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Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

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Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#41

Post by Endama »

I work at an EdTech company right now and we've found huge success simply because we've tried to get out of the way and let teachers do what they do. Teachers today have a hard enough time without tech companies, policy makers, administrators, etc. barging into their classrooms and dictating the best way to instruct their kids.

Like germinalphrase mentioned, I think the best place for tech in education is to "[offer] solutions to the kinds of... problems that teachers face everyday" and to make the existing successes even more impactful (e.g. when a student does well, provide ways for teachers, parents, and students to celebrate together).

Teachers know their kids and their struggles best, the tech just has to help them do what they do.

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#42

Post by germinalphrase »

jbob2000 wrote: post #14
Jtsummers wrote: post #2

While interesting, and anecdotally seems correct to me, does anyone here with a background in education and/or education technology have any pointers on actionable ways to use technology more effectively? This piece never seems to get to that point, other than strongly encouraging training for teachers (that they provide if you go with their solutions).

My partner worked at a school that handed out iPads to the middle school students for use in class. Hearing what they use them for just makes me think that Apple needed someone to dump last year's leftover iPads on. It's really dumb stuff. They don't get access to the internet. They get a handful of stupid "learning" apps to use and a social network type thing that can be summed up as "instagram where mommy and teach…

I've been in classrooms that use iPad effectively, much in the same way they would use a Chromebook. Many attached third-party keyboards to assist in typing.

I would still strongly prefer a proper laptop, but it wasn't as much of a hinderance as I initially expected.

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#44

Post by dragonwriter »

cmdrfred wrote: post #33
Retric wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Preschool Teachers on the other hand make: $28,570 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/presc... Though they don't need a BS only an associates degree. 1/2 of all teachers quit the profession in the first 5 years. So, the on the ground benefits tend to be worse than you might think. 9 and 1/2 percent don't even last their first year. Turnover in teaching is about four percent higher than other profe…

If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing with such vigor it would be a simple matter to find a number of similar schools and increase wages for some time then compare outcomes. As far as I can tell preschool teacher salaries are low simply because we have too many preschool teachers, similarly we have too many fast food and retail workers. Yet we don't demand raises at McDonald's for food safety or quali…

> If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing with such vigor it would be a simple matter to find a number of similar schools and increase wages for some time then compare outcomes.

Standardized testing with per state standards has been nationally mandatory since NCLB, so clearly nothing relying on it is hampered by whatever opposition teachers unions may have.

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#45

Post by panzagl »

germinalphrase wrote: post #36

I'm a high school teacher. I've worked in rural/urban/suburban districts with wildly varied student demographics and school resources. The largest tech-related improvements to my teaching have not come from the availability of "edtech" - but from run of the mill productivity software (Email/Google Docs/etc) and students having reliable access to a computer/internet. I wasn't familiar with K2 Audiovisual before readin…

Heck, I'd be happy if edtech companies could figure out Sunday evening is not the best time to do maintenance of their gradebook/lesson plan applications. Then I might even be able to convince my wife to get rid of her paper gradebook...

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#46

Post by cmdrfred »

throwaway729 wrote: post #39
cmdrfred wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing with such vigor it would be a simple matter to find a number of similar schools and increase wages for some time then compare outcomes. As far as I can tell preschool teacher salaries are low simply because we have too many preschool teachers, similarly we have too many fast food and retail workers. Yet we don't demand raises at McDonald's for food safety or quali…

> If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing This of course assumes that standardized testing is actually a good mechanism for measuring outcomes . Which IMO is an extremely dubious assertion. A lot of people who opt-out of the public school system at great personal expense do so because they agree with those damn teacher's unions on this very question. > Why here? Simple. Because I don't care if my burger…

>This of course assumes that standardized testing is actually a good mechanism for measuring outcomes.

How do you propose to measure outcomes of education without testing for ability to recall and utilize the knowledge and skills taught?

>A lot of people who opt-out of the public school system at great personal expense do so because they agree with those damn teacher's unions on this very question.

I left school. I don't know anyone who did so for dislike of standardized testing. Instead most found the value of that education to be low compared to work experience.

>Simple. Because I don't care if my burger sucks but I do care that my kid doesn't get a good early education.

Why not double pilots salaries in order to prevent plane crashes? Double doctors salaries to prevent mistakes? Politicians should be paid the most under this model, imagine the utopia we'd live in if the president made a billion dollars a year. Every study I've seen has shown increasing wages doesn't have a real impact on performance. If we aren't allow to test it how do we know if we raised it too much or too little?

Consider to raise teachers salaries you have to tax the local community, thus lowering the take home pay of the parents of those children. Thus worsening the home life of those children and worsening outcomes. You have to strike a balance and emotionally throwing money at teachers won't resolve anything. We need proof that outcomes are improving or declining.

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#47

Post by germinalphrase »

cmdrfred wrote: post #33
Retric wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Preschool Teachers on the other hand make: $28,570 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/presc... Though they don't need a BS only an associates degree. 1/2 of all teachers quit the profession in the first 5 years. So, the on the ground benefits tend to be worse than you might think. 9 and 1/2 percent don't even last their first year. Turnover in teaching is about four percent higher than other profe…

If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing with such vigor it would be a simple matter to find a number of similar schools and increase wages for some time then compare outcomes. As far as I can tell preschool teacher salaries are low simply because we have too many preschool teachers, similarly we have too many fast food and retail workers. Yet we don't demand raises at McDonald's for food safety or quali…

Many teachers unions have been attempting to raise the expected requirements to obtain a teaching license. Likewise, many universities are switching to a five-year Masters track for licensure in anticipation.

Despite being a good idea, it's a hard sell when so many states are facing teacher shortages.

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#48

Post by germinalphrase »

panzagl wrote: post #45
germinalphrase wrote: post #36

I'm a high school teacher. I've worked in rural/urban/suburban districts with wildly varied student demographics and school resources. The largest tech-related improvements to my teaching have not come from the availability of "edtech" - but from run of the mill productivity software (Email/Google Docs/etc) and students having reliable access to a computer/internet. I wasn't familiar with K2 Audiovisual before readin…

Heck, I'd be happy if edtech companies could figure out Sunday evening is not the best time to do maintenance of their gradebook/lesson plan applications. Then I might even be able to convince my wife to get rid of her paper gradebook...

I remember getting locked out of our grade book one evening around 5:30-6. When I chatted with the IT guy the following day he said the edtech company didn't think teachers worked after 3 p.m. so some unannounced maintenance should be A-OK!

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#49

Post by redsummer »

Computer tech in education is a con. It is completely unnecessary.

There's a reason Steve Jobs limited his kids access to technology: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/new...

In fact, it has opposite effect to what is intended. It gives the child an avalanche of distraction, when what they need is simplicity. I would say the same about mobile phones.

Re: Why Classroom Technology Is Costing More Than Its Worth (2016)

#50

Post by cmdrfred »

dragonwriter wrote: post #44
cmdrfred wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing with such vigor it would be a simple matter to find a number of similar schools and increase wages for some time then compare outcomes. As far as I can tell preschool teacher salaries are low simply because we have too many preschool teachers, similarly we have too many fast food and retail workers. Yet we don't demand raises at McDonald's for food safety or quali…

> If teachers unions didn't oppose standardized testing with such vigor it would be a simple matter to find a number of similar schools and increase wages for some time then compare outcomes. Standardized testing with per state standards has been nationally mandatory since NCLB, so clearly nothing relying on it is hampered by whatever opposition teachers unions may have.

Per state is the key here, If we were able to compare a highly paid (relatively to COL) teacher school to a lower paid one it would be obvious if it is helpful to pay more. We need a large enough sample size of schools on both sides of the spectrum and a single state won't provide enough data or enough variance.
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