Technology and School

The other day I was talking to a fellow head of school. While we focused on a number of mundane issues and concerns that all heads of school face, our conversation eventually focused on what we envisioned were the “really big issues” facing schools in the coming years.

We settled on three: the challenge of allocating the precious resource of time in a school day with so much expected of schools; the economic sustainability of private-independent schools; and the proper utilization of technology in schools.

The subject of this blog is utilization of technology. (I’ll focus on the other two in subsequent blogs.)

It is difficult to read articles in educational journals (and even more mainstream newspapers and magazines) without finding articles lauding or damning technology in schools.

A recent Pew Research survey revealed that technology experts are equally divided on whether technology will positively or negatively affect students in school: 55% believe technology will be a boon while 45% feel technology will have deleterious effects on student performance.

That same survey revealed that 95% of teens (ages 12-17) are frequently online, 76% use social networking sites, and 77% have cell phones.

(As an FYI, I recently read an article that stated that there are more cell phones in America than people.)

For those who view technology in schools as a negative, the most common complaints are that technology leads to increased laziness in students, especially in terms of higher-order thinking skills; a weakness in being able to provide detail to support their opinions/answers/etc; an inability to access the credibility and accuracy of information; and difficulty focusing on one-task for a sustained period of time.

Those who are bullish on technology focus on how it helps students learn to multitask, to connect with people beyond the school and local community, to become not just consumers but producers of information, to be more self-directed, and to be more inclined to collaborate (and open to peer feedback).

Harvard education professor, Chris Dede, refers to technology, specifically the use of mobile devices—like cell phones, laptops, and iPads—as a “sea change in the educational landscape.”

Schools are beginning to adjust to the changes in technology. Among others, elementary students now use iPad apps to learn to read and to move to and from an analog and clockface (Clockmaster), English classes are experimenting with e-novels, teachers use instant polls in class to assess student understanding and Twitter for writing assignments and Pinterest for group projects.

Nevertheless, experts warn that for schools to truly embrace and to best utilize technology, they need to change the how (pedagogy) they teach—and right now, this is not happening in most schools.

Many teachers (myself included) are using technology to teach in the same old way. Until publishers add more links and interactive resources, e-textbooks are nothing more than a digital version of an old textbook.

Using mobile devices can help students personalize their learning. Features on a laptop, smart phone, or iPad give students many more options in terms of acquiring information/knowledge and demonstrating understanding; however, teachers and parents need to move from a mindset of linear, identical learning to a freer one where students have more latitude—and ownership—of what they’re learning and how they prove their understanding.

A recent article I read explained how high school students in Louisiana researched historical sites in their town and then created a walking tour with the information accessed through QR codes. This is an example authentic assessment via technology.

Alvin Toffler has written that we now live in a world of constant change and that a vital skill all of us must develop is the ability to "learn, unlearn, and relearn."

Technology is a “brave new world” for teachers, but I put myself in the 55% that see the benefits of technology in the classroom. The daunting task for schools and teachers is to let go of our “tried and true” classrooms practices.