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March 15, 2003
The Back Page
By Amy Poftak & Kristen Kennedy
Gleanings
New Life for Drill-and-Kill
The National Science Foundation plans to publish a report this spring questioning a commonly held belief among many educators that simulation programs and lab-based tools such as electronic sensors are improvements over traditional drill-and-practice software. After reviewing 36 separate studies, researcher James Kulik calculated the use of integrated learning systems that incorporate drills and tutorials raised student math test scores by 0.38 standard deviations, e.g., from the 50th to the 66th percentile. In contrast, controlled studies of scientific simulations and probes yielded both positive and negative effects on test scores.
Professional Development That Works
Results from a recent Center for Children and Technology study show that Intel's Teach to the Future program is having a major impact on educators' effective integration of technology in schools. Close to 40,000 teachers participated in the center's evaluation, which concluded that Intel's free professional development program not only helps prepare teachers to use technology, but also encourages project- and research-based learning. That's not surprising, considering 97 percent of participants said the skills they gained would help them successfully weave technology into students' activities. Eighty-seven percent reported that, as a result, their students' projects were "more creative" than other work.
Readers Join the Curriculum Revolution
Our January Trend Watch asked readers if today's school curricula should focus more on professional preparation and less on liberal arts. Eighty percent of respondents answered "yes," with one supporter adding that "perhaps it's finally time for educators to answer the question students have asked for years: 'Why do I need to know this?'" But the 20 percent who answered "no" argued that "learning to learn" is much more important than technical training. One naysayer added dryly, "Why not teach students to punch a time clock while we're at it?"
Hit List
Books
Jamie McKenzie's Just in Time Technology: Doing Better with Fewer is a refreshing respite from what he describes as the "outmoded, wasteful, and thoughtless" mantra of "anytime, anywhere" learning. McKenzie's newest book goes about dismantling much of the pre-dot-com-bomb marketing hype that, for some, resulted in technology-rich but resource-depleted schools. His argument is simple and straightforward: Educators and parents together must make well-conceived, informed, and practical learning plans that incorporate a variety of technologies, from handhelds to desktops, from books to old-fashioned pen and ink. While its message is valuable and compelling, Just in Time's delivery is tarnished by the absence of a good copy editor. Nevertheless, McKenzie's emphasis on the importance of intelligent decision making will resonate with educators. fnopress.com
Online
For kids interested in making movies, AdmitOne.org Film School offers a practical, step-by-step guide to filmmaking, covering general interest topics such as "what a director does" to more hands-on exercises that include crafting realistic dialogue. Sponsored by The Artists Rights Foundation, the site is surprisingly lacking in digital video clips to demonstrate the process of making movies (except for four sneak previews of student films). Regardless, it provides an excellent framework for students to explore artistic authorship and recommends movies, books, and Web sites relevant to specific topics such as costume making, sound editing, and acting. As a special school project or something to dabble with at home, the program is a fun way to combine kids' natural appetite for movies while developing their writing and visual thinking skills. Be sure to visit the Writing section for the Ezscript tool, which helps users put their stories in proper Hollywood script format.
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