Online Mathematics Homework Increases Student Achievement

In a randomized field trial with 2,850 seventh-grade mathematics students, we evaluated whether an educational technology intervention increased mathematics learning. Assigning homework is common yet sometimes controversial. Building on prior research on formative assessment and adaptive teaching, we predicted that combining an online homework tool with teacher training could increase learning. The online tool ASSISTments (a) provides timely feedback and hints to students as they do homework and (b) gives teachers timely, organized information about students’ work. To test this prediction, we analyzed data from 43 schools that participated in a random assignment experiment in Maine, a state that provides every seventh-grade student with a laptop to take home. Results showed that the intervention significantly increased student scores on an end-of-the-year standardized mathematics assessment as compared with a control group that continued with existing homework practices. Students with low prior mathematics achievement benefited most. The intervention has potential for wider adoption

Classroom orchestration: synthesis

a b s t r a c t Orchestration is an approach to Technology Enhanced Learning that emphasizes attention to the challenges of classroom use of technology, with a particular focus on supporting teachers' roles. The present collection of papers on orchestration highlights broad agreement that classrooms are variable and complex and that teachers have an important role in adapting materials for use in their own classrooms. The synthesis also shows a difference of opinions in how useful "orchestration" is as a metaphor, the proper scope of issues to include when studying orchestration, and how to approach design. Despite the lack of consensus, orchestration is a timely and important shift of focus and all of the approaches merit further exploration. The field shows healthy self-criticism and debate, which is the hallmark of fields with the potential for great progress

Principal Leadership in a Virtual Environment

Commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, which supports efforts to promote effective school leadership, this report sets out to define what high-quality, equitable learning looks like in a virtual environment. It poses questions for school district leaders to ask if they want to develop principals who can lead their schools to this type of learning. It also describes strategies for districts to consider in efforts to develop a whole pipeline of principals adept at high-quality, equitable virtual learning—using a definition of an "aligned, comprehensive principal pipeline" that emerged through research and field work funded by The Wallace Foundation. The report is based on an examination of research literature supplemented by interviews with 11 principals and administrators knowledgeable about virtual learning. It also draws on Digital Promise's experience in working with schools and school districts. The final chapter looks at topics that merit further exploration in the areas of virtual learning, equity, and school leadership

Coordinating Networked Learning Activities with a General-Purpose Interface

Classrooms equipped with wirelessly networked tablets and handhelds can engage students in powerful collaborative learning activities that are otherwise impractical or impossible. However, the system must fulfill certain technological and pedagogical requirements such as tolerance for latecomers, supporting disconnected mode gracefully, robustness across dropped connections, promotion of both positive interdependence and individual accountability, and accommodation of differential rates of task completion. Two approaches to making a Tuple Space-based computer architecture for connectivity into an inviting environment for the generation and creation of novel coordinated activities were attempted. One approach made the technological “bones” of the system very clear but assumed user vision of the complex goals and settings of real education. The more satisfactory approach made clear how Tuple Spaces matches the complex goals and settings of real education, but backgrounded technical complexity. This approach provides users with a system, Group Scribbles, which may inspire a wide range of uses.SRI International Virginia Tech Newport Universit

Inclusive computing in special needs classrooms: designing for all

With a growing call for an increased emphasis on computing in school curricula, there is a need to make computing accessible to a diversity of learners. One potential approach is to extend the use of physical toolkits, which have been found to encourage collaboration, sustained engagement and effective learning in classrooms in general. However, little is known as to whether and how these benefits can be leveraged in special needs schools, where learners have a spectrum of distinct cognitive and social needs. Here, we investigate how introducing a physical toolkit can support learning about computing concepts for special education needs (SEN) students in their classroom. By tracing how the students’ interactions—both with the physical toolkit and with each other—unfolded over time, we demonstrate how the design of both the form factor and the learning tasks embedded in a physical toolkit contribute to collaboration, comprehension and engagement when learning in mixed SEN classrooms

Guest Editorial: Special section on Mobile and Ubiquitous Technologies for Learning

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Towards Highly Interactive Classrooms: Improving Mathematics Teaching and Learning with TI-Nspire Navigator Towards Highly Interactive Classrooms: Improving Mathematics Teaching and Learning with TI-Nspire Navigator Towards Highly Interactive Classrooms:

Executive Summary Improving mathematics teaching and learning through and beyond Algebra is one of the most important challenges facing educators worldwide. The powerful capabilities of technology to engage students, support their cognitive effort, represent mathematics insightfully, and better connect teachers and students are important to addressing the Algebra challenge. To leverage technology effectively, teachers need an appropriate pedagogical model. We propose a pedagogical model based on the concept of interactivity. By interactivity, we mean increasing the quality and frequency of back-and-forth interplay among the teacher, her students, and the mathematical content at hand. Technology can enhance many forms of interactivity, especially when: • students and teachers use technology to explore mathematical models, not just as a calculation tool, and when: • teachers use a shared display and instant feedback to increase students' cognitive engagement, not only to demonstrate or assess. Across these forms of interactivity, the most important goal is to increase student engagement centered on the doing and making sense of mathematics. Application of this principle leads to highly interactive mathematics classrooms, in which teachers: 1. engage their students in mathematically meaningful activities; 2. focus on mathematics with connections; 3. track what mathematics their students know and adapt accordingly; 4. make mathematics learning a shared responsibility of teachers and students. Implementing a highly interactive mathematics classroom takes more than technology, it requires support for professional development and time for teachers to learn and adapt. For example, the new capability to instantly capture and display students' screens can provide cognitive contrasts that drive learning, but only when the teacher uses classroom discussions to probe the meaning of contrasting screens. We propose an implementation model that proceeds in stages, based on research data that shows what teachers typically accomplish immediately, with experience and, eventually, as masters of the technologyrich classroom. By thinking in terms of not just technology but also a pedagogical model and implementation in stages, schools can realize deepening benefits over time. Within the first year, schools can experience increased student achievement and more positive student attitudes. Teachers see immediate benefits from knowing more about their students. Over time, with continued technological support and sustained professional development, schools can make progress in closing achievement gaps and introducing higher-order skills, such as mathematical problem solving, collaboration, and argumentation. Over many years, schools will develop master teachers who can lead further improvement in their regions, aimed at developing students' passion to pursue and succeed in university level mathematics and on toward challenging STEM careers

Learning

The vision to transform school education through the use of information and communication technologies has existed for more than two decades. Successful models of small-scale implementation of that vision in a few classrooms or schools have been evident for almost as long, but few of them have achieved widespread success. The trajectory of most learning technology innovations starts with an exciting vision of transformative potential, peaks with a demonstration in a few model sites, and then, sadly … nothing. Given the failure rate, it makes a lot of sense to pay attention to innovations that achieve widespread positive results. What can we learn? I examine two technologies that have been effectively integrated into schools, achieved impressive scale and produced large learning gains and transformations in pedagogical practice. The first is the graphing calculator. Graphing tools have been integrated into middle and high school classrooms in many states and countries, including Australia. In the United States, at least half of all high school students have and use a graphing calculator. The results of America’s National Assessment of Educational Progress as well as sophisticate