I have gone back to reading, Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology, by Allan Collins and Richard Halverson. They suggest technologies are driving change because there is demand for customization, interaction, and learner control. People want to learn what they want when they want/need the knowledge, they want instant feedback and to be engaged, and they want to feel in control of what they are learning – if people are choosing to learn what interests them, they will be driven to succeed in the specific fields. Throughout a child’s school career they should have a goal or a specific career path in mind and be working toward that it. They say we need to move away from standardized testing to more challenging; real-world tasks that are more focused on students’ long-term goals and interests. The Common Core is driving educators to modify curriculum and assessments to be more rigorous and creative in order to retain student interest and to prepare them for their future careers. For example, a CCSS objective is to add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers fluently. Rather than using work sheets to practice this skill, children are asked to plan a family vacation. They are required to research information, using technology, to determine where they would like to go, the cost of plane tickets, and a hotel for the week. The children form groups based on destination. This real world activity allows for collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. The children are controlling the destination, they are interacting with peers and computer to find flights, which make them in they control of their learning. Yesterday, I was reading with a group of 5 children. In the book the child’s grandfather wants him to build a sod house. My students asked if they could build a small model sod house. This is the type of teaching these authors refer to as, “just-in-time” teaching. The kids are interested in researching sod houses, critically thinking and collaborating in order to construct it. They are engaged and enthusiastic because they are in control of what they are learning. If we continue to revise our curriculum to include valuable real world application skills, we will be helping to prepare our students for a successful future in the 21st Century.
These gentlemen bring up several ideas to reshape education to include technology.
Their suggestion to measure learning resembles what we anticipate the Common Core test to look like. A computer adaptive testing system will be used (if the child answer a question incorrectly, the system will provide them with an easier question). A major difference is that students will take tests when they feel competent- so they will take it at any point in time. At this point, even with the SBAC we are taking the test in a block period of time determined by the administrators.
The students will also be able to pick their focus. They would earn credentials (as many as they would like) that certify their expertise in a certain area. An example stated in the text: If the student’s goal is to become a doctor, he or she might get certifications in chemistry, biology, college-level literacy, etc.. Earning credentials would allow the student to be recognized by the professionals in that field. Schooling would remain much the same in elementary and middles school. During these periods of schooling the children will begin to develop an idea of what they would like to do. However, as I see it, the elementary and middle schools do have to revise curriculum to emphasize skills that require the students to complete complex task in an authentic contexts.
2 comments:
Alicia, that seems really cool. I have been incredulous of the computerized assessments to this point. However, your point that students would be able to take them when they feel competent seems like a major step in the right direction- it would take much of the sress off of the students.
That being said, I wonder still if some students will still be left behind. Not every student will feel competent at any point. Some people feel so anxious about these standardized exams that, regardless of smarts and preparation, they bomb them.
My town had begun some computer testing that works in this way and it seemed to go well. This was only our trial run and we are not counting the student scores for complete and accurate data purposes yet, but it seemed comprehensive. I was only reading over some students shoulder's but the test did vary in difficulty and each student's screen was posting different problems. In theory it sounds great... we'll have to see though!
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