Group items tagged

"the tension between ideology and evidence in the education reform debate." This tension really lies at the heart of what we'll be discussing in the coming weeks. 

Ahhh, social justice material; technology topics are dandy, but now that is the stuff. It is interesting that the article begins with a comment that the ideology is more effective then the evidence-based position. In line with Ch. 1 of Willingham's text I would say. I was always a "pull yourself up by the boot straps" kind of thinker until I really thought about it. While I am focusing on the education aspect of change and believe that every child can learn and that effective teachers make that happen, I have also seen the evidence that there are wider factors at play in poverty and ignoring them won't change the data or the wealth disparities. As educators who are dug-in and close to the issues sometimes there is a fine line between ignoring that data, being aware of it as we form decisions or using it as excuses. I can appreciate that the ideology side doesn't want to waiver from their noble stance because they don't want to make any excuses; maybe that is why the author calls it more effective, because of the emotion attached. Is it really a problem to have such a positive, unrelenting drive toward success within that specific context of change? I mean if you are a teacher in a rural, 98% free and reduced lunch school while you might not have the skills to bring healthcare to that community you sure as heck can lead your class. I often think what the outcome would be if everyone were crazy in a way they are able to suspend what the see around them to create a new reality so the negativity cannot seep in. The survey research that is cited got me to think maybe it isn't crazy but rather logically suspending our notions for the facts and then addressing them. I think there is a place for both sides I just wish the evidence would be acknowledged so those who are passionate about other aspects can get to work. It is a network with many cogs that will cause change but if the perceptions cannot be influenced by the data then even the best teacher or commun

Study findings suggest that integration of 1:1 laptop computing positively impacts student academic engagement and student learning. Therefore, there is need for teachers to implement appropriate computing practices to enhance student learning. Additionally, teachers need to collaborate with their students to learn and understand various instructional technology applications beyond basic Internet browsing and word processing. Based on the study findings, the following conclusions were reached. First, the findings suggest that the integration of 1:1 laptop computing increased student engagement and learning, motivation, and ability to work individually. Secondly, the data provided evidence to suggest that the implementation of 1:1 laptop computing increased the use of technology in the classroom and in the home by students. Finally, the data provided evidence to indicate that faculty believed that the integration of 1:1 computing improved traditional, at-risk, and high-achieving students learning experiences.

There is increasing evidence that games provide good learning environments, particularly in their ability to drive tenacity and intrinsic motivation, two key characteristics needed for student success. Advancing technology now enables games to also serve as assessments with real-time data that gives teachers the ability to have immediate information about students' knowledge so they can provide differentiated instruction.

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a scale used to assess in-class use of laptops in higher education. The Laptop Evaluation Scale consisted of four constructs: academic use, non-academic communication, playing games, and watching movies. All scale items showed acceptable internally reliability. A principal components factor analysis demonstrated good construct validity. Correlation among the LES constructs were significant but small enough to support the existence of four distinct constructs. All four LES constructs were correlated with average grade, time spent on non-academic activities, and perceptions of laptop helpfulness in class, thereby proving evidence for convergent validity. Finally, content validity was supported by frequencies of laptop behaviours reported as well as student comments. However, student comments indicate that the content of the LES may need to be expanded to include more specific academic and non-academic behaviours.