A Teacher’s Thoughts

When I speak with teachers about integrating technology into their classroom for a unit I ask “what do you want your students to do?” The answer invariably consists of a description of some product that computers (software really) can create with relative ease. The list is standard, including Powerpoints, Moviemaker movies, and web pages (static and generally laid out in Word or Powerpoint). Certainly I have done this myself and even with a more tech-savvy approach through creation of a wiki that focused on end product. Using technology to create end products of learning often stands in the way of true integration. While snazzy end products may boost motivation for some students and sell well among some audiences what do they say about learning that can’t be said by other, less expensive means?

So why is the focus on end product?

Assessment is a major driving force in the planning and actions of teachers. The two most common forms of assessment I see are criteria referenced tests and rubric based products. In either case the endpoint is clear to both the student and the teacher; this is what will be graded. The continual pressure placed on educators to provide data about student achievement embeds this idea deeply within our assessment routines.
Limited computer access and new processes
A recent forum thread on classroom20 has listed obstacles to true integration. In my school most teachers are faced with limited computer access in their classrooms. We still have a lab which tends to be booked out months in advance and then isn’t always used. We have added a wireless mobile cart with 10 machines but many teachers say there aren’t enough to do a project (want one-to-one) and my students have lost valuable class time troubleshooting the wireless network. All classrooms have from 1-6 working computers. The time required to make the transition to integration can be huge. Teachers, good teachers, still fall into the trap. It is too easy to do the “WebPoint” (info from web processed into PowerPoint) unit plan.

Focus on learning

A post by Steve Hargadon sent me to a paper by Gary Stager with the following quote “the dominance of Office applications in schools places a disproportionate emphasis on using computers to get “work” done, versus using computers to learn.” The final product is too late. Most learning we hope for should have happened by then. This is why the development of web 2.0 tools can change things. As collaborative tools these programs can be used during the learning stages of any unit. So long as the focus doesn’t drift back to the end product and the students are taught to collaborate, these techniques have good potential. Many teachers have learned to move away from the front of the room, devise lesson plans appealing to varied learning styles and to use varied instructional techniques to meet the many needs of students through differentiation. Used in conjunction with student-centered, project-based learning, web 2.0 tools such as wikis and blogs should fit right in with these other methods.