ERIC ED439676: Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and Expectations.

43 Pages·1999·0.6 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
IR 019 945
ED 439 676
Valdez, Gilbert; McNabb, Mary; Foertsch, Mary; Anderson,
AUTHOR
Mary; Hawkes, Mark; Raack, Lenaya
Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and
TITLE
Expectations.
North Central Regional Educational Lab., Oak Brook, IL.
INSTITUTION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),
SPONS AGENCY
Washington, DC. Programs for the Improvement of Practice.
ISBN-1-929800-00-2
ISBN
1999-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
42p.
RJ96006301
CONTRACT
NCREL, 1900 Spring Rd., Suite 300, Oak Brook, IL 60523-1480.
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Computer Assisted Instruction; *Computer Uses in Education;
DESCRIPTORS
Decision Making; Educational Development; *Educational
Technology; *Elementary Secondary Education; Instructional
Effectiveness
Technology Role
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
To understand the value and impact of technology, one must
recognize that there have been three distinct phases in technology uses and
expectations: Print Automation, Expansion of Learning Opportunities, and
Data-Driven Virtual Learning. This report takes an in-depth look at these
three phases and, for each, addresses two important and highly interrelated
questions facing educators as they try to determine the best use of
(1) What evidence is there that the use of
technology in K-12 settings:
computer-based technology in each phase has a positive effect on learning?
and (2) What significance do the findings from each phase have for educators
today as they try to make technology-related decisions that have an impact on
student learning? The conclusions of this report provide cumulative findings
over the three phases, which are intended to help informed educators,
policymakers, school administrators, school technical coordinators, and
researchers make research-based decisions regarding the most beneficial
approaches to technology use in K-12 education. (Contains 106 references.)
(AEF)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Computer-Based
Technology
and Learnin:
(
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
This document has been reproduced as
received from the person or organization
originating it.
Minor changes have been made to
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Points of view or opinions stated in this
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official OERI position or policy.
Evolving Uses
and Expectations
°(3
Q
NCREL
ti
By Gilbert Valdez, Mary McNabb, Mary Foertsch,
Mary Anderson, Mark Hawkes, and Lenaya Raack
North Central Regional Educational laboratory
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Computer-Based
Technology and Learn.'_ng:
Evdv'_ng Uses and
Expectatons
By
Gilbert Valdez, Mary McNabb, Mary Foertsch,
Mary Anderson, Mark Hawkes, and Lenaya Raack
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
NCREL
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
3
We mdsh to achnowiledge the contnibutiono
of the foRilowfing NCIEL stalff:
Margaret Tinzmann, Senior Program Associate
Cathy Montbriand, Program Assistant
Mary Ann Larson,Administrative Assistant
Melissa Chapko, Graphic Designer
Christopher Sabatino, Cover Design
Stephanie Blaser, Communications Coordinator
NCREL
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
1900 Spring Road, Suite 300
Oak Brook, Illinois 60523-1480
[phone]
[phone]
Copyright © 1999 by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. All rights reserved.
This work was produced in whole or in part with funds from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), U.S.
Department of Education, under contract number RJ96006301. The content does not necessarily reflect the position or policy
of OERI or the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply
endorsement by the federal government.
ISBN1-929800-00-2
4
ry
Executive Summ
Phase III carries with it the additional expectation
of making schools more effective through the use
of data-driven decision making of a much more
Introduction
sophisticated nature than previously expected.
Ideally both teachers and students have access
7he value and use of technology in K-12th-
to the data and use it to meet accountability
ii grade education continues to be debated
expectations.
even though computer-based technology is being
credited as one of the major reasons for the
Summary Conclusions
increased work productivity and economic suc-
cess of the United States.
The conclusions of this report provide cumulative
findings over the three phases, which are intended
The authors believe that to understand the value
to help informed educators, policymakers,school
and impact of technology we must recognize that
administrators,school technical coordinators, and
there have been three distinct phases in technology
researchers make research-based decisions
uses and expectations: Print Automation,
regarding the most beneficial approaches to tech-
Expansion of Learning Opportunities, and Data-
nology use in K-12 educational settings into the
Driven Virtual Learning.
21st century. Technology innovations are increas-
This report takes an in-depth look at these three
ing the demand for reforms in teaching and
phases and, for each, addresses two very impor-
learning approaches that, in turn, are having a sig-
tant and highly interrelated questions facing edu-
nificant impact on technology use expectations.
cators as they try to determine the best use of
In addition, the linkage between teachers' profes-
technology in K-12 settings:
sional development in appropriate uses of tech-
nology and increased student achievement is
1. What evidence is there that the use of
very strong.
computer-based technology in each
phase has a positive effect on learning?
The report finds that:
2. What significance do the findings from
1. Technology offers opportunities for
each phase have for educators today as
learner-control, increased motivation,
they try to make technology-related deci-
connections to the real world, and data-
sions that have an impact on student
driven assessments tied to content stan-
learning?
dards that,when implemented systemically,
enhance student achievement as mea-
In Phase I, instruction was characterized by the use
sured in a variety of ways, including, but
of behavioral-based branching software that relied
not exclusively limited to, standardized
heavily on drill and practice to teach segmented
achievement tests.
content and/or skills. During Phase II, computers
became tools for learner-centered practices rather
2. Policymakers are demanding greater
than content delivery systems, helping teachers
accountability for technology use, both
move from largely isolated learning activities to
because of resource expenditures and
applications that involved working in groups.
because research shows that the ability
Page iii
Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and Expectations
to use technology effectively is now
The success or failure of technology
necessary for all lifelong learners.
involves seeing it as a valuable resource.
This requires determining where it can
3. Generalizing findings from technology
have the highest payoff and then matching
research has been difficult because it is
the design of the application with the
a rapidly moving target due to changes
intended purpose and learning goal. The
in technology and an educational
success or failure of technology-enabled
vision.
learning experiences often depends on
whether the software design and instruc-
Looking more specifically at conclusions drawn
tional methods surrounding its use are
across findings, we find that technology has an
congruent.
important role to play in K-12 education, even
though it will not solve all educational problems.
The success of technology depends on
Technology makes learning more interactive,
having significant critical access to hard-
enjoyable, and customizable, and this improves
ware and applications that are appropri-
students' attitudes toward the subject and their
ate to the learning expectations of the
interest in learning.
activity. Research and best practice indi-
cate that one computer for every four to
Minimally, for technology to play a positive role,
five students is necessary if students are
the following factors must be considered:
to be able to use technology in a manner
The success or failure of technology is
that will yield significant improvements
more dependent on human and contex-
in learning.
tual factors than on hardware or software.
Teachers' perception is that computers
The extent to which teachers are given
have improved the climate for learning,
time and access to pertinent training to
especially because technology increases
use computers to support learning plays
student motivation in subjects for which
a major role in determining whether or
they use computers.
not technology has a positive impact on
achievement. Students of teachers with
more than ten hours of training signifi-
cantly outperformed students whose
teachers had five or fewer hours of
training.
Page iv
Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evo lv
g Uses and Expectations
ntents
C
((1»
Overview
1
Phases of Technology Use
1
Print Automation
2
Phase I:
Questions on instructional use
6
Expansion of Learning Opportunities
9
Phase II:
Questions on instructional use
12
Data-Driven Virtual Learning
Phase III:
15
Questions on instructional use
18
26
Conclusions
29
References
nd Le
uter-
iised Techn
arm ing:
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I1
mom
411
ti
llving Uses 4,11nd Ex
acct
Ev,o
mss
Of»
IPv
technology's progress in schools. Today, all three
Overview
phases are alive and wellsometimes in the
mhe value and use of technology in K-12th-
same school.
grade education continues to be debated
even though computer-based technology is
Phases of Technology Use
being credited as one of the major reasons for
the increased work productivity and economic
We believe that to understand the value and
success of the United States. It would seem that
impact of technology in education, we must rec-
these same computers should have a similar
ognize that there have been three distinct phases
impact on education; yet, debate about their
in the evolution of its uses and expectations:
value and cost-effectiveness continues. In fact,
Print Automation, Expansion of Learning
the debate has grown so important that even
Opportunities, and Data-Driven Virtual Learning.
major television network programs, such as
As described in this report, each phase has differ-
Night line, and several national journals have
ent definitions and measures of success. And
turned a spotlight on this issue.
common terms such as "word processing: "con-
tent software," "programming," "student and
It is worth noting that the research on technology's
teacher roles," and "learning task" have different
effectiveness and educational uses is sparse and,
expectations and describe different learning
in some cases, disappointing in quality. This is
opportunities in each of the three phases. You
typical, however, of any new line of inquiry, and
will note that these phases are not mutually
there is every reason to believe that it will
exclusive, and people may be in one phase on
improve in term of both quantity and quality.
one variable and in a different phase on another,
One reason researchers have had a difficult time
even in the same building. The phases are
studying technology's impact on learning is that
important as a means of discussing the "main-
they have been studying a moving target. Rapid
stream" evolution of the use of technology for
technological changes and advances in software
educational purposes.
development have made some findings obsolete
even before they were published. Furthermore,
The three phases and the list of variables are
contextual factors surrounding uses of technology
noted in more detail in the chart below (see
have made generalizing findings difficult.
pages 3-4). The content of this chart is based on
the concept of engaged learning, the focus of a
This paper reviews a theoretically and empirically
document written by NCREL staff, Plugging In:
well-grounded body of research on how technol-
Choosing and Using Educational Technology
ogy can promote student learning. The discus-
(Jones,Valdez, Nowakowski, & Rasmussen, 1995).
sion focuses on the three phases in the evolution
of technology uses and expectations in schools.
Effective, or engaged, learning means students
Evolution as defined here should be viewed as
are responsible for their own learningthey take
more than a flat historical time line charting
Page I
Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and Expectations
charge and are self-regulated. Plugging In used
While we hope that this report will be useful to
the best research available in 1995 to define
many audiences, its primary target is informed
what we knew about effective learning and effec-
K-12 practitioners. Readers are assumed to have
tive teaching and put those conclusions into a
some knowledge of current learning and teach-
planning framework. Numerous states based
ing research as well as a general understanding
their technology grant programs on this docu-
of both curriculum and technology as it presently
ment and, to some extent, it provided a common
exists in K-12 settings. In addition, minimal effort
language with which to agree or disagree about
was given to defining research methodology;
the uses of technology.
however, we have included a reference section
that identifies the extensive review of literature
No attempt has been made within this report to
that provided the basis for this report.
address every aspect of the chart. Rather, the
focus of this paper is on how certain indicators
Print Automation
Phase IN.
or variables have changed over time. Also, the
authors recognize that the chart seems to imply
Though it was not very long ago, we need to
that Phase III is the most desirable state. We
remind ourselves that in the 1980s personal com-
would caution that schools need considerable
puters and their software were quite primitive.
preparation before moving to Phase III. We
Early personal computers were stand-alone, desk-
believe they should do so only after they provide
top machines with an average of 16,000 bytes of
appropriate professional development and when
memory. Today many personal computers are
there is sufficient high-quality technology and
networked to intranets and the global Internet;
connectivity to make success probable.
some are portable; and most have 128,000,000
bytes of memory that process multimedia forms
There are many issues involved in implementing
of information. Programming for personal com-
effective use of computer-based technology, and
puters was unstructured, and the limitations of
no single report will clarify this topic for all read-
languages, such as Basic, resulted in programs
ers. This report, however, will address two very
that were largely sequential routines limited by
important and highly interrelated questions fac-
"If Then" and "Go To" statements that allowed for
ing educators as they try to determine the best
designing sequential branching programs primarily
use of technology in K-12 settings. These ques-
based upon principles of programmed instruc-
tions will be answered at the end of the descrip-
tion. Educational software was mostly textbooks
tions of each of the three phases.
presented in electronic print formats. Often the
1. What evidence is there that the use of
software was short, self -contained lessons created
computer-based technology in each
by noneducators with unintended results, such as
phase has a positive effect on learning?
third-grade math software with a tenth-grade read-
ing level. Teacher roles consisted of finding time
2. What significance do the findings from
in the day to send students to a computer lab for
each phase have for educators today
drill and practice or electronic tutorials; and stu-
as they try to make technology-related
dent roles usually consisted of selecting predeter-
decisions that have an impact on stu-
mined correct answers within such programs.
dent learning?
9
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Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and Expectations
Phases off Computer-Based Technology and Learning
Phase III - Data-
Phase I - Print
Phase II - Expansion
Driven Virtual Learning
of Learning Opportunities
Automation
Variables
Students use technology to
Students use technology to
Students use technology
Engaged Learning
organize and produce
explore diverse information
that automates print-
Instruction
resources inside and outside
reports, often using multi-
based practices with some
Student Roles
school and produce informa-
media formats.
increase in active hands-
tion for real-world tasks.
on learning.
Teachers continue to use
Teachers use technology to
Teachers have limits on
Engaged Learning
technology to guide and
access information, model
Instruction Teacher
structuring the learning
engage students in self-
problem solving, and
due to the closed-end
Roles
directed learning activities.
develop simulations that
design of the software.
They model problem solving
provide greater under-
The quality of learning
that reflects real work but
standing of how technology
depends on the intended
focuses on areas that are
is used in the work world.
learning outcomes set by
otherwise difficult to teach.
software developers.
Learning approach is a
Learning approach is indivi-
Amount and quality of
Engaged Learning
developmental process that
dual, but the outcome is
collaboration is highly
Instruction
is enhanced by working
sharing a product with
dependent on the design
Grouping
with others inside and out-
classmates.
of the software.
side the classroom.
Content reflects national
Content reflects research
Content is usually focused
Engaged Learning
and best practices but is
standards, research, and
on skills and inert knowl-
Standards
Content
best practices.Technology
usually not linked to national
edge with little attention
Based
use is aligned with standards
standards. Technology use
to standards or research.
to enhance application of
focuses on finding and
content learning to real-life
presenting information.
situations.
Conceptual integrity is impor-
Conceptual integrity is
Segmented skills or knowl-
Engaged Learning
tant; key understandings are
considered important, but
edge are emphasized with-
Conceptual
Content
defined; and a variety of
out conceptual connections.
analysis of key under-
Integrity
resources and strategies are
standings is usually limited.
linked to integrated concepts.
Students have greater oppor-
Students are given oppor-
Design of the software
Engaged Learning
tunities to access up-to-date,
Content Authentic
tunities to make real-world
determines whether work
real-world resources and
connections, but because
reflects real-world problems
Tasks
experts, especially through
access to outside-building
and resources. Printed
the Internet and other
resources is limited, true
resources convey establ-
telecommunication resources;
real-world connectivity is
ished knowledge.
focus is on solving authentic
superficial and forced.
tasks.
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Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and Expectations
I OD