Technology Integration Research Review: Additional Tools and Programs

In addition to improving outcomes in academic content areas, there are some overarching considerations for using technology well in the classroom. In the following sections, we take a look at using technology for collaborative discussion, assessment, and supporting digital literacy. We also offer research-based suggestions of programs that can be useful for each area.

Using Technology for Assessment and Customizing Instruction

According to researchers, data-driven decision making (DDDM) is "a system of teaching and management practices that gets better information about students into the hands of classroom teachers" (McLeod, 2005). Using student data to better address students' learning needs through instructional decisions at the classroom, district, state, and national levels has potential, when implemented well, to be useful for improving teaching and learning (Marsh, Pane, and Hamilton, 2006; Means, Toyama, Murphy, Bakia, and Jones, 2009; Means, Padilla, and Gallagher, 2010).

At the classroom level, technology helps teachers to gather, analyze, and act upon student feedback more efficiently. For example, by using an audience response system (ARS), such as polleverywhere.com, students can partner up and text in their answers to warm-up or quiz questions. The entire class can instantaneously and electronically view their collective responses to the multiple-choice questions, which allows the teacher to differentiate instruction and address misconceptions accordingly. When used in large classrooms, audience response systems can improve student understanding and engagement and create a more positive and active atmosphere (Caldwell, 2007; Kay and LeSage, 2009).

Combining audience response systems with peer learning has also proven particularly effective (Smith et al., 2009). When students answer an in-class conceptual question individually, then discuss it with their neighbors, and then vote again on the same or a conceptually similar question, the percentage of correct student responses typically increases, even in groups where no student had given the correct answer previously (Smith et al., 2009). It is important to remember that audience response systems themselves are not as important as the effective teaching and learning strategies that they facilitate, which include the following (Lemke, Coughlin, and Riefsneider, 2009):

Assessing student understanding in real time can be accomplished without technology -- by a show of hands or paper-and-pencil quizzes -- but electronic feedback systems help to accelerate the process, allowing the teacher to gather and respond to data about what students are understanding more quickly and accurately.

Embedding on-going assessment into curriculum has been shown to improve student learning, particularly for struggling students and when assessments reveal students' thinking processes in ways that inform instruction (Black and Wiliam, 1998). Several online platforms may help to indicate what students know and can do while saving classroom time in creating, administering, and scoring multiple-choice exams. ExamView offers a bank of thousands of test items aligned to state standards across subjects which teachers can use to create and administer online quizzes and tests, and which refreshes with new items if the same student takes the quiz again. Quia allows teachers to create their own quizzes as well as other learning activities, such as flashcards and word scrambles (Light and Polin, 2010). SAS Curriculum Pathways is a free platform that teachers can use to create and automatically grade custom multiple-choice quizzes. SAS Curriculum Pathways also offers a tool that provides automatic feedback on student essays. Diagnoser is a Web-based assessment tool for middle and high school students that helps to reveal students' underlying reasoning about content areas (Thissen-Roe, Hunt, and Minstrell, 2004).

At the school and district level, the following data-driven instruction practices were indicated by case studies to yield value for student learning (Means et al, 2010):

Technology for Assessment and Customizing Instruction

Promising Tools (limited evidence): Poll Everywhere*, SAS Curriculum Pathways* (grades 6-12), Diagnoser* (grades 6-12), ExamView*, Quia*

Promising Tools (limited evidence): Doing What Works integrated model*: "Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making"; Data Quality Campaign report on developing data literacy: Using Data To Improve Teacher Effectiveness*

(*) Promising programs are supported by case studies but are not yet tested by rigorous research. Research evaluating digital learning practices has not kept pace with the rapid growth in online tools and resources.

Collaborative Discussion and Argumentation

Networked collaborative dialogue among students, teachers, parents, administrators, and other stakeholders strengthens educational communities (Light and Polin, 2010). Whereas early websites were usually limited to one-way broadcasting of information, today, the Web increasingly supports two-way communication and user-generated content, which can be used to engage students, parents, and teachers in dialogue around meaningful assignments and learning objectives.

One qualitative study suggests that using student blogs to post student work for weekly critiques, regular journals, and structured debates resulted in student excitement and dialogue (Light and Polin, 2010). Students reported feeling less shy and liking having time to formulate and respond to critical comments. Teachers reported that allowing comments to be posted and carefully considering student privacy improved classroom blog experiences (Light and Polin 2010).

Powermylearning.com provides a collection of free online learning activities and tools for educators to create digital playlists of activities and to view students' activities. Edmodo and Moodle are free e-learning environments that educators can use to share their course curriculum with students and other educators while promoting online community building and learning outside school. In addition, K-12 educators can find, share, and reflect on lesson plans through numerous curriculum-sharing sites.

Practices and Tools for Collaborative Discussion and Argumentation

Promising Tools (limited evidence): Edmodo* and Moodle* support blogs for student collaboration within and between classes. Educators can also share assignments and communicate with students. VoiceThread* can be used for online dialogue and adding voice comments to text, audio, or pictures.

Tech-Integration Practices:

Promising Tools (limited evidence): Powermylearning.com* provides a collection of free online learning activities. Math and English language arts lesson plans are aligned with Common Core standards.

Tech-Integration Practices:

(*) Promising programs are supported by case studies but are not yet tested by rigorous research. Research evaluating digital learning practices has not kept pace with the rapid growth in online tools and resources.

Teaching Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is essential for participating in today's global, knowledge-based economy (U.S. Department of Education, 2010; Warschauer and Matuchniak, 2010). Digital literacy refers to having fluency with digital hardware and software technologies in order to access, control, and create information, as well as having information literacy skills to ask questions, find and use relevant information, and to critically evaluate the credibility of information on the Web. Both information literacy and fluency in technology are necessary in order to be considered digitally literate.

1:1 laptop programs have been shown to improve students' fluency with using digital technologies, writing skills, and engagement in learning (Fleisher, 2012; Zucker and Light, 2009). Yet for many teachers, lack of access to computers and reliable Internet connectedness is a barrier to technology integration (Innovative Teaching and Learning Research, 2011). To overcome these obstacles, students can partner up and share technology, and schools may explore BYOD (bring your own device) policies, as well as partnerships with businesses and local organizations. For example, computer recycling centers, such as Free Geek, often facilitate programs to refurbish computers. Educators can also raise money for classroom technology and other supplies on DonorsChoose.org. Advice on starting a school computer lab is described in this Edutopia blog. Schools can also stay updated on network solutions and best practices to support broadband access by participating in the Education Superhighway project.

Access to technology is necessary but not sufficient for developing digital literacy. By ensuring that students use technology for self-expression, critical analysis, and collaboration, teachers can help to prepare students to become active participants in a global information society.

Practices and Tools for K-12 Digital Literacy

Effective Practice: 1:1 laptops

Impacts:

Promising Practice: Improving digital access

Promising Tools (limited evidence)

Promising Practice: Deconstructing media messages

Promising Tools (limited evidence)

Promising Practice: Creating multimedia presentations, news stories, simulations, and animations

Promising Tools (limited evidence)

Promising Practice: Connecting with learning communities around the world

Promising Tools (limited evidence)

(*) Promising programs are supported by case studies but are not yet tested by rigorous research. Research evaluating digital learning practices has not kept pace with the rapid growth in online tools and resources.

Continue to the next section of the Tech Integration Research Review, Avoiding Pitfalls.