Computing in schools

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Victoria Davis <coolcatteacher () gmail com>
Date: July 4, 2006 8:22:52 AM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: For IP: Computing in schools

Hello, Dave,

I am a computer science teacher and technology administrator at a  
private school in South Georgia and am responding to the critique of  
Tom Fairlie about the problems with America's public school systems.

I have a few points that I would like to add to an important discussion:

I am at a school with a strong classical educational curriculum AND a  
strong technology curriculum.  We still diagram sentences AND we use  
the newest technologies such as wikis and blogs.  Nothing could ever  
substitute for a good curriculum AND good teaching.  Tools such as  
pen/paper and computer/keyboard are just the medium from which a good  
education is carried out.  Almost all of our students are in the 90th  
percentile in all subjects and yet we use computers in every  
classroom.  So, I would say effective computing complements a good  
education and in no way hinders it.  If there are problems in public  
education, I certainly would not blame the technology.   
(Implementation may be poor but the technology is needed!)

However, I will say this.  My classroom was transformed this past  
year using the new Internet, not by CPU upgrades.  I have six year  
old Pentium III computers and used it to access tools such as wikis  
and blogs that actually improved student learning and helped them  
hone their writing skills.  Most teachers at our schools get a new  
computer every six years also.  So, you are right in that classrooms  
do not need the latest and greatest in order to teach effectively.   
However, they do need something.

Having many friends in public education, the problem is much larger  
than technology.  America wants to "fix" education and so rather than  
"doing something" we have thrown money at the problem.  Although, I  
am a private school teacher, I feel a comraderie with my public  
school counterparts and cooperate with them in projects and learn  
from them online. As a fellow teacher, we are kindred spirits in our  
desire to see kids learn and to see them transformed by the power of  
an education.  Most of my friends work much longer hours than I, and  
yet spend their time on meaningless paperwork and fill out many forms  
to prove that they have effective lesson plans and align with state  
standards.  All of this paperwork robs them of the energy and spark  
to be effective teachers in the classroom.  Students of all learning  
types have been put in a classroom together and the teacher is  
expected to keep up a fast pace.  And we could go on...

A 2003 study from the National Governor's Associate as quoted in  
Robert J. Marzano's pioneering research paper,  The Right Work,

"school reform in the United States is plagued by the misperception
that schools fail because teachers and administrators don't work hard  
enough. He
contends that the downfall of low performing schools is not their  
lack of effort and
motivation; rather it is poor decisions regarding what to work on.  
Stated differently, the
problem in low performing schools is not getting people to work hard,  
it is getting people
to do the "right work.""

So, yes, Tom Fairlie is right that many schools are not doing the  
"right work."  That view is shown by the best researchers on the matter.

However, from my own experience at a school that is succeeding  
(albeit a private one), technology (specifically a good conduit to  
the Internet) is a vital part, although not the only part, of a good  
education.  To blame the ills of public education on the  
implementation of technology is stretching it a little far.  I have  
seen many great public school teachers who are transforming their  
classrooms through the effective use of technology.  They should be  
emulated.  The best tool for professional development for teachers is  
the reading of the vast array of incredible teaching blogs from  
excellent educators around the world!

Do not forget the power of transferrence.  Students love technology.   
When you use technology EFFECTIVELY to teach a subject, the love of  
the technology CAN BE transferred to the subject.  Adequate computing  
systems are simply a necessary tool in the toolbox of a good teacher  
and should NEVER be considered a replacement for a teacher.

Yes, the use of technology has been poorly implemented in many  
schools but so has reading, writing, and 'rithmetic.  You don't stop  
teaching something because you're not doing well at it.  You fix it!   
The effective use of technology  to collaborate, communicate, and  
participate in an emerging global economy is a vital skill that we  
SHOULD be teaching America's students.  If we do not teach it, we  
will fall further behind in the world class education we aim to teach  
our children.

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute
Victoria A Davis http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com

--
Vicki Davis

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