Using a Hammer to Insert a Screw

Our assignment this week was to read this article about the unimpressive impact of software in the classroom. The article provided an interesting viewpoint on how the use of classroom software for math and reading study made no impact on test scores.

The article cites a study by the US Department of Education which compared test scores from classrooms using technology and those who were not. The USDE found no statistical difference between the classrooms using software and those that teach math traditionally.

I think the software might not be making a difference for several reasons. The first of which is that they are measuring results with standardized test scores. The impact of classroom technology goes beyond test scores. The test scores measure the amount of learning, but they cannot measure whether students are less frustrated because they can work at their own pace or whether students become better users of technology through the software.

Another reason that I think that the software might not be making a difference is that there may simply be design flaws in the programming. A friend of mine had to use an online math program to do her math homework. Every time she would get a question wrong she would have to do three more questions. If she got one of those questions wrong, another three questions were added. In the end, she was never able to complete her homework because there were so many problems for her to complete. While she may have understood the concept, the program failed to allow her to succeed.

Even with the USDE study's dubious results, I believe that technology should be used in the classroom. While technology may or may not have an impact on test scores and rote learning, I believe that classrooms that harness technology can be more effective. By its nature, technology is interactive and stores a lot of information. Traditionally it was the teacher's job to be interactive and store a lot of information. If technology is used in the classroom then the role of a teacher shifts from being the lecturer to assisting students in research and self-study, which is more rewarding for the student and gives the teacher more time with each student to individually help them succeed.

Expanding this idea into college, should college be a completely online experience? The answer is no. College is about much more than just classroom lecture and individual study. Student activities, clubs, and teams serve an important role in the way that college students grow. In the workplace, knowledge is only the bare minimum. Workers need to be good leaders and followers as well as socially minded with their coworkers (in other words the worker gets along with coworkers). Without these skills which are developed in college, workers would not be as productive and businesses would not excel.

In closing, I want to remind everyone that technology is only a tool. If you try to use a hammer to insert a screw, bad things will happen. Therefore, we need to constantly be evaluating for what we use technology and for what we do not use it.

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