Myths and realities

I really enjoyed reading the two articles about the myths and realities of using technology in the classroom. It seems to me that school districts have always liked to brag about how much technology they have, but really how many computers a school has is really no measure of how much or how well that technology is actually being used. So I thought Kleiman was right on not only with the myths but also with the reevaluation five years later.

Myth 1 - Putting computers in schools improves learning - more computers = more learning (2001).

Insightful...it seems that Kleiman was right about the barriers school districts face - in his 1999 article and the one five years later. He says that the computers might be there, but they are not necessarily being used "in ways that enhance teaching and learning." It's true. Perhaps computers are used for reward time or for skills drills, but they have much greater potential. In his 2004 article, Kleiman mentions a new development that seems to be having an effect on computer use - the No Child Left Behind Act. That's a huge influence.

When we looked at MLT earlier in the semester, there was an emphasis placed on making connections between learning and real life. We also discussed alternative ways to assess student work. The recent emphasis on standardized tests seems to be in complete opposition to the ideas of MLT. I look around my district, and I see that these tests have influenced technology use in a negative way. Computers are used, all right, but they are used for standardized testing practice. Students in grades 9 - 12 take Scantron tests four times a year. Now I will say that it is pretty handy that a student can take a test, and I can see a result immediately that compares their score with what is considered proficient on the PSSA. I can see immediately which skills the students need to work on. However, if they do not score proficient, what do they get? More computer skill work. So the technology is helpful, but is it meaningful for the students? Probably not. They are using it for skill drill instead of making real life connections.

On the other hand, I have to say that as much as our district places an emphasis on testing, they also see the value of MLT. I just attended a smartboard training yesterday (not that I actually HAVE a smartboard!). Even though last year was the final year of the Classrooms for the Future grant, our district chose to continue to pay for the CFF coach, who is a teacher in our district. He is doing his best to help the teachers in the district to use the technology they have received in the best way. He offers training on some of the latest technological tools, many times one on one. It is also wonderful that he is a teacher in the district. Not only does he have the necessary knowledge of the district and its students, but he will still be around once his position as coach ends. And hopefully by then, he will have trained some other "experts" in the schools.

So I have some mixed feelings about computer use in our school. Although the goundwork is there, we have a long way to go. We are not using technology to its full potential.



Kleiman, G.M. (2000) Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools. LNT perspectives. Retrieved December 2, 2009 from http://www.edtechleaders.com/documents/myths.pdf

Kleiman, G.M. (2004) Myths and realities about technology in k-12 schools: Five years later. Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education, 4(2), 248-53. Retrieved December 3, 2009 from http://www.citejournal.org/articles/v4i2seminal2.pdf