From Tapped In
The Pros and Cons of Technology in the Classroom 2/5/98 with Roy Pea and Larry Cuban
-Pea: "technologies can carry or promote virtually any value system into the classroom, including outmoded methods of instruction." "...technology is to augment physical, hands-on learning, face-to-face encounters, not to replace it,.." ",,,beware teaching the tools rather than using the tools for inquiry." ( the dogma of computer literacy is over done - does it take 12 years of constant exposure to technology?)
-Cuban: catagories often used to justify technology in classroom 1. computer literacy, fear of being unskilled in the workplace 2. fear that students need to master basic skills (knowledge is growing) 3. teachers to be more constructivist and student centered These can conflict because the 2 is measured by standardized tests and the 3 does not use those
(CMI) computer managed instruction or (ILS) instructional learning systems - check these out, earlier efforts to have software programs customized to students learning styles.
(CEI) computer enhanced instruction - use the educational goals to develop design principles, stress goals first
- question to ask: is there a viable alternative to using the computer? That should be the guideline before investing energy in creating curriculum online.
- the developmental perspective on kids is that children need direct experiences rather than vicarious experiences - this is true, but avoid either/or thinking, the computer is becoming one of our direct experiences of life and can be a supplement rather than opposing like in open source code researching
- what higher tasks does a computer help with?

 
Chris Dede "Six Challenges for Educational Technology"
-First Generation thinking - the silver bullet, magical device to solve the problems of the school
-Second Generation thinking - focusing on the auromation, increase information overload
-Presentation and Motivation for the learning outside of the classroom via information technologies, students have some background and motivation then need guided inquiry, interpretation and collaboration construction of knowledge
- 4 research documented improvements in educational outcomes 1. increased learner motivation 2. advanced topics mastered 3. students acting as experts do 4. better outcomes on standardized tests
- "the real issue in equity is empowerment - tailoring information technology to give dispossessed groups what they want.

 
more:
elearning.com "virtual learning takes a front row seat" susan mclester 3/15/02
- challenge of teaching at Landmark "students who do best are those who have a pretty good self-image 'in the classroom, it is important to ask questions, but online it is essential'"

atlantic july 1997 The Computer Delusion by Todd Oppenheimer
-computer is an "amplifier" "encourages both enlightened study practices and thoughtless ones"
-need for teachers to change classroom approach to "project-based learning" (serve as facilitators)
- keep it simple, "I prefer they get stuck in small real-world problems instead of big fake problems" It's sort of the Zen approach to education...It's not the big problems. Isaac Newton already solved those. What comes up in life are the little ones."
- "diligent students use these conveniences to improve their writing, but the less committed frequently get seduced by electronic opportunities to make a school paper look snazzy"
- visual stimulation (a reason to use a computer) (only activates two senses, hearing and sight)can be overrated, sensory awareness of relationships in the real world are important.
- content counts, to use a web site, give good content
- " the computer screen flattens information into narrow, sequential datea. This kind of material...execises mostly one half of the brain - left hemisphere.."
- the computer sends the wrong message: that the mediated world is more significant than the real one." but school is a mediated world, inherently. a paradox on the control and purpose of the classroom
-more information, magnified 3 fold, but it's thinking about information that counts
- what technology is not: playing with real objects, having an attentive conversation in front of another person, fear of minimizing the real physical world over the unreal virtual one, fear of giving the sensation of watching a screen and you can aquire information without work

 
I am at a point where my capstone fills my thoughts. The capstone letter, the change letter, the onset of planning for next semester, meeting with Tom, readings related to the teaching with technology roleplay for pedagogy about the value of education all have me going about this project. The project of building the web sites is one thing. It's problem solving. Developing a more sophisticated understanding of the implications also has me buzzing. I hope this afternoon to list some of this here.
From Pew Learning and Technology Program "Innovations in Online Learning: Moving Beyond No Significant Difference" by Carol Twigg
-"techique lags behind technology" - is our goal to provide "as good as"
-is online learning "learner centered"? what does this mean? (and what about community?)
-individualization is the key to innovation (treat students as individuals rather than homogenous groups)
-faculty job as a "monolithic" a collection of tasks carried out by one individual, must play a role in course-developement and in course-delivery, "a craft mentality" as a web developer, tech support person, and learning theorist all together, can we change this paradigm?
- buffet metaphor, moving from push strategy (present all material to all students in the same way) to a pull strategy (five steps 1. assessment of knowledge/skill level and learning style 2. array of interactive materials and activities 3. individualized study plans 4. built in continuous assessment 5. appropriate, varied human interaction