Tech Disruptions

Comment on O'Donovan's Excellent 1:1 Article in DA

Cathie: In the February 2009 issue of District Administration there is an excellent article on 1:1 laptops. Eamonn O’Donovan, the author, clearly speaks from considerable experience; I recommend this article for anyone contemplating a 1:1 effort.

Elliot: While the article is chock full of interesting issues, I found the list of technology issues that at the end of the article particularly well-stated.

 

Cathie: I am worried about one issue in particular thatO’Donovan raises: the need that superintendents and their boards have for data that substantiates the claim that 1:1 results in improved student achievement.

 

Elliot: As usual, you go right to the heart of the matter.  

 

Cathie: There is precious little scientifically-based evidence – controlled studies – that shows that 1:1 does lead to improved student achievement. While we have done one such study – at a cost of $600,000 and 2 years of hard, hard work, the majority of research is qualitative and anecdotal. Those efforts don’t pass the stringent test for rigorous research.

 

Elliot: The community needs to give up its desire to prove efficacy. Over the past eight years, there have been several, national scale, multimillion dollar empirical studies of efficacy – do computer-based innovations lead to improved student achievement. And the results? (Drum roll….) No impact of the computer-based innovations.

 

Cathie: These large scale studies are fraught with all sorts of experimental, statistical, etc. challenges.

 

Elliot: There are no proofs of efficacy of textbooks! In fact, there is plenty of evidence that the use of textbooks does not lead to improved student achievement. Might I be brazen?

 

Cathie: And what if I said “hold your tongue,” would you listen?

 

Elliot: Ahhhh… No.

 

Cathie: Thought so… go ahead, then…just try not to alienate ALL our readers…

 

Elliot: No problem! I think that the reason superintendents and boards want “proof that computers work” is because they are afraid to make a decision themselves. They want someone else to say: it’s ok, go ahead, but, life is usually not so accommodating. The definition of a leader is someone who is willing to step forward, weigh the pros and the cons, and lead the way – knowing that there is definitely some risk involved. A district wouldn’t need a superintendent if the road ahead was perfectly known.

 

If superintendents and their boards demand proof of 1:1 efficacy before they move ahead on 1:1 projects, those districts will most likely never move ahead: the data simply isn’t there and it’s not going to be there.

 

Cathie: Ah, for those of you still with us,--let’s find another way to justify the significant investment that a 1:1 deployment involves. If we want to teach 21st century skills – and that is what the educational and the business community is calling for – then schools need to use 21st century tools. The global workplace in which our children will compete is already swimming in computers. To adequately prepare our children for that world, we need to use those same tools in our classrooms and schools.

 

Elliot: So, Mr and Mrs Superintendent, will the 21st century skills and tools argument fly in your district as a justification for a 1:1 rollout?

 

Cathie: Let me clarify Elliot’s point. The statement “21st century skills and tools argument” is shorthand. That statement would need to be unpacked, explained, and justified before a school board or teachers or parents would find it compelling. That kind of amplification can be done – just not in a blog.  So, assuming that sufficient flesh could be hung onto the shorthand statement, would you feel comfortable using it to justify a 1:1 deployment?

Cathie: So, what upset you so much in the NY Times article http://tinyurl.com/by7dl7 about the Mobile Learning Conference ‘09 held on Feb 17th, 2009?

 

Elliot: Let me start with the most egregious issue.

"Texting, ringing, vibrating," said Janet Bass, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of Teachers, the nation's second largest teachers'

union. "Cellphones so far haven't been an educational tool. They've been a distraction." Ms. Bass says it is "almost laughable that the cellphone industry is pushing a study showing that cellphones will make kids smarter," particularly during a recession that is crushing the budgets of many school districts.

Excuse me, exactly why is it “almost laughable” for the community to put forth a study on the impact of an innovation? Indeed, if cellphone computers – a low-cost alternative to laptops (even mini-laptops) – can lead to improved achievement – a finding from the study of Project K-Nect in North Carolina http://www.projectknect.org  - such information is precisely what is needed during these times of financial peril.

 

If the AFT stands by their spokesperson’s comment, then the AFT is demonstrating how out of touch and irrelevant it is – a thought that had previously crossed some folks’ minds. Indeed, Bass’ wholesale dismissal of serious research is irresponsible of the AFT and they should be chastised for their unacceptable behavior.

 

Cathie: Yikes! Those are very strong words considering that you are a “yellow-dog Democrat” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_dog_Democrat   and staunch union supporter.

 

Elliot: Yes, it pains me greatly to criticize a teachers’ union.  Janet Bass – I call on you to issue a public apology and retract your unfortunate statement.

 

Cathie: Has the AFT crossed the line, as Elliot suggests? Comments?

 

First Thoughts: Mobile Learning Conference '09

Cathie: Along with 200 educators, purveyors of educational materials and telco personnel, we attended the first ever conference devoted to the use of cellphone computers in K12 – Mobile Learning ‘09 http://www.mobilelearning09.org, in our nation’s capital.

Elliot: And the article http://tinyurl.com/by7dl7; published the day before MLC’09 started, in the New York Times, at the very top of the front page of the Business Section, was scurrilous!

Cathie: Wait a minute, first the good news. While there are schools and districts that ban cellphone computers from even showing up in school (and some states are trying to ban them see http://blogs.districtadministration.com/techdisruptions/), this conference seriously explored how cellphone computers could be used effectively to educate today’s mobile generation. Yes, schools will continue to use laptops and mini-laptops, but if there is any technology that will bridge the digital divide it is mobile technology.

Elliot: It is inevitable - as cellphone computers become more functional, they will play an increasingly important role as the technology of choice in K12. Adults brought laptops into school – with mixed results. But now the kids are bringing their technology into schools.

Cathie: I wonder – do our readers see the use of cellphones in K12 as “inevitable”?

Elliot: Before digging much deeper into the pedagogical, financial, etc. issues discussed at MLC’09 we need to trumpet loud and clear the recognition of a good colleague.

Cathie: For creating and running Wolverhampton’s Learning2Go Project, http://www.learning2go.org the largest mobile, handheld effort in the UK for the past 4 years, David Whyley was honored by MLC’09 as the first recipient of the “Mobile Learning Impact Award.” Congratulations, Dave!

Elliot: Way to go, Dave! I look forward to seeing a school district on this side of the pond be recognized next year. The gauntlet has been dropped… who will step up – to mix a metaphor.

Cathie: For a summary of the issues raised at MLC’09, we refer you to an eSchool News article http://tinyurl.com/byam4s

PA Lawmakers Preparing to Ban Cellphones in K12: Help Stop the Madness!!

Elliot: You are not going to believe this one… well, yes, sadly, you will. On Feb 11, 2009 ten (Dems and Repubs) PA state representatives have proposed a bill that would ban cellphones from schools! See http://tinyurl.com/dfk6ge, PA House Bill 363.

Representative Cruz (Philadelphia) said: “Cell phones have no place in a classroom because they are a nuisance, especially when they go off in class and disrupt the work of our teachers…. Also, cell phones, camera phones and other devices that can record audio or video are being used by students to cheat on tests and violate other school policies.” (search for Cruz on http://tinyurl.com/chuvwz )

Cathie: It’s worse than you think; read the bill carefully:“The possession by students of telephone paging devices, commonly referred to as beepers, cellular telephones and portable electronic devices that record or play audio or video material shall be prohibited…." This bill bans computers from the classroom!

Elliot: Politicians! Bah!! They banned books, that didn't work. They clearly didn't think through this bill and rushed....

Cathie: Relax; take a breath; no need to preach to the choir… (Are we preaching to the choir? Chime in here, please!)

Elliot: Ok, Ok…. But politicians are not educators and they have no business…..

Cathie: You are not relaxing... Cellphones can cause problems in the classroom as Cruz points out. And, in PA there have been some incidents of “sexting” where minors are sending nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves to their boy/girl friends.

Elliot: Schools can deal with this issue, as another teacher points out: “…banning them wholesale is not the answer. This bill implies that the problem is with the technology itself, rather than the inappropriate use of it. Teaching safe, appropriate use and integrating technological tools into well-constructed lessons will ultimately serve our children better.” Damian N. Bariexca, http://tinyurl.com/b3gqmu

Cathie: Fortunately, there are educators in the great state of Pennsylvania who are against this bill:”…. but as an educator, I have a responsibility to provide the best education to each and every student. If I were to restrict their learning environment, I would be cheating them out of their future and limiting their potential.” James Lamb, Jr. See more comments on the Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/b3gqmu

Elliot: Folks from Pennsylvania – make your rational voice heard. Go to http://www.petitiononline.com/HB363/petition.html- and sign a petition. As of 2/14/09 at 6:36pm, there are 194 signatories.

There is a list of websites about cellphones in the classroom in Mr. Bariexca’s (http://tinyurl.com/b3gqmu ) comments that are an excellent source of information. Highly recommended!

In particular, Liz Kolb’s blog (www.cellphonesinlearning.com) is a wealth of thought-provoking information about the use of cellphone computers in K12. Her book “Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education” recently published by ISTE, provides an excellent overview of what is going on with cellphones in K12 classrooms (http://www.iste.org/source/Orders/isteProductDetail.cfm?product_code=toytul).

Cathie: Let’s turn a bug into a feature – this bill is an opportunity for people to think through the value of cellphone computers, as we call them, for K12 and then join together to act and defeat what is clearly a misguided bill. There’s plenty of space on this website for YOUR comments – start typing, please!

Reflections on TCEA 2009

Elliot: I left Ann Arbor where it was brutally cold (7 degrees), and landed in Austin – for TCEA and barbecue – where it was about 70 degrees. Yes, FETC is also warm, but no barbecue. Sorry Florida.

Since I am into mobility, I saw lots of mini-laptops on offer everywhere at TCEA. Asus has expanded their Eee PC line to include several different models. HP has also extended their Mini-Note series. Behind closed doors it was rumored that Dell was showing a ruggedized (read: student-friendly) mini-laptop. These little guys are lightweight, $300-$400, with keyboards that can even accommodate chubby fingers.

At M&A Technology’s booth, I played with the Companion Touch – Intel’s Classmate netbook/mini-laptop but with a touch screen! The Touch used a capacitive touch-screen, not a “Tablet PC” touch-screen that needs a pricey (if lost and it will be lost) radio-based stylus. From our experience, the touch-screen is a key component for learners; and with such a low price-point, I should think schools will find these devices irresistible.

Question: Will schools use the mini-laptops to replace older devices or will they buy the mini-laptops in order to expand access opportunities for students? And, what do “all y’all” think of the touch-screen version? – Is it worth a premium of $50 per device?

Cathie: I saw less emphasis on clickers and electronic whiteboards this year. I understand that in the UK, approximately 80% of the primary and secondary classrooms have electronic whiteboards. In chatting with a K-12 teacher, she made a very interesting comment about electronic whiteboards. She said that her district had been making good progress in moving to a more student-centered pedagogy, but with the "introduction of electronic whiteboards into classrooms, there was a return to a more teacher-centric focus".

I am curious if other districts have experienced this phenomenon?

Elliot: I did get to use my new 4000 megapixel, point-and-shoot, ultra-slim camera at TCEA. While walking the floor and gawking at all the high-tech, Cathie pulled on my arm and said: “Take a picture of THAT.“ High-tech equipment used to support good olde fashioned multiple-choice, drill-and-kill.

Cathie: I hope attendees had a chance to hear Raymond Hartfield’s “Mobile Phones for Learning!” He has a very provocative message that resonates with our focus on mobility in K-12. It is exciting to see that AT&T feels that sending their Director of Education to give a talk at TCEA is a valuable use of his time – and that TCEA accepted his session proposal!