School does not have in its
  institutional mind that teachers have a creative
  role (p. 70)
• That is untrue examples from Paperts writing
  and Atticus High School
• Move away from hierarchical model of schools

12
Supporting Veteran Teachers continued

• Allow small groups of teachers to collaborate and
  create their own learning environment within a
  school small school
• Opportunities to discuss and collaborate
  develop the sense that taking instructional
  risks and trying some alternative ways of
  instruction is acceptable and encouraged
  (Goldman and others, 1999, p. 33)

13
Conclusions

• Computers have the possibility to transform how
  we teach and how we learn
• We must step away from the current paradigm that
  binds us
• We must embrace a constructivist or
  constructionist approach to teaching
• Teacher prep programs and administration is key
  in helping promote this philosophy of teaching
• Standardized testing is here move on!