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Caitlin Adams

ED 205

January 24, 2007

Applications of Technology in Education

b. Technology improves performance when the application provides opportunities for student collaboration.

In part b. there was a case study done that involved upper level elementary students and how they responded to computer interaction between students and teachers. The program gave them the ability to ask questions to the teacher and their peers, search for other students' answers, give feedback on student responses and work together to create better questions and answers. These students who were part of the case study performed better on standardized tests in areas such as reading, language and vocabulary. They also showed a better depth of understanding and could give multiple perspectives and independent thought on the same question than students who did not use the software.

c. Technology improves performance when the application adjusts for student ability and prior experience, and provides feedback to the student and teacher about student performance or progress with the application.

Part c. was a study using computers to help middle school students with physics. The students who used the software were more aware of how in-depth they were in the studies and see how far the students were as well. The program helped them to view their studies from a physicists perspective and not only their own. They also shared their feedback with their peers online, which was also effective because students are more likely to be honest in their assessment of their peers if they aren’t right there in front of them. The students in the study were more able to apply Newton’s principles to real-world situations than the high school students that hadn’t used the software.

These studies to me represent what we are doing by using blackboard, we have the ability to post and ask questions to students and teachers and have a higher level of communication and a better ability to get and see other peoples perspectives than if we hadn’t attempted to communicate at all. We also have the ability to critique our peers and be honest about it whereas we might be too shy to say something directly if it seemed hurtful in the classroom.