Education and Technology: Future Visions

165 Pages·1995·0.79 MB·English

Education and Technology: Future Visions
September 1995
OTA-BP-EHR-169
GPO stock #052-003-01454-8
Recommended Citation: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Education and
Technology: Future Visions, OTA-BP-EHR-169 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office, September 1995).
oreword
omputers, telecommunications networks, and other technolo-
gies have become increasingly central to the American way of
life. The nation’s schools are also investing substantially in
technologies for education. What will be the impact of these
technologies on schools in the near future? Will there be dramatic
changes in teaching techniques, curriculum, staffing, and even the con-
cept of school as a result of investments in these tools? What kinds of
visions can we foresee for education over the next decade, if technology
use is supported? What factors affect the likelihood of meeting these vi-
sions? What role might the federal government play?
In the fall of 1994, the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) com-
missioned five contractors to write papers dealing with these issues. In
June 1995, the contractors and a number of other prominent educators
were invited to OTA for an all-day workshop to discuss these papers and
the issues more broadly. This background paper summarizes the work-
shop discussion and contains the commissioned papers in their entirety.
OTA gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the individuals who
participated in these efforts.
ROGER C. HERDMAN
Director
iii
roject Staff
Clyde J. Behney PRINCIPAL STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Assistant Director, OTA
Kathleen Fulton Rebecca Erickson
Project Director Office Administrator
Denise Dougherty
Program Director
Isabelle Bruder-Smith Linda Rayford
Education and Human Resources
Analyst PC Specialist
Ethan T. Leonard Nanette Rushing
Research Analyst Secretary
Kathleen McCormally
Research Assistant
CONTRACTORS
Nancy Kober
Editor
Madeline Gross
In-House
iv
orkshop Participants
Education and Technology: Future Visions
June 9, 1995
Ted Kahn, Workshop Chair * Bruce Goldberg Arthur Melmed*
Institute for Research on Learning Bolt Beranek and Newman George Mason University
Jonathan Betz Nancy Hechinger David Mintz*
Thomas Jefferson High School Industry Consultant National Center on Education and
Senior the Economy
Beverly Hunter*
James J. Bosco* Bolt Beranek and Newman W. Curtiss Priest
Western Michigan University Center for Information
Technology and Society
Robert Kozma*
Luyen Chou SRI International
Learn Technologies Margaret Riel*
InterLearn
Matthew W. Lewis
Larry Cuban The RAND Corporation
Stanford University Richard Wertheimer
Pittsburgh Public Schools
Stephen Marcus*
Christopher Dede National Writing Project
George Mason University Technology Network
________________
*These individuals also reviewed the background paper.
v
ontents
Education and Technology: Future Visions 1
Background for this Study 1
Summary of Key Points and Workshop Discussion 3
Technology and School Reform: Setting the
Context 4
Key Issues for Future Visions of Educational
Technology 9
Is There a Federal Role? 18
Will Promising Visions Become a Reality? 20
Choosing a Future 22
APPENDIXES
A Schooling and Learning in an Information
Society 25
Current Conditions in Schools 27
Purpose and Focus 28
The Three Great Codes and the Creation of Human
Culture 28
The American Public School as an Institution 38
The Human as a Natural Learner 45
The Future of Learning and Schooling in American
Society: Conclusions and Implications 49
Appendix A References 55
B Learning and Teaching in 2004:
The BIG DIG 57
Vignette: “The Big Dig” 58
Teaching and Learning: Underneath The
Big Dig 67
Discussion: Getting from Here to There 71
Summary 81
Appendix B References 82
vii
C The Future of Teaching 89
Planning Office of Central Elementary 89
Visit to the Oceans Learning Center 94
Visit to the District/School Offices 105
D Year 2005: Using Technology to Build
Communities of Understanding 121
A Vision of the Year 2005 123
Implications 139
Conclusion 142
Appendix D References 143
E Public School Teachers Using Machines in
the Next Decade 147
The Spread of Computers in Schools: Confusion Over
Access, Use, and Innovation 148
Technologies and School Reform 149
Impulses for Using Latest Technologies in
Schools 150
Three Scenarios 152
Which is the Least Likely Scenario? 155
How Likely are the Preservationist and Cautious
Optimist Scenarios? 156
Which Scenario is Most Likely? 157
Summary 160
Appendix E References 160
F Contractor Reports 163
viii
Education and
Technology:
Future
Visions
BACKGROUND FOR THIS STUDY
Several times over the last decade, Congress has asked the Office
of Technology Assessment (OTA) to examine the status of
technology in American education from various perspectives. In
the 1988 study Power On! New Tools for Teaching and Learn-
ing,1 OTA looked at the use of computers and other technologies
in K-12 schools. In the 1989 study Linking for Learning,2 OTA
focused on distance learning technologies, including improve-
ments in their affordability, flexibility, and educational applica-
tions. In the 1993 study Adult Literacy and New Technologies,3
OTA looked at technologies for providing literacy instruction to
adult learners. And in the 1995 study Teachers and Technology:
Making the Connection,4 OTA examined how teachers learn
about and use technologies and how various technologies can
help teachers improve their teaching and grow professionally.
Although each of these studies gave some attention to new or
emerging technologies and factors affecting their adoption, the
1 U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Power On! New Tools for Teaching
and Learning, OTA-SET-379 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Sep-
tember 1988).
2 U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Linking for Learning: A New Course
for Education, OTA-SET-430 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, No-
vember 1989).
3 U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Adult Literacy and New Technolo-
gies: Tools for a Lifetime, OTA-SET-550 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Of-
fice, July 1993).
4 U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Teachers and Technology: Making
the Connection, OTA-EHR-616 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, |1
April 1995).
2| Education and Technology: Future Visions
studies focused primarily on the present, not the inside and outside of school, today and in the
future. But as technology advances more and future.
more rapidly, the future seems to arrive ever more (cid:1) “Learning and Teaching in 2004: The Big Dig,”
quickly. Decisions currently facing Congress by Beverly Hunter and Bruce Goldberg, lays
about telecommunications policies, funding for out a scenario in which students, teachers, and
education, and education program continuations the entire Boston community develop an exten-
and consolidations will have impacts on school- sive body of learning experiences based on an
ing that could last several years, or even decades. actual, major urban construction project, the
To make wise decisions, it is important that Con- Central Artery Tunnel Project, currently slated
gress consider the long-range potential and im- for completion in 2004. Hunter and Goldberg
pacts of technologies for education. Where is the envision fundamental changes in the nature of
nation’s educational system headed, how will we schooling and lifelong learning and describe
know when we get there, and what opportunities how technological applications can bring to-
or difficulties may lie along the road? gether school, work, family, and neighborhood
In keeping with its role as an “early warning in new learning environments.
system” for Congress, OTA commissioned sever- (cid:1) Margaret Riel’s paper, “The Future of Teach-
al papers on the topic “Technology Trends and ing,” is told through the voices of educators in
Their Impacts on Teaching in the Future.” OTA 2005 as they explain their school’s philosophy
asked the authors of the commissioned papers to and program to the district’s quality review
consider future visions of schooling over the next team. The paper describes a new school orga-
five to 10 years, taking into account recent trends nizational and physical structure, explains how
in technology, school reform, student demograph- technologies support this system, and address-
ics, and telecommunications regulation. What es staffing, educational, and community con-
might schools of the near future look like? Which cerns.
factors or incentives will influence the direction of (cid:1) “Year 2005: Using Technology to Build Com-
change? What might be the positive and negative munities of Understanding,” by Robert Kozma
implications of different future scenarios? What and Wayne Grant, uses scenarios to tell the
are the roles of the various players in the educa- story of a “community of learners” from three
tional system? How can schools help shape perspectives—connections from school to the
technology decisions to acquire the resources they outside world, to the workplace, and to the
need? How might the federal government help home—and analyzes the social, pedagogical,
achieve the most promising of these visions? and technological implications for each per-
In response to OTA’s request, five contractors spective as demonstrated by the scenarios.
prepared papers in the fall of 1994. Each took a (cid:1) Larry Cuban’s paper, “Public School Teachers
slightly different approach to envisioning the fu- Using Machines in the Next Decade,” dis-
ture of education: cusses three possible outcomes of technologi-
cal integration in schools: that of the
(cid:1) James Bosco’s paper, “Schooling and Learning
technophile, the preservationist, and the cau-
in an Information Society,” reviews the histori-
tious optimist. Cuban assesses the likelihood of
cal impact that various developments in com-
each occurring and discusses the basis for his
munications have had on learning. Bosco also
prediction.
examines past changes in the institution of the
school and, rather than sketching a scenario, To supplement the information and ideas in
discusses the effects of technology on learning these papers, OTA convened a workshop on June
Education and Technology: Future Visions |3
9, 1995, on the topic “Education and Technology: This background paper does not endorse any
Future Visions.”5 At this workshop 17 educators particular vision. Instead it analyzes various fac-
and researchers, including the authors of the con- tors likely to influence the different future scenar-
tractor papers, met with OTA staff to explore in ios and lays out possible courses of federal action
more detail the issues raised in the five papers and and potential state and private roles as discussed
to discuss other future scenarios and their policy in the papers and workshop.
implications. Also discussed at the workshop was
a sixth paper, by Chris Dede and Matt Lewis, en- SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS AND
titled “Assessment of Emerging Educational WORKSHOP DISCUSSION
Technologies That Might Assist and Enhance the (cid:1) Many factors are pressuring schools to make
School-to-Work Transition.”6 Although this pa-
substantive reforms in curriculum, organiza-
per was written for OTA’s assessment Learning to
tion, and teacher roles. Employers are calling
Work: Making the Transition from School to
for individuals who can manage large amounts
Work,7 it is also relevant.
of information, solve complex problems, adapt
This OTA background paper synthesizes the
to changing requirements with flexibility and
major themes and ideas from these futures papers
creativity, and work in teams.8 New research on
and the workshop discussion. It summarizes the
learning supports school environments in
views of the contractors and workshop partici-
which students can acquire advanced skills and
pants about possible future visions of schooling
knowledge by working on meaningful prob-
over the next decade. The paper considers technol-
lems.9 And parents, business, and students—
ogy and school reform in the context of the de-
the “consumers” of education—are asking
mands of the information age, changing views of
schools to fill many roles, yet expressing dis-
learning, and conflicting roles of schools. It con-
satisfaction with how schools are carrying
siders some key issues for these future visions, in-
them out.
cluding changing curriculum and assessment, (cid:1) Technology can be an impetus for major school
changing roles for teachers and staff, an expanded
reform or an instrument for making the current
view of community, and considerations
school system more efficient and productive.
associated with the potential negative impacts of
Many educational futurists advocate seizing
technology.
5 See page v for the roster of workshop participants.
6 Chris Dede and Matthew Lewis, “Assessment of Emerging Educational Technologies That Might Assist and Enhance the School-to-Work
Transition,” OTA contractor report, May 1995.
7 U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Learning to Work: Making the Transition from School to Work, OTA-EHR-637 (Washing-
ton, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, September 1995).
8 See, for example, What Work Requires of Schools: A SCANS Report for America 2000, Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills
(Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, June 1991); William B. Johnston and Arnold H. Packer, Workforce 2000: Work and Workers for
the 21st Century (Indianapolis, IN: Hudson Institute, 1987); Anthony Patrick Carnevale, America and the New Economy (Washington, DC: The
Program and Freedom Foundation, 1994); Committee for Economic Development, Connecting Students to a Changing World: A Technology
Strategy for Improving Mathematics and Science Education (Washington, DC: Committee for Economic Development, September 1995);
Lawrence Mishel and Jared Bernstein, The State of Working America (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1994).
9 See, for example, Ronald D. Anderson et. al., Issues of Curriculum Reform in Science, Mathematics and Higher Order Thinking Across
the Disciplines (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 1994); Barbara Means (ed.), “Using Technology to Advance
Education Goals,” Technology and Education Reform (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1994); and Joan Bissell et. al., “Nation-
al Geographic Kids Network and Language Minority Students (Irvine, CA: University of California, Department of Education, July 1994).