Using Technology to Meet CSTP Standards

Teachers today find themselves in an incredibly difficult position. That technology has brought rapid and sweeping change to the world of education is apparent.  While not a panacea, the use of technology in the classroom can bring dramatic changes to an otherwise old and tired curriculum. What’s more, students have come to expect some level of technology use in most aspects of their lives. Teachers dare not allow their classrooms to be perceived as the only realm in which students are prevented from using the technological mediums with which they are most comfortable. However, lack of funding and often lack of support work against many teachers. With limited resources, teachers must make the best use possible of any technology that they can get their hands on. The more focused that teachers can be in the use of technology to meet specific standards the better the education students will receive.

In the video Differentiating Instruction through Interactive Games (Edutopia 2012), the teacher, Mr. Pronovost, demonstrated multiple ways to meet the first CSTP standard—engaging and supporting all students in learning. Of course, the emphasis in this standard is the teaching of all students, and this is accomplished through differentiation. In particular, his students were able to use a program called Dreambox which allowed his students to work at their own pace. The software also adapted to the strengths and needs of each student to create a truly customized learning experience. Teaching in this way allowed Mr. Pronovost to spend a significant amount of time engaging with the students that truly needed his help most. Overall, I think that this is a great strategy, particularly in math and science disciplines. While I believe that I could implement certain aspects of this methodology into my own classroom, I am not sure how this software-driven approach would work with upper-level mathematics.

In the same video, evidence was given of meeting the fifth CSTP standard—assessing student learning. The various software programs in use in the classroom required an 80% mastery rate before students were able to move on to the next station or activity. This seems like a high percentage for mastery, but it is likely appropriate for basic skills and lower grade levels. Additionally, the requirement of a benchmark exam every six weeks was a great addition to monitor the effectiveness of the program. In my environment, I would need to administer the benchmarks at a much more frequent interval.

SETDA indicates the critical importance of producing students that are “problem solvers and innovators; effective communicators and collaborators; and self-directed learners” (Maximizing the Impact 3). This is directly in line with the fourth CSTP—planning instruction and designing learning experiences. Teachers must begin to take a different tactic with this. The emphasis of the standard must be less on the lesson that the teacher will present and more on how the teacher will plan a lesson that will allow students to self-direct. Particularly with respect to helping students become self-directed learners, it seems that technology-based teaching has a significant advantage over other more conventional methods. In a large class, effective differentiation is nearly impossible without the aid of technology that can customize curriculum on a student-by-student basis.

Meeting the second CSTP standard—creating and maintaining effective environments—is critical to student success. Mott Hall School was exemplary in creating an environment that gave students many opportunities for significant interaction through project-based learning (Edutopia 2012). The level of student engagement was greatly increased by this classroom environment. Since motivation and enthusiasm can be a struggle in a math classroom, I would like to incorporate some aspects of project-based learning.

References: 

Edutopia. "Differentiating Instruction through Interactive Games (Tech2Learn Series).” YouTube. 2 December 2012.

State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA). Maximizing the Impact: “The pivotal role of technology in a 21st century education system” Partnership for 21st Century Skills. http://www.setda.org/web/guest/maximizingimpactreport. 2 December 2012.

Edutopia. “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Projects Encourage Students to Excel.” YouTube. 2 December 2012.