slides presentation on educational transformation

1. Educational Transformations
Enabled by Technology
Robert Tinker
The Concord Consortium
http://concord.org

2. 1/20/03 2
National Academy
The Problem
INNOVATION and APPLIED RESEARCH
are:
• Essential to major advances in education
that technology makes possible
• Under funded
• Overlooked in most policy debates

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National Academy
It’s a Long Way from Basic
Research to Improved Schools
• A single development does not lead to
classroom change
Instead
• Insights and innovations cascade from
more basic to more applied research
• New materials draw from many sources
of insight and innovation

4. 1/20/03 4
National Academy
The Research Spectrum
Applied
Basic
Implementation
Research
Cognitive
Research
Tools and
Platforms
New
Technologies
IT-based
Curricula
Human Resource Development
Educational
Applications
This all takes place in “Pasteur’s Quadrant” (Don Stokes)
Technical
Innovations
Curriculum
Innovations

5. 1/20/03 5
National Academy
Implementation Research
• Focus on in-schools studies.
• Examples
– Use of models across the curriculum
– New approach to political science in which
students design institutions and role play
– Intuitive calculus in elementary grades
followed by major curriculum changes
– Atomic physics before molecular biology

6. 1/20/03 6
National Academy
Implementation Research
• Characteristics
– Like medical field trials (somewhat)
– The step before large-scale
implementation
– A few years ahead of current practice
– Large numbers of students and teachers
– Technology and training may be needed

7. 1/20/03 7
National Academy
Example: Implementation
Research
• Modeling Across the Curriculum
– Three-year longitudinal study
– Thirteen schools and 10,000 students
– Consistent approach to modeling
– Random assignment of treatments
– Look for cumulative improvements in basic
problem-solving skills

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National Academy
Example: Guidance and
Assessment Using Tools
Embed the
tool into
lessons. Kids
can learn from
these through
exploration.
Careful design
and testing
with students
needed.

9. 1/20/03 9
National Academy
Educational Innovations
• Transformative, large scale educational
innovations
– Are feasible
– Require large scale applied R&D
– Are based on basic research and technical
innovation
– Draw from IT developments in other areas:
games, science research, etc
– Should be open source/open content

10. 1/20/03 10
National Academy
Who Creates Innovations?
• The funding picture
– MSP: $1B total for implementation
– Labs, Resource Centers, Systemic Initiatives:
$1B/yr for dissemination
– Centers for Teaching and Learning: $1B total for
human resource development
– No major government program for IT-based
innovation
– Business can reach large audiences
• Where are the inputs?

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National Academy
Who Creates Innovations?
Where are IT-based educational innovations
going to come from that transform K-14
education?
– Not basic research
– Not business
– Not schools

12. 1/20/03 12
National Academy
A Missing Link
Basic
Research
Dissemination
Implementation Research
and Innovation
Teacher Professional
Development
Improved
Teaching and
Learning
New
Technology

13. 1/20/03 13
National Academy
Recommendations
• To realize the educational potential of
information technologies, a research
strategy is needed that is balanced
between pure and applied
• Innovation in technology and curricula
must be central to the strategy

14. 1/20/03 14
National Academy
Education Accelerators
• Promote, support, and study large-scale change in
schools
• School-centered
• Large-scale change has risks
• Cannot make mistakes with students
• Schools need insurance and assurance
• Theory-based change supported by evidence
• Support for teachers, administrators, parents
• Extensive formative assessment: early-warning
system in place

15. 1/20/03 15
National Academy
Education Accelerators
• Applied research requires interdisciplinary
teams
• Centers, analogous to research centers in the
sciences, are needed: Education Accelerators
• Centers must have close connections to
schools and colleges
• By concentrating resources and expertise the
research is more efficient and effective

16. 1/20/03 16
National Academy
Education Accelerators
• Need base funding for staff and a
general research agenda
• Five-year, renewable grants
• Bulk of funding comes through peer
reviewed projects to affiliated
institutions

17. 1/20/03 17
National Academy
The Cost
• Cognitive research: 75 projects at $200K/yr =
$20M/yr
• Technology: 50 projects @ $500K/yr = $25M/yr
• Software: 50 projects at $1M/yr = $50M/yr
• Curriculum: 50 at $1M/yr = $50M/yr
• Implementation: 50 at $2M/yr = $100M/yr
• Accelerators: 10 at $5M/yr = $50M/yr
• Human Resources: 200 @ $50K/yr = $10M/yr
• Total: $300M/yr for ten years

18. 1/20/03 18
National Academy
Worth it?
• $3B total over ten years
• 50 times current levels for innovation
and applied research
• Tiny compared to the educational
enterprise
• Comparable to current dissemination
expenditures
• Can transform education

19. 1/20/03 19
National Academy
Fin
Contact:
bob@concord.org
Information, free software, research
results, reviews, and more at:
http://concord.org