Teaching with Technology: Creating Student-Centered Classrooms

The book, "Teaching With Technology: Creating Student Centered Classrooms," written by Sanholtz, Ringstaff and Dwyer and published by Teachers College Press in 1997 is a detailed account of a longitudinal study conducted by the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow Project in the 1990's. Do not let the year this was published affect the interest level in this book. The Apple Computer Company conducted an enormous study to investigate the impact that technology would have on student achievement. The project, which lasted approximately ten years, involved 5 school districts from various areas in the country with a variety of socio-economic levels and student ages. The selected classrooms were provided with a computer for every student and teacher to use in the classroom and another computer to use at home. Enormous amounts of data were collected in several forms including test results, journal writing and interviews. Once the data was analyzed, several similar patterns emerged at every location. Teachers went through an evolutional process as they learned to teach in a technology-rich environment. Several chapters of the book are devoted to each stage and the book is written with a great blend of data and authentic journal entries from teachers in the project. Through the journal entries and interviews, the researchers concluded that the teachers were not only learning to teach with technology, but truly undergoing a paradigm shift in their teaching philosophy and beliefs. I absolutely loved this book and the detailed picture it gave of the process of truly integrating technology into a classroom setting. Some of the problems the teachers encountered in the early 90's are outdated - chalk dust interfering with computer filters and trouble with floppy disks. However, I believe the struggle and fear that teachers encounter learning to use equipment they do not feel comfortable with remains the same. The processes outlined in the book are a valuable resource and I would recommend this book to any person involved in Instructional Technology!

Insightful and compelling research about teaching with technology. Thoughtfully examines the stages, problems, and evolution of technology-rich classrooms. This research is just as fresh today as it was when it came out.

As a new teacher, I found this book helpful and insightful. One of my goals is to incorporate technology in the classroom as much as possible. This book encourages students to learn in an environment in which they have some control over what they produce. Motivation, is a critical aspect of teaching. This book portrays the successful use of technolgy and shows how students are highly motivated to do their projects when technology is implemented.

A fascinating and compelling read. The experiences of these teachers portrayed in this research will help me refine my message of technology and it's place in the classroom. After reading this book, I can say with much more certainty that technology is the catalyst for change in the way we teach. Not because it is good for technology, but the change, student-centered classrooms, is good for learning. As a leader in a school district who must constantly refine a vision and motivate and lead others to that vision, I want to use these proven concepts and experiences as proof it can be done.

Being a technology coordinator, I have given integration issues some thought. Teaching with Technology helped me to "bring it all together". The book offers a compelling look at what happens in a class when you introduce education technologies. Why do some teachers fail? It's all here - I would strongly recommend it.