Is this really the latest?…

While I agree with Negroponte's recent assertion that ICT should now be accepted as a basic utility, I disagree that we can therefore do away with attempts to assess the contribution technology can make to learning. Rather, I suggest that such assessment informs best when it is naturalistic and when it is keyed to deliberate intentions. Is the technology-supported strategy conceived imaginatively, to worthwhile purposes, and are the observable results consonant with intentions?

Readers might be interested in a recent hour-long radio interview with UCLA's Mike Rose on the "Meaning of Intelligence." His remarks touch upon some of the questions driving this debate, especially the issues he presents relative to schooling, the valuing of different ways of knowing, our predominant methods for assessing student performance, and alternative ways of viewing such challenges. You'll find the link at
http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/2…

Emphasis should be the development of the teachers before the children. Our current system of education has been teachers guiding/teaching the children. 90% of most of the developing world's education budget has gone to teachers' salaries.

The problem I feel is the wrong kind of technology and approach to education that is at fault. I always say, dont try to use rich men's tools to reach the poor guys. It would never work.

Now if we are able to empower teachers to the next level from blackboards centered to mixed blackboard and digital through intelligent use of training and software, it would be much much better than spending money on giving every child an XO. It is really a big confusing class where each child has a computer. Today's school evironments are just not suited for such. An XO and a projector is the best addition to classes today … never one pc per child in class. What a waste of resources… and I can imagine the headaches teachers to go through controlling those children. On paper they never mention these but very glossy excitements children became when given the XOs.(really which child in this world wouldn't be).

Then and only then you see ICT in mass education start moving.

As it is, ICT4D , ICT4E or ICT for anything… hardly any real results. The digital divides are still widening. We are still talk talk and talk from UNESCO TO World Bank. Mostly talks only. Every conference you go, you hear problems and not practical solutions. You see the exhibitions displaying their solutions.. very high tech from electronic black boards to 3Ds etc. You would be lucky to find one showing you how to reach the rural poor child when the conference is mostly about how to close the digital divides.

Alan

Do not forget that to initiate change, you need to have a picture of where you are going.

I think any kind of assessment in education, or anything else, should start with an evaluation what it is that education should achieve, and where you are now. As the times are changing (as they have always done), any school system should evaluate what it is their pupils need to know and do when they leave school.

There is one thing sure, they will never ever again have to "do the exam"

Rob

Now you are opening up an interesting angle in this discussion – and I suppose in this way – the discussion has come full circle – because when we talk of change management we will inevitably consider effective leadership – and all of these processes you refer to – systematic processes for creating organizational change – all of these are are all co-related with assessment and curricular efficacy – and the critical role of leadership to make them work –

" After years of work on structural changes – standards and testing and ways of holding students and schools accountable – the educational policy world has turned its attention to the people charged with making the system work… Nowhere is the focus on the human element more prevalent than in the recent recognition of the importance of strong and effective leadrership" (Policy Focus Converges on Leadership, Education Week 2000 in Fullan 2007)

So perhaps the question in the debate is not so much whether we need Assessment4ICT as whether we need good leadership to make it assessment work – whether it be assesement4ICT or other changes processes – there is a need to balance the push for assessment / accountability with the equally important task of building school capacity (knowledge, skills, resources) for improving and transforming practice on the basis of assessment – as in assessment of and for learning …

Fullan, M. 2007. The new Meaning of Educational Change. 4th Edition. New York: Teachers College Press