The Inevitable Revolution in Education
By
Retired Clinical Psychologist
Retired Professional Computer Programmer
Abstract
Education must surmount difficulties that are at least partially connected to the way it is carried out. Children receive their schooling in a lock-step arrangement in which a teacher instructs them as a group. This creates difficulties for both students and teachers. The progress of each child is intermingled with that of all others in the class, and teachers must try to meet the requirements of all individual pupils at the same time. Schools could overcome this difficulty if they used computers differently and allowed them to teach the students directly without being under the supervision of a human teacher. Under these conditions, each student would have a personal tutor, which would advance the child at a rate suitable to his or her previous learning and ability. This use of computers would entail a revolution in education, but one that would bring massive gains for both students and teachers. Examination of the possibilities indicates that the advantages are so powerful that such a revolution is not only possible, but also inevitable. The difficulty of bringing this revolution in education finds an analogy with the problems before 1900 of establishing automobiles as a universal form of transportation.
The Inevitable Revolution in Education
Part I
Why a Revolution Is Necessary
In grade school, Gene Brest, now a retired university professor, had an annual frustration. On the first day of the school year, they gave him his new books. He took them home and eagerly read them during the next few days. Then the frustration came. He could read outside of his classes, but as for school texts, he had to wait until the next year when a new set of books arrived. Brest was more intelligent than most children. All better than average students, however, have a variation of his experience. They learn and then must wait until others catch up.
Brighter students suffer from lock-step education, but it is worse for the least advanced. They cannot move at the pace of the entire class. Consequently, they do not understand the lessons. Without this foundation, they plunge even further behind in subsequent classes.
The difficulties of the poorer students may not be merely a matter of less intelligence. The knowledge and skills of children entering kindergarten differ according to their mother's education. (U.S. Department of Education, The Condition of Education 2001) Children who are behind can learn, but under present conditions, the disparity between them and the students with a better home background grows relentlessly. They will end up uneducated, and when they become parents, the cycle will repeat itself. Their children will be behind when they enter school.
This rigid form of education, which places everybody into a specific grade, is difficult and disheartening not only for students, but also for teachers. Colette Hathaway (not her real name because she doesn’t want to be identified) teaches the fourth grade in a northern New Jersey public school. She complains, “I became a teacher because I wanted to help children learn. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand the problems. My poorer students need more help, but I don’t have enough time to give them. My bright kids are often fidgety and sometimes even disruptive because I can’t move the class as fast as they would like.” She admits that she generally teaches to the average of the class, to the detriment of almost everybody.
Teachers have a new and growing problem today. They must contend with modern technologies such as movies, TV programs, and the Internet that expose children continually to dramatic films, entertaining shows, and engrossing computer games. Youngsters have grown accustomed to being intrigued and almost entranced. These powerful presentations captivate their minds with excitement, sound, and color. All teachers when appearing before their classes indirectly compete with these presentations. The contrast between skilled media productions and classroom material increases the apathy that students suffer. In 1983 40% of seniors felt that their work in school was “often or always meaningful.” By 2000, only 28% gave the same response. In 1983, 35% said most of their courses were “quite or very interesting.” By 2000, only 21% felt this way. Even worse, the last survey showed a dramatic 60% rise in those who felt that teaching was “very or slightly dull.” (U.S. Department of Education, The Condition of Education 2002.) Teachers are aware of what children experience outside of classrooms and must attempt to make their teaching similarly engaging. That is difficult, and usually impossible. Teachers suffer from the boredom of students when they provide teaching that is less engaging than the shows these children saw last night on TV. This inevitably discourages teachers.
If education wants to help all children advance to the fullest extent possible and to enable teachers to flourish in their profession, the system must be seriously altered. This change needs to be so far reaching that it is best described as a revolution.
Part II
Why a Revolution Is Possible
Educators can do away with the confining regimentation that students face. Schools can instruct students individually and in accord with the abilities of each, allowing pupils to advance to the next level after mastering the current lesson. They can give each student a private tutor, a personal instructor that can move as fast or as slowly as is best for the child. This tutor is a computer. ( Bennett, Frederick, 1999)
The use of computers as tutors would also free teachers from the frustrating competition with outside media presentations. Skilled instructors and programmers would cooperate to prepare the lessons. This is similar to the way TV and movie producers use their talented people to develop outstanding presentations, which they then distribute widely.
Until now, except in isolated locations, education has not employed their millions of computers effectively as the lack of improvement in national test scores shows. Schools use computers as another adjunct to teaching somewhat similar to an additional but fancy textbook or at times, as an electronic audiovisual presentation. Teachers are burdened with the same difficulties in teaching as in times before computers. Nonetheless, the potential of computerization as a learning tool remains. In some places, schools have used computers differently with outstanding results. (Bennett, Frederick, 2002) Businesses use technology continually to instruct employees and customers. They find it an extremely fast and productive method of teaching. These success stories show that schools can take advantage of the potential, but they will have to change the way they use computers. That means they will have to alter the way teachers function. Schools will have to allow computers to teach each child individually, just as business uses computerized instruction.
Although using computers differently would alter the role of teachers, the change would not eliminate human instructors nor make them less vital in education. True computerization would effectively enhance their position.
One important role of today’s teachers would be expanded. This is the direction of seminars, workshops, and discussions in which students work on group projects. Teachers frequently use this type of instruction in their classes today. Students are thereby engaged to a much greater degree in the learning process, and they find these sessions to be stimulating. Unfortunately, teachers today cannot allocate much of their precious and restricted class time to these group projects.
An ongoing difficulty of seminars and workshops in schools today is the wide difference in abilities and interests found in the typical classroom. Teachers directing seminars with computerized education would not be limited to having only students from a single class. They could make their sessions available to all students with an interest in the subject. In addition, teachers would have a broader range for their seminars and workshops. They would be able to expand their instruction and take on projects that are outside the standard curriculum, which computers would handle. They would be able to convey their own interest in subjects to the students as they move away from today’s lock-step formula.
Teachers would also have better prepared students in their seminars because they would be able to specify requirements. Instructors would have more time to prepare these group activities well and consequently, their classes would have more appeal for students. These seminars and discussions would stimulate children to delve deeply into subjects of interest to them under the leadership of a knowledgeable and inviting teacher.
If computers were instructing, teachers would also have additional time to devote to students on an individual basis, to become personally involved with the students, and to assist them in their learning. Teachers have always been role models for children and this would continue. They would, however, have sufficient time to carry out this function more effectively. In today’s schools, children often pass months or years without meeting privately with a teacher. This would not happen in computerized education because each child would have a personal mentor who would meet individually with each of his or her young charges on a regular, familiar basis while directing and assisting in the child’s education. The pupils would be aware that this teacher was intensely interested in their learning, and they would receive vital reinforcement for the progress they are making. Education would become intensely personal.
Many examples of successful use of computers in schools are with students who are usually considered to be the most difficult to teach. (Bennett, Frederick, 2002) These students, the so-called “at-risk" pupils, are ready to drop out of school. Since they are such a difficult challenge, schools, as a last resort, have used computers to teach them. The results are extremely favorable. The children who previously had not wanted to be in school find that education can be interesting. These children do extremely well. Their previous history means nothing, and they learn faster and better than ever before.
Part III
Why a Revolution Is Inevitable
The inevitable acceptance of computerized education follows from the overwhelming advantages that will flow from it. Some benefits for both teachers and students have been mentioned but there are many more.
As programmers with the assistance of educators improve, evaluate, and fine-tune the software, computers will continually improve as teachers. The day of poor teaching in regular classes will end. Moreover, this computer tutor will never retire, never get sick, and never have a bad day.
Everyone needs a sense of achievement. Only success can stimulate students to keep striving to advance, because anyone who fails continually will soon stop trying. Good instructors always try to encourage students through some form of reward such as posting good papers. Unfortunately, many children in today’s schools never achieve success and teachers cannot reward them. Computers teaching children individually can always ensure success because they can divide the lesson into as small a segment as required to make certain that the pupil does succeed, and thus merit and receive a suitable reward.
Another important benefit for many children will be the opportunity to ask questions. Theoretically, all children can ask questions in classes today. Often, however, they remain silent because they fear the query might make them look foolish before the teacher or their peers. When the computer instructs, the child has no such hesitation because only the computer is aware of the question. In addition, the computer, through subtle questioning, can quickly determine when the student does not grasp the material. In today’s schools, the teacher may not be aware of the child’s befuddlement until much later at the time of an examination when it may be too late.
Considerable research has shown that immediate assessment with feedback to the student improves achievement. (Black, Paul and Williams, Dylan, 1998) Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult for an instructor who has twenty or thirty students in a class, to provide suitable, timely, and individualized assessment. Since a computer would have only one student, it would be able to provide such assessment. The child’s education will always be up to date. As new developments arise in the world, whether in science, history, or other changing subjects, programmers can alter instruction almost immediately with little effort over Internet communications. It will be far easier and more rapid to change one computer program than to update the learning of thousands of teachers.
Computerization will also solve another ongoing hindrance to learning--the lack of sufficient numbers of instructors qualified to teach math and science. Software can teach math and science effectively at all levels, to all students, and with no gender or racial bias.
An additional advantage derives from the demonstrated ability of computers to teach more rapidly than is possible in present classrooms. This flows from two conditions in computerized education. First, students receive their education individually and specific to their needs without either waiting or trying to catch up. Secondly, whereas today, all pupils find times when daydreaming is an antidote to the monotony of a classroom, few occasions for this universal school sport arise when their personal tutor keeps them engaged through interactivity.
Because of their increased learning in a shorter period, students will have more time to partake in various enrichment programs and extracurricular activities. The eventual elimination of giant schools, which are an integral yet debilitating part of education, will provide an additional gain for pupils. The present era of bloated educational institutions arose from a book in 1959 by James Bryant Conant, a former President of Harvard University. Conant was part of a group of educators who examined American schools. They concluded that the nation should immediately build large schools because these would provide students more choices in the courses that they could study. A small school has fewer teachers and this restricts the subjects available for the children. (Conant, James B.)Education quickly followed Conant’s direction.
Unfortunately, a profound negative side also accompanies large schools, which the original researchers overlooked. Many youths have a tendency to get lost in huge institutions with sad consequences. The feelings of teachers are indicative of the difficulties. The Department of Education found, “A positive relationship exists between the size of regular schools and the percentage of teachers who reported that apathy, tardiness, absenteeism, dropping out, and drug use are ‘serious problems’ in their school.” (U.S. Department of Education, The Condition of Education 2003.)
A subsidiary but important problem with oversize schools is that they require increased busing with added costs and wasted time for students who would be better off playing or studying. Large schools breed busing because the greater the number of students, the more likely they will live further from the school building.
With computerized education, the advantages of big schools will be retained because size will be irrelevant as to the number and quality of classes. Consequently, schools will be small and for individual neighborhoods with greatly reduced busing, and more exercise for children walking to their neighborhood locations.
Large schools do have one advantage. With only 100 students, it is difficult to have activities such as a school band, or a dramatic society putting on plays, or even a school football team. That is easily solved. John Adams High will have a large number of students, but they will be in different locations, with the names of John Adams 1, John Adams 2, and so forth.
ADVANTAGES FOR TEACHERS
Human teachers will always be essential in the education of children, who in their formative years need personalized direction. The roles of these instructors will differ, however, from that found in today’s schools. When this happens, computers will also bring teachers major and multiple advantages.
They will not have to try to teach at one time the same material to students with a wide variety of interests, previous learning, and intelligence. Another advantage for teachers will be that computerization will remove many monotonous and time-consuming chores that are intimately connected with teaching today. They will not have to correct tests. They will no longer have to prepare daily lesson plans. Likewise, they will not have to make the often-difficult decision of determining who has successfully completed the course and who has failed.
Teachers need accomplishments as much as anyone. They will have prepared students in their workshops and they will guide students whom they know well in their position as personal teachers. Both roles will provide them with great opportunities for satisfying and lasting achievements.
THE PROBLEMS
After authorities consider the enormous advantages of using computerized education, major impediments to implementation will remain. Although it is dropping rapidly, cost is cited as an obstacle. Each child will need an individual computer and programming is expensive. Moreover, education will have to encourage outside corporations to develop the necessary software. Although several companies have begun the process, there is still a decided lack of the type of programs needed to place the whole school system on computers. Then, schools will have to alter a two thousand year history of instruction. In addition, teachers and unions must become aware that computerized education will improve and not threaten the status of teachers.
When businesses tried to integrate computers effectively, they had an initial fumbling and awkwardness. Quickly, however, they switched to proficient use of technology, but that involved relatively few decision makers. In education, conditions are different. Administrators, teachers, parents, politicians, and various concerned citizens must all partake in the decision to bring about such a massive change.
With all these obstacles, it is easy to believe that true computerization of education is a virtual impossibility. There is an analogy with conditions a little over 100 years ago. Some felt that a new fangled contraption, the automobile, might revolutionize transportation. Many other people, however, recognized the difficulties that made such a prediction virtually impossible. Most citizens found horseless carriages prohibitively expensive, and in 1899, there were only a few miles of paved roads in the entire United States. It was essential to have solid roads everywhere because automobiles could easily become mired in mud. Unfortunately, besides the astounding costs, there was little experience of road building. These machines had a marked need for repairs. The few then functioning often had frequent mechanical problems. Someone would have to set up unbelievable numbers of shops to handle repairs. Simultaneously, mechanics would have to be trained, but no one was available to do the training.
The obvious lack of the gasoline stations was a major hurdle. Who was going to put up these outlets in every town and even outside of towns if the cars were to move over distances? In addition, where were the non-existent refineries to make the gas that probably could not be sold?
No, it was definitely impossible for automobiles to affect transportation seriously. They were a fad that would keep some people occupied, and that would be the extent of the changes. This pleased many buggy-whip manufacturers.
Computerized education today is in a position similar to automobiles at the end of the nineteenth century. We can look back today and say that despite the many challenges present at the beginning, the advantages of autos made a revolution in transportation inevitable. The superiority of computerized education is so massive that it makes a revolution in education equally inevitable. The only question is how long it will take and for what period we will continue to deprive children of the advantages that it will bring. In other words, for how much longer will the educational equivalent of buggy whip manufacturers continue to feel so comfortable?
References:
Bennett, Frederick, Computers as Tutors: Solving the Crisis in Education, Sarasota, FL: Faben, Inc., 1999
Bennett, Frederick, “The Future of Computer Technology in K-12 Education,” Phi Delta Kappan, April 2002. Retrieved November 3, 2004, from the World Wide Web http://www.cris.com/~faben1/phidel~1.shtml
Black, Paul and Williams, Dylan, "Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment," Phi Delta Kappan, October 1998
Conant, James B., The American High School Today: A First Report to Interested Citizens, New York, McGraw-Hill, 1959, 40.
U.S. Department of Education, The Condition of Education 2001, NCES 2001-072, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2001, Section 2. Retrieved November 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web HYPERLINK "http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001072_2.pdf" http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001072_2.pdf
U.S. Department of Education, The Condition of Education 2002, NCES 2002-025, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2002. Retrieved November 3, 2004, from the World Wide Web HYPERLINK "http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2002/section3/indicator18.asp" http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2002/section3/indicator18.asp
U.S. Department of Education, The Condition of Education 2003, NCES, 2003–067. Washington, DC: 2003 Retrieved November 4, 2004, from the World Wide Web http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/2003067_CommState.pdf