Class #4 assignment - Wenglinsky

Wenglinsky's views on technology and student achievement have to do primarily with the support of constructivist technology to produce a twenty first century workforce. In his book, Using Technology Wisely: The Key to Success in Schools, Wenglinski presents his thoughts based on NAEP figures and observations that he did in several schools in the country. One of his arguments is that there is a real digital divide in the US. He states that the white, affluent and suburban students are exposed to constructivist instructional practices while the minority, poor and urban students are more exposed to didactic ones. The analysis of the NAEP data revealed that students that used computers in a constructivist fashion in Mathematics and Science had a better performance than those who used it in a didactic fashion. In the case of Reading, the numbers revealed that students performed better when using computers for meta-analytic purposes. On the other hand, when computers where used just for reading or spell checking, the results were not good.

After going to certain institutions to see how computers were used, he concluded that it is important to recognize the interchangeability of media. He advocates for a balanced curriculum that incorporates literal expeditions with virtual ones in which projects use technology. They integrate the computers into their work as a research tool, presentation tool, data analyzer and assessor. But above all, all these projects and learning activities have to be closely tied to its practical uses. For example, in an affluent Peruvian school, students are taken to the rain forest by plane and they spend 4 days working on scientific activities. Much of the information is gathered using instruments and it is all later input in computers in order to be analyzed and presented in reports. Laptops are taken to the trip and sensors and measurement probes are also used during the trip. When students return to Lima they have to finish a report and present their findings to their peers. This particular case is closely linked to the "Learning Expeditions" that Wenglinsky mentions in his book.

I agree with Wenglinsky when he states that it is not fair to blame the technology being used in schools with the poor results that students reveal today. In his finding, he reveals some flaws on the part of the educators. Ineffective teaching, lack of educational leadership, teacher indifference, and lack of discipline are all listed as negative factors that are making it hard to integrate technology in the classroom. They have been educated using a didactic model that has become a comfortable approach to teaching and learning. It is easy to prepare a class using drill-and-practice activities rather than project-based constructivist ones. Assessment is easier to correct when using a didactic approach. Nowadays, teachers are obliged to prepare students for high stakes tests, they insist in multiple choice type of tests that give immediate feedback. However, educators should really be using other forms of assessment in order to test complex problem-solving skills. But in order to do this, students have to receive interesting lessons that can help them develop higher order thinking skills.

I would like to add, though, that being a teacher nowadays is completely different from a few decades ago. The pace at which technology changes is really worrisome. Hence, teachers need to be prepared for these changes. I think it is crucial to identify what kind of training is ideal for teachers of the 21st century. New and old generations of educators need to be trained to demonstrate technological leadership skills. In addition, teachers need to master the design of project-based activities, their delivery and assessment. Finally, all teacher need to have a repertoire of strategies to develop students’ teamwork and communications skills. The bottom line is that if there were a real desire to change the whole educational system, a deep reconstruction plan should be planned, involving the Federal government, states, localities, and the private sector. All should be pushing towards making all the schools in the US, a meaningful place for students to be in. In addition, pertinent technological tools should be incorporated to support the best pedagogical model for teaching and learning. This model, of course, is the constructivist one.