WASL and Technology
I’m trying to decide if I should be worried or excited about the impact of this year’s 10th-grade WASL on technology use in schools. On the one hand, finding out that almost half of our students don’t make the standard for math would seem like a great opportunity to direct people to research-proven technology tools that can help kids learn more effectively. (The best are listed at the Metiri “Technology Solutions that Work” webpage. This is a for-fee site with login required, but has been licensed for Washington state educators. Contact your district technology director for access. If he or she doesn’t know how, send them to your local ETSC director.) Particularly with the significant financial resources that are being directed to students that didn’t pass, it would be possible to invest in some of these systems, equipment, and methods without needing to dip into already-stretched budgets.
Unfortunately, I don’t expect to see that happening. Part of it is that the people who will be making the decisions on how to address this challenge are probably largely unaware of the technology options available. (This is natural, as we still seem to have a significant divide between the Curriculum and Ed Tech cultures in many of the schools. That in itself is a long discussion.) Another part is that many people under pressure will stick with what seems like the safest choice, which is also natural. In many places, will probably mean more extensive, intensive application of the current curriculum and teaching techniques.
Dave Thornburg had an interesting response to this approach. He said “If the medicine you are giving the patient makes them sick, why would you think that giving them more would make them better?” I know that’s a glib metaphor and can be easily argued against (the problem might be that the patient is sick not because of the medicine, but not enough medicine, etc.), but the bottom line is that we have to be willing to look at new options. For many of our students, the current classroom model isn’t working. I hope in at least a few places we can take this challenge and use it to encourage more innovative approaches to helping our kids, rather than pulling back.