Integrating Technology Presentation Integrating Technology: A View from the Trenches Robby Slaughter...

Integrating Technology Presentation

Integrating Technology:A View from the Trenches

Robby Slaughter

November 2, 2001

robman@mail.utexas.edu

Integrating Technology Presentation

Agenda• Who are we?• What are we doing?• How are we doing it?• Why are we doing it?• What have we learned?• What do you think?

Integrating Technology Presentation

Who are we?

Integrating Technology Presentation

Who are we?

• PDA Utilization Group– Dr. Anthony Petrosino– Robby Slaughter

Integrating Technology Presentation

Who are we?

• INSITE PT3 Grant (DOE P342A000111)– Dr. Paul Resta Co-PI– Dr. Jere Confrey Co-PI– Dr. Anthony Petrosino Co-PI

– Project Director Melissa Tothero

Integrating Technology Presentation

Who are we?

Integrating Technology Presentation

What are we doing?

Integrating Technology Presentation

What are we doing?• Researching• Training teachers• Running student trials• Installing systems• Developing lessons

Integrating Technology Presentation

What are we doing?

The Big Question:

What are the opportunities for PDA technology in schools?

Integrating Technology Presentation

Brief Excursion: PDAs

Integrating Technology Presentation

Brief Excursion: PDAsPersonal

Digital

Assistant• Handheld• Organizer• Computer• Connected

Integrating Technology Presentation

Brief Excursion: PDAs

Questions:• How many are there?

– About 20 major models, and about 10 million in use in the United States

• How much do they cost?– From $100 to $700, depending

on the model and the features

Integrating Technology Presentation

Brief Excursion: PDAs• What can they do?

– Calendars, to-do lists, memos, email, games, web browsing, play music, movies, connect to the Internet, etc, etc.

• Why Palm™?– 88% market share

Integrating Technology Presentation

Brief Excursion: PDAs• What are the opportunities for education?

– Administrative• Scheduling, assignment tracking, attendance, etc.

– Academic• Investigations, educational materials, homework, assessment

– Collaborative• Share information with other teachers, educators, or between

students

Integrating Technology Presentation

What are we doing?

• PT3 Summer Workshops

Integrating Technology Presentation

What are we doing?

• Classroom activities

Integrating Technology Presentation

What are we doing?

• Palm Network Research

Integrating Technology Presentation

How are we doing it?

Integrating Technology Presentation

How are we doing it?

Activity

Integrating Technology Presentation

How are we doing it?

Any questions?

Integrating Technology Presentation

Why are we doing it?

Integrating Technology Presentation

Why are we doing it?

• Theory:– PDA technology can supplant traditional

computing technology

Integrating Technology Presentation

Why are we doing it?

• Theory– PDA technology can supplement or extend

existing networks and pedagogical infrastructures

Integrating Technology Presentation

Why are we doing it?

• Theory– Handheld technology promotes ownership of

ideas, resulting in more substantive and successful education

Integrating Technology Presentation

What have we learned?

Integrating Technology Presentation

What have we learned?

• About Technology– Cruelly unreliable – Designs can’t be simple enough– Finding good software is always the greatest

challenge

Integrating Technology Presentation

What have we learned?

• About Funding and Support– Corporations can be your friends– Corporations can cause problems– Plenty of money out there for well-designed,

cost-effective technology programs

Integrating Technology Presentation

What have we learned?

• About Working Within The System– Involve technical personnel, even if your work

doesn’t directly affect them– Establish clear policies for the use of

technology

Integrating Technology Presentation

What have we learned?

• About Students and Technology– If you don’t prevent it, students will use your

devices to play games or for other distractions– Don’t inhibit the student desire to “figure it

out”– Provide plenty of free exploration time

Integrating Technology Presentation

What have we learned?

• About Students and Technology– Children and adults do seem to pick things up

at about the same rate, but children are less reserved and tend to “dive in”

– Ownership is powerful. If possible, let students take (even temporary) control of devices or systems

– Students are more careful than you might think

Integrating Technology Presentation

What do you think?

Integrating Technology Presentation

What do you think?

• Topics for discussion:– What do you think of PDA technology? – Do you see opportunities in education?

Integrating Technology Presentation

What do you think?

• Topics for discussion:– What have been your experiences in integrating

technology?– What questions do you have or advice do you

want to provide?

Integrating Technology Presentation

What do you think?

• Topics for discussion:– What elements of the “educational technology

revolution” have gone well? What is still lacking?

– What new technologies are you excited about? What does the future hold?

Integrating Technology Presentation

Integrating Technology:A View from the Trenches

Robby Slaughter

November 2, 2001

robman@mail.utexas.edu