Former NC Governor's Education Technology Effort

According to this article, there seem to be efforts in our own state to improve the use of technology in education. Former North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue seems to have taken it upon herself to increase the amount of technology used in the state's classrooms.

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Perdue is a former teacher herself. She obviously seems to value the importance of a good education and recognizes the need for technological advances to be present in the school system. Perdue was involved in the creation of North Carolina Virtual Public Schools during her time in office. She is now hoping to increase the work of her company, DigiLearn. While the article does not detail how she will attempt to add technology into our schools, her program seems quite hopeful as it received grants from the Carnegie Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I will make sure to keep track of Perdue's efforts and update on this blog if I read more about it!

$2 Billion in Technology for NY Schools?

Over the weekend, I found an interesting article about a promise for technology upgrades in New York Schools. The article can be found here. Education Week's article discusses New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal to bring $2 billion dollars worth of new technology to the schools in his state.

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There were two parts of his initiative that I found quite promising. The first part was that he wanted the money to help lessen the technological gap that exists between schools in richer and poorer areas of the state. I am glad that he is trying to give equal opportunities to the children, no matter where they are from or what school district they are in. 

I was also very pleased with the goals that he had set for the initiative. The goals included "increased communication between parents and teachers, increased access for teacher training, and improved skills for students to enter the current labor market." I think that increased communication with parents and teachers could be facilitated not only by teacher access to e-mail, but also the teacher's ability to have a class website to display classroom news. Teacher training could also be facilitated through technology with the use of computer based teaching. Finally, the presence of technology in today's work environment is undeniable. Students should leave school feeling comfortable with and well-versed in such technology in order to be a valuable resource for future employers.

I was very impressed with the proposal by Cuomo. Hopefully he will follow through on such a promise.

Reflecting on What I Know - Chapter 3

It is obvious to anyone living in the present time that technology is constantly changing and evolving. As a case in point, the textbook does not make note of tablets as a technological device. Tablets seem to be very widely used in classrooms today; yet there is no mention of them from a textbook that was most recently updated less than four years ago in 2010. Still, as quickly as technology tools are updating and changing, it is important to learn about them.

The computer, for example, seems to be a mainstay in the technological world. The majority of people have learned how to use and operate computers on a regular basis. The skills that are used to operate computers can be easily transferred to learn how to operate other devices like tablets and mobile devices. It might be difficult to initially learn how to use a computer. But after that skill is accomplished, other technological tools are more easily mastered. Another reason why it is important to constantly learn about additional technology tools is because they can enhance the use of existing technology. Different forms of peripherals and data storage complement computers in a specific manner.

While desktop computers and mobile devices often complete the same actions, teachers should utilize both in the classrooms for various reasons. Desktops are an excellent way of sharing items on a computer with a large group because of the large screen size. Mobile devices usually have smaller displays and can be utilized by students working individually. District Administration points out that, unlike mobile devices, desktop computers can run a variety of software and programs that are used in the classroom. Desktop computers are obviously very immobile and stationary due to their weight and size. It is simply awkward, and often impossible, to constantly move a desktop computer. Conversely, mobile devices are usually quite portable, making it easier for students to use them around the classroom and in small group settings.  There are clearly pros and cons to each type of device. Using both types together in integration in the classroom would very much benefit the teacher.

Often a subject of heated debate, the cost of digital devices can be justified by their impact on the performance of students. NCREL's Pathways to School Improvement website highlights in the section entitled "Research" specific examples of how technology has affected student performance. Digital devices not only improve the performance of the student, but also help and improve the performance of the teacher. This makes digital devices worthwhile and justifiable in cost.

Reflecting on What I Know - Chapter 1

According to the textbook, inquiry-based learning approaches have been implemented in the classroom for a good amount of time. While it is a good method because it allows students to create new knowledge, it should not be the sole learning approach that a teacher should use. There are other methods that integrate computers that would work well in collaboration with the inquiry-based method. For example, problem-based learning allows students to seek out the information themselves. Technology like computers would be a great method for students to find such information. Also, project-based learning prescribes that students follow a step-by-step process given by the teacher. Computers would also be useful with this method because it often involves calculating and charting.

Tutorials and drill-and-practice software still have a place in the classroom even though it seems they are not preferred. Tutorials and drill-and-practice can be effective if used in the proper manner by the teacher. According to the Online Learning Center of Saskatoon Public Schools, these types of software are good for the beginning learner. The textbook also recognizes that drill-and-and practice software works well when it provides background skills needed to solve a larger problem at hand.

It does seem that creating proper technologically integrated units of instruction will take a good amount of time to complete. However, it is made easier by following models like NTEQ. According to the textbook, NTeQ is "easy-to-follow," which should help the lesson planning process along. The texbook also notes that once created, these units of instruction can be re-formatted and re-used to fit future projects that students may work on. It seems as though the internet would also be a good resource to find units of instruction posted by other teachers that they have found to be successful.

the NTeQ model

While it would be helpful and ideal for each and every student to have their own computer to use, it is not completely necessary. A lot of collaborative learning that uses technology can be used in a group setting. Students can take turns using the computer to contribute to the group's work.