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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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Technology in Schools:
Observations From the Field
122
by
Barry Mansfield
Temple University
Almost a decade has passed since the big push began for
computers and Internet to become a staple of the classroom. Along the way, the
realization that teachers were not being properly trained to use technology led
to the call for additional and improved training initiatives. Some advocated
that technology could serve as a means to transform education and make
instruction more dynamic, engaging, and meaningful for students. In some
instances, technology has proven true to these promises, but unfortunately, the
perception of instructors regarding technology continues to linger on the
fringes of K-12 education.
One primary
factor that contributes to an increase in computer usage is a school's culture;
in an atmosphere not conducive to learning, technology, along with everything
else, will be used ineffectively. Without any clear vision, ad-hoc use of
technology simply burrows itself into the existing structures of the school and
has a less effective-or sometimes even adverse-impact on student learning.
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The US
Department of Labor estimates that time wasted with
unproductive uses of the Internet at work costs corporations
up to $3 million a year for every 1,000 employees, as reported
in TheStandard.com
(January 2000) (http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,8485,00.html).
Similarly, schools and classrooms mirror the larger society
when it comes to productivity or lack thereof. Just as the
culture within a company will dictate the morale and
effectiveness of its workers, the culture in a school will
affect every element within its walls including its use of
technology.
Clearly,
technology has not been the "magic bullet" to transform
education. Technology is only as effective as the manner in
which it is used; that is, in order for educational reform to
thrive in a technologically rich environment, a learning-rich
culture must come first. Seymor Papert, a renowned educational
technologist, describes the vision of "school-as-it-is" and
"school-as-it-can-be" in no uncertain terms. "The conversation
about technology in schools is trapped in the wrong subject.
The talk is all about 'does the technology work' as a fix for
the old. It ought to be about developing and choosing between
visions of how this immensely powerful technology can support
the invention of powerful new forms of learning to serve
levels of expectation higher than anything imagined in the
past" (Papert, 1999).
Technology has
the potential to support rich and engaging learning
experiences for all students. However, when it works well,
technology cannot take sole credit. There are many examples
from high-performing schools without much use of technology.
High-performing learning communities, " . . . produce(s) high
levels of achievement for all students and are able to sustain
these high levels of achievement as their environment changes
and challenges arise. Schools and districts that are
high-performing learning communities are characterized by
having a shared vision, a supportive organizational structure,
a challenging curriculum and engaged student learning that
reflects high standards, a collaborative culture that is
supportive of continuous improvement, and pro-active community
relations" (Berman, Ericson, Aburto, Lashaw, & Thompson,
1998). Imagine a school that possesses these characteristics
and a staff that eagerly incorporates technology. How would it
be used? One could surmise that, with proper training, this
community would integrate technology throughout the school and
create the potential for even better organization, increased
collaboration, and more meaningful ways of learning. In
contrast to high-performing schools, low-performing schools
tell a different story when it comes to the use of computers.
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