Much has been written on the effectiveness of technology in education. While there many opinions, one thing seems to keep rising to the surface- technology in education is effective when the teaching is effective and when students use computers as cognitive tools. Most models that demonstrate deeper understanding through technology also employ aspects of learning theories by Dewey, Piaget, Bruner, Gardner, Vygotsky et al.
It is interesting to note that constructivist and constructionist approaches to education with an understanding of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) are common threads throughout these models. These theorists feel that understanding of knowledge is constructed rather than covered or “taught”. It is in the spirit of learning more about these modern theories on how people learn and how technology can be used with these powerful ideas that this column is shared.
The power of technology is not in its ability to edit papers or share PowerPoint presentations of information. Technology in education is most powerful when employed to deepen understanding, gather and share information in a community and help to construct knowledge in a way that expands one’s ZPD.
Over the past year, I have shared several items with the community with the desire to expand dialogue and deepen our understanding in this area of our profession. Today I would like to share a concept known as backward design. Grant Wiggins has written a wonderful book titled Understanding By Design where this concept is explored. Understanding by Design, also known as UBD is a way of constructing curriculum starting the end in mind- what do you really want your students to understand? He works with the concept of guiding questions that lead to activities of learning where students then experience the construction of knowledge that leads to deeper understanding. It is possible for all in the group to understand the concepts being explored yet all will learn something different. Part of the struggle is to deal with the wealth of information we feel like we need to cover. Here is an article by Wiggins where he discusses this struggle and introduces the concept of UBD. |
