Schools Where Technology Improves Learning Ron Anderson & Sara Dexter Project Co-directors Funding for this project was provided by a grant from the U. S. Department of Education, which in no way is responsible for the views expressed here or in the project reports.

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Overview Purpose of the Study Identify exemplary U.S. schools with innovative classrooms incorporating technology to improve learning Represent the USA in two international studies

Overview Site Selection Criteria The school was committed to 1.meeting high content standards in core subjects 2.a school-wide reform or improvement effort 3.an innovative, technology-supported pedagogical practice The schools 4.student body was diverse 5.efforts appeared sustainable and transferable 6.evidence of educationally significant student outcomes or gains was compelling

Overview International Studies IEA International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement –Second Intl Technology in Education Study (SITES) Module 2: Case Studies OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development –ICT and the Quality of Learning

Overview Site Search Process: 1.Nominations of schools or districts solicited from all State directors of Ed.Tech & Curriculum Supervisors & from Advisory Committee and consultants 2.Searches for exemplary sites in magazines, academic literature, NECC proceedings, databases, websites, winners of grants, spotlight school selections, Expert Panel on Ed. Tech selections 3.Review and ranking of these lists by Advisory Committee and consultants 4.Phone interviews of administrators and teachers at top ranked school sites 5.Re-ranking of top ranked sites

Final Eleven

Overview Analysis Strategies: 1.All interviews and focus group interviews transcribed 2.These and other documents obtained from schools compiled into an NVIVO database 3.Coding scheme and definitions finalized 4.Documents coded case by case using NVIVO 5.Multicase reports prepared based primarily upon interpretations of coded text

Multicase Themes Findings across all of the schools… Professional community Technology Support Leadership Changing Teacher and Student Roles Sustainability and Transferability Curriculum and Assessment Aspects

School Reports & Videos For each of the eleven schools Demographic information Text case report Link to school website For five schools Five minute QT video PDF of case script

Newsome Park Elem. School K-5, 760 students, Urban, 60%, 60%, 5:1 Project-based learning using wireless laptops Teacher Practices & Outcomes –PBL, tech skills, coaching,view of students Student Outcomes –More responsibility, tech skills, SOLs Professional Community Theme

Newsome Park Elem. School In the video… What context factors do you expect to hear highlighted about this school? Where and how do you expect to see the technology being used? Discussion What predictions were confirmed? What surprised you? What did you learn?

Lemon Grove Middle School 6-8, 800 students, suburban, 65%, 75%, 2:1 Thin client system for improving academic performance Teacher Practices & Outcomes –Data to individualize and remediate, Intranet sites, project and research work Student Outcomes –Research, group, math and reading skills, home access to technology Technology Support Theme

Lemon Grove Middle School In the video… What context factors do you expect to hear highlighted about this school? Where and how do you expect to see the technology being used? Discussion What predictions were confirmed? What surprised you? What did you learn?

New Tech High School 11-12, 240 students, Small town, 46%, 1:1 High tech preparation for a high tech world (tech-rich PBL) Teacher Practices & Outcomes –PBL curricula, interdisciplinary, facilitators of student groups Student Outcomes –CC courses, internship, speaking and team skills, 95% do post-secondary work Leadership Theme

New Tech High School In the video… What context factors do you expect to hear highlighted about this school? Where and how do you expect to see the technology being used? Discussion What predictions were confirmed? What surprised you? What did you learn?

Some Ideas for Future Research Sustainability, transferability, and scaling up challenges Impact of alternative federal and state technology policies Role of technology in schools that are effective as learning organizations Role of assessment systems in monitoring and mediating impact of technology on processes and outcomes