Article Assessment #3, “Tools for the Mind” by Mary Burns

Overview:

This article outlines how computers are not being utilized to their full potential to advance student learning, the causes of this under-utilization and proceeds to offer two strategies to transform computer use in the classroom.

An important key point made in the article explains how computers are being utilized for lower-order thinking applications rather than tapping into higher-order thinking. Burns argues that this is caused by four common behavior patterns of districts and educators. She explains one major reason for this trend in lower-order application use is due to the commonly used “show-and-tell” applications in classrooms such as Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, etc… and an under-utilization of more advanced conceptual applications such as, spreadsheets, databases, and GIS systems.

Two strategies are offered by Burns to correct the unbalanced computer use between lower-order and higher-order thinking. To begin the balancing process, educators must focus on teaching critical thinking first and technology later. Students must be able to evaluate information for its relevance and credibility in order to apply the information available through technology. She also offers five questions for educators to reflect on before incorporating technology into the classroom, such as; “What kinds of software should I use in the classroom, and why?” and “ Does the current technology use in my classroom support the curriculum and deepen content? How?”

The second strategy offered is to focus on curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The focus should be on technology’s ability to help educators achieve educational goals not just the mere use of technology. Burns believes this can only be accomplished through well-designed and ongoing professional development and she outlines four criteria in which professional development should be designed in order for educators to learn how to integrate computers to engage higher order thinking processes.

Reference Points:

1. “Many educators believe in the “exceptionality” of computers, viewing them as instructional talismans that can do for the student learning what other reforms and tools cannot.”
2. “Four common behavior patterns reinforce this notion of exceptionality and simultaneously handicap the potential of computers to promote higher-order thinking”
a. “First, many districts have concentrated on professional development that trains teachers in the skills instead of teaching them how computers can enhance
student learning.”
b. “Second, many district have not made the kinds of accommodations necessary to
allow for the full capitalization of classroom technology”
c. “Third, schools have conflated technology use with instructional quality and
student engagement with improved learning and higher-order thinking.”
d. “Fourth, we often classify all software applications as cognitively and
instructionally equal.”
3. “Technology alone cannot move students to higher-order thinking skills, but some
applications are more suited for this task than others….. experience in classrooms
indicates that students generally use lower-order applications that offer few opportunities
for problem solving, analysis, and evaluation.”
4. “Most commonly used applications are what I call show-and-tell applications –
PowerPoint, Word, Publisher, and Front Page – with the Internet the most commonly
used non-show-and-tell application in terms of frequency of classroom use.”
5. “More developmentally appropriate and challenging tools, such as spread-sheets and
databases, offer richer opportunities to practice analytical and critical thinking skills.”
6. “Students and teachers must become creators of information and ideas, not simply users
of technology.”
7. “To use and integrate computers in higher-order ways, teachers must engage in intensive
and ongoing professional development that responds to a number of needs.”
a. “First, the program should model good instruction and take teacher through the
learning press so that they experience learning from the learner’s point of view and
reflect on it as a practitioner”
b. “Second, professional development should help teachers understand the
conceptual reasoning behind such higher-order software as geographic information
systems and databases.”
c. “Third professional development should model technology use that is deliberately
matched t a particular learning outcome so that teachers can see how activity
design, tool use, and learning connect.”
d. “Last, professional development should focus on core areas of teaching—content
knowledge, curriculum, instruction, and assessment.”
8. “… schools must take measures to ensure that they are using computers to their fullest
instructional potential.”

Reflection:

Prior to reading this article I had not put much thought into the differences in lower-order thinking applications and higher-order thinking applications of computers and different software. PowerPoint may be a good way for students to organize and assimilate the main points of a reading or research however it does not necessarily promote critical thinking. I agree with Burns strategy in that critical thinking must be taught first and technology second. No matter how much technology students are familiar with, unless they are able to critically digest content and evaluate information, its credibility, and its relevance, technology cannot do much in the way of advancing cognitive skills. When students have this ability they can create a better evidence or research-based report and use a PowerPoint to enhance their presentation and understanding of the content, instead of using a PowerPoint to restate the outline of information.

Additionally, I agree with the criteria set forth for the organization of professional development. Limited awareness of software available inhibits educators ability to utilize quality software to engage higher order thinking. I find it more frustrating than helpful to be told that I should use a certain software or application to assist with a lesson with the absence of a model for how to use it or how the software should be applied. In reading this portion of the article I reflected on this particular MAT technology class and how helpful it was to be taught the spreadsheet skills and led through the utilization of spreadsheets in our energy conservation project. This presented the model of how to use spreadsheet applications to analyze and project data instead of just telling us “you should be using this in your classroom.”