
This
is part of a series of posts that document some of my personal thoughts on some
of the myths surrounding 1:1 learning (one device per learner) and 1:1 deployments in schools and
school systems.
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Myth 3 – 1:1 Computing Improves Standards
Nonsense! Only good learning and teaching improves standards.
A poor teacher
with great technology will still not deliver the results that our children
deserve.
However, I truly believe that a good or excellent teacher, who is
committed to professional learning and who is supported by great technology has
the potential to transform lives. It is also important
to remember that technology is only part of any model for educational
transformation.
Now, there are lots of models of educational
transformation available, they are all high level and they are all useful up to
a point. Lets take the Intel model of
education transformation as an example – as this is the one that I have
been working with the most recently.

In this model for
transformation to occur a number of things need to exist in equal parts.
First you need
good policy (at national, local and school level) this is the bit that gives
teachers and school leaders permission to transform education. A key failing of
most education policy is that people don’t actually understand the policy or
have time to read them. Good education policy must contain specific objectives
as well as higher level strategic advice. In short, people need to know which
way they are aiming!
Good policy also
gives permission to develop the curriculum
and assessment methodology. Again the two must match up. You can’t have
high level policy that talks about preparing children for life in the 3rd
millennium and then develop a curriculum that re-invents something from the
past and its only way of verifying children’s learning is by a hand written
assessment when they are about to leave school – this just does not make sense.
Policy,
curriculum and new assessment methodology must be based on sound academic and
action research. But it must also be
based on local need.
Evaluation must
be on-going at a system, state and local level. Most of this type of resource
should be put into evaluation at a local level – rather than a state or system
level that it is at the moment. While comparing one country to another country
through standard measures such as PISA
might be important to politicians – what
is actually going on in the classroom must remain the most important thing.
Technology integration should be seen at a number of levels but
also people need to understand it can fulfill a variety of purposes. The
following purposes are not inclusive but people need to understand that
technology has a number of roles in educational transformation.
Firstly, the use
of technology as a pedagogical methodology to support teaching and learning
across the curriculum. Good technology integration is not just about up-grading
computing labs. See my work on Exciting
Learning.

Secondly, the use
of technology to track learning, report to parents, improve the productivity
& running of a school and to share data with others. Working at a
conference with Michal Fullan recently
I heard him say he thinks that school improvement can be sped up by at least
20% through good technology integration. I think he is right.
Thirdly, the use
of technology to deliver appropriate rich digital content to learners. This
content, where possible, should support local curriculum and national
standards. Modern IT delivery systems should allow for personalization, guided
learning and structured courses – all of which are appropriate at different
times of a learners journey.
Fourthly, the use
of technology to support assessment and evaluation (see above). Unfortunately, many technology solutions only cater
for summative assessment. BUT, good technology integration can also be
incredibly powerful in supporting formative assessment as well.
Lastly, the use
of technology to support teacher professional development.
Teacher Professional Development (or Professional Learning) is another
important aspect of educational transformation. In some systems technology
integration (particularly around 1:1)
have not been as successful as they could have been because of a lack of
training for teachers (Thailand
for example). Where others systems, such as Macedonia,
built in robust training programs from the start.
It is also
important to remember that professional learning doesn’t have to be
face-to-face. Good professional
development like any good learning needs to be blended and should include a
combination of face-to-face, online, large group and personalized learning
experiences. It is also important to remember that learning and teaching
looks very different in a 1:1 environment than a traditional classroom
environment. Educators need early support here to stop the technology becoming
a distraction to rather than an improvement to learning.

In short, before
any major investment in technology you need to be absolutely sure what it is
you are trying to do. If your aim is to
raise standards – what standards are
you trying to raise and why? If improved use of technology the best way to
do this do you have the policy, research, curriculum, assessment methodology
and professional development in place to reach your objectives. If not your project is likely to fail.
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