May 2004 — Industry Perspective
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Education Technology Helps Unite School Communities, Improve Academic Achievement
Web-Based Technologies
In Charleston, W.Va., Dunbar Middle School stood out as the only secondary school in Kanawha County to meet all of the requirements under NCLB during the 2002-03 school year. Principal Lynda Gilkeson credits new technologies available through programs like Following the Leaders with providing a solid framework for teachers to better understand state standards and testing systems. This technology provides teachers with information at their fingertips, enabling them to link classroom instruction to state standards. It also offers easy access to reports on student progress against these standards. With this information, teachers and school leaders can focus curriculum planning and instruction where they are needed most.
For students, Web-based technologies provide a seamless learning environment between school and home. The technologies can also make a tremendous impact on helping underachieving students get up to speed, while helping overachieving students remain challenged and motivated. Students may complete lessons in the classroom or work in a lab setting, while others may complete their work at home, in special classes, or with tutors or parents. Technology provides immediate feedback on lessons, so students no longer have to wait days or even hours to know their scores and the areas that need review.
With this immediate turnaround of information, parents are able to be more engaged in their child's learning and to provide additional assistance in areas of improvement. At-home access also gives more flexibility to working parents who no longer have to wait for report cards, struggle with scheduling parent conferences, or rely on calls from teachers to know their child's progress. They now have the added assurance that their child's information is secure and available only to them with a protected password.
Analyzing Student Progress
Principals view technology as a vital resource for evaluating student performance information, tracking academic achievement and identifying areas of the curriculum in which teachers may need additional training or assistance. By using technology to analyze schoolwide trends, principals can reallocate resources and overhaul staff development activities to ensure that they are focused on increasing student achievement.
Principals also have access to a variety of online reports that allow them to compare the performance of students and classes within the school. The principals may even develop and assign benchmark tests, which students may take online or on paper. These benchmark tests help administrators track the progress of all students and identify areas for improvement. Understanding whether deficiencies are attributable to individual students, classes or subgroups helps principals to create the most effective solutions for ensuring classroom success. Technology removes this guesswork, highlighting the need for greater parental involvement, individualized remediation, improved curriculum and increased professional development.
Much like principals, district-level administrators can also leverage online access to reports that help analyze student achievement among the schools in the district. In some schools, benchmark tests are created and assigned at the district level.
