Introduction to Emerging Technologies for the Classroom: a Learning Sciences Perspective

Explorations in the Learning Sciences, Instructional Systems and Performance Technologies wwwwwwwwwww Chrystalla Mouza • Nancy Lavigne Editors Emerging Technologies for the Classroom A Learning Sciences Perspective Editors Chrystalla Mouza Nancy Lavigne School of Education School of Education University of Delaware University of Delaware Newark , USA Newark , USA ISBN 978-1-4614-4695-8 ISBN 978-1-4614-4696-5 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-4696-5 Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2012948776 © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, speci fi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on micro fi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied speci fi cally for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a speci fi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Foreword The fi rst issue of the Journal of the Learning Sciences ( JLS ) was published in early 1991. The journal’s mission has always centered on advancing our understanding of learning in real-world situations and of promoting learning in such venues. A key aim of the journal has also focused on identifying the roles that technology can play in promoting deep and lasting learning. As Founding Editor in Chief of JLS , I artic- ulated the hopes of the community in my introductory editorial message published in the fi rst issue. Our research community believed that we could create new methodologies for studying learning in real-world situations. Such methodologies would allow us to advance a science of learning more appropriate than traditional learning research for dealing with the education of our young people. We believed, too, that as we better understood processes involved in learning, we would, in parallel, be able to design and test new curricula, learning resources, materials, software, and ways of managing classrooms that could transform the opportunities young people had for learning. Armed with new methodologies and a knowledge base oriented towards design, we aimed at drawing and engaging more of the population in learning. We had an abiding hope and trust that computing technologies were a vehicle for promoting such learning. This was before widespread use of the Internet, before many families owned a personal computer, before many computers were adopted in schools, before commercial software was available for navigating the Internet, and before “World Wide Web” was a household term. In fact, the phrase may not even have yet been coined. Ultimately, we hoped that such work by members of the learning sciences community would play a role in rede fi ning and redesigning the institution called “school.” So here it is, over 20 years later. I am delighted by the progress that has been made in research as a result of undertaking the core mission of the learning sciences . Moreover, the fast pace of hardware development and the advances made in the design of computing and communication technologies (both hardware and software) to effectively foster learning are thrilling. I am disappointed that more of what has been learned about promoting learning through technology use is not in place in schools. I am excited, however, to see that the series in which this volume is included is addressing that shortcoming and that this book, in particular, is designed as a v vi Foreword forum for learning scientists and other scholars of instructional technology to share with education professionals what has been learned in the past 20 years. The authors are well-known scholars in the learning sciences and instructional technology fi elds, each with extensive experience working with K-12 teachers and students. The les- sons they learned as a result of these collaborations provide useful insights for teachers, administrators, and researchers that can be tested, evaluated, and re fi ned. The volume Emerging Technologies for the Classroom: A Learning Sciences Perspective is designed to inspire education professionals in using both well-estab- lished (e.g., computer labs and classroom laptops) and innovative (e.g., smartphones and tablets) technologies in ways that address learning challenges or problems, and promote effective learning. These technologies are integrated into environments where learners (a) grapple together with dif fi cult ideas and how these ideas apply in real-world situations, (b) have opportunities to test their ideas and see what tran- spires, (c) re fi ne their ideas with peers or mentors and try again, and (d) obtain feedback from others as they make sense of the world around them and develop new skills and capabilities. In all instances, teachers play an active role as they engage with the students in putting forward and re fi ning new hypotheses. In short, the volume presents environments where learning is both focused on skills and ideas that matter and happens as part of actively engaging in fascinating activities. In these environments, learners are excited enough about what they are doing, teachers feel they are making a real difference, and school becomes a place where learners want to go everyday. In reading all of the chapters, I was struck by the number of themes that emerged. Indeed, I would have missed many of them had I restricted myself to reading chapters in a single section. Five major themes were evident throughout the volume: • It is exceedingly dif fi cult to promote learning by simply employing technologies. Use of technology must be thought out well in advance and re fi ned over time to ensure its good use in promoting learning. • Issues of equity and diversity must be at the forefront in designing and imple- menting technologies in learning environments. • Multiple resources (i.e., technology, peers, teachers, mentors) can enhance students’ learning in environments that involve design and construction (a particular genre of project-based learning). • Moving regularly and fl uidly from small-group to whole-class discussion and back again in ways that seem natural to the student community is an effective way of managing students’ learning of the target knowledge and skills when engaged in design and construction. • It is important to determine the kinds of collaborations and communities that will aid learning in a situation and how to promote such collaboration and community building, whether it involves online learning, use of mobile technologies, social networking sites, or what an electronic textbook might be like. Overall, a major message is that to promote learning effectively, pedagogy needs to drive technology use. Chapter 2 makes this case very strongly, and many of the other chapters take it up and suggest ways of making that happen, even referring to Foreword vii the idea of “Curriculum 2.0” (Chap. 7 )—the curriculum we could have if we think about the pedagogy that could promote learning objectives and the ways technology can be used to make that pedagogical approach a reality. A related big message is that use of technology allows envisioning a curriculum in support of achieving more sophisticated learning objectives. In addition to content, such objectives focus on supporting learning of skills needed for successfully joining the twenty- fi rst century workforce (e.g., collaboration, re fl ection, self-regulation) and participating as an active citizen. One book cannot itself address all of the issues involved in bringing computing and communication technologies into classrooms to promote learning. I am hoping, however, that this volume, along with the other volumes in this series, will play a big role in making that happen more broadly. I am hoping, too, that teachers reading this volume will get together and create communities around addressing issues of using computing technologies to foster learning, perhaps even using some of the technologies discussed in the volume to promote both community and idea development and sustain the discussion. May this volume and series be a catalyst for promoting more of the types of classroom activities researchers have uncovered as powerful for advancing learning. Janet L. Kolodner Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta , GA , USA wwwwwwwwwww Contents 1 Introduction to Emerging Technologies for the Classroom: A Learning Sciences Perspective ........................................................... 1 Chrystalla Mouza and Nancy C. Lavigne Part I Technologies that Support Learning to Understand and Create 2 Curricular Activity Systems Supporting the Use of Dynamic Representations to Foster Students’ Deep Understanding of Mathematics ...................................................

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