Drill & Practice

This exploration focusses on convergent pedagogic forms. Exploration of the implicit and explicit affordances and constraints of convergent pedagogic forms is stressed. Readings emphasize high stakes testing as a form of technology and drill and practice technology as an instance of behaviorism. The forms of knowledge and the types of learning experiences behaviorism emphasizes is also considered.

As a hands-on unit, students explore online drill and practice software, including Study Island, and learn to create online tests and quizzes with tools like Testmoz.

While most teacher educators and educational technologists are excited about the great potential to advance learning with educational technology, their interests are in the areas of digital storytelling, Web 2.0, the uses of Smart Boards and other “divergent learning” technologies.

Smart Boards are very popular in schools, however, most Web 2.0 technologies are banned because of their similarities to social networking sites such as Twitter and FaceBook.

With the advent in 2002 of the federal reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), all students are required to demonstrate proficiency on high stakes assessments tests. Preparing students to pass these tests has become a central focus of many, if not most, schools. To facilitate readiness, many schools use online drill and practice sites such as Study Island.

In this unit, we will study the form and assumptions of drill and practice technology through a series of readings and hands on learning activities.

Based on your reading, please author five (5) test questions and their answers constructed in a form such as multiple choice or true and false, that are consistent with behavioral learning theory. Place these questions on your Drill and Practice webpage. Also include access to the “high stakes test” on your D&P page.

Assessment

To realize and demonstrate understanding of the form and assumptions of drill and practice technology, students develop and take an online high stakes test.