|
Spotlight Summary
Overview & Objectives
Recently, several authors and organizations have complained that technology use is inappropriate in the elementary grades. One organization is promoting a ban on future technology deployment in elementary schools. To some degree, we educators have brought this upon ourselves by using glitzy but ineffective products in the classroom. But how can we identify those learning technologies and instructional strategies that are truly research based? This session will start you down that road!
• Participants will learn to discriminate between practices that are research-based and those that are not. • Participants will be familiar with over 20 technology uses in the elementary grades that are solidly grounded in research. • Participants will learn about free, online resources for learning about research-based practices and learn how to use those resources. • Participants will be familiar with a process for promoting research-based practices in their school or district.
Outline
1. Research-based learning technology – What it is and why we should care about it. (Presentation with discussion, 10 minutes)
2. What we know about technology and elementary children (Interactive discussion, 10 minutes)
3. 20 examples of learning technology that are soundly grounded in research. (Demonstration with interaction, 20 minutes)
4. Making it happen in your school or district: a process for research-based technology integration (Presentation and discussion, 10 minutes)
5. Resources for research-based practices – From CARET to ERIC to WWC. (Demonstration with discussion, 10 minutes)
Supporting Research
This session will present ONLY research-based applications of technology for the elementary grades. Over 70 individual research studies were specifically reviewed in preparation for this session. A bibliography will be provided to participants.
Presenter Background & Qualifications
Ed Coughlin is Senior Vice President of the Metiri Group and serves as the lead for Metiri Group Professional Development services. Coughlin has over 20 years of experience in professional development related to technology at the local, state, and national levels, and has been active in the development of assessment tools for evaluating the impact of instructional technology in schools. He is a frequent presenter at national and regional conferences and is currently serving as a consultant on projects across the nation. Ed is the author and co-author of a number of publications dealing with evaluation of technology integration including the 7 Dimensions Model from the Milken Exchange and the enGauge Model from NCREL. He was also a co-author of the recent publication on 21st Century Skills from the North Central Regional Education Lab, Coughlin is the former director of the Area One Learning Technology Hub, an intermediate state technology support office serving more than 1,300 schools in the Chicago area.
Prerequisites
Participants should be familiar with issues related to curriculum development and technology integration at the primary grades.
| 
