Education World released an interesting paper showing that various technologies could be used to help students develop critical thinking skills throughout Bloom's Taxonomy.
The article referenced different web resources that could be used for thinking development in each of the six areas:
Knowledge: Internet Public Library and KidsClick.
Comprehension: Funbrain, Quia and BookAdventure.
Application: Create a graph.
Analysis: EyeWitness to History, American Memory, and ThinkTank.
Synthesis: (Old Defunct Sites)
Evaluation: Zoomerang, WISE, and Checklists.
It is fascinating to me how technology can be used across the learning spectrum. The examples given by the Education World website show me that technology use isn't just effective for older students, but instead can be used to effectively teach all students Additionally, technology develops critical thinking/problem solving skills by providing opportunities for students to grow at each level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
In addition to the connection between Bloom's Taxonomy and technology made by Education World, CARAT stated that technology can help with the development of higher thinking when technology is combined with problem solving to create solutions. Research showed a growth in student performance, writing, math, computer skills, self-confidence, ability to teach, and problem-solving skills for students who used technology (albeit with the combination of drama and the socratic method).
The CARAT research also showed that internet research projects that ended in a presentation in front of other students developed critical thinking skills.
So What?
I liked the link between the Taxonomy for Thinking and Technology. I am a believer in Bloom's Taxonomy, so seeing the technology at work throughout emphasized to me the value of technology to students throughout their educational career. Additionally, I loved how all of the website resources were FREE. The equipment and internet connection cost a lot to implement, but once they are in place, the value of all of the free tools and resources that can be used by the teacher far outweighs the cost.
I didn't find the CARAT site as helpful. The first study showed the results of students that learned through technology, socratic questioning and drama. The website did not say there was control group to show the benefits of learning through drama and socratic questioning, so I'm not as confident in the results of the research as the researchers. I agree that research projects and presentations develop critical thinking skills, but I am left wondering whether this would happen regardless of whether technology was involved.
I agree with the Taxonomy approach. I agree with the results of the CARAT site, but I am skeptical about the attributions of the benefits to technology and not to the other factors involved. While I am skeptical about the results of the CARAT research, I firmly believe that technology makes research and education more efficient, and easier, so there are benefits to the use of technology in research projects, regardless of whether those benefits are related to higher order thinking and problem solving skills.
I agree that the taxonomy approach vs. the stats heavy article on CARET was more appealing, but I'm not sure all those websites were as functional in developing the higher thinking skills as they were in providing a website that will do it for you. I'm with you that it's great to have all these free resources, but teachers have to make sure that the site is really going to help students develop, not do the learning for them. Great thoughts, by the way.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, I especially love the use of the hyperlinks to connect the information that you speak to where to find it at the source. I also enjoy the Education World article, I think it is a very useful and reliable source for educators in any subject area or grade level. I will be checking it out more. I also agree with Ryan's post above about the websites being functional in providing research on our topic, I would rather use the website that does it for you. As long as we are selective with our choices of material.
ReplyDeleteI agree Ryan. I think Technology is a tool for education, not a high tech educator. You can't assume that just because the resources are there and available that students will automatically move up Bloom's Taxonomy. Instead, the teacher has the role of teaching and facilitating growth, while using the internet as one of the means to that end.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed how you added the illustration of how Bloom's taxonomy can be viewed as a pyramid. It gives a better understanding of how you must create of foundation before you can move on to the next level.
ReplyDeleteDitto to Eric on the skepticism part. CARET shows a definite correlation, so those stats are important, but is it a causation? What other factors might be involved?
ReplyDeleteAs far as Ryan's concern about software doing your work for you, I think the only thing it takes away are the physical acts of getting up and searching for periodicals in stacks and the paging through them.