Interesting Powerpoint passed to me by Dr. Jones:
I'll post my initial reactions in the comments later.
Showing posts with label link with commentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label link with commentary. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Rethinking the American High School
Rethinking the American High School. By: Lewis, Anne C.. Tech Directions, Aug2004, Vol. 64 Issue 1, p5-6, 2p; (AN 14247423)HTML Full Text PDF Full Text(477K) Check for full text Check Dacus Library holdings
http://0-web.ebscohost.com.library.winthrop.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=116&sid=9218947c-469f-4301-872b-6be861093c25%40sessionmgr102
This article summarizes six conferences held in 2003 on educational reform. There were several comments in the article that mirror the topics we have been discussing in class this semester. I found it somewhat scary that in today’s technology focused world, the conference attendees neglected to include vocational and career/technology education as one of their topics. Apparently, two of the panelists discussing these conferences felt similarly. One of the seven main themes discussed in the article incorporated a suggestion to “reform” high schools with the purpose of college preparation in mind. We have heard this before since the theme of high school serving as primarily college preparation was an idea advocated by the Committee of Ten as well. Lastly, Lewis points out that there were several statements advocating high school reform, but the conversations lacked productive suggestions about how to do so.
http://0-web.ebscohost.com.library.winthrop.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=116&sid=9218947c-469f-4301-872b-6be861093c25%40sessionmgr102
This article summarizes six conferences held in 2003 on educational reform. There were several comments in the article that mirror the topics we have been discussing in class this semester. I found it somewhat scary that in today’s technology focused world, the conference attendees neglected to include vocational and career/technology education as one of their topics. Apparently, two of the panelists discussing these conferences felt similarly. One of the seven main themes discussed in the article incorporated a suggestion to “reform” high schools with the purpose of college preparation in mind. We have heard this before since the theme of high school serving as primarily college preparation was an idea advocated by the Committee of Ten as well. Lastly, Lewis points out that there were several statements advocating high school reform, but the conversations lacked productive suggestions about how to do so.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
No Child Left Behind criticized
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18432881
This interview was held on National Public Radio on Wed 30 January 2008. Among the criticisms of NTLB shared in the program, an economist, Richard Rothstein criticizes NCLB's most important goal: getting every single student in America to perform at or above grade level by 2014. He is quoted, "The notion that schools alone can create equal achievement for children of different social backgrounds is not based on any research. It's not based on a true understanding of what the many factors that contribute to student achievement are: [It assumes] that health doesn't matter, housing doesn't matter, that dysfunctional communities don't matter," Rothstein says. "I don't think we can make social policy on the basis of a myth."
This is a powerful statement that gets right to the basis of the Conservative and Liberal political perspectives of the purposes of public school. The Conservative and Liberal perspectives take into consideration the many factors that contribute to student achievement, and try to provide programs at the school to make everyone more equal. Note that many schools offer free or reduced breakfast and lunch, access to a school nurse and guidance counsellors. These programs promote their view that equal educational opportunity is important for all.
Our recent reading of Tyack and Cuban suggest 3 measures of the success or failure of a school reform, so let's use these to rate NCLB.
On the matter of fidelity to original design: NCLB would rate a mixed bag. Some aspects seem to be working out well, as students are taking more standardized tests for tracking progress. Other aspects of the law are considered a resounding failure; the promised funding to accommodate the requirements of the law never materialized. On the matter of meeting preset outcomes: NCLB scores poorly. As reported in the NPR program, reading scores have remained flat during the program, and math scores were seeing larger increases before NCLB was enacted. On the matter of longevity, NCLB has been around for six years, but its future is in jeopardy. Using these measures, NCLB has not been as successful educational reform. As Congress seems determined to change the law, let's consider ways we can input teacher knowledge of student learning and achievement into the revised law.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
"Horace Mann's Balanced Vision for Public Education"
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/10/4/120338.shtml
Here in this article, Steve Farrell indicates importance of Horace Mann and his point of view concerning public education. Horace Mann concluded, "I have endeavored to show that with universal suffrage there must be universal elevation of character, intellectual and moral, or there will be universal mismanagement and calamity." This point is interesting plugged into today's society concerning education. The thought of universal suffrage to obtain character gain seems to have elevated in the sense that we have worked so hard for many educational advances and yet, I question the morals and the reasons behind our advances. Have we put to much emphasis on making a difference that we forgot our basis for which public education was derived? In this point, are we seeming to mismanage our public school systems as a whole? If not are we compatible with these ideas leading to proper universal management?
Here in this article, Steve Farrell indicates importance of Horace Mann and his point of view concerning public education. Horace Mann concluded, "I have endeavored to show that with universal suffrage there must be universal elevation of character, intellectual and moral, or there will be universal mismanagement and calamity." This point is interesting plugged into today's society concerning education. The thought of universal suffrage to obtain character gain seems to have elevated in the sense that we have worked so hard for many educational advances and yet, I question the morals and the reasons behind our advances. Have we put to much emphasis on making a difference that we forgot our basis for which public education was derived? In this point, are we seeming to mismanage our public school systems as a whole? If not are we compatible with these ideas leading to proper universal management?
Obama and No Child Left Behind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsVimwm6xQ4&NR=1
Above is a link in which Barack Obama describes the fundamental changes he would make to the No Child Left Behind act. His reform would take place on the grounds that inadequate assessment tools are being used to measure progress. He also states that teachers did not have enough ownership in making this reform which in turn, has created a lot of resentment for the bill. One can hear his liberal ideologies coming through as he discusses the unequal starting grounds of schools, the uneven movement towards educational goals, and his disapproval of the status quo. T&C would agree with the concept of using teachers to help write such bills, and also discuss the resentment which has occurred when they were not a part of the process. Reform, as discussed in Tinkering Towards Utopia, is often made without the allocation of additional resources to help meet the policy changes. Obama confirms this statement claiming that not enough resources have been given to reach the NCLB act goals. T&C also discuss how reform changes shape between the conceptual motives and practice outcomes. (Mississippi lowering its standards) I agree with Obama and feel that the NCLB act should be reformed at its most basic levels. Teachers must be involved in the writing of these acts, and resources should be provided to meet new standards.
Dilemmas of Discourse-Oriented Teaching in One Middle School Mathematics Classroom
http://0-search.ebscohost.com.library.winthrop.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9702073598&site=ehost-live
This article illustrates the use of discourse-oriented teaching through a single case study. This reform creates a shift "from a view of the teacher as dispenser of knowledge to a view of teacher as facilitator of knowledge production." This practice, as described, is vaguely reminiscent of the Socratic Method, in which parties involved ask questions and are encouraged to use reason to arrive at answers or hypotheses that can either be proven or contradicted. The first dilemma that this article discusses arises from the fact that the teacher must facilitate true knowledge. Thus it is the teacher's responsibility to guide or lead the discourse, which can easily revert to a dispensation of knowledge. "The pupil's task is to come up with the correct solutions to problems seemingly spontaneously, while all the time trying to discern in the teacher's clues, cues, questions and presuppositions what that required solution actually is." The point is made that students may not completely grasp the required mathematical understanding simply by watching another person work out the problem. Rather, they must ask questions to understand the process, and in order to show understanding of the process, they must be able to explain it in their own words to someone else.
How does this case study fit in with Tyack and Cuban's perspective on reform? Most aspects of this particular classroom fit very well with T & C's Grammar of School. The class is self-contained, concentrates on one subject (mathematics), lasts for a set period of time, incorporates familiar manipulatives, and involves group work. The most notable deviations from this grammar lie in the fact that the teacher elicits mathematical concepts from her students rather than dispensing them and that there are no textbooks. The students were not shown how to work problems nor were they given example problems. While the mathematics class involved in this case study seemed to perform (in class) at least as well as in a traditional setting, I would have difficulty as a student without the retention of a textbook (or really thorough class notes) to aid my learning. As we have discussed in class, no school reform can possibly result in a utopia of perfect learning. The authors of this article end on a similar sentiment, "We have concluded that there is something going on inside the minds of students and realized that students learn only information that is meaningful to them. Thus, students must be involved in a fundamental way with their own education."
This article illustrates the use of discourse-oriented teaching through a single case study. This reform creates a shift "from a view of the teacher as dispenser of knowledge to a view of teacher as facilitator of knowledge production." This practice, as described, is vaguely reminiscent of the Socratic Method, in which parties involved ask questions and are encouraged to use reason to arrive at answers or hypotheses that can either be proven or contradicted. The first dilemma that this article discusses arises from the fact that the teacher must facilitate true knowledge. Thus it is the teacher's responsibility to guide or lead the discourse, which can easily revert to a dispensation of knowledge. "The pupil's task is to come up with the correct solutions to problems seemingly spontaneously, while all the time trying to discern in the teacher's clues, cues, questions and presuppositions what that required solution actually is." The point is made that students may not completely grasp the required mathematical understanding simply by watching another person work out the problem. Rather, they must ask questions to understand the process, and in order to show understanding of the process, they must be able to explain it in their own words to someone else.
How does this case study fit in with Tyack and Cuban's perspective on reform? Most aspects of this particular classroom fit very well with T & C's Grammar of School. The class is self-contained, concentrates on one subject (mathematics), lasts for a set period of time, incorporates familiar manipulatives, and involves group work. The most notable deviations from this grammar lie in the fact that the teacher elicits mathematical concepts from her students rather than dispensing them and that there are no textbooks. The students were not shown how to work problems nor were they given example problems. While the mathematics class involved in this case study seemed to perform (in class) at least as well as in a traditional setting, I would have difficulty as a student without the retention of a textbook (or really thorough class notes) to aid my learning. As we have discussed in class, no school reform can possibly result in a utopia of perfect learning. The authors of this article end on a similar sentiment, "We have concluded that there is something going on inside the minds of students and realized that students learn only information that is meaningful to them. Thus, students must be involved in a fundamental way with their own education."
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
More reforms for SC schools?
http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/300514.html
This is an article discussing implementing changes in our schools Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests, PACT, and accountability in general. Seemingly very much supported, this bill proposes to make changes to the Education Accountability Act. Originally, the law requires students in grades third through eighth to have annual testing. The new changes would mean that students PACT testing could be broken up into sections, allowing for faster test results. Exit exams would be replaced with course end tests and annual report cards would be changed for easier reading would also be implemented by this reform.
This could be tied into our reading on school reform and how the schools change reform themselves. I agree with a statement the book makes commenting that if teachers work collaboratively with each other and with policy advocates, sharing goals and tactics, supporting each other in assessing progress, then such an approach to school improvement could work better than mandates from above. This becoming a group/school effort could achieve many goals without having to have a law stating it.
This is an article discussing implementing changes in our schools Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests, PACT, and accountability in general. Seemingly very much supported, this bill proposes to make changes to the Education Accountability Act. Originally, the law requires students in grades third through eighth to have annual testing. The new changes would mean that students PACT testing could be broken up into sections, allowing for faster test results. Exit exams would be replaced with course end tests and annual report cards would be changed for easier reading would also be implemented by this reform.
This could be tied into our reading on school reform and how the schools change reform themselves. I agree with a statement the book makes commenting that if teachers work collaboratively with each other and with policy advocates, sharing goals and tactics, supporting each other in assessing progress, then such an approach to school improvement could work better than mandates from above. This becoming a group/school effort could achieve many goals without having to have a law stating it.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Education and its Link to the Economy
The authors agree with Cremin’s position(page 36, last paragraph) that schools should not be made scapegoats for the nation’s economic problems: “As Cremin noted, the attempt in recent years to blame alleged educational decline for the nation’s woes is irresponsible. The argument that poor schools produce poor workers and that improved schools would solve economic ills has two major defects: it scapegoats educators; and it blurs understanding of a labor market in which the largest proportion of new jobs are relatively unskilled and millions of skilled workers are jobless.”
If the largest portion of new jobs are for unskilled workers, doesn’t that suggest that we are not an economically competitive nation? And if millions of skilled workers are jobless, doesn’t that suggest that workers that are skilled don’t have the right skills? If this is the state of our economy, perhaps it could be said that our educational system is not keeping pace with the needs of a changing economy.
As Chairman Ben Bernanke noted in his speech on Education and Economic Competitiveness http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/bernanke20070924a.htm
at the U.S. Chamber Education and Workforce Summit in Washington D.C. last September, the demand for more-educated workers with technical skills has been increasing rapidly, partly because of the advances in information and communication technologies, while the supply of highly educated workers has also risen. Nevertheless, the supply of educated workers has not kept pace with demand. He further asserts that from a macroeconomic standpoint, education is directly linked to productivity, which, in turn, is a critical determinant of the overall standard of living. He states that continuing advances in technology, as well as baby-boomers leaving the market and increased globalization, will put a premium on education. And while its difficult to predict which jobs will be most affected by technology, better educated workers will be better prepared to adapt. Ultimately, Bernanke contends that lifelong learning, particularly in light of advancing technological change, is an excellent investment for individuals and society as a whole.
If the largest portion of new jobs are for unskilled workers, doesn’t that suggest that we are not an economically competitive nation? And if millions of skilled workers are jobless, doesn’t that suggest that workers that are skilled don’t have the right skills? If this is the state of our economy, perhaps it could be said that our educational system is not keeping pace with the needs of a changing economy.
As Chairman Ben Bernanke noted in his speech on Education and Economic Competitiveness http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/bernanke20070924a.htm
at the U.S. Chamber Education and Workforce Summit in Washington D.C. last September, the demand for more-educated workers with technical skills has been increasing rapidly, partly because of the advances in information and communication technologies, while the supply of highly educated workers has also risen. Nevertheless, the supply of educated workers has not kept pace with demand. He further asserts that from a macroeconomic standpoint, education is directly linked to productivity, which, in turn, is a critical determinant of the overall standard of living. He states that continuing advances in technology, as well as baby-boomers leaving the market and increased globalization, will put a premium on education. And while its difficult to predict which jobs will be most affected by technology, better educated workers will be better prepared to adapt. Ultimately, Bernanke contends that lifelong learning, particularly in light of advancing technological change, is an excellent investment for individuals and society as a whole.
Monday, January 21, 2008
School Incentives (Revised)
The following is an analysis of an article that I found on the US News Web-site. The article titled The value of Good Grades talks about some current methods that schools within our country are using to spark the interest of students in school and making good grades. Go to:
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2008/01/03/the-value-of-good-grades.html
Immediately after reading this article, I could relate its content to the text in Tinkering Towards Utopia and how the issue of "getting students interested in school" kept coming up during the reading.
This notion of "getting students interested in school" is something that the American Public School System has been concerned about and new policies and programs have sprung up through history because of it. In chapter 1 of Tinkering Towards Utopia, the authors mention how in the 1940's there was an emphasis on "competitive male-only athletics teams" and other new techniques to getting boys interested in school.
The US News article talks about schools offering things such as happy meals from McDonald's or even cash money to students who perform at a certain level. On one hand we can see a corporation advertising their product and on the other, we have students receiving money for academic reasons. Incentives are good, we all like to be rewarded and live in a society where we are typically rewarder for our hard work. It is my belief however, that rewards should fit within the certain nature of what we are being rewarded for.
Although I do not agree with a McDonald's sticker on a report card, rewarding a child with a happy meal is not what concerns me. It is the thought of motivating children with money that gets under my skin. I would hate to think that educators have so little imagination to come up with good ways to involve children in school than simply money. What types of values is this teaching to young American students? I find this method as an extreme solution that is only giving students wrong reasons to excel. Should we not strive to find incentives that make students like academics for what they are?
The article does mention how schools are also paying students for tutoring other students. I see this as a totally different idea that is not based on rewarding students with money for good grades but for a service instead. In this situation, the student is being rewarded for extra effort and this would be a totally different discussion.
It is concerning to see how far we can go to keep American children interested in school. It is even more alarming to think about what will be the next move to try to keep students in school and doing well in school and just how these moves will influence our students academically and socially.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/2008/01/03/the-value-of-good-grades.html
Immediately after reading this article, I could relate its content to the text in Tinkering Towards Utopia and how the issue of "getting students interested in school" kept coming up during the reading.
This notion of "getting students interested in school" is something that the American Public School System has been concerned about and new policies and programs have sprung up through history because of it. In chapter 1 of Tinkering Towards Utopia, the authors mention how in the 1940's there was an emphasis on "competitive male-only athletics teams" and other new techniques to getting boys interested in school.
The US News article talks about schools offering things such as happy meals from McDonald's or even cash money to students who perform at a certain level. On one hand we can see a corporation advertising their product and on the other, we have students receiving money for academic reasons. Incentives are good, we all like to be rewarded and live in a society where we are typically rewarder for our hard work. It is my belief however, that rewards should fit within the certain nature of what we are being rewarded for.
Although I do not agree with a McDonald's sticker on a report card, rewarding a child with a happy meal is not what concerns me. It is the thought of motivating children with money that gets under my skin. I would hate to think that educators have so little imagination to come up with good ways to involve children in school than simply money. What types of values is this teaching to young American students? I find this method as an extreme solution that is only giving students wrong reasons to excel. Should we not strive to find incentives that make students like academics for what they are?
The article does mention how schools are also paying students for tutoring other students. I see this as a totally different idea that is not based on rewarding students with money for good grades but for a service instead. In this situation, the student is being rewarded for extra effort and this would be a totally different discussion.
It is concerning to see how far we can go to keep American children interested in school. It is even more alarming to think about what will be the next move to try to keep students in school and doing well in school and just how these moves will influence our students academically and socially.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
We're also failing at basic research, apparently.
Comments on Greene, Jay P. and Shock, Catherine. (2008). Adding up to failure. City Journal. Vol. 18. No 1. Found at: http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_1_snd-ed_schools.html. Accessed January 15, 2008.
Greene and Shock's basic premise is that colleges of education place too much emphasis on multiculturalism and diversity and too little on teaching the basics of education, namely math. They reach this conclusion by conducting an "analysis" of the course catalogs of the top 50 education programs and comparing the number of course titles and descriptions that feature the term multiculturalism or some variant thereof with the number of titles and descriptions that contain the word math.
There are many problems here, most of which are obvious, I think. But I will point them out anyway, because the fact that "research" like this gets published, even in a local, non-academic setting, is troublesome.
1. Uneven distribution of descriptors. Greene and Shock look at lots of synonyms of multiculturalism, but fail to consider any variations of math. Many colleges of education offer courses in educational research, which often requires statistical analysis. Others flat out offer statistics courses. Methods courses for preservice teachers also often feature instruction on how to best teach math, but math may not appear in the title. If all the elementary education students take classes in "Instructional fundamentals for the elementary student" that includes math instruction, even if math does not appear in the title of the course.
2. Colleges of Education don't offer every required course. Here's a novel idea. Say we want our students to learn basic mathematical concepts so that they can teach them to 5th graders. Maybe we shold make them take some math courses to make sure this happens. Wow! Who are we going to get to teach these courses? Wait! I've got it. We have a whole department of mathematics here at the university. I bet they are pretty good at teaching about math. I even bet that there are some folks out there who are majoring in math that want to teach math to high school students, so they take their education courses from an ed school and their math courses from the math department. Division of labor -- it's not just a fancy concept in sociology.
3. Maybe multiculturalism is important. Every teacher will be required to deal with a diverse bunch of students. Not every teacher will teach math. Given the univeristy's division of labor above, doesn't in make sense that colleges of ed have courses that help their students figure out how to deal with the diversity of students they will undoubtedly encounter in their classroom? It may be just a matter of priorities; the authors of the article seem to have different ones.
Greene and Shock's basic premise is that colleges of education place too much emphasis on multiculturalism and diversity and too little on teaching the basics of education, namely math. They reach this conclusion by conducting an "analysis" of the course catalogs of the top 50 education programs and comparing the number of course titles and descriptions that feature the term multiculturalism or some variant thereof with the number of titles and descriptions that contain the word math.
There are many problems here, most of which are obvious, I think. But I will point them out anyway, because the fact that "research" like this gets published, even in a local, non-academic setting, is troublesome.
1. Uneven distribution of descriptors. Greene and Shock look at lots of synonyms of multiculturalism, but fail to consider any variations of math. Many colleges of education offer courses in educational research, which often requires statistical analysis. Others flat out offer statistics courses. Methods courses for preservice teachers also often feature instruction on how to best teach math, but math may not appear in the title. If all the elementary education students take classes in "Instructional fundamentals for the elementary student" that includes math instruction, even if math does not appear in the title of the course.
2. Colleges of Education don't offer every required course. Here's a novel idea. Say we want our students to learn basic mathematical concepts so that they can teach them to 5th graders. Maybe we shold make them take some math courses to make sure this happens. Wow! Who are we going to get to teach these courses? Wait! I've got it. We have a whole department of mathematics here at the university. I bet they are pretty good at teaching about math. I even bet that there are some folks out there who are majoring in math that want to teach math to high school students, so they take their education courses from an ed school and their math courses from the math department. Division of labor -- it's not just a fancy concept in sociology.
3. Maybe multiculturalism is important. Every teacher will be required to deal with a diverse bunch of students. Not every teacher will teach math. Given the univeristy's division of labor above, doesn't in make sense that colleges of ed have courses that help their students figure out how to deal with the diversity of students they will undoubtedly encounter in their classroom? It may be just a matter of priorities; the authors of the article seem to have different ones.
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