Patricia C. Dung
Science Director, LAEP
LAUSD
You may notice that the theme of many articles in this issue of the SMART Catalog is technology in the classroom. Why? Technology is a major force that is impacting K-12 education and changing teaching and learning forever. It is changing how we communicate and accessing resources for the classroom.
A few months ago, one of my respected colleagues, a biology teacher who also teaches computer technology, said to me, "Remember, Pat, someone can be a good science teacher without using technology." Yes, but that someone can be a better science teacher if technology is used well.
Why? The Internet was developed with funds from the National Science Foundation to facilitate the exchange of information between science researchers and, potentially, accelerate the pace of scientific discovery. Major universities still form the backbone of the Internet today, which now gives K-12 educators access to research information and entry into the scientific community.
Today, our students can participate in interactive science investigations with students around the world. They can retrieve real time data, such as Cal Trans traffic information about local freeways or news about yesterday's. They can download digital images such as Jupiter's moons from NASA. They can ask questions of scientists or participate in real research. Students can use interactive probeware sensors hooked up to their computers to measure pH, temperature or dissolved O2. Teachers can find science lessons on just about any topic and information and graphics with which to write their own lessons. How soon will access to these resources be ubiquitous in schools and homes? According to one study, it took 70 years for the telephone to be found in 50% of U.S. households and 44 years for electric lights to do the same. Just 10 years after the first affordable personal computer came on the market, 28% of households have a PC. Incredibly, in 8 years the VCR has penetrated 50% of U.S. households. As each new technology comes on the scene the time span for its acceptance and use becomes shorter and shorter.
Can you remember life without ATMs? Now look at how fast laserdisk/CD technology and cellular phones are taking hold.
How are our local schools doing? A year ago, we ranked in the bottom 10% nationally in classroom computer use. According to a report in July 1996, by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the county average is now14 students per computer. That compares with 21 in California and 9 in the country. Yet the ratio pales when comparing students per modern computer - 21 for the County and 73 for the state. An average of 29% of computers in L.A. County linked within the school or classroom compared to 54% for the state. We do exceed the state average in percentage of modems for dial-up telecommunications access (62%) compared to the state average of 56%, thanks to the resourcefulness of our teachers and administrators. There is no data available for the number of schools that are hardwired by T1, 56k or ISDN lines.
Clearly we still have a long way to go to provide technological skills for all students and access to resources on the Internet. The same report also found that most PC owners are college graduates, earn more than $50,000 a year, and are concentrated in large metropolitan areas where computer literacy is essential for jobs in the information economy. So lack of access to technology can result in both lower academic achievement and lower job expectations. It can be the gatekeeper of the future.
Along with the need for more computing in our schools, we also need more technology training for teachers and students. Most importantly, teachers need professional development to learn how to integrate technology into a science rich curriculum that focuses on inquiry, and problem solving and conceptual understanding.
Just as evolution is not a steady state, but a punctuated equilibrium, where change occurs in rapid spurts and periods of no change, the use of technology is in a critical growth stage. Our students can either adapt to these changes or be left behind with endangered futures.
