The Mind Tool

Laron Thomas llthomas2@uas.alaska.edu January 6, 2009
"Tools for the Mind" by Mary Burns

Overview of Article

In the article "Tools for the Mind," Mary Burns uses a three-pronged argument for computers to be used in the classroom to deepen student understanding. Burns gives a brief history of technology integration into the classroom. She likens this history to a pendulum. When computers first arrived, everyone was "gung ho" to implement their use in the classroom (In fact, computers were known as "mind tools."). The evidence toward this end is that much funding was allocated toward technology integration in teacher workshops and buying the technological goods. However, the schools found problems for four main reasons:

1. Districts focused on teacher training in skills, not in enhancing student learning.
2. Districts have failed to meet the needs in continuing professional development and providing proper technological resources.
3. Schools have mistakenly equated technology use with instructional quality.
4. People have classified all software as equally good for learning.

Then, because of these misled assumptions and lack of adequate training as well as educational reform such as NCLB, the pendulum quickly swung to the opposite side. Funding was-and is-being cut in the area of technology. There have been no good educational results, or the eureka has been few and far between. However, this has been the result of those misguided practices and assumptions.

The heart of the mater is this: "Can technology improve student learning? Yes. Computers can provide transformative student learning experiences that would otherwise not be possible." However, in order for this to be the case, educators must see computers as tools just like worksheets, readings, labs, lectures, activities, etc. As such, educators should focus on applying computer use to higher order thinking activities. Finally, Burns provides some strategies for such applications.

Reference Points

• Computers serve as "mind tools" when used with learner-centered instruction and a curriculum focused on authentic larning.
• Computers were thought to automatically lead students to higher-order thinking.
• Budget cuts due to NCLB aimed at technology because no reasearch linked technology to improved learning.
• Over concentration on technology to the bane of the most important pillars of education, namely congnition, instruction, assessment, and curriculum
• However, if used correctly, computers can in fact transform student learning experiences, e.g., Connecticut Compromise.
• Classroom technology use is mostly of the sensory-motor kind such as show-and-tell powerpoint presentations.
• Only 6% of classroom technology use uses higher order thinking skills such as spreadsheets and databases.

My Reflection

To me, this article seems to be an honest and sober assessment of the past and future of classroom technology use. I really liked how Burns tells the history and relates the themes of change in educators' view of classroom technology use. She illuminates the problems in educators' thinking toward computers in giving up on their implementation.

The big picture appears to me from this article that educators must think critically about intention and implementation in regards to technology just like they do with other tools for student learning experiences (e.g., activities, readings, etc.). That is, computers don't magically solve all the problems facing educators in the classroom. In fact, they make it more complicated because they add another aspect to our thinking about what to do in the classroom. I agree with Burns that we should focus on how we can use technology of to increase students' ability to think at a higher level.

However, I still wonder how exactly I can use technology in the classroom to increase higher-order thinking. This is partially because higher-order thinking skills are harder to teach anyways. But I will definitely often use the questions Burns proposes that we ask ourselves. The other side of the difficulty is that I need to learn how to use GIS tools and spreadsheet/databases better and with more confidence. In this way, I'd be able to use them and give assignments that students could use them on. I also wonder if there would be other ways to use computers to enhance student learning and thinking. I think I'll have to take this objective by objective and assignment by assignment.