Brian Cohen
  • Making the Grade Blog
  • About Me
  • Tutoring
  • Press
  • Resources to Share

Learning vs. Achievement through Technology

5/2/2011

4 Comments

 
In the spring of 2007 I wrote my thesis focusing on a piece of software made by Carnegie Learning called Cognitive Tutor. It was a type of software known as Computer-Assisted Instruction wherein it ould provide numerous practice problems for a student to answer, getting hints on the way, and would spit back data to the teacher as to how long it took to answer the question, how many times s/he pressed the "hint" button, etc. It was sort of a precursor to the more well-known Khan Academy I posted about a few weeks ago.

When I wrote my thesis, I thought this was going to be the future. Much like the episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation where we sometimes saw children learning without the aid of a human, this would create great learners who understood and could apply concepts.

I'm sure you are sniffing the big "but" coming in now.

BUT what I didn't realize then and do now is that this kind of practice may create high ACHIEVEMENT but neglects high LEARNING. The student simply wants to get a higher score in the game-like atmosphere of one of these CAI programs, or wants to master an isolated skill without context in the real world (like the Khan Academy).

I find myself doing the same thing at this point in time, mainly because I don't know any better. For this reason, I've decided to make a MAJOR overhaul on my grading structure for next year. Instead of providing grades for individual assignments or activities, I am going to grade SKILLS. These skills can be mastered at ANY TIME in a number of ways. I imagine a classroom where students constantly ask me if they can demonstrate their knowledge of a particular skill and I have multiple ways in which they can do that, always available.

I think this will shift my student's focus from the activities to the learning. It will hopefully end a lot of cheating because demonstrating knowledge is much harder than simply completing an assignment. And it will be more self-paced because the learners can demonstrate their knowledge at almost any time (during class, before/after school).

With this in my toolbox I think my students will come complaining to me that they haven't mastered skills (LEARNING) instead of demanding their peers show them the assignment to copy and paste (ACHIEVEMENT).
4 Comments
Alon
5/3/2011 03:34:17 am

Hey Brian, this is an interesting approach, and it seems so intuitive and common-sense. How come this isn't the standard? Has this been tried before, and with great success or failure? On a large-scale or only on small-scales?

Reply
Brian Cohen
5/3/2011 04:18:16 am

This happens in a lot of elementary schools across the Philadelphia area. Some people hate it becuase it's hard to compare kids with all these "standards." I think this kind of system will help the kids focus on the more important thing - the learning.

Reply
NancyLee Bergey
5/3/2011 07:21:34 am

This is frequently called mastery learning - you can take as long as you want to learn something and (ideally) you are provided with a number of ways to reach the goal. When you are ready you ask to demonstrate the knowledge. (Remember Simple Machines, Brian?)

Yes, it is so sensible. So as Alon asks, why isn't it the standard?

This would not only allow students who need more time to take it, without penalty, but would allow those who already have the skills being taught to move ahead. How humane for both groups.

Reply
Lonny
5/4/2011 03:27:04 pm

I wonder - how does direct instruction time fit into this equation?

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I am a math teacher in the New York Department of Education. I infuse technology and real-world problems into my curriculum in order to prepare my students for the future. I would love for people across the country to recognize we teachers can't do it alone. If you don't believe me, come visit my classroom!

    Picture

    Contact Me

    Picture

    Email Updates

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    March 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.