Recent reports from different parts of the world
show that computer / IT supported learning programmes are not yielding the
learning improvements expected.
So why is this happening?
After looking at a fair number of IT-based
programmes, software, and reports from different sources, this appears to be
because something critical is being ignored: that improved learning requires
both improved relationships and processes, and a clearer focus on outcomes
considered worthwhile. Let me explain this a little.
1. IT Use Doesn't Seek to Impact Relationships
Relationships among the key stakeholders -
teachers, students, parents / community, school heads, supervisors and
administrators, and academic support personnel - cannot be bypassed; without
improving them, it is difficult to see learning outcomes improve. Living in the
hope that IT usage will make a difference here, is to be unrealistic. For
relationships to flourish, apart from changing the teacher's role (and several
other aspects), activities that require real group thinking would make a
difference. At present the IT material has not paid sufficient attention here,
though it is uniquely placed to do so, especially in gaming software.
In addition, of course, several governance
changes are required (e.g. in how school 'inspection' takes place) as well as
in management of learning (through better preparation for teaching, classroom
organization and use of assessment). Again, a misplaced emphasis on IT will not
see changes here.
2. IT Use Could - But Doesn't - Sufficiently
Impact Processes:
Some parts of the curriculum require face time
between teachers and students, and among students themselves. Some parts are
better handled through IT - I believe such an analysis of curriculum has not
been done, resulting in everything being dumped on to IT, much of which it is
not really in a position to support. (Khan Academy does try to increase the
face time by 'reversing' the class, but it still does not do this analysis
sufficiently and could benefit from it).
3. IT Use Doesn't Always Focus On
The Outcomes It Should
The tendency is to focus mainly on a limited
number of scholastic outcomes. In fact, even within the subjects themselves,
higher order learning objectives are often ignored, or under-represented. Believe
it or not, this affects the learning of other aspects as well! E.g. children
who have the opportunity to make creative use of language end up being better
in grammar and spelling than children who get an overdose of grammar and
spelling. A great deal of IT material is geared to towards getting children to
answer tests / exams rather than help in real, long-term learning.
But other than the subjects, larger curricular
goals - such as cooperation, respect for diversity, development of a scientific
outlook and an ecological perspective, developing a questioning mind,
democratic values - hardly figure in much of the IT based material /
activities. Implying that it is, at best, supporting some parts of
subject-oriented learning rather than education as such.
So is all this emphasis on 'modern technology'
wrong and misguided? No, not necessarily wrong, but our expectations are
certainly misplaced. In our desire to find the one single magic solution
we have ignored the many other actions that need to be taken before learning
improves. Perhaps focusing on IT seems easier and more exciting than than the
hard work that the other stuff requires.
At any rate, IT is clearly not the silver bullet
that many desperately believe it to be. It needs to be treated as just one
more tool to be used, rather than as a solution for problems that it can't
solve. And even as a tool, it needs to be used much better than is the case at
present.
