New Ways to Learn
The Texas Association of School Administrators learned about the latest in educational technology during its annual conference last year in Houston.
By Kevin Woo
A GENERATION AGO, LEARNING WAS, FOR THE MOST PART, A SOLITARY EXPERIENCE. To complete assignments, students frequented the library alone, looking through book stacks or browsing through volumes of microfiche. Chatting with classmates meant face-to-face or telephone interaction, and collaboration was a euphemism for copying homework assignments.
Today, learning is a group effort. Students spend hours instant messaging, texting and chatting via webcams as they work on group projects or complete homework assignments. Teachers are no longer considered “the sage on the stage” giving information or having one-way conversations. Education is a collaborative effort, learner- not teacher-driven. Students tell instructors what they need in order to complete projects, and teachers instantly provide assistance and direct students to resources that were once inaccessible.
The Internet has transformed the way teachers teach and students learn. It has created a world where teachers and students collaborate at anytime from anywhere.
In October, the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) held its 49th annual meeting at the 850,000-square-foot George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. More than 6,000 teachers, administrators and students were on hand for the two-day convention.
The conference agenda focused on digital learning, and the Digital Learning Pavilion exhibit hall, featured more than 200 vendors demonstrating the latest in educational technology and how it is being used by teachers and students in school districts throughout Texas.
“Today’s students rely heavily on technology to learn about the world around them, to solve problems and to communicate with their peers,” said Jackie C. Spencer, director of convention and systems administration for TASA. “The potential of flexible learning anywhere, anytime and at any pace must be embraced by educators. The pavilion was dedicated to demonstrating how the current technologies available in a digital learning environment can be the catalysts for teaching and learning in an era where cutting-edge skills, adaptability and flexibility are paramount.”
The Digital Learning Pavilion was developed over nine months through a partnership between TASA, the Texas Association of School Boards, Apple, the SHW Group of Dallas and Smart Technologies of Calgary, Canada.
Within the pavilion, four distinct areas demonstrated 1) how teachers use technology at home, 2) how technology is used in the classroom, 3) how students learn in the community and 4) how students learn at home.
TASA attendees entering the Digital Learning Pavilion were given iPod Touches, which were preloaded with short videos describing the technology on display.
Both educators and students manned each booth. The teachers demonstrated how they use technology to teach, how the tools are used to collaborate with colleagues online and how they use various forms of technology—such as text messaging, Twitter, Facebook and webcams to interact with students, sometimes during non-school hours.
Students from three Texas school districts demonstrated how they use technology in the classroom, at home and with friends. The students’ participation was a crucial component of the Digital Learning Pavilion because they were able to give the teachers and administrators unique insight into the world of 21st-century students and how they use technology to learn, communicate with friends, complete projects and study.
Several teachers at well-known Texas technology high schools demonstrated how they use tools such as Smart Boards—interactive pen and finger whiteboards that integrate the use of touchscreen computers connected to the Internet—to teach students. The instructors demonstrated how software, Web sites, video and audio technology are integrated to give students a richer educational experience.
For many teachers and students, Project Based Learning (PeBL)—pronounced “pebble”—is the primary software application used for digital learning. Teachers use the software to post lesson plans and associated information. Students log into their PeBL accounts to see specific assignments, communicate with other students and instructors via Gmail and identify resources that can be used to complete assignments. In some instances, teachers post videos of classroom lectures or guest presentations online so students who miss class can access the videos through PeBL or YouTube. Teachers and students demonstrated how PeBL is used at school and at home.
iWorks, Apple’s suite of productivity applications, is widely used by students, as demonstrated in several booths. iWorks’ word processing and spreadsheet applications are used to write reports, but its Apple’s multimedia applications—iMovie, iDVD, iPhoto and Garageband—that really play a key role in improving the quality of education. Students use these applications to make videos, edit photos and create podcasts, educational components that were unimaginable as recently as 10 years ago.
With PeBL, Parents are now more involved in their children’s education. They can log on and have real-time access to current and upcoming assignments and grades and have on-going dialog with teachers. Report cards are no longer a surprise because both parents and students can keep track of progress on a regular basis. One+
KEVIN WOO is a San Francisco-based freelance writer.
Fun Facts
• Houston is approximately 634 square miles, making it the fourth largest U.S. city and the biggest city in Texas.
• The first word spoken by Neil Armstrong when Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969 was “Houston,” as he spoke to mission control at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston.
• Houston is home to the National Museum of Funeral History. The museum’s tagline is, “Any day above ground is a good one.”
Transportation Tips
• Houston is served by two major airports: George Bush Intercontinental (21 miles from downtown) and William P. Hobby (12 miles from downtown).
• Houston’s METRORail is a 7.5-mile rail line that connects downtown, the Museum District, Texas Medical Center and Reliant Park.
What’s New in Houston
• La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa, the former Del Lago Resort, completed a US$135 million renovation to its 445 suites, golf course, restaurants, swimming pools and private beach.
• Boutique hotels are the fastest growing segment of the local market. The Hotel ICON, the Alden-Houston Hotel and the Houston Magnolia are new to the area.