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week ten- april 12, 2004 - ONLINE

SUMMARY: In each of the two sections (a & b) below read the required readings. Then, make a posting for EACH of the sections in the thread named for that section in WebCT (i.e. two postings in all). Complete your postings by 4.19.04 (next class).

A. Technology, Achievement, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

B. Critical perspectives on technology in schools

  • 4. Read the review by T. A. Callister Jr. of Larry Cuban’s book “Oversold & Underused: Computers in the Classroom”, (PDF) Teacher’s College Record Teachers College Record, Date Published: 1/10/2002 ID Number: 10868 at http://www.tcrecord.org

    Focus on his three-page summary of Cuban’s points, rather than his opinion of Cuban’s book. This summary can serve as an overview of the points Cuban writes out in his book, which is the first bulleted link below. Skim the book to flesh out any understandings you don’t yet fully realize about Cuban’s points.

    Book: Oversold & Underused: Computers in the Classroom (the entire book as a pdf) by Larry Cuban
  • 5. Read the Fool's Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood : Published by the Alliance for Children . The entire report is available online. Use the left-side navigation bar to first go to the Executive Summary to get an overview of the report---note the age range of children they are focused upon in this report. Second and third, look over chapters 2 and 4, Fourth, read chapter 6, noting the seven recommendations at the end of the chapter.

C. Write about these ideas in two separate posts in WebCT's online discussion forum. In addition to making a post for each, follow the directions about responding to another person's post.

  • 6. In one threaded discussion post in WebCT (put your comment under the thread “NCLB”) summarize what you understand as the role for technology in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. Based on what you've read, predict the impact of NCLB on your own use of educational technology in your classroom in your first few years of teaching.
  • 7. In one threaded discussion post in WebCT (put your comment under the thread “critical view”), apply the conceptual framework of the eTIPS to the analyze the merits of the critical views presented in reading # 4 and 5. (You can review the eTIPS here.)

    First, imagine a school setting where all six eTIPs were true. (That is, the technology supported the learning outcomes and added value to teaching and learning and aided assessment; and the technology access was adequate and well-supported and teachers had adequate opportunity to learn about technology and collaborated with colleagues around its use.) If the eTIPs accurately described a school setting’s technology integration and implementation, how many of arguments presented by Cuban and the Alliance for Children (AFC) would be countered? That is, discuss your opinion of which eTIPs “cover” Cuban’s and then the AFC’s criticisms about the use of technology in schools, or with young children, respectively. ALSO, respond to another person’s post. Just for fun why don’t you take the opposite opinion they offer (whether it is your own or not) and try to argue for the other side.

REMEMBER! upload Inspiration performance assessment to WebCT by SUNDAY night, 4/18/04

See the Portfolio Planning Guide for what should be in your outline. Review the directions and RUBRIC in the Inspiration Performance Assessment handout when doing your work. Print p.2, self-assess with it, and print it to class to turn in on 4.19.04.

Sara Dexter © 2003