"Tools for the Mind"

A. Gustaveson
11/12/2007
"Tools for the Mind" by Mary Burns

In Assignment #7 I react to Mary Burns' suggestion that educators treat all technology equally. I am guilty as charged! Her article can be found in Educational Leadership.


Overview

Author Mary Burns cautions educators against a common technology trap: failure to realize that not all software programs are created equal. In the rush to use technology in the classroom, teachers often overlook the fact that many programs fail to develop higher-level thinking skills. We tend to use "show-and-tell" applications like the Microsoft Office suite that do not engage students' critical thinking skills. Rarely do we employ spreadsheets or database projects, which offer students the opportunity to get involved in complex learning activities.

Burns offers advice on avoiding this trap (or climbing out of it if you've already succumbed).

Reference Points

1. When first introduced as a curriculum tool, educators widely believed computers would build higher-order thinking skills in students. Technology would transform learning.
2. In the era of NCLB and budget cuts, education officials are now scrutinizing the role of computers as an instructional tool.
3. Research has failed to link technology use with improved student learning. What is contributing to this gap between intention and reality?
4. Common behavior patterns among educators have relegated computer use to focusing on lower-level skills: a. Professional development trains teachers in skills, not in practices that capitalize on technology's potential uses.
   b. A desire to equate technology with increased learning. We have forgotten to step back and assess if gains are actually taking place.
   c. The tendency to "classify all software applications as cognitively and instructionally equal" (49). The result? A reliance on products that engage lower-level skills. Applications like Word and PowerPoint are easy to use but do not build critical thinking skills like a spreadsheet or simulation program can.
5. Teachers incorporate such former "show-and-tell" programs into learning activities more often because they are user-friendly and take less time to master.
6. School districts can help teachers capitalize on technology's instructional potential by offering professional development that focuses on assessing a tool's ability rather than just its use.
7. Professional development should highlight technology use that is aligned with a particular learning goal. This gives teachers a real-life model to imitate in the classroom.
8. Technology should naturally align with the four areas of teaching (content knowledge, curriculum, instruction, and assessment) not trump them. The bottom line: don't force it!
9. Give educators the tools to use computers to their fullest potential before asserting that technology is not improving student learning.

Reflection and Significance

After reading this article, I realize I am one of the typical teachers Burns mentions. When I use the SmartBoard to display DOL or to show a video clip, I pat myself on the back because I have integrated technology into my classroom. I rely on technology to capture learner attention. I never stepped back to assess the level at which I was engaging my students. I never thought about using technology specifically to develop higher-order thinking skills. In the future, I hope to put my new-found awareness to work researching some of the programs (simulations, GIS, online collaborations) Burns' suggests to activate critical thinking skills.

Burns states teachers "need opportunities to work together with colleagues to plan rich, preferably interdisciplinary activities in which technology serves to extend learning in ways that would not be possible without its use" (53). Yes, that would be ideal! While I understand where this demand is coming from, I do not see it as a viable solution. It seems the key to every educational problem lies in teachers focusing more time on this or that. With funding shortfalls and the current political landscape, it is not reasonable to expect teachers will find more time to pursue any of these suggestions. If she wants to promote real change, Burns should find a solution that exists within the present realm of possibility.

Teaching Self Critique

Installment #2 of my "Eating Locally" project was making a video of my presentation to my class. After watching and critiquing my teaching style and presentation methods, I have come to the following conclusions:

PROS

• I do a good job playing off comments and questions; I can generally incorporate them in my presentation and continue on without losing my place
• When I was up there presenting, I felt like a robot. Day-to-day I spend very little time lecturing, so to get up in front and speak for 20 minutes seemed very foreign, and made me uncomfortable. I worried I was boring my students. Watching the video, however, I seem more natural and comfortable than I felt at the time. Class interaction was solid (although compared to what it normally is in that class, low). On review, I thought my volume level, enunciation, and inflection were fine, and not too robotic at all. This also made me realize something about my preferred teaching methods - not relying on the lecture format!
  

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• I use my hand when I talk. A lot. While it didn't seem particularly distracting during the presentation, I fear I might go over the top on other occasions. I need to find some way to keep my hands still, at least part of the time.
• I like to lean! Again, it seemed to come across as natural, not laziness, in the video (from my perspective). However, I did notice that when I leaned against the table for a few seconds, the way my body was positioned I was shutting out a handful of students. If I simply must lean, I need to remember to not do so from a position where I have my back (even partially) turned.
• I need to check student understanding more often. This was just a "fun" activity, so I could afford to have students tune out as long as they were being quiet. I didn't attempt to draw in those I wasn't sure were paying attention. In a real lesson I would need to do more questioning to check progress and attentiveness.
  

LESSONS LEARNED

• The break where I had to re-align the SmartBoard lasted FOREVER when I was teaching, but watching it on the video, I realize it only lasted a few seconds. I remember worrying that total chaos might erupt because I had to briefly pause to deal with technology. The moral of the story? I don't HAVE to fill up every single second. Don't be afraid of silence.
  
• I did not feel completely prepared before giving this "lesson." I think this contributed to my fear of sounding robotic. I realize that the more comfortable I am with my subject, the more clearly I will be able to formulate my presentation. This will translate into feeling more natural in front of the class.
  

Though the thought of watching myself teaching was nerve wracking, it turned out to be a rather painless experience. This was a pretty sweet project all in all.

For a teaser of me teaching, click here. Sorry you only get thirty seconds! Due to technical difficulties, I was unable to upload more to the Internet.