"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.