Reflections on chapter 8: How Schools Can Cope with the New Technologies

This chapter focuses primarily on bringing together old and sew education system components in order to design a better education system in the technological era. The authors suggest three areas that might be reshaped and brought together to make the transition more smooth. These are: performance-based assessment, new curriculum designs, and new approaches to equity in a digital world.

I agree that there needs to be new and improved procedures to measure learning. Standardized assessments are not individualized, are not based on student-choice, and often cause minority and low socio-economic groups to be left behind. The national certification method and skill based assessment systems allow students to focus their studies more narrowly and receive credentials in areas that will help them in their future endeavors. Students can chose to take certification tests when they feel ready. I think this is very important because in the current system teachers and policy makers decide when students should be assessed, but who really knows when assessment is appropriate? The students! The only thing that bothers me about this method is that it requires highly motivated students who can make decisions about which academic paths to take. This can possibly be addressed in Early Childhood classes where teachers can emphasize life-long learning and making choices about educational interests.

Along with assessment methods, curriculum must also be further developed to fit our changing society. New forms of teaching and learning and new ways of organizing how students and teachers interact are suggested. In this approach students would be placed in classes based on their goals and interests instead of their age. I like the way the authors suggest that traditional academic skills such as reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, and geography would be woven and integrated into each individual's curriculum. This reflects an "inquiry approach" that we have talked about in a few other classes. I also like the way students would be able to learn important content and skills while carrying out complete, relevant, and functional tasks that are meaningful to them. The chapter gave some examples (such as LeTUS) that involve researchers and schools coming together to integrate technologies into everyday school learning. I look forward to the group's presentation on this chapter so that this concept is more clear to me.

Finally, the chapter addressed the question: "How can learning technologies be used to address the systemic inequities of public schools?" since current standardized curricula "drive affluent families from public schools, and high dropout rates push poor families to press for alternatives to public schools". Learning technologies can offering new experiences to poor schools and develop technology-based systems for tracking learning. It is true that technologies could help to provide high-quality academic experiences to impoverished schools, but how do we provide such technologies when materials are still very expensive? Also, AP classes and virtual tutoring are examples of how technology can add to a school's academic resources. In my experience, these systems were already implemented in schools but were not necessarily available or aimed towards all students. Also, I did not see much technology being used in meaningful ways.