Teaching Tolerance magazine examines 鈥楽mart Tech Use鈥� in the classroom
When it comes to technology in the classroom, educators shouldn鈥檛 be satisfied by the sight of students focused on the glow of a screen, but should ask what uses of technology actually help all students in diverse U.S. classrooms learn, grow and thrive, according to research highlighted in the latest issue of the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 Teaching Tolerance magazine, released today.
The issue鈥檚 cover story, 鈥�,鈥� explains the value in asking whether classroom tech use is 鈥渟mart鈥� from an equity perspective, and why this question is critical to ensure positive learning outcomes for all students. Author Mica Pollock of the University of California, San Diego, reports on the efforts of a pilot group of educators who conducted research to determine how technology affected their students鈥� thinking, learning, voice and achievement. Their results offer models for how teachers can ask deeper questions about the pros and cons of tech use for student learning and development.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not enough just to use technology in the classroom,鈥� said Maureen Costello, Teaching Tolerance director. 鈥淭eachers need to look critically at their technology use to determine when 鈥� and for whom 鈥� it is providing positive results. A high-tech tablet isn鈥檛 always better than a paper tablet and a pencil.鈥�
The Spring 2016 issue of Teaching Tolerance magazine can be read .
鈥�,鈥� explores another technology issue 鈥� the alarmingly low number of girls pursuing computer science as a career path. The article looks at the way computer science courses are taught and marketed as well as other possible factors behind this low number.
The magazine also looks critically at Dr. Ruby Payne鈥檚 strategies for teaching low-income students. Payne鈥檚 self-published book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, has been a popular tool for educators hoping to engage students living in poverty. 鈥溾�� examines the serious criticisms leveled by a growing number of educators and scholars concerned that Payne鈥檚 strategies rely on stereotypes and offer little evidence that they work. In , Dr. Joseph A. Taylor reviews the empirical research and methodology cited by Payne on her website and in the latest edition of her book.
鈥溾�� examines a new tool for ensuring inclusion on the playground: the Buddy Bench. The bench is where a student can sit when he or she needs a playground buddy, helping make recess more inclusive and fun. Educators, however, still must do their part to create and encourage a school culture of empathy and inclusion.
Other articles include an analysis of what happens to students when community schools close their doors; an examination of school enrollment patterns in the Deep South; and an interview with journalist and educator Maria Hinojosa.
Teaching Tolerance magazine, published three times a year, is the nation鈥檚 leading journal serving educators on diversity issues. It is distributed free of charge to more than 410,000 educators nationwide.
