Richtel’s Rearview Mirror Misses the Mark

Matt Richtel wrote the rearview mirror story of the last decade—technology layered on top of how we’ve always done school yielding meager results at least when measured in traditional ways.  The story of this decade is that personal digital learning will change the world.
The Sunday feature in the NYTimes did a disservice to the field. It’s easy to make sweeping statements about the past and prop up critics. Richtel knows well the case for digital learning, he just chose to leave it out.
Where technology is designed in rather than layered on it is transformational.  When it creates entirely new learning opportunities, like the 4 million students learning online, it is transformational.  When it enables schools that blend the best of online and onsite learning, it is transformational.   Why would Matt look only at weak examples and skip the 40 blended models featured in Innosight Report, The Rise of Blended Learning?  Why not interview with Susan Patrick, iNACOL (where I’m a director)?
For two years, Gov Bob Wise, Alliance for Excellent Education, has been calling attention to the skill gap, the funding gap, and the effective teacher gap.  In a July report, “The Alliance concludes that taking advantage of digital learning to expand opportunities and access for students, especially in rural and urban areas, is the only way to address these issues.”  The Alliance report goes on to outline ten examples of smart uses of instructional technology.  Why didn’t Matt talk to Bob?
Weak ROI on computers in schools is an old story, but the future will not look like the past. Hundreds of schools and pilot projects make the case for personal digital learning.  More broadband, cheap access devices, new apps, and powerful platforms are reshaping how people learn.  Learning technology is reshaping the world by making education more personal and by creating more time and opportunity.
1. More personal. Instruction at the right level, in the best mode, at the right time is more effective teaching to the middle of a class with big skill differences—Rocketship’s John Danner thinks it’s often ten times more effective.  Personalized math products like MIND Research, McGraw’s Power of U, and games-based products like Dreambox and Mangahigh* have all demonstrated great early results.
2. More time.  Online learning allows schools to stretch staffing ratios and leverage teacher talent.  Schools that blend online and onsite instruction can afford a longer day and year.  Engaging work and motivating feedback are extending learning time.  Schools like Rocketship show it’s possible to double productive learning time for kids that need it most.
3. More opportunity. Where policy barriers have come down, online learning is creating more opportunity for every student—access to every AP course, every foreign language course, every STEM course.  Online learning is powering virtual schools and new blended models.  It’s helping students at risk catch up and graduate.
These benefits are evident today in schools like Carpe Diem and in networks like AdvancePath*. The benefits are accelerating and there’s no going back.   All new teachers grew up digital.  Kids come to school wired.  Many new learning apps are free and expanding virally.  The ‘new normal’ economy is demanding more knowledge and skill but the fiscal crisis is demanding better outcomes for less money.
A look back is only of value if we learn from success  stories as well as mistakes.  Matt knows the story, he just left out the good parts: personal digital learning is transforming American public education and extending access to millions of students worldwide.
For more see

This blog originally appeared on Huffington Post
* Learn Capital portfolio company

Tom Vander Ark

Tom Vander Ark is the CEO of Getting Smart. He has written or co-authored more than 50 books and papers including Getting Smart, Smart Cities, Smart Parents, Better Together, The Power of Place and Difference Making. He served as a public school superintendent and the first Executive Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Discover the latest in learning innovations

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

6 Comments

Anonymous
9/6/2011

More PR spin from those eager to make a buck off our kids.  Where are the controlled studies, Tom?  Where is the rigorous evidence?

Replies

Tom Vander Ark
9/7/2011

Hi, welcome back. Last time we chatted I mentioned the ED metastudy. Also counted two dozen research study quoted in EdWeek over last 2 years. Promising pilot study from Rocketship last month. A great study on MIND Research (another nonprofit) will be released next month. My point is that the evidence is more than sufficient to to suggest we can do better.

jc grim
9/6/2011

"Online learning allows schools to stretch staffing ratios and leverage teacher talent."
You forgot to add this:
 "but without teacher pre-planning to integrate the information into meaningful contexts, online learning without teachers does not contribute to authentic learning gains in children"

Replies

Tom Vander Ark
9/7/2011

I think that is often the case. We've also found that wrap around supports are key for effective credit recovery

Lbcedu
9/7/2011

Leoniehaimson:  That's a frustrating comment.  Educators get paid salary/benefits regardless of whether they actually produce better learning for children.  At least companies have to go away if they don't produce results - they don't get to stay around and continue to excuse away their inability to help students learn while still insisting that they are so underpaid.  If the market could decide, many educators would be out of a job. And yes, I say all this as somebody who has taught in the classroom.

Replies

Tom Vander Ark
9/8/2011

Over the next generation, education will become more transparent, more candid, and more data-driven. We'll shift from data poverty to data rich and that will help make better decisions across the board.

Jennie Dougherty
9/12/2011

Hi! I and over 100 teachers from across the country have teamed up and really want to find a way to quantitatively prove the incredibly powerful and positive impact that technology has had on our practice and our student's outcomes. We are looking for some type of established method for tracking or recording data that could be used to quantitatively research the benefits we already see. Do you know whether any of the researchers conducting these studies or anyone else who might be able to point us to the right tool to use? [email protected] [email protected]

Jennie Dougherty
9/12/2011

Hi! I and over 100 ed. tech. saavy teachers from across the country have teamed up and really want to find a way to quantitatively prove the incredibly powerful and positive impact that technology has had on our practice and our student's outcomes. We are looking for some type of established method for tracking or recording data that could be used to quantitatively research the benefits we already know. Do you know whether any of the researchers conducting these studies or anyone else who might be able to point us to the right tool to use? [email protected] 

Replies

Tom Vander Ark
9/19/2011

Jennie, sorry for the delay, I'll try to identify a useful framework

Anonymous
9/15/2011

Our JFYNet
blended learning program has been producing consistent evidence of higher
student achievement at Malden High since 2006. In every year, in every
subgroup, kids who go through the JFYNet blended learning program have had
lower failing rates and higher proficient/advanced rates on our state test than
kids who do not do JFYNet.  The
only difference between the JFYNet
kids and the non-JFYNet kids is the
focused use of technology. 
Here was my take: Donald Duck’s Typewriter: The Craft and Art of Technology | http://www.gettingsmart.com/gettingsmart-staging/edreformer/2011/09/donald-ducks-typewriter-the-craft-and-art-of-technology/
Thanks TOM - and everyone else that has engaged in this conversation!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required.