Application Question 1a
I feel the three factors that determine the success or
failure of increased instructional practices employed by the teachers are: teacher’s
resistance, poor instructional quality software and lack of quality training for
the teachers and students.
It appears money was no object in this situation. Everyone
teachers and children got a computer and free internet access at home and
school. But I wonder how many teachers and students were comfortable with the
technology. Did some of the teachers feel that the expectations of the administration
were that they were to be online and available 24/7? When did the school day really end? Maybe less
technology minded teachers only used the computers while at school and didn’t take
them home. As instruction is traditionally done in schools teachers may not by
in to developing home based lessons. Then it raises the question as to what the
students were going to do with the computer at home. What were their expectations?
In 1984 Papert claimed that one computer per child would be a common state of
affairs and would radically change the education system. However, by the mid 90’s
teachers reported little or no use of computers for instructional purposes. If
the initial buy in is there but is not sustained the computers will become game
consoles for kids and yolks around the necks of teachers.
Instruction software back in the nineties was also far from innovative.
If the software and lesson textbooks study guides were written and designed for
that time were the ones that were loaded on this schools computers then it was
destined to fail. If teachers were going
to teach the same way and use the same materials then there is no innovation. They
are just transporting text to computer screen. New software that changes how
teachers teach and students learn were what was needed. The software was not
interactive and did not present information and instruction in a meaningful,
diverse form.Finally, the experiment failed as despite all the money thrown into this project buying hardware and loading computers up with everything they would ever need it appears none was spent on training, The older forms of instructional hardware such as TV’s videos and radio were relatively easy to use; just turn them on and tune into the channel. The laptops provided opened up huge possibilities in instructional delivery but if the teachers do not know how to use them or are not aware of the latest and greatest software then the hardware becomes useless. If they don’t train the teachers how to sue and make the learning process fun then the students will also not be engaged.
Application Question 1b
Before they even started this experiment they probably
should have done a technology ability assessment. Ask if the technology was
going to be used and how. This would have been a basis to provide training or
justify hiring a technology specialist. Before school started for the year a
technology plan should have been developed and training provided. Curriculum
leaders should have met with technology instructors, instructional designers
and planned updating the instructional delivery and lessons so they would be
more interesting and relevant to students and teachers. They need to purchase
new software to maximize the potential of their available technology and
internet linking. Parents would also need to be educated in the technology so
they buy in and are able to assist the students and check that students are
using the technology correctly.
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