The Information Era has dramatically changed the way we educate our children. We live in a world of rapid change and the resemblance to yesterday is fleeting. Above all, communication has changed, and an enormous variety of information is now accessible to almost everyone at the click of a mouse or swipe of a finger.
From the accessibility of online learning to students who otherwise would struggle in traditional settings to assistive technology for students with autism, there are lots of great technologies that teachers need to keep track of to be effective.
However, it is not just important to know which piece of technology will assist in the education of students, but to watch out for certain disturbing trends that have arisen as a result of the availability of these new technologies. Here are just three of those trends:
Texting and awful grammar in K-12 schools. Internet and cell phone cultures have brought a whole new meaning to American slang. Not only are kids these days speaking informally, but now those relaxed rules of grammar are sneaking into written words too.
The biggest problem with these digital avenues of composition, according to surveyed teachers, is the blurring of lines between formal and informal writing. Abbreviations are common, particularly on platforms like Twitter that have a 140-character limit. Most smartphones now have no limits on texting characters, but students that owned phones with the 160-character limits of just a few years ago have already formed short, abbreviated habits. In the digital realm, short and sweet is the key – even if a grammar, punctuation and writing formalities fall by the wayside. The same is not true of educational writing pursuits though, as K-12 writing instructors must prepare students for the demands of strong, professional writing in college and the workplace.
A report released by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills found that over 26 percent of college graduates have deficient writing skills. These findings were not based on graduation assessment exams, but compiled by interviewing actual employers. These employers said that many college-educated employees could not even accomplish the basic writing tasks of the job proficiently. How are these students earning college degrees if their writing is not up to par though? With the average U.S. student accruing $35,200 in college debt, it would seem learning the basics of writing, at least above a “deficient” level, would be a given takeaway.
A report released by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills found that over 26 percent of college graduates have deficient writing skills. These findings were not based on graduation assessment exams, but compiled by interviewing actual employers. These employers said that many college-educated employees could not even accomplish the basic writing tasks of the job proficiently. How are these students earning college degrees if their writing is not up to par though? With the average U.S. student accruing$35,200 in college debt, it would seem learning the basics of writing, at least above a “deficient” level, would be a given takeaway.
Sexting and sexual harassment. Today, sexual harassment between students is even more widespread because of the viral nature of the internet and sexting. A photo that a young man sends his latest crush can quickly become fodder for a school-wide joke when it appears on a social media account or is texted to a large group of other students. It is also much harder for students to get away from harassment because their school lives follow them more closely than ever outside classroom hours, due to technology. It is also difficult to know where a school’s jurisdiction ends when it comes to harassment between students that takes place outside of school hours.
The problem of sexual harassment in schools is persistent. Schools can act more responsibly on the issue by formulating proper and specific sexual harassment policies and providing special training programs for teachers, students and other administrative staff. Seeking the support of parents is also beneficial. The challenges around implementing sexual harassment policies are made even more difficult because students shy away from reporting incidents, for fear of suffering additional consequences or being ridiculed. The solution is to create a safe environment in the school so that such instances of harassments simply do not take place and the students feel secure, although this is often easier said than done.
Cyber bullying. According to an article published on VoicED.org.uk, a poll of 2000 11-16 year olds found that almost three in five (57%) have done something ‘risky’ or anti-social while online. In addition, almost two in three (62%) said that they felt under pressure from peers to act in this way on the internet.
The activities described included saying negative things about other people, viewing unsuitable websites and, perhaps most worryingly, sharing unsuitable videos or pictures of themselves. Moreover, a fifth of those surveyed admitted to having pressured someone else to act in a negative way online (this rose to 32% in London).
Of the 2000 respondents, almost half (47%) said that they had viewed something on the internet that they did not think their parents would want them to view, whilst around one in seven (14%) said they had sent images of either themselves, or of someone else, that they did not think their parents would want them to send.
A tenth had signed up to online sites or services which were not meant to be viewed by their age group.
In terms of cyber-bullying, almost three quarters (72%) of respondents aged 14-16 had witnessed some form of online bullying, or had been subjected to it. While this is a bleak statistic, there are positive signs. Three quarters had blocked another user of an app or on a website, two thirds (68%) had supported someone else who had suffered cyber-bullying and 74% had ‘stood up for themselves’.
Classrooms are becoming more high-tech, and a lot of innovation has come from that. However, it is important to keep in mind how these new technologies influence disruptive behaviors.
The Information Era began some decades ago. Since its inception, though, it has dramatically changed the way we educate our children. We live in a world of rapid change and the resemblance to yesterday is fleeting. Above all, communication has changed, and an enormous variety of information is now accessible to almost everyone at the click of a mouse or swipe of a finger. Old-fashioned classrooms equipped only with books and chalkboards are long gone. In their place, we have new technologies and concepts such as Internet research, experience-based education, virtual learning, and online live assessments are being introduced to meet educational needs in the Information Era.
Throughout 2013 and during the first half of 2014, we have seen a lot of advancement in education technology designed for the classroom, and to be effective, teachers need to stay abreast of these new technologies and concepts. The summer is the perfect time for teachers to receive retooling in the area of education and several innovations and concepts are available to help teachers familiarize themselves with important concepts.
In this five-part series, I plan to discuss education technologies and concepts that every teacher should know about. Some are old, some are new, and some nascent, but they all have viable classroom uses. I’m interested to hear your thoughts on these technologies and concepts in the comment section as well.
BYOD. The first thing I want to discuss is a concept of technology that basically embraces mobile technology through the devices that students already own. As a kind of movement within education, BYOD has already gained momentum in many districts across the country, but should continue towards mass adoption within this calendar year. Places like Chesapeake Public Schools are already allowed to use privately owned electronic devices to access the wireless network on the school system’s filtered Internet. In Chesapeake, as in the other public and private schools where BYOD policies exist, students must sign a responsibility form that says they will only use the mobile device for academic enrichment while on school property. Students who bring their own devices into the classroom eliminate the initial costs and are also already comfortable with the technology. The downside is that not all students can readily afford such technology. Many must look for schools to develop technology financial assistance programs for families to help offset the full cost and maintenance of school-owned devices.
Customized learning experiences. Self-initiated and self-directed learning experiences are based upon the needs, preferences, and abilities of individual students. The traditional way to look at learning is via the creation and assignment of work by teachers in a one-size-fits-all approach for every classroom. Customized learning, however, allows students to direct focus on feedback techniques that provide strategies for improvement during the process, instead of waiting for a given test period see if the methods are working.
Considering pros and cons of this concept, we must not that customized, or personalized, learning is often met with hostility, especially as teachers must relinquish some classroom control for this trend to really work. On the flip side, though, customized learning has the potential to incorporate a variety of resources, such as virtual learning, to aid in the learning process while allowing teachers to moderate one-on-one learning experiences in practical ways. I think that the idea of handing control to students is frightening to some educators and administrators but once attempted, even on a small scale, it is easy to see the benefits of personalized learning.
Online learning. Virtual learning is certainly not new to the K-12 scene, but its increasing popularity is difficult to ignore. Once, only the world of distant learning embraced the process of online learning. Today, though, online learning is segmented and increasingly a part of a more traditional learning experience. It is no longer all or nothing. Distance learning has become mainstream and will continue to transform in-classroom learning in the coming year.
Virtual learning also makes it possible for parents, teachers and students to have access to information they may need regardless of their actual physical location. In essence, it expands the classroom and gives students more time and space to complete and comprehend their lessons.
In coming posts, we will look at more technologies and concepts that every teacher should know.
Direct indicators of student performance and achievement should be the focus, in order to better understand the link between student achievement and district central offices. For example, “teacher qualifications” such as expertise, certification, and experience are shown to have a large impact on student achievement, after home and family factors are considered.
Those seeking to reduce or eliminate the role of district central offices in school reform efforts often cite individual schools (such as charter schools) that move forward on reform efforts without help from a district office. Still, there are cases where central office logistical support is needed for ongoing success. Most schools, especially those with low-income populations, require outside help to improve instruction and achievement. This help can come from an external partner or the district office.
A Vision for Schools
The district (the school board, the superintendent, key staff, and influential stakeholders in the community) must be able to develop and articulate a vision and a set of practices that send a clear message of the mission of its schools . This message should be for educators, and also the community-at-large, and should create public understanding of the school system’s goals.
A clear vision provides the context for principals to make decisions supported by parents and the larger community. Parents and the larger community must also be included in the process. To support high schools in creating greater motivation of students through positive learning experiences, awareness must be developed among parents, businesses, and community leaders.
The school and the community should work together to help students see a connection between their studies and their future. Once schools understand why students are failing, districts may assist schools in defining how to address the problems using proven practices.
Ongoing Professional Development
Effective districts invest in learning of students, teachers, principals, district staff, superintendents, and school board members. Because many students enrolled in low-performing schools have trouble reading, these schools must first make literacy the centerpiece of professional development.
Districts should invest in preparing future school leaders, by identifying (early in their careers) talented teachers who have the potential to become principals. The district should develop a collaboration with a university or approved outside entity to provide these potential leaders with learning experiences.
Principals and leaders of low-performing schools need flexible resources and the ability to redirect resources toward school improvement design aligned with the districts’ strategic vision. Flexibility can help them improve the school’s climate, organization, and practices. Too many low-performing districts try to solve their problems by bringing in new superintendents every two to four years and removing principals from schools that do not meet goals. Without new policies, practices, resources, and additional operational flexibility these districts are unlikely to improve.
Cooperative and Collaborative Relationships
Districts must define schools’ core values for achieving identified goals. The cross-section of the community creating this educational vision must include views from less-educated and less-affluent residents, whose children make up a growing proportion of students. Also, developing cooperation with principals and school leadership teams helps create school environments that improve student outcomes.
States must assist every district in shaping a bold vision for improving schools. States can provide external consultants to work with districts in developing their district plan and involving the community in that process.
States should also ensure that principals have freedom to select their faculty, choices in allocating resources for school improvement, and authority to select professional development aligned with their school improvement plans. A system of incentives should be put in place to reward success.
Resources to Support Reform Efforts
Districts often have limited resources available for unrestricted use in supporting improved learning. Consequently, schools and principals have limited resources to help them raise student achievement.
Some schools receive revenues from parking passes, athletics ticket sales, vending machines, or other sources. In most cases schools lack the resources needed for significant changes. Generally, principals control about six percent of their school’s budget. Decentralized districts such as Chicago and New York City, have given principals discretion over 85 percent of their school’s budget. Schools under decentralized management were more likely to make decisions leading to improved learning outcomes.
Principals should be given a voice in budget decisions. A truly collaborative budget enables each principal to clearly explain his or her school’s unique needs, within the context of the district strategic plan. An environment of mutual understanding, respect, and ownership is created when principals and district leaders work together in this way.
The hours an educator spends in active teaching pursuits are just a small piece of the overall workload puzzle. Between developing lesson plans, reporting on student performance and keeping parents informed of student progress, a teacher’s job spills over into the hours when there are no students sitting at the desks.
Technology has been both a blessing and a curse when it comes to the teaching profession. On one hand, electronic reporting tools streamline some of the processes that go along with teaching; on the other hand, more work has been handed off to teachers because the technology exists to make it so. It seems that with each passing school year, another responsibility is placed on the shoulders of teachers who already have more than enough on their plates.
Overworked and Still Behind
A report published on TeachingQuality.org states that nearly 70 percent of teachers say that they simply do not have enough time to address all of their states’ curriculum frameworks, despite the fact that teachers work an average of 50 hours per week. Teacher surveys have also found that a reduction in teacher workload would increase retention, particularly in the first five years of a teaching career. Not only would teachers be happier if they had more time, but they are struggling to fit in their current requirements as it is.
The primary role of teachers is educate their students, yet they are often so bogged down in the paper-pushing that accompanies the job that their very purpose is compromised. So how can educators take advantage of existing technology to streamline their professions – and save themselves time in the process?
Alma: Free Student Information and Learning Systems
New technologies are emerging to combat these frustrations. Alma, a student information and learning management system, combines a wide range of reporting features that are typically only available in several fragmented systems – instead of a central location. Alma brings together lesson planning and curriculum management with student and classroom management to give teachers all the tools they need in one place and with one login – so they no longer have to master a dozen different tools to do their jobs.
Alma has clever shortcuts and time-savers throughout the system, so tasks that might take several clicks in other products can be done in one or two clicks in Alma. Built-in messaging and collaboration tools make easier and cut down on the time it takes for teachers to connect with parents, students and other educators. And Alma is cloud-based, which means it can be used from any internet-enabled device – cutting down on late nights in the classroom.
Alma is a “freemium” product, so its core services are offered for free, including school management, student records, backward curriculum development and gradebooks. Schools can upgrade the core package for a fee to include extras that may be helpful to their operations, like on-site support and emergency notifications. There is optional support for schools who would like the hands-on help, but it is not a requirement for schools that have the staff and ability to handle it on their own. Most schools will be able to set up the system in a day or less.
Alma’s customers include schools in 20 states and four countries.
The Teaching Benefits of Time-Saving Technology
As a former public school teacher, I wish I had access to the type of technology and reporting that Alma offers. I still remember thinking of the school bell at the end of my day as the signal of my “lunch break” and that there were still many hours of work ahead of me. Like other teachers, I did my work without complaint and did my best to ensure my students were learning what they needed to know before exiting my classroom doors for good. Still – between planning, reporting, communication with parents and actual teaching, it was nearly impossible to get it all done. So I feel the pain of today’s teachers, asked to do even more in an already-tight schedule.
Any tools that can free up teachers’ time to dedicate to actual teaching are ones that schools should seek out. There is no reason that the profession of teaching shouldn’t improve its efficiency as the technology becomes available, and Alma is a frontrunner in making this happen in K-12 schools across the country.
**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**
A guest post by Julian Vasquez Heilig
Is tenure still an important tradition in the 21st century? This is a debate that comes up often in my discussions with policymakers and others. It’s also an issue that is currently flaring up in Scott Walker’s Wisconsin (See What’s Gone Wrong in Wisconsin?) There is an increasing cacophony that our ancestors’ of conception of educator tenure is obsoIete. I have two examples today (one personal and recent) relating to how tenure has an important role to play to protect academic freedom in our nation. I will begin with my story then segue to the explanation for the post A Mystery: What do you think is happening in this classroom? #ISupportMarilyn
I was recently “called into the principals office.” A source told me that Chris Evans, the Superintendent of Natomas Unified School District didn’t appreciate that I shared research about Teach For America with him. I have included a screenshot of the email I sent to him and the other board members below.
He contacted the Dean of the College of Education here at California State University Sacramento. I received a call from someone representing the College of Education (I won’t say who because I don’t want to put them on blast). I asked them to put their concerns in writing so I can forward them to the California Faculty Association (CFA). I also forwarded the email above to CFA and made them aware of Chris Evans’ attempt to temper my academic freedom. Fortunately, I am a tenured full professor and my academic pursuits are protected by a long and important tradition in this nation.
You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. Winston Churchill
I think our ancestors understood the career danger presented to faculty who are tasked by our nation to create and disseminate knowledge. It’s important that faculty are protected via tenure from individuals with power and influence who want to silence dissent and creativity.
So maybe you might agree that tenure should stay in higher education, but should be done away in K-12 because of “‘all those lazy” teachers— a common refrain. Here is a case submitted by a California Cloaking Inequity reader that underscores the important of tenure (due process) and academic freedom for K-12 educators.
A student that wasn’t even in one of my classes came to my room when I wasn’t there and took a series of pictures. He photographed the Palestinian flag on my wall as well as other resources that express solidarity with Palestinian people. The pictures were turned over to a Zionist organization from outside of the local community. The Zionists promptly lodged a complaint with the site administrators as well as with the school district. The student in question argued that he did not feel “safe” on campus because of the materials on display in my room. A few days later, I stayed after school to work late. Upon returning to my room in the evening, I startled the assistant superintendent in charge of personnel who had let himself into my room and was examining the materials on my walls. He not only challenged the appropriateness of my Palestinian flag but also a poster of Malcolm X. He claimed that these items were too “controversial.” He suggested that I put up an Israeli flag to “balance” out my room. Later, I was informed by one of my school administrators that school board members had also been given access to my room in order to critique the items on my walls.
Eventually I received a letter signed by the lead as well as both assistant principals informing me that I was in violation of a district policy regarding controversial topics. I was given until the end of the week to remove the Palestinian flag along with other materials. The letter went on to explain that the materials in my room were too “controversial” and “unbalanced.” I was also informed that what I put up on the walls would continue to be monitored. I responded by removing every single poster, student work, instructional resource, and decoration from the room regardless if it was related to social justice for Palestinians. All that was left were four bare walls. Previously, my room was beautiful. It was full of art, student work, culturally relevant images that affirmed the rights of immigrants, women, gays and lesbians, African Americans, and the list goes on. I took it all down in protest. I decided to not play along with the school’s attempt to represent social justice for some groups but not for Palestinians.
Of course my students wanted to know what in the world was going on. This whole thing became an immense teachable moment that allowed me to teach even more about the conflict in Palestine. I also was very open with my students about the various ways I was resisting school authority as well as the consequences I was facing. Of course they were all excited, intrigued and hungry to learn more about not only Palestine but also various forms of civil disobedience.
After several months, I then was informed by one of the administrators that the school board requested that I redecorate my room “appropriately.” The administrator made sure to emphasize that it was the school board’s request. I told her that the school board could come to my room and decorate it themselves. I left the walls bare for months on end but eventually resisting in this way began to grind on me. I slowly began to reintegrate some of the images back on the walls. I felt like a sellout the first time I complied with their racist directives even though the bare walls proved to be an effective protest judging by the high level of student engagement and awareness around Palestine and permissible discourse in public spaces defined by White people.
Two years later, when I was assigned a new classroom, I decided to once again challenge my school district’s insistence on Eurocentric monoculturalism. However this time I committed to non-compliance short of dismissal. Furthermore, unlike my previous confrontation with the school district, I kept other teachers of color as well as like-minded White teachers abreast of my effort to confront the apartheid of knowledge we were all subjected to.
I decorated my new classroom with some of the images that had been displayed in my previous room. One poster called for the removal of the apartheid wall in the West Bank. A second supported the international call for boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel. A third simply proclaimed solidarity with the people of Palestine in English, Spanish, and Arabic. In addition, a photograph of an Israeli soldier pointing his weapon down rage at a crowd of Palestinians was also displayed. The final display was a piece of art I co-created with two of my students. It included a characterization of a man holding a Palestinian flag. Next to the charcoal and water color image of the man, I expressed the following sentiment: “[My principals] lack the courage to lead on issues of equity and social justice. I propose that they support teachers that teach about human rights rather than silence their voices. I will create materials to educate others about the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and nurture my own critical consciousness about human rights.” The powder keg was put in place and the match was lit.
Since I was intentionally defying my principals, I knew I would find myself in hot water sooner rather than later. Knowing this, I invited teachers and friends to do gallery walks through my room. I discussed the images with my current classes and began integrating the images in my lessons. In short order the principals wrote me a letter informing me that I had three days to remove the posters described above as well as others that in the administration’s opinion were, “…not conducive to positive community-building.” I promptly removed the posters but outlined their former locations with blue painter’s tape in order to bring attention to the scene of the crime. At this point is where a camera caught one of my principals trying to catch me ridin dirty. Actually, it wasn’t that hard. I was acting in open defiance to the racist policies of my school district.
Watch the video of the knowledge surveillance below.
In response to the blue painter’s tape, the associate superintendent, the same one I caught lurking in my room after hours (again tryin to catch me “ridin dirty”), was sent to track down the runaway slave and bring me back to the plantation. Of course the sixteen page document that reprimands me for so called “unprofessional conduct” and “unsatisfactory performance” used none of this language but that is the essence of the matter. I was directed to not use the walls of my classroom as a forum to discuss controversial topics nonetheless I was required to maintain educational materials on the walls (See Jane run, Jack and Jill went up the hill, and the like). Furthermore, during the next two years, I was to seek written consent from site administrators before displaying posters, images, flags, or other materials in my classroom. In short I was to be a good little nigger and not dare to speak unless given permission to do so. I consider this letter in my employment file to be a badge of honor.
I am still resisting the racist directives I’ve been given. I am careful and strategic about what I display in my room but I’ll be damned if I will ever ask permission to speak. I continue to post without asking consent.
The essential question that my students have examined this entire year asks them to compare and contrast the experiences of indigenous populations in North America to the experiences of indigenous populations in Palestine after the arrival of European settlers. My walls enshrine my students’ answers to questions such as:
What are Israel and Palestine?
Why are Israelis and Palestinians fighting?
How did this conflict start in the first place?
Why is Israel occupying the Palestinian territories?
Why is there fighting today between Israel and Palestine?
Why does the violence keep happening?
How is the conflict going to end?
Why is it so hard to make peace?
Sue (2004) maintains that in order for ethnocentric monoculturalism to operate, the group in question must have the power to define the reality of other groups. My experiences give evidence of the power to define the reality of other groups. The apartheid of knowledge that exists in my school bestows Whites with the power to define the reality of other groups, it also “marginalizes, discredits, and devalues the scholarship, epistemologies, and other cultural resources of Faculty of Color” (Delgado Bernal & Villalpando, 2002, p. 169). Discussions on race at my school are not legitimized, my perspectives a teacher of color are not validated, and White school personnel are unwilling or unable to engage in dialogue that might lead to squarely confronting a different racial reality. The restriction of images and symbols described in this testimonials illustrate Sue’s (2004) conclusion that, “The extreme bias in knowledge construction from a Euro-American perspective means that the history taught to children is at best incomplete, and at worst, inaccurate and distorted.” The epistemological racism evident in the response of the schools, districts, and administrators illustrates characteristics present in all forms of apartheid; namely the separation, subordination and marginalization of the cultural norms, values, and knowledge of People of Color. As in Salazar’s (2005) study, “Participants received messages, communicated on institutional and individual levels, that served as daily reminders that they were outsiders” (p. 245).
Apartheid requires power. This narratives illustrate how power was exercised by establishing the omnipresence of authority in the form of school and district administrators, as well as elected school officials making clandestine visits to my classroom. The school system also exerted its power by dispensing disciplinary action. The school system used this power to define and impose its ethnocentric reality and beliefs upon the learning environment. Rather than facilitating dialogues about race, my school administrators were guarded and vigilant instead of truthful, open, and honest. School board policies that call for ”fairness,” and “balance” requiring teachers to maintained a so-called “objective perspective” were used to white-out courageous conversations about race, human rights, and justice. Evidence of subaltern counter-narratives was physically and forcefully eliminated.
Trepidation about allowing the perspectives of racially and culturally subjugated groups to be manifested within a preeminent site of cultural production, such as the school classroom, motivates the enforcement of the apartheid of knowledge. Apartheid requires an acknowledgement and fear of difference. However, this acknowledgement serves as justification for the school system to double down on its investment in the myth of colorblindness. The district and site administrators required me to be complicit in their efforts to be colorblind. Motivated by the need to be perceived as unbiased, and by fears of appearing to be anti-Semitic, I was required to deny my own experiential reality as an Afro-Latino by removing images and symbols that testified to the effects of racism and discrimination towards Palestinians. Thus, the school system reproduced and sustained ethnocentric monoculturalism through an apartheid of knowledge that enforces the use of modernist and Eurocentric definitions of fairness, balance, objectivity, truth and falsity, and ultimately the nature of reality.
Malcolm S.
With tenure this social studies teacher is protected from powerful political forces and guaranteed due process. However, that didn’t stop the district from marring this teacher’s record with a complaint. Tenure is not obsolete if we believe in a vibrant democracy that values debate and dissent. Enlightenment vs. hegemony.
Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions. When there is no sharing of power, no rule of law, no accountability, there is abuse, corruption, subjugation and indignation. — Atifete Jahjaga
Apartheid of Knowledge— It’s not just Soweto, it’s in California too.
Works Cited
Delgado Bernal, D. & Villalpando, O. (2002). An Apartheid of Knowledge in Academia: The struggle over the “legitimate” knowledge of faulty of color. Equity & Excellence in Education, 35:2, 169-180.
Sue, D. W. (2004). Whiteness and ethnocentric monoculturalism: Making the “invisible” visible. American Psychologist, 59 (8), 759-769.
Salazar, C. F. (2005). Outsiders in a White, middle-class system: Counselor educators of Color in Academe. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 44, 240-252.
Julian Vasquez Heilig is an award-winning researcher and teacher. He is currently a Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and the Director of the Doctorate in Educational Leadership at California State Sacramento.
Question: Dr. Lynch, at one point in time the United States K-12 educational system was considered to be the best in the world. However, currently we are not even ranked in the top ten. What are your thoughts on the matter and what can we do to get our K-12 educational system back on track. Anthony D.
Answer: Anthony, thank you for submitting such a timely question. The United States entered the 21st century as the world’s sole superpower. Our diplomatic strength, military might, financial resources, and technological innovation were, and continue to be, the envy of the world. However, in the crucial area of education, the U.S. lags behind many other developed countries. Although the U.S. spends more per student than almost any other country in the world, international exams have demonstrated that we consistently perform well behind countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, and Finland in the areas of reading and math.
The ramifications of this trend are considerable. China, Japan, and South Korea understand that well-educated workers are crucial for survival in the competitive global economy. Thus, they are placing enormous emphasis on education, ensuring that their students are given not only foundational reading and math skills, but also that they are able to think creatively and solve problems. Their youth are poised to take on and conquer the world. Educating, hiring, and retaining high-quality teachers are key to lasting reform. The teaching profession in America is undervalued, certainly in comparison with countries like Finland and South Korea.
The U.S., on the other hand, is losing the battle. School systems are using more money but have less to show for it. Test results, especially among the children from low socioeconomic backgrounds are dismal. America has extraordinary natural resources, a solid, functioning democracy, and an excellent infrastructure, but unless we can reform our educational system to produce students who are able to take advantage of new technologies and compete in the global economy, we will cede our position as world leader.
A number of recent books and films have brought this situation to the attention of the American public. What is needed now, though, is a plan to solve those problems: we need to learn to become supermen and women. The educational system involves seven major players: the federal government, district authorities, the community, parents and family, the school administration, teachers, and the students themselves. In order to reform our schools, we must look at each of these players, investigating the interactions among them, and offering suggestions for bolstering involvement and efficacy between them.
In areas where schools are successful, community involvement has proven to be a critical element. In low socioeconomic communities, there is often a sense that schools are separate entities, run by elite elements that have little connection to the community. Perhaps the starkest difference between students from low socioeconomic environments and those from wealthier environments is the amount of parental involvement in students’ education.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), while admirable, has also proven fundamentally flawed. It is not producing the anticipated results, and has had the effect of forcing schools to teach to the exam, rather than fostering a love of learning among students. There is mounting evidence that the U. S. education system is failing our students. Appropriate engagement and direction by district authorities is crucial to creating a quality learning environment. Too often, cronyism, corruption, and misuse of resources diminish the influence of the district-level administration.
Society in general needs to understand that the lack of quality teachers, effective administration, and parental involvement are all factors that contribute to the current state of our educational system. The country must unite and work together to carry the responsibility of enriching and continuing America’s future via educational excellence. We must become supermen and superwomen.
School reform can no longer rely mostly on inputs—that is, giving schools more resources and more support. In order for schools to really help the students on hand, the past must play a role and so must the individual needs of the school.
Do standards and accountability work?
Time has shown that inputs have no real impact on student performance. Federal edicts, such as NCLB, have enforced protocols based on standards, testing, and accountability. Standards emphasize performance objectives and require high levels of accountability from educators.
Required reform and accountability, particularly those which impose sanctions similar to those imposed by NCLB, often create much stress and anxiety. This certainly has been the case since NCLB went into effect. Many educators ask whether it is fair to hold schools accountable for student achievement. And, even if it is “fair,” how are we to measure such achievement? What testing and evaluation formulas will be used? The answers to questions like the above are not easy. Obviously, achievement can only be guaranteed if we assess it in some way. However, current assessment models are flawed.
Research exists to suggest that standards and accountability may improve learning for some disadvantaged students, particularly those with disabilities. When some schools implement accountability guidelines, they promote an environment of increased collaboration among educators and created an environment where teachers expected disabled students to perform better, which in turn encouraged better learning outcomes.
Some countries have been able to show effective and useful outcomes based on their use of certain accountability policies. However, American policy-makers and researchers still do not have any real evidence that these latest accountability reforms are working to improve the performance of the vast majority of students.
What’s the argument surrounding accountability?
Conversations around school accountability have been polarized. Politicians and parents often want to hold schools and teachers completely responsible for student achievement. Teachers point to disinterested students and uninvolved parents, saying that there is only so much they can do. But studies have shown that if teachers and students work together, and schools hold themselves accountable, great strides can be made. All of this discussion of accountability and standards is intended to bring us to a place where schools are performing better and our children are learning.
Researchers at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas observed positive strides toward improved learning outcomes among a variety of middle schools. The researchers believed that improvement strategies must not only improve learning, but also develop responsiveness and social equity. While studying middle schools, they found that teachers at high-performing schools were using teaching strategies that required students to think critically, and strategies that involved the use of real-world problems.
These teachers were not simply teaching abstract ideas or teaching to the test. They noted that student achievement can be improved when students receive recognition for efforts such as note-taking and doing homework, as well as having the opportunities to work collaboratively in groups and engage in active learning like the testing of hypothesis.
These findings show that the type of assessment or accountability that NCLB brings is not the be all and end all of the teaching equation. Rather, the quality of instruction is the biggest part of learning. It is paramount that we continue to work toward a more balanced solution, finding ways to encourage quality instruction, while also monitoring results.
Inputs alone cannot properly reform a school or district; it takes constant monitoring and understanding of the student population to effect change that will positively impact the students it is meant to serve.
Globally, there is an uneven balance between proficient workers and the amount of available jobs matching their skill level and expectations, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The ILO released the 9th edition of the Key Indicators of the Labor Marketon November 16 and parts of it aren’t pretty when it comes to the state of higher education around the world. Though the education level of the worldwide workforce is improving, this increase in higher education doesn’t necessarily translate to lower unemployment on a global scale.
Of the 64 participating countries, the report indicates that all but 2 demonstrate a measurable increase in share of the workforce with a tertiary education over the last 15 years. The largest rise in education was observed in Canada, Luxembourg and Russia. However, individuals with secondary level education don’t necessarily posses an improved chance of locating and securing a job. Tertiary graduates may be less likely to be unemployed in high income systems, yet more likely to be unemployed in low or middle income economies.
The report also indicates that workers in high income countries produce 62 times the yearly output of a worker in a low income system and 10 times that of an employee in a middle income economy. Nonetheless, middle income economies have documented the most productiveness during the last 15 years.
Unfortunately, the average unemployment figures from 112 countries with comparable information increased in 2007-2014, from 6.4 percent to 7.2 percent.
Unless the mismatch between competent workers and the number of accessible jobs is addressed, a decline in economic growth and development may be felt internationally.
It’s no secret that throughout the United States, music education programs are being eliminated due to funding. However the benefits these programs can bring are critical to young children’s development, and I believe music may even hold the key to closing the achievement gap between white children and minority students.
Based on research, early music education illustrates clear emotional and cognitive benefits for children. Increased processing of visual and spatial information, improved literacy, greater ability to learn a second language, academic accomplishment and perseverance are some of the traits associated with incorporating music education throughout youth. When learning to play an instrument, different parts of the brain are required to coordinate at once, which leads to stronger neural pathways. Additionally, children’s auditory systems are enhanced from this, and memory improves. This type of growth serves to heighten brain development throughout childhood, the benefits of which last through adulthood.
A recent study has demonstrated that it only takes 20 days of music education for there to be cognitive advancement in 90 percent of subjects. The evidence is overwhelmingly in support of music education and the positive outcomes it has on children.
Unfortunately, even in the cultural mecca of the world, most New York City public school students don’t enjoy access to music education throughout their schooling. It is important to fill the gaps in some way and non-profit organizations such as, Education Through Music, are volunteering to fill this void. Although their involvement is of positive benefit to the students involved, it is the hope that these non-profits will become part of an enhancement plan, rather than a substitution for school-based music education.
I think that music is more than just a supplementary learning tool; it is a necessary academic skill. Incorporating the right music programs in traditionally at-risk student populations has the potential to enhance learning and an interest in it – and to transcend some of the barriers that may make it difficult for minority, socio-economically challenged and other at-risk students to succeed.
If you have performed a recent search you may have found there is a countless number of social studies resources on the internet. In this post the goal was to find ten sites that addressed the area of Social Studies across all the diversified areas found in the discipline. Below, you will find the results of some extensive searching! You will discover a wide variety of materials including readings, OER (Open Education Resources), primary documents, textbooks, lessons, activities, interactives, videos, audios, and some great blog readings. There is bound to be something for any teacher. Best of all many of these resources will help build a Social Study Classroom e-curriculum while facilitating those important 21st century skills and engaging students! Enjoy your journey!
National Council for Social Studies –While NCSS has an outstanding website loaded with great information, you may wish to take a closer look at the Teacher Library. In this wonderful database NCSS has selected a collection of amazing classroom activities, teaching ideas, and articles from Social Education, Middle Level Learning, and Social Studies and the Young Learner. Educators can browse the collection, or search by historical period and grade level. It could pay off to take a moment and explore the site. Be sure to visit the lesson resources link for some outstanding lessons
Edsitement – The link brings you to the lesson plan page, be sure to explore other amazing areas in the site. The lesson plans can be explored by Art & Culture, World Language, History & Social Studies , AP U.S. History, and Literature & Language Arts. Be sure to explore theStudent Resources. These are engaging interactive activities by grade or subject area collected from around the Web. They can be used to support related lesson plans or as standalone activities in the classroom.
New York Times Learning Network – The New York Times has a wonderful selection of articles and lessons that have a wide range of social studies ideas. You will find categories covering regular social studies, civics, american history, global history, this day in history, geography, current events, and economics. The lessons contain wonderful readings, graphics, and ideas to add to any social study class digital collection.
SAS Curriculum Pathways – This is a wonderful collection of highly engaging lessons plans available for free from SAS Curriculum Pathways in North Carolina. With a collection of around 700 lesson plans as of this publication, the archive allows teachers to search and also browse through multiple social studies categories. The provided link will bring you to the Social Studies area of the site.
Teachers Pay Teachers – On a recent visit to this site there were close to 80,000 social studies and history resources available.. It could then be narrowed down to almost 10,000 free social studies and history resources. The supplied link goes to those almost 10,000. With this many, it is real possible to find something. Best of all, use the keyword search and narrow it down more. If free is desired… be sure to turn on that filter.
Go Social Studies Go– This is an open education resource with a goal of bring free social studies textbooks to the work. The selection has text, graphics, movies, interactive activities, and other engaging links. Presently there are textbooks for US History, Ancient History, and World History.
Annenberg Learner– Here you will find a rich interactive collection of activities and they can all be yours to discover when you visit the Annenberg Learner Social Science Collection. Choose from some engaging opportunities that will benefit a wide variety of social studies classrooms. You can pick from Psychology, Political Science, Area Studies/Geography, History, and Anthropology/Archeology.
OER Commons – What a wonderful place to find open educational resources. In fact, the link provided will bring up over 10, 000 resources just in the social sciences. Take some time and do a search for the exact category of social studies desired. There are some great resources that will supplement any curriculum.
Social Studies and History Teachers’ Blog – Discover this wonderful blog that allows all social studies related teacher to find something that just might fit into a lesson. Here you will find some fun reading, and a lot of engaging ideas.
Mr D’s Neighborhood– This is another creative social studies blog filled with valuable resources and information. It’s content is relevant, engaging, and bound to get students excited about learning all those areas that the social studies encompass. Get ready for a lot of resources.
**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**
A guest post by Craig Kemp
In classrooms all around the globe, educators are introducing new and exciting technological tools to engage their students in learning. Many educators are successful when integrating these technologies, but unfortunately many are not for a variety of reasons.
In my opinion, and from my experience in classrooms around the world, these are the biggest mistakes that educators make when integrating technology into the classroom:
Technology before pedagogy
Sadly, educators see the latest gadgets and feel the need to use them without giving a thought to ‘why’. Education is all about purpose. Integrating technologies into our learning environmentsneeds to be relevant and purposeful; it needs to make learning easier and more engaging for our students. Ask yourself ….. Why am I using this technology and how will it improve learning in my classroom? Think Pedagogy (and curriculum) before Technology.
Technology as a toy
Too often in classrooms around the world I see technology used as a toy. Technology needs to be used as a tool to support learning, not as a gadget or a toy (as much as we all love them). The students that we educate in today’s 21st century learningenvironments are digital natives and are the leaders of tomorrow. They use technology as a toy in their own time. In schools, we need to use technology to teach themlifelong learning skills for the future.
Technology to fill in time
Technology should be used as a learning tool, not as a tool to fill in time or to keep students ‘busy’. Every spare moment in our classrooms should be packed full of engaging, learning opportunities. It is powerful to see educators that are passionate about their jobs, and are utilising technology in new and innovative ways.
Not utilizing the technology available
I am sure you have seen this before … A teacher gets supplied with the best possible tools to integrate technology into his or her classroom and the technology sits in the corner of the room, in the trolley or in a cupboard gathering dust while students drool over their existence. No matter how hard you try, you can’t pry the key out of their hands to unlock the learning potential. While this is not a mistake, it is close enough. You can’t make mistakes if you don’t take risks and this is the hardest thing to see. No opportunity given to unlock learning potential in students through the use of integrated tools.
Being a passionate educator, leader, and coach, I hope for a classroom where everyone (including the educators) are willing to take risks, make mistakes and learn from them; where technology is used as a tool to enhance learning and pedagogy..
Pedagogy before technology! Get integrating, be willing to take risks and immerse your students in the wonderful learning opportunities that technology provides.
For more information, or to connect with me please follow me on twitter @mrkempnz or through my blog www.mrkempnz.com
Craig is a New Zealand born educator with over 10 years experience both in the classroom and in leadership. He is an enthusiastic, 21st century change agent that is passionate about every aspect of education and making a difference.
Question: I am a new principal who is being asked to lead a major school reform using data as a guide. I have participated in this type of reform effort before as teacher, but I played a very small part. Any thoughts on how I can use data to lead this major reform effort? Antonio J.
Answer: Antonio, something tells me that you will be ok. Here is my advice. Student performance depends on the existence of an modern, well organized system at district level. Any model focused on increasing the academic performance of students must involve every segment of the district, from the custodians to the school board. Most districts know exactly what their students need, and their district-wide curriculum and reform should reflect those needs. The district needs to make sure the developed curriculum aligns with the standards set by national and state entities.
Districts that show continuous positive results often base their decisions on data alone, as opposed to relying on observations and data together. Schools should regularly evaluate the pros and cons of instructional programs and realize that standardized tests should make up only a piece of the assessment puzzle, not the entirety. Continuously monitoring the progress of the school’s student body will allow the task force to alter the reform plan as needed.
Successful schools also take measures to institute checks and balances, to ensure the decision-making process is fairly distributed among a variety of reform participants. Superintendents are charged with the duty of ensuring that improvement efforts are carried out in a positive manner and meet the needs of the students.
The team leader’s job is to ensure teachers have all of the tools needed to foster the academic performance of students.
Districts all over the country recognize accountability as the key to the school’s improvement process. Everyone is expected to give their best effort, or face the consequences. To ensure that staff and faculty members are able to perform at optimal levels, the school district must provide them with high-quality professional development.
Successfully implementing and sustaining school reform is possible. It may not be easy, but with a big effort, the use of all resources, and the expertise of professionals, school reform can be successful. The level of success the school is able to achieve will be based on the school’s situation. Whatever the obstacles, the leaders’ decisions need to be resolute to foster academic achievement.
In order to complete the process of school reform, restructuring efforts must be monitored and measured. The process of evaluation can be completed in-house, or the leader can hire outside consultants to perform the task. If the task force is willing to evaluate the success of the school’s reform, they must first develop a plan for evaluation.
The team’s evaluation plan should have been created before the reform was started. Performance goals that were created at the beginning of the process should be used to guide the evaluation process. The team will need to decide who will collect, study, and interpret the data. In order to avoid biased results, it may be in the best interest of the school to hire an outside consultant to provide a more objective assessment of the reform efforts. The team will also use the results to determine whether or not the reform efforts were effective.
The results may indicate that the reform was not successful. In this case, the best solution is to build upon the small successes and learn from mistakes. Another reform could then be put in place, or the unsuccessful reform changed to better suit the needs of the school. School restructuring is a long-term process, occurring on a continuous cycle. Keep in mind that not every restructuring effort bears fruit. Even the best schools have to continue to work in the restructuring process.
