Ensuring All Learners Succeed
Tricia Clarke
Teachers are, often, pushed and pulled in different directions given various internal and external demands. However, 2020 has ushered in one of the most difficult demands of them all. Across the country, schools have been propelled into finding new ways to approach teaching and learning and the use of instructional technology to support this shift has had its advantages. Sometimes, innovation does not wait. And, herein lies an opportunity. With remote teaching and learning, previously unknown technological tools, programs, systems, approaches to teaching and learning, to name a few, can advance teaching and learning for all students. It is my hope that this blog post could support teachers as they continue to teach and learn in the time of COVID-19 and beyond.
The onset of educational technology on the educational landscape and the integration of instructional technology in teaching and learning is not without its challenges. However, in the face of these challenges the promises of educational technology exist. A foundational issue is a misuse of technology in the classroom that could be addressed with the understanding of how to leverage instructional technology. The Brookings Institution attests that:
“…this limited impact is primarily due to technology being used to replace analog tools, without much consideration given to playing to technology’s comparative advantages. These comparative advantages, relative to traditional “chalk-and-talk” classroom instruction, include helping to scale up standardized instruction, facilitate differentiated instruction, expand opportunities for practice, and increase student engagement. When schools use technology to enhance the work of educators and to improve the quality and quantity of educational content, learners will thrive” (Ganimian et al., 2020).
Where might teachers begin to leverage educational technology to support all learners? I propose a cyclical process that is encapsulated into six (6) Rs: Reflect; Reassess; Redesign; Reinvent; Regroup; Remember. Each step in this cyclical process includes questions for teachers (and schools) to consider as they leverage technology in the classroom to support teaching and learning.
Reflect – What gaps do I have in my knowledge and experience of incorporating technology into my teaching? What do my students need? Will I be teaching in a hybrid classroom? Fully synchronous? Fully asynchronous? What access do I have (wifi, digital tools, devices)? What type of access do my students have in school and at home? Are there any school-based constraints? (Introduction to the TPACK Model, 2020)
Reassess – Based on my students’ needs, where might I begin? Where am I currently in my curriculum? Should I focus on student engagement? Assessing student learning? Supporting student collaboration? Creating opportunities for authentic learning? (Introduction to the TPACK Model, 2020)
Redesign – How might I plan my instruction so that I am addressing the needs of all learners in my classroom? How might backwards design support my efforts in this process? How might I utilize the principles of Universal Design for Learning so that my instruction can support all learners–whether or not they are students with special needs? Where can I begin or where might my integration of technology have the highest leverage for my teaching and for my students’ learning (lesson opening, mini-lesson, collaborative learning, independent work, closing, homework)? (CAST: UDL Unplugged: The Role of Technology in UDL, 2020); (McDaniel, 2020)
Reinvent – How might I approach my instruction with an innovative mindset and level the notions of “try it” and “yet”? Where might I engage in innovative thinking, one where I place myself in the position of learner with my students? What benefits might there be in being transparent with my students about my learning process in leveraging technology to support their learning? How might I invite students to co-create the processes of teaching and learning? Where are there opportunities for authentic learning? (Schuler, 2020)
Regroup – How did it go? What did I learn? What did I notice? What feedback did my students share? How might I apply my questions and students’ feedback to help me to reflect on the learning experience and to plan for the next opportunity? (Kamal, 2020)
The process of leveraging educational technology for teaching and learning is exactly that–a process. Moreover, instructional technology is not a panacea; its application will not “solve” every issue of teaching and learning. However, when teachers have the autonomy to decide what works best in their classroom, with their students, to address the needs that their learners face, and make choices about what will work and would not for their classroom; when they have the support of administrators to adopt an innovator’s mindset in their classrooms; when they are given opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in their building or online, in virtual professional development communities, an impact on teaching and learning is more than possible. As we continue to address issues of access, equity, poverty, we can consider that “It is time to better theorize the links between developments in technology, inequality and education, while also striving to actively design technologies that facilitate more equitable futures for all” (Ganimian et al., 2020).
Remember that you are not alone. Start small. Seek community as you take courage to be a catalyst for innovation in your own classroom.
References
CAST: UDL Unplugged: The Role of Technology in UDL. (2020, September 23). CAST. http://www.cast.org/publications/2012/udl-unplugged-role-technology
Ganimian, A. J., Vegas, E., Hess, F. M., & Hess, F. (2020, November 23). Realizing the promise: How can education technology improve learning for all? Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/essay/realizing-the-promise-how-can-education-technology-improve-learning-for-all/
Introduction to the TPACK Model. (2020, April 1). Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/introduction-to-the-tpack-model
Kamal, J. (2020, August 11). Making Time for Reflective Practice. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/making-time-reflective-practice
Mcdaniel, R. (2020, June 10). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/understanding-by-design/
Schuler, J. (2020, May 29). Technology Sparks Growth Mindset and Innovation in the Classroom. Digital Promise. https://digitalpromise.org/2019/10/29/technology-sparks-growth-mindset-and-innovation-in-the-classroom/
ICI Center for Education Innovation 