No Proven Effectiveness, No Sustainable Change Proposal for strategic approach to the computerizatio

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No Proven Effectiveness, No Sustainable
ChangeProposal for strategic approach to the
computerization of education on the basis of 30
years of experienceAssessing the effects of ICT
in education Indicators, criteria and benchmarks
for international comparisonsIspra, April 27-8
2009

• Roni Aviram
• Center for Futurism in Education
• Ben-Gurion University

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I. The problem

• Five big waves of computerization of education
• Failure to meet the expectations

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Expected results

• Integration of ICT in regular learning processes
  and curricula
• Change of teaching/learning processes according
  to desired theories/methodologies
• Higher achievements in standardized tests
• (Higher level of equality in education / "closing
  the digital divide")

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Technologies / guiding theories

• 1980-1990 Personal computers / behaviorism,
  constructionism
• 1900-1995 CD ROMs, multimedia / constructivism
• 1995-2000 Internet / social constructivism
• 2000-2005 WWW / social constructivism,
  distributed learning
• 2005-present Web 2.0, mobile terminals / social
  constructivism, distributed learning

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Results school level

• Integration low or instrumental (increases as
  teachers naturally become more ICT literate)
• Change of teaching/learning processes no ability
  to scientifically measure pedagogic changes
  (certainly not beyond specific contexts,
  pedagogical terminologies, and valuation
  methodologies)
• Higher achievements difficulties in measuring
  beyond specific contexts, definition of goals,
  curricula, and while showing meaningful
  sustainable increase
• At the same time, growing discrepancy between
  schools and the "outside world"

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References

• Most schools in most countries, however, are in
  the early phase of ICT adoption, characterised by
  patchy uncoordinated provision and use, some
  enhancement of the learning process, some
  development of e-learning, but no profound
  improvements in learning and teaching.
  (Balanskat et al. 2006)
• Currently, it seems that ICTs are used as tools
  to support and improve the existing learning
  process and its administration more than for
  their transformative potential. ICT has not (yet)
  been able to revolutionise learning and
  teaching. (Punie et al. 2006)
• Evidence seems to point to an impact on
  attainment where ICT is an integral part of the
  day-to-day learning experiences of pupils,
  although the weight of evidence is insufficient
  to draw firm conclusions. . . . the volume and
  consistency of evidence tends to lead to
  tentative conclusions rather than firm ones.
  (Condie et al. 2007)
• . . . only a few studies mainly UK studies
  actually establish a direct link between the use
  of ICT and attainment. (Balanskat et al. 2006)

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Results discourse / research / policy level
patchy, uncoordinated

• Lack of common ground supporting commensurability
  or rational discussion across
• Various educational goals
• Various terminologies characterizing communities
  of professionals/researchers or influenced by
  changing fashions
• Various hierarchies among first, second and third
  level pedagogical processes, i.e. between
  pedagogical strategies, tactics and techniques
• Various worldviews/theories/methodologies and
  sub-methodologies
• Various evaluation methodologies
• Few longitudinal evaluations (regarding
  sustainability and transferability)

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Prevailing explanations for low results on school
level

• Lack of systemic long-term approach
• Teachers' fears/resistance
• Irrelevant teacher training
• Frequent changes in policies, projects

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Explanations on discourse level

• Why assume it should happen?
• Lack of thinking frameworks that could
  systematically deal with
• The chaotic nature of the discourse
• Conflicts between macro policies and local goals
  and initiatives (e.g. standardized achievements
  and requirements vs. constructivist or
  constructionist approaches that many change
  agents adopt)
• Conflicts among local initiatives (opposed
  theories or educational goals applied at the same
  time in the same place)
• Lack of knowledge and hypotheses about relevant
  past experiences (to prevent the ever recurring
  reinvention of the wheel syndrome)
• Lack of knowledge and hypotheses about the double
  edged nature of relevant digital tools and
  environments

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• The "predictable failure of educational reform"
  syndrome
• The fact that real sustainable and transferable
  educational changes requires at least 8 years of
  support
• The clash of the book and digital civilizations
• Lack of long term rigorous evaluation and
  feedback loops concerning both adequacy of
  goals/theories to processes and results

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II. Suggested responses

• 1. Concerning the desired framework for research,
  educational and change processes and discussions
• Move from pre-paradigmatic stage of multitude of
  patchy computerization efforts to reliance on
  paradigms consisting of long, thick and
  large strategic thinking leading to ongoing
  developing discourse, based on
• clear and coherent terminology
• clear and coherent definition of goals (from the
  ultimate educational goals to the operational
  goals of computerization), theories,
  methodologies
• central questions acknowledged universally
  (within the paradigm)

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2. Concerning the definition of goals of the
computerization projects

• Change focus from attempts to enhance standard
  achievements to adaptation of the book-based
  school to the digital culture
• Change focus from PC/laptop orientation to
  Internet/Web 2.0 orientation
• MINDFUL reliance on the modes of thinking and
  acting characterizing the Google generation

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3. Concerning the approach to educational change

• Change focus form short term (1-3 years),
  limited, inclusive and rigid projects to long
  term (5-10 years), encompassing, exclusive,
  flexible processes
• End of naivety reliance on systemic change
  management and risk management methodologies that
  are essential to the change process, and
  accompanying it closely over an extended time
  period

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The desired frameworkStrategic thinking on
policy formation

• The ideal template for defining any policy
• Defining clear goals, operationalizing and
  prioritizing them
• Defining the processes needed to realize these
  goals, based on research
• Analyzing the conditions needed to implement
  these processes
• Analyzing the relevant impact of potential ICT
  tools and environments on their users
• Analyzing the impact of potential ICT tools and
  environments on education within the normative
  model
• Locating (or developing) ICT functions that have
  an edge for promoting the desired conditions
• Analyzing risks based on failures of past
  educational reforms
• Making policies to encourage these ICT-based
  processes

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• How can we approach the ideal of strategic
  thinking?

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III. Examples of strategic thinking on
integrating ICT and Education

• The goals
• Enhancing self-regulation
• Enhancing personalization

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2. The processes needed to realize these goals

• Self-regulation
• Planning
• Monitoring and controlling during practice
• Reflecting
• Personalization
• Leaning based on higher level of ownership by the
  learner
• Exploring during the learning process
• Making real choices in the learning process based
  on mindfulness and meaningfulness

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3. The conditions needed to implement the
processes

• Openness and open-endedness in the learning
  process (commitment of schools and teachers)
• Environment supporting perceptions of autonomy,
  relatedness, competence
• Tools supporting teachers and students in
• Planning
• Monitoring
• Reflection
• Choosing
• Exploring
• Communicating
• Collaborating

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III.a. Concerning using existing toolsthe case
of Google tools for educators

• What do we know/assume about the positive and
  negative impacts of these tools as far as the
  desired goals are concerned?
• What do we know about their previous use in
  education?
• So how can we optimize the educational impact?
• What are the expected obstacles for change?
• What leverages can be used for overcoming the
  obstacles?
• So how can we bring about the desired educational
  change?

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III.b. Concerning developing new toolsthe case
of iClass

• Learning Plan (enhanced calendar)
• support for planning (self-regulation)

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• Personal Profile (enhanced user profile)
• support for personalization

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• Scaffolded Exploration (enhanced search)
• support for personalization

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• Structured Learning Journal (enhanced blog)
• support for reflection (SRL)

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• Personal Space
• support for reflection monitoring (SRL)

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• Tips Alerts
• support for self-regulation personalization

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Related policy

• Accompanying methodologies
• Classroom pedagogy methodology
• Content development methodology
• School change management methodology
• Evaluation methodology
• Teacher Handbook
• explaining the benefits of openness and
  open-endedness
• explaining how to manage an open teaching
  environment

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Relevant PhD research of students

• Danny Glick, on the extent to which scientific
  papers on e-learning follow the positions they
  represent (BGU)
• Yoav Armony, on why doesnt IT happen (BGU)

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Proposal for strategic approach to the
computerization of education on the basis of 30
years of experience

• Roni Aviram
• Center for Futurism in Education
• Ben-Gurion University
• roniav_at_bgu.ac.il
• www.bgu.ac.il/futuredu