New Technology High Schools - Research Paper Example

New Tech High Schools Introduction The advent of computer technology has changed the mode of operations in all walks of life. The changes have improved the respective fields therefore they have been embraced by most with open arms; the field of business has been improved by the introduction of information management systems, the field of commerce has been revolutionized by the advent of online shopping and the field of education has been altered with the inception of new technological modes of teaching. Technology has intervened so deeply in the lives of humans that it has become almost impossible to imagine life without it. The conventional modes of education have been replaced with new and innovative techniques to improve the learning processes. It is due to this technological intervention and initiation of innovative processes that education has turned a new leaf. New Tech High Schools provide the students new techniques to acquire education and collaborate with their peers. The inventive form of education proves to be more effective than the conventional methods of teaching. It is due to this reason that the respective concept is gaining fame. Different advantageous aspects of New Tech High Schools shall be discussed in the paper, along with few responses to the negative perception of this concept. 2. New Tech High Schools The 21st century differs from the previous era with respect to the exposure to different technological inventions and facilities of life. The modern youth is more engrossed with technological equipments than the older people in the society. This early exposure has improved their mental capabilities and has induced a greater sense of logical thinking in them. Pearlman stated that despite of their logical and advanced mental capabilities, they seem disinterested in their academic processes of learning. The conventional modes of learning are not effective enough to cater to the demands of the 21st century and the modern youth. It is due to these issues that new modes of teaching and acquiring education have been devised- New Tech High Schools. These learning processes can be termed as an amalgamation of technology and required skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century colleges and workplaces. The concept initiated in 1996 in California; it was introduced due to the frustration of students, business leaders and parents for wanting a better educational standard. The concept has witnessed nothing but success since then. Much development has been witnessed in the state of Indiana; CELL introduced the innovative concept in Indiana and three schools successfully opened in 2007. The learning processes and programs of New Tech High Schools impressed the members of the Indiana society to such a great extent that they embraced the change with open arms. Indiana has become a national leader in the implementation of New Tech High Schools in different states of US. According to Pearlman; in the early years of the materialization of the idea, few learning outcomes were identified as the main aims of the concept; content standards, collaboration between the students, logical thinking, oral and written communication skills, preparation for college education and professional life, awareness of ethics and social responsibilities and technological awareness. 2.1 Collaborative Learning Processes New Tech High Schools offer collaborative learning and team work that empowers the students to choose their own direction to acquire education. Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning explained that the layout of a New Tech High School does not resemble the layout of a traditional school, since there are no desks or chairs placed in lines. On the contrary, students work on their computers and learn in a collaborative manner about a diverse range of topics. Large open spaces provide students the opportunity to work together as a team and coordinate their tasks. Collaborative learning provides the students opportunities to learn skills to survive in the global nature of modern businesses and economies. Marson pointed out that the rooms are referred to as studios, rather than classrooms. The tables in the classrooms are equipped with wheels that help the students to arrange their workstations in any desired setting to facilitate collaboration and coordination with their peers. 2.2 Project based learning In New Tech High Schools, students do not acquire education by reproducing the text from the books; rather gain knowledge by working on a diverse range of projects. Pearlman explained that this is referred to as project based learning. The teachers in these types of schools are not the authoritative figures in the learning sessions. They act as leaders who guide the students through their research and learning processes and eventually lead them to choose their own direction for research and exploration of the topic. The diversity of the projects broadens the perspectives of the students and enables them to think out of the box. Project based learning instigates critical thinking, written skills, presentation skills and help to learn the tactics of addressing a complex problem or topic. 2.3 Technological Incorporation in the Field of Education As stated earlier, the use of media is increasing in the lives of children and youngsters in the society. Yelland quoted a research in his book that revolved around the usage of media by such users; the research concluded that American children spend around 6.5 hours every day using media (3). This figure does not include any usage of media in the schools and highlights that they are well equipped with the skills to operate technology. Such surveys have resulted in the decision to incorporate technology in the learning processes at schools. New Tech High Schools follow the same ideology and aim to have a one-to-one ratio of computers with every student, alongside internet connectivity. NAPA explained that the mode of assessment is also based on technology since there are no conventional report submissions in the innovative schools. On the contrary, assignment and term submissions involve research about assigned topics. The research is either demanded in the form of a well designed website constituting of all the relevant links or a structured PowerPoint presentation. Figure 1: Teacher guiding the students through their research on an interactive whiteboard (Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning) 2.4 Effectiveness of New Tech High Schools Pearlman quoted a survey that was conducted with a sample of eight graduation classes from New Tech High Schools. The aim of the survey was to evaluate the level of potential and caliber that has been witnessed among the students from the respective system of schools. The students provided positive feedbacks regarding the adoption of technological methods and stated that the use of project based learning made them ready for their college and professional lives. Another study involved the feedbacks from the alumni of the New Tech High Schools; the study concluded that 40% of all New Tech High Schools graduates and 37% of the graduating girls from such schools opt for further education in colleges or work in careers of technological nature, such as science, computers, mathematical etc. These figures are very encouraging as compared to the 7% of students who pursue college education nationally. This research also pointed out that only 12% of the technical careers are held by women in US. The adoption of technological processes in the educational sector can also result in an increase in the respective figures. 3. Argument against New Tech High Schools Dede stated that one of the most common arguments against the adoption of the innovative form of acquiring education is the financial investment that is required to set up such technological studios in the school. This is a valid, yet resolvable factor. Many schools have been witnessed to be granted with extensive funds from government agencies and NGOs to purchase the required hardware. Some of the expenses of the schools can be cut down, for example, field trips or school functions to raise money for New Tech schools. Support and commitment from the top management of the school needs to be present to transform a school from the conventional mode to the technological one. 4. Conclusion The field of education has seen revolutionary changes due to the advent of technology. The traditional modes of teaching are not effective enough to cope with the challenges of the 21st century. The conventional classroom sessions have been replaced with innovative and technological processes that promote critical analysis and logical thinking; such processes seem more challenging and interesting to the modern youth instead of monotonous traditional learning processes. Project based learning is adopted in New Tech High Schools which promotes collaboration between the colleagues and teamwork spirit. The mere comprehension and thus reproduction of concepts on term papers have been replaced with extensive research activities that are guided by the teachers. The role of the teacher as a facilitator, rather than an authoritative figure in the classroom, improves relations between the teachers and students. This also gives freedom to the student to choose his own direction of research. All students are different from each other; expectation of the same kind of work from all students seems unjustified. New Tech High school creates such an academic environment that allows the student to choose one’s own pace and approach to handle a complex problem. The integration of technology, for example computers, internet etc, make the children proficient and confident to develop presentations, websites, research journals; this proves to prepare them for the future academic studies and professional lives. References Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning, What is New Tech High, University of Indianapolis, n.d., Web. 2 May 2011. Dede, Chris. “Six challenges for educational technology”, ASCD Yearbook, 1998. Marson, Christine. New Tech Schools Foster Collaborative Learning by Design, University of Indianapolis, 2009, Web. 1 May 2011. NAPA, About NTHS, New Tech High Schools, 2009, Web. 1 May 2011. Pearlman, Bob. “The Case for Twenty-First Century Learning”, New Directions for Youth Development, 2006, Volume 2006, Issue 110. Yelland, Nicola. Shift to the Future, New York: Taylor and Francis Group, 2007. Annotated Bibliography Dede, Chris. “Six challenges for educational technology”, ASCD Yearbook, 1998. This paper discusses the challenges that have been faced in the adoption of the New Tech High Schools over the past few years. One of the main challenges is the initial investment that is required for setting up technological spaces. Another main challenge is to transform the traditional practices that have been adopted by teachers since decades. This paper has been useful to understand the opposing arguments for the promotion of New Tech High Schools in the societies. Pearlman, Bob. “The Case for Twenty-First Century Learning”, New Directions for Youth Development, 2006, Volume 2006, Issue 110. This paper discusses the main aims of the innovative form of education and the advantages that have been gained with the revolutionary concept. It also includes relevant figures that help to evaluate the level of success associated with the adoption of technological process in the field of education. It has defined New Tech High schools in a detailed manner by explaining their forms of assessments and learning practices. Read More