The MLTI Roadmap of Continuous Improvement Towards a 21st Century School

According to research done by Dr. Ruben Puentedura during the 1990s, identifying “levels of technology use” was an effective predictor of the return on technology investments that corporations realized. Those who moved above the center line (in the chart below) to use technology to modify and redefine tasks tended to see significant gains in productivity, while those who used the technology as a direct substitute for an existing tool or merely to augment existing ways of doing business failed to recognize the expected benefits.

In a school setting, research shows that there are a number of possible ways to raise student achievement. Two methods show significant potential for raising student achievement two standard deviations (2 sigma – equivalent to two letter grades):

1. Purposeful technology integration
2. Competent one on one tutoring

This chart below can be used to support a professional learning community in self-reflection on how technology, or any innovative resource for that matter, is being used by the organization to support its overall progress in meeting its stated goals.

MLTI Student Tech Team Conference

On Friday May 30, 2008 the Maine Learning Technology Initiative and The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UMaine, Orono are presenting the Fifth Annual MLTI Student Tech Team Conference. This is a chance for educators, students, and community members to come together as a team for learning. UMaine COEHD faculty are welcome to come and see how MLTI is changing the face of Maine schools. Make sure to check out the conference web page.

TPAK Presentation

At the 2008 Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education conference Dr. Punya Mishra and Dr. Mattew J. Koehler presented the keynote presentation entitle, “Thinking Creatively: Teacher as Designers of Technology, Pedagogy and Content (TPACK). Here is the abstract:

The ability to be creative and flexible is critical in face of a rapidly changing world. Nowhere is this more important than in teaching. Teachers operate in a complex and chaotic ecology where success depends on improvising knowledgeable answers to largely unanticipated problems.

Technology, and its rapid rate of change, further complicates the the pedagogy of teaching subject matter. Teaching with technology has been called a “wicked problem,” because they defy standard problem solving approaches. We argue for an approach than honors teacher creativity as an essential guide for navigating these wicked problem spaces. In this presentation we describe the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework as a way of thinking about teacher knowledge, technology integration, and the role of teachers’ creativity. TPACK, with its emphasis on the interaction teachers’ knowledge of Content, Pedagogy, and Technology, places teachers front and center as designers of curriculum, who flexibly and creatively integrate technology and pedagogical approaches to help their students understand subject matter.

In this interactive presentation we will explore the meaning of creativity, particularly in contexts relevant to teaching and learning. We shall also explore strategies for improving technology integration through nurturing and supporting teacher creativity.

I encourage you to watch the video of this presentation. It brings up some great points in regards to technology and teaching.