Dr Benson Soong

(PhD, Cambridge)

Changes in Schools Due to Technology

Why the changein topic?

Reason #1

ICT was a key themein yesterday’s

Welcome and KeynoteAddresses

Reason #2

Reason #3

I’m not afraid to change.And hope you would not too

Topic

Changes in Schools Due to Technology

Problematic Topic Because...

Changes in Schools Due to Technology

But what technology

are we talking about?

Two very different“technologies”at play here!

Two “technologies” at play here!

Technology in

Education

Two “technologies” at play here!

Technology in

Education

Technology of

Education

What’s the Difference?

How many do you know about?

WikipediaKhan Academy

Smart boardeBooks

EdX

How many do you know about?

Mastery LearningReciprocal Teaching

Peer InstructionPrescriptive TutoringFlipped Classroom

Technology in Educationbeats

Technology of Educationin public recognition

Why?Three main reason

#1The Printing

Press

#2Dissatisfaction with schooling

#3Marketing

$$$

Some quotes are relevant here:

Thomas Edison in 1922, “I believe that the motion picture is destined to revolutionise our educational system and that in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks”

Seymour Papert in 1984 predicted that “there won't be schools in the future....I think the computer will blow up the school”

Computers: Oversold and Underused

Cuban in 1986 pointed out, “Radio, film, language laboratories, programmed learning machines, computer assisted-instruction, use of typewriters in the elementary grades —all have been promoted as revolutionizing instruction yet today seldom appear in most classrooms”. And after more than a decade of further research, he added, “When it comes to higher teacher and student productivity and a transformation in teaching and learning…there is little ambiguity. Both must be tagged as failures. Computers have been oversold and underused, at least for now” (Cuban, 2001, p.179).

Computers: No Significant Difference

Russell’s meta research study shows involving different distance learning technologies and found “no significant difference (NSD) in student outcomes between alternatemodes of education delivery”

So, what causes significant improvements in student

learning outcomes?

Technology of

Education

I’ll talk about two in detail...

Mastery LearningReciprocal Teaching

Peer InstructionPrescriptive Tutoring

Flipped Classroom

Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur’s work)

Mazur (2009) “it is not the technology but the pedagogy that matters”

S pre-reads the learning material before classT talks about a concept (less than 10 mins) in classT then gives a short conceptual MCQ on the subject being discussedS thinks for 1 minute and give their answers via a “clicker” system

If less than 30% get it correct, T repeats the material

If more than 70% gets it correct, T explains the answer and move on

Most of the time, between 30%-70% gets it correct, and T asks the S to discuss their answers amongst themselves. T then mingles with the S to hear what they have to say. After the peer discussion process (which would take several minutes), a new vote is taken and the process is repeated.

Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur’s work)

Mazur (2009) “it is not the technology but the pedagogy that matters”

S pre-read the learning material before classT talks about a concept (less than 10 mins)T gives a short conceptual MCQ on the subject being discussedS think for 1 minute and give their answers via a “clicker” system

If less than 30% get it correct, T repeats the material

If more than 70% gets it correct, T explains the answer and move on

Most of the time, between 30%-70% gets it correct, and T asks the S to discuss their answers amongst themselves. T then mingles with the S to hear what they have to say. After the peer discussion process (which would take several minutes), a new vote is taken and the process is repeated.

Technology aids with data

collection and presentation;

but it’s the pedagogy that

leads to improved

learning outcomes

Flipped Classroom (Bergman and Sams; but before them, many innovative teachers in the USA experimented with it)

T procures or produces videos/PPT narration of lessons and creates basic online quizzes to ensure S has knowledge and comprehension of the content

S reviews the material before attending class, and ensures that they get most of the questions correct

In class, S works on higher order problems (application/analysis) in groups, and T is able to spend more time dealing with higher order learning outcomes and spend more time with weaker S

From Sage on the stage to Guide on the side

Flipped Classroom (Bergman and Sams; but before them, many innovative teachers in the USA experimented with)

T procures or produces videos/PPT narration of lessons and creates basic online quizzes to ensure S has knowledge and comprehension of the content

S reviews the material before attending class, and ensures that they get most of the questions correct

In class, S works on higher order problems (application/analysis) in groups, and T is able to spend more time dealing with higher order learning outcomes and spend more time with weaker S

From Sage on the stage to Guide on the side

Technology aids with information

dissemination and tracking;

but it’s the pedagogy that leads

to improved learning outcomes

And the rest briefly...

Mastery LearningReciprocal Teaching

Peer Instruction

Prescriptive TutoringFlipped Classroom

So, what does it all mean?(Three final takeaways)

#1If you have tried to change the way you teach, but no to avail,

it because your teaching objective has not changed

(getting students to obtain the right answers is very different from wanting students to understand the fundamental concepts involved)

#2Be less dazzled by the flashy technologies in education, and more inspired by the

technologies of education(ICT helps us be more productive, but pedagogy makes us more effective)

#3Why were students of the past

so much more respectful of their teachers?

(Because the Internet removed a key competitive advantage teachers used to have, and that’s ___________)

#3Why were students of the past

so much more respectful of their teachers?

(Because the Internet removed a key competitive advantage teachers used to have, and that’s ___________)

What can we do to regain

this high level of respect

in teachers?

We help students with thingsthat the internet cannot

...and these are...

We help students with thingsthat the internet cannot

...and these are...critical thinking, creativity,

problem-solving, discernment...

We help students with thingsthat the internet cannot

...and these are...21st century skills

So, are you ready to be a 21st century teacher?

Thank you!