Addressing technology inequalities and gaps

FECODE, the teachers’ union in Colombia, sponsored six seminars in different cities in Colombia in November 2013, where they asked me to talk about technology, education and critical pedagogy.  Participants in the seminar wrote out questions for discussion following my presentations.  When question time ran out, I agreed to respond to the other questions in writing.  I have combined questions into some specific themes, with this being the first of three.

New information and communications technologies (ICT) have the effect of increasing already existing social and educational gaps.  What can be done about these inequalities and gaps?

Several types of gaps were identified in different questions:  social class differences between students who have access to ICTs and those who do not; gaps in access between students who live in the cities and those in rural areas where they are without any access to the technology;  differences between teachers and students.

Some teachers oppose any introduction of the new technologies into classrooms.  Many good reasons exist for being critical and skeptical about positive impact on education.

 

What, if any, are effective uses of the technology in learning? What is the impact on health as students spend time on the screen rather than in physical activity? What is the impact of individualist rather than collective relationships?

Despite these  legitimate questions, we cannot stop the inclusion of ICTs in education.  Nor should we.  They are too attractive and are getting more and more a part of the lived social experience of many of our students.  We cannot go back, but we must influence the direction forward if new technologies in education are not to increase already existing social inequities.

Social inequality is increased

Research evidence from the OECD PISA exam results shows that the most effective use of the technology is learned not in the classroom, but by students with access to the technology at home.  These students have more comfort with the technology than students who only have access at school. 

The equity issues in technology can only be effectively addressed by creating  more equity in society as a whole.  However, the reality is that in countries of both the north and the south, societies are becoming more unequal.  Equity in access to the technology is a part of the larger social problem of inequality.  Some steps can be taken, though, to make improvements by policies that give preference to the poor in social investments in technology. 

Special attention has to be given to students in rural areas if they are to have access to the technology.  As an example of what is possible, in Cuba schools that do not have electricity are set up with solar panels to produce the electricity needed for technology.  Again, equity demands that preference be given to providing access to those who are marginalized.

Generational gaps

A generational gap is recognized across societies.  A common mistake that many governments have made is to give the technology to students, but not the teachers.  It should not take any more than common sense to know that if you want teachers to integrate technology into their teaching practice, you give computers to teachers and encourage them to use them to assist in their teaching.  Instead, governments follow policies like giving tablets to students, but loans to teachers to buy their own computers.

The technology is attractive to many students and they may feel more comfortable using them.  However, the experience reported from many of the experiences is that the students use them to play games, watch movies and gossip with other students.

Critical pedagogies and ICTs

Even where teachers and students all have access to ICTs, effective use in the educational process is still very much a work in progress.  Many of the uses in education are based on individualist notions of "personalization" and  pre-programmed "assistive technologies."  Uses of technology have built in values, usually invisible and unexamined, that become an influence in the construction of values in our students.

A central role for critical pedagogy is to have teachers working together to develop pedagogical approaches based on socio-cultural, critical theories such as from Vygotsky's work, in contrast to the dominant individualist pedagogies.

  

Pedagogical circles of teachers doing collective, reflective research on their practice could be one method of teacher development of critical pedagogies in teaching with ICTs.

Is there a choice beyond the iPad for schools?

The iPad costs more than other tablets, but it is still dominant in sales to schools.  Despite austerity school district budgets, according to Education Week, an education publication, Apple has 94% of the tablet market for K-12 schools in the U.S.

But competitors have hope,  the article suggests:  "Apple's king-of-the-hill position in tablets is being eroded by various players--most recently by Google, with..Google Play for Education."  Google sells education apps using a system that "allows teachers to pay using a purchase order loaded on the tablet."

Many districts make their decisions before they have determined what the educational use will be--as with many technology decisions.  One big push for one-to-one computing in many states is the adoption of the Common Core Curriculum and computer-based testing that is going with it.

The Los Angeles school district has been front and centre for the problems of inadequate research and thought before making a purchase.  The district announced it was buying an iPad for all it students, but has had to back pedal as problems arose.

Computer-based testing was one of the key arguments for a one-to-one purchase.  However, they didn't buy keyboards to go with the iPads and students taking the tests on iPads would be disadvantaged compared to those using laptops or desktops.  The virtual keyboard would cover part of the screen with some of the test material.

The iPads were supposed to block students from exploring the Internet, except for pre-selected sites.  Students, of course, almost immediately found ways around that.  And the district didn't figure in all the overhead costs to the system either.

The range of tablets competing with the iPad, of course, includes Windows-based tablets from several other computer companies.

A note at the end of the Edweek article about alternatives to the iPad says "Coverage of the education industry and K-12 innovation is supported in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation."  

In case you might think that promoting options to iPad was the reason for the article being published, the note also says "Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage."

What went wrong with iPads in LA?

The most publicized mass application of ICT hardware and software in K-12 education was the decision of the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide iPads to all students.   After distributing some of the iPads, the problems started. 

The machines were supposed to be limited to specific educational sites, not access to the full internet.  Part of the nearly $700 plus cost of each machine went to the Pearson corporation that supplied educational software for the iPads.  Almost immediately, some students figured out how to disable the block to the internet.

The rationale for every student getting an iPad was to be able to take the new online standardized tests that go with the new Common Curriculum.  However, it was realized that students using the iPad would have a disadvantage compared to students using laptops or desktop machines.  Those students would be able to see a full screen of information, but those on the iPad would not.  The onscreen keyboard of the iPad would get in the way of a part of the screen and the school district had not included keyboards.

Here is some of Larry Cuban's report of the problems:

 The true cost of this experiment runs far higher than the projected $400 million to give iPads to 655,000 students. That is what Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) means. The cost for the iPad is given as $678 per unit (remember, there is no keyboard usually listed at $100 which will have to be bought eventually for secondary school students).Now, budget-watchers discovered that the devices will cost even more. An Oops! that surprised the Board of Education.

Funds to hire school technical assistants, providing the wireless infrastructure, loss of tablets, and repair of broken tablets, insurance, professional development for teachers, costs for replacement devices when three-year warranties expire—I could go on but these numbers double and triple the published hardware and software costs. Consider that the reports of the $30 million contract with Apple Inc. omitted that the Board of Education approved $50 million for this first phase to accommodate some of these other costs detailed above.

And just a few days ago, a major Oops! was announced when the Board of Education, in questioning a top administrator, discovered that the software license to use the math and English curriculum expires after three years—the clock began ticking last July when the Board approved the contract. Renewal of the license in just over two years will cost another $60 million. Add that to the TCO.

Cuban's blog post is at http://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/a-second-look-at-ipads-in-los-angeles/

A Bloomburg media report called "iPad goes to school" quoted this LA student complaint:

Josh Hoover, a 16-year-old at Westchester High, misses his iPad and is still puzzled by the fuss. Standing outside the school in early October, he said he sympathizes with his industrious peers. "They should let us use Facebook," Hoover said. "There's nothing to do on it besides academics. They just want it to be a big old book.” 

Essays, capitalism and feminist critiques of MOOCs

Imagine marking 100 years of essays

Contrary to stereotype, writing by students has improved in the digital age--or so claims research by a Stanford prof reported in the Globe.  Recent essays in comparison to a sample of essays from a century ago are longer and more sophisticated.  Students get more writing practice--mostly on smartphones--and even a mini-keyboard is a lot easier to use than a fountain pen was, the researcher suggests.

Reasons for the improvements suggested:  Authentic audience.  When students write to communicate with friends or online, possibly global, acquaintances, they care more about what they say and how.  Writing for the teacher alone is just an exercise, not an authentic communication.

http://bit.ly/163bM30

Who says capitalism is good for the poor?

The Fraser Institute is in the midst of new initiatives on the education front.  Its annual school rankings have spread to several provinces, and now they are hitting out on new fronts--technology, merit pay and student workshops.

The cover of their take on technology ("Technology and Education: A primer") sends a mixed message.  It shows a smiling young girl holding a tablet.  The content of the tablet is "1-5 Times Table Chart."  Why would you need a digital tablet to simply show that 1x1+1?

A school opening release calling for teacher merit pay hardly registered in the mainstream press, outside of a business editor and the National Post.

The Fraser folks also target teachers--offering workshops like "Is Capitalism Good for the Poor?" and lesson plans for using their global map of "economic freedom."  They offer to pay for substitutes and travel funds for teachers to attend.

Students are directly targeted as well with day-long infusions of "Why Do People Behave the Way They Do? An Introduction to Economic Reasoning."  These are "free, fun, one-day seminars consist of a mix of short lectures, games and activities that introduce economic principles," with separate programs for junior and senior secondary students.

Feminist challenge to MOOCs

MOOCs are the newest "solution" to provide access to post-secondary education.  The acronym stands for Massive Open Online Courses.  They can draw tens of thousands of participants.  At least, thousands sign up but few complete them.

Enthusiasts claim these will open up education on a global basis, overcoming barriers of access for millions. Critics are skeptical. The developers are trying to figure out the revenue stream and the path to an IPO.

A group of feminist faculty members have created an alternative approach to the centralized expertise approach of MOOCs.  They are calling it a DOCC, "distributed open collaborative course."

 

Anne Balsamo, a co-facilitator of the first DOCC says "It recognizes that, based on deep feminist pedagogical commitments, is distributed throughout all the participants in a learning activity."  It does no just reside with one or two individuals.

The problem with "Designed in California"

Apple ran a huge ad campaign that promoted its products as "Designed in California."  Critics identified the immediate problem.  Its message really is that the production of its products is outsourced to exploited workers in Asia, while its profits are hidden in company revenues reported in other countries to avoid taxation in the U.S.  All that is left for California is designing products.

You might think Apple would at least give a break to schools in California.

 

When the Los Angeles school district decided to spend $1 billion to give iPads to students and install broadband in all the schools, they didn't think about keyboards.  They now need to spend $38 million more to buy wifi keyboards.

Why do they need keyboards?  A new set of standardized tests is being introduced in California and keyboards will be used by other students taking the exams.  The touch screen keyboard on the iPad could obscure part of questions which students using other machines would be able to see.

This was originally published in the Fall 2013 issue of Our Schools, Our Selves, the education journal of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Random Thoughts--Microsoft and Pearson

Who ever heard of Nokia?  Kenya has

How soon we forget in the digital age.  Nokia was a pioneer in the spread of cell phones only a few years ago.  Now it has nearly disappeared from the smartphone kiosks in the local shopping centre.  It fell behind in the iPhone age.

But they haven't disappeared.  In fact, Microsoft recently bought their handset division and Nokia produces smartphones  using the Windows OS.  And they have been working on education projects in several African countries.  They use Nokia phones that feed material through a cellular connection that can be hooked up to a TV monitor.  Only a few schools are in the project initially, but the potential is great.

In countries where textbooks are expensive and scarce, jumping over the age of hard copy print may open possibilities for much more extensive access to learning resources.  In Kenya, many banking transactions are already carried out over relatively inexpensive cell phones.

Digital is the workhorse of education globalization

Textbook companies are trying to figure out where the future lies.  They have had monopoly positions with schools and individual students having to purchase them.  Prices have grown beyond any other aspect of the book business.  But that age is coming to an end.

"Open resources" are the buzz.  In British Columbia, the province has put free, open source texts online for 15 first-year courses offered in multiple post-secondary institutions.  Tools that make it easy to produce your own books are appearing online. 

The big guys in the textbook business are turning to digital products and projects to capture future profits.  Pearson, in particular, is building a global digital business that includes everything from tests to "analytics."  Digital is making it possible to globally "harmonize," presenting a challenge to maintaining the local and national as central to the education process.  If there is hope, it is that open source offers a future where the direction of education does not rest just with global corporations.

But Pearson is even trying to capture open source as a market.  The run their own "open" educational resources, building on the work that teachers contribute.  And Pearson officials say they "hear customer demand from teachers for us to help them make sense of open educational resources."

Gates dreams on

Bill Gates has spent billions from his foundation on grants to change education.  He is now focused on  teacher evaluation and has decided that teachers have to be involved in the process.  He hardly needed to spend billions to find that out.

Now he wants to bring "accountability" to higher education.  He wants to get students through their programs faster by using technology and "competency-based learning, according to a Washington Post story.  This is to come, in his dreams and everyone else's nightmare, with an accountability system based on testing of post-secondary students.

Second-hand distraction

Multi-tasking does not just affect the student doing it during a class, but the students around them as well, according to a study by McMaster researchers Faria Sana and Tina Weston.

The study was based on students attending a university lecture and then completing a multiple-choice quiz.  Half the students were asked to multi-task on a number of activities and students were seated around them without computers.  They expected the multi-takers to do less well in the test than those not multi-tasking, and that was the result.

However, it turned out that the students surrounded by multi-taskers also did poorly on the test.  They reported that they were not distracted, but the test results indicated that they had been.

Classic essay topic no longer works

A cartoon.  First day of school and the teacher gives a classic assignment:  "Write about 'what I did last summer.'"  Student says, "weren't you following me on Twitter?"

Originally published in the Fall 2013 issue of Our Schools, Our Selves, the education journal of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Some teacher views on online learning

The Future of Distributed Learning:  Some teacher views

By Larry Kuehn and David Comrie

Distributed Learning (DL) has been a fast-growing element of BC's education system over the last decade.  A workshop at the Computer Using Educators specialist association (CUEBC) conference was  conducted as a focus group with two dozen DL teachers. 

Not only have enrolments grown, but DL policies have changed at a rapid pace, with many policies and practices revised from year to year.  To get a look at the future directions, we needed to hear about the significant issues facing DL teachers now.

Here are some of the themes and issues raised by DL teachers:

1.         Numbers of DL students are up and down in different districts

Some reported an increased number of DL students this year, while others declined, significantly.  The Surrey Connect program reported five teachers being reassigned elsewhere because of reduced student numbers.

2.         Growth of private online schools

Surrey has two independent DL programs and the Christian Heritage online school working from the Okanagan has significant enrolment.  These private school programs are offered for free, paid for through public funding.  The independent school funding has been increased to 63 percent of funding for public DL students, while the funding for face-to-face independent schools is 50 percent of that for public schools.

Some private DL schools were reported to offer lower requirements--quick and easy courses and grades.   When signing up for a course, public school students may not be aware that these schools use resources and assignments with religious content.  Students can now a get a Dogwood diploma (high school graduation) from a public school, but with courses from an independent school

.

3.         Compliance audits drive many decisions and are negative

School districts are desperate to not lose funding.  A reduction in funding forces cuts in other areas of educational service--and cuts are retroactive with funding already spent having to be returned.

The required audit trail means significant record-keeping takes up teaching time.  The audit criteria, which change frequently, force DL schools to develop practices based on the criteria.  Some essentially do the paperwork twice, with practice audits, to make sure they are meeting these criteria.

4.         Quality audit experiences have been positive

Several participants worked in DL schools that had gone through a "quality audit" and they universally described it as a positive experience.  The process allows for self-reflection, as well as outside facilitators who help to guide the look at whether the DL school is meeting the quality standards, and what would be improvements.  Unlike the compliance audit, it is supportive rather than punitive.

5.         Distributed Learning is a "cash cow"

Although they can't find out actual expenditures in many cases, DL seems like it is used by school districts as a "cash cow."  By this they mean that the DL program brings more funding to the district than is actually spent on DL.  When DL was offered to all school districts, the policy was that boards should spend 90% of the funding on DL students.  That provision has not been enforced.

The funding limitation for the system as a whole drives districts to find resources where ever they can.

6.         "Blended learning" is the next big thing

Some move toward blended learning was reported by several participants.  No consensus exists on what the term means in practice.  However, all the versions have some mix of student work online and in a face-to-face situation. 

This is a challenge to the organization of DL.  It implies that the student is physically located in a place where they can engage in some face-to-face activities, in contrast to the practice of students signing up for courses whatever district offers them.

7.         DL programs have increasing numbers of students with special needs

The challenge of providing appropriate support for students with special needs is ongoing.  It seems like the number of students with mental health issues is increasing, particularly students  with serious anxiety about being in the school environment.

8.         Course development has many complications

Many  DL teachers develop their own courses, or, at least modify existing courses.  How much can be done is framed by how many courses a person is teaching--which may be anywhere from one course with many students or many different courses with not so many in each course.

The changes in the provincial curriculum will bring to the fore more questions of who develops courses, DL teachers course development built into their teaching load, who owns resources and how they are shared.  Without contract provisions or policy guidelines, this  may produce unfair and unequal situations.

9.         Work/life balance is essential

The balance mentioned included not spending so much time on the work that there is no time for the rest of life.  Also mentioned was the need for balance in the work so that it is not just marking assignments, but also includes time for course development and modification and for professional development.

10.       Big need--training in pedagogical practices for online learning

One participant works in a university education faculty that offers a program for online teaching, but it is a graduate program.  Teaching online has not been an element of teacher education programs for those preparing for a teaching certificate

.

School districts offering DL have signed a contract with the ministry that says they will offer training for DL teachers, but few districts live up to this commitment.

Frustration with lack of TTOCs (Teachers Teaching on Call--substitutes) with online training or experience was noted--without that, the DL teacher gets little relief when they are away from work, with the email and student work just cluttering the screen when they return.

These  themes and issues do not necessarily reflect a consensus of those present, but rather an attempt to find some patterns in the comments made.

Facilitators for the focus group were David Comrie, president of the BCTF Educators for Distributed Learning Provincial Specialist Association and Larry Kuehn, BCTF Director of Research and Technology.  

Beyond BCeSIS--will there be a difference?

Finally the BC Ministry of Education got the message that the student information system, BCeSIS, is inadequate and gets in the way of effective recording and reporting on student development.  Last year the Ministry started a process of buying something new.

The new program has been selected and implementation is to begin.  The Ministry's choice is a new software program, but the same people running it that have been running BCeSIS. 

The new software is called Aspen, and the old--and new--service provider is Fujitsu.  A dozen companies put in proposals, three were asked to provide more detail, and Fujitsu was chosen.

Fujitsu has been in charge of many of the elements of BCeSIS--providing and managing the servers, providing the documentation, responding to the glitches, developing the training, providing support.  They will now be in charge of the same elements of the new system.  Presumably they were able to offer a better financial deal because they already have an infrastructure in place with BCeSIS.

The major change is in the software, moving from "esis" to Aspen.

Few BC  teachers have seen the new software and developed an opinion on whether it will be a satisfactory system.  It has been adopted in a number of states in the U.S., but that isn't necessarily a positive factor.

In the meantime, work is proceeding on an alternative, open-source student information system.  Called OpenStudent, it is being developed by a team in the Saanich school district.  Several school districts have signed on to use this system rather than a new BCeSIS and are piloting it in schools.  Information on this system can be found at openstudent.ca.