How to Teach for Understanding: Thematic Reflections 3 December 2009

1. How to Teach for Understanding:Thematic Reflections3 December 2009

2. Course GoalsUnderstand how to… • Design curriculum that deepens meaningful learning • Integrate new technologies to enhance teaching and learning for understanding • Use technologies to promote collaborative, reflective curriculum development

3. Achieving these goals is important… “In most school districts, technology is not evaluated from an enterprise perspective in terms of improving and innovating learning… CoSN believes we must equip district technology leaders to create compelling learning environments and empower them with the range of skills and abilities needed to position them as educational leaders—not just technology leaders—that provide the vision for the role technology can play in innovation.” Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). 1 December 2009. Framework of Essential Skills of the K-12 Chief Technology Officer.

4. Focus How can we deepen learning? Educational Principles Educational Technologies Designs for Learning Reflective Community

5. Using theory To design and analyze practice

6. Teaching for UnderstandingDilemmas, Principles, Design Curriculum: Product or Process Teaching to Standards or for Understanding Meaningful Assessment Diverse Learners and Settings Collaborative Community Technology Integration

7. Rethinking Education in the Age of TechnologyCollins and Halvorson Industrial-Age School Teacher transmits Curriculum is set Tests assess Technology=textbook, chalkboard, copier uniformity, teacher control Information-Age Learning Teachers guide Curriculum is inquiry Assessment is embedded Technology=computers, Internet games, cell phones interaction, user-control

8. What are potential perils of new educational technologies? Increase inequities in access to high quality public education Isolate people and decrease interaction with “unlikeminded” others Impair learners’ contact with teachers who challenge misconceptions, model disciplined inquiry, and inspire creativity

9. Challenges to teaching for understanding with technology Cost and access to technology Beliefs about the goals and nature of teaching and learning Disruption of classroom management, authority, and control Incompatibility with existing curriculum and assessment materials/policies Faith in a technical fix rather than change in a learning community

10. What are potential benefits of teaching for understanding with new technologies? Make curriculum authentic and generative Make ambitious goals clear and accessible Support rich and varied performances Enable ongoing assessment, feedback, and revision Promote reflective, collaborative communities of learners in and out of schools

11. Connecting educational research with practice Keep up the good work and stay in touch

12. Wrapping Up T527 Final Paper/Design Projects due Dec. 10, 5PM Pay attention to rules of plagiarism and citation of sources Post your paper online Please print out a paper copy of your design and deliver to Longfellow 321, Stone Wiske’s mailbox Complete online course evaluation