Educational Technology Support Center (ETSC)
What is the Sustainable Classroom?
The meaningful integration of technology into the learning process is a challenging one, at best. While academic achievement is the end goal for the students, there are many other logistical factors that must be considered when designing a technology model for a classroom learning environment in a school or district:
- Original cost of procuring the equipment.
- Replacement cost of equipment in a 3-5 year cycle.
- The purpose for selecting the identified equipment.
- The kinds of instructional practices that the equipment is intended to support or enhance.
- Professional development for the teachers on the use of the equipment for the instructional practices.
- The essential conditions in the school's or district's culture that are required for sound and sustained technology integration.
The Sustainable Classroom is a classroom technology integration model that utilizes a broad number of highly visual, interactive technologies with a single computer in order to support the nine instructional strategies that are identified in Robert Marzano's book Classroom Instruction That Works (Marzano, Pickering and Pollock, 2001). The continued use of these technologies in a meaningful way is possible for many years to come, for the following reasons:
- Teachers build upon strategies that they already know and use, and focus on using the technology to support those strategies.
- In the 3-5 year replacement cycle, only one computer will need to be replaced in the classroom (as opposed to 6-10+ computers in a high-tech classroom), resulting in a reduced technology budget.
- The remaining interactive technologies will still serve their original purpose at that time, which is to increase visual and interactive learning in the classroom to support sound instruction.
- The need for additional training will be minimal during the replacement cycle.
- Schools that focus on sustainable classrooms narrow the range of technologies that require ongoing technical and network support.
This model promotes a realistic approach to using technology in ways that yield big results.
What do you mean by "yield big results?"
Technology is only a wise investment if it changes something about the way students learn, opens new doors and possibilities, and/or helps engage them in their learning experiences. We get excited when we see students engaged in research projects, visual learning, collaborative groups, authentic learning projects, problem-solving and dynamic discussions. If technology is used to help make those effective classroom practices happen, then it is used well. But at the heart of it all is...well, you guessed it...an effective teacher!
What kinds of technology can do that, if you aren't talking about computers?
There are many technologies that, if put into the hands of a dynamic teacher, will engage students in their learning experiences. Interactive whiteboards/panels, document cameras, projectors, wireless response systems and classroom audio systems are all sound technology investments that can make learning a richer, more meaningful experience for a child. And all of them only require a single computer to use with them!
What do you mean by "sustainable?"
Sustainable solutions will stand the test of time. In five to seven years (or more), they will still be doing what they were meant to do at the time of their original implementation. This applies to both instructional practices and technological solutions.
Instructionally, there are some sound, practical teaching strategies that are research-based and proven to increase student achievement. Nine of them are identified in the book Classroom Instruction That Works (Marzano et al). In talking to teachers, the staff at the ESD 112 Educational Technology Support Center has learned that they are already using several of these strategies to some degree in their classrooms, and are likely to continue because of the results they get with their use:
- Identifying similarities and differences
- Summarizing and note taking
- Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
- Incorporating homework and practice
- Using nonlinguistic representations
- Involving students in cooperative learning
- Setting objectives and providing feedback
- Generating and testing hypotheses
- Using questions, cues, and advance organizers
Schools that invest in sustainable technology solutions maximize their technology budgets and reduce their budgets for replacement cycles. In talking to several district technology directors in the state of Washington, it was learned that collectively, they define "sustainability" by using the following criteria:
- Broad in scope:
This is technology that can be used in a wide range of settings: general classrooms, professional development, board presentations, and general meetings, such as PTA, community and staff meetings. - Applicable to most classrooms:
Sustainable hardware can be used in most, if not all, content and subject areas: math & science, language arts, social studies, health, technology, etc. - Easy to use:
The ease with which a piece of technology can be connected to something else and set up is a major indicator of sustainability in a classroom. For instance, document cameras are easy to connect to a projector and computer, easy to switch between itself and the computer, easy to zoom focus and reposition, and easily achieve high end results! - Easy to integrate:
A technology solution that is easy to integrate into lessons and activities is very sustainable, as it is likely to be used more than a piece of equipment that takes preparation. Technologies that allow students and teachers to use actual documents and 3-D items and engage in real time learning are solutions that teachers will naturally embrace and use. - Minimal training and support:
Setup of a sustainable solution is less than a day; basic training on each technology takes less than four hours; annual support takes less than four hours; and teachers can trouble-shoot easily, especially when they do so in teams. - Stands the test of time:
Five or more years from now, a sustainable solution (both instructional and technological) will still be used to meet its original purpose, because it is intended to help achieve higher educational goals. Software upgrades can be downloaded off the Internet with ease.
Has ESD 112 developed this model in Southwest Washington?
If so, why?
Yes! For five years, the ESD 112 Educational Technology Support Center developed, wrote and administered a high-tech grant project entitled TELDEC, which stands for Technology and the Essential Learnings: Developing Effective Classrooms. The goal of this project was to improve student achievement through research-proven teaching practices and technology integration in support of standards-based learning. With grant dollars, more than 250 classrooms were equipped with six computers, a teacher laptop, an LCD projector, multimedia equipment, and a printer. The classroom teachers received over 100 hours of professional development on the use of the equipment, as well as the study and practice of best practices (authentic learning, cooperative learning, technology integration, and performance assessment).
The evaluation of the project showed that the project goals were met. And while it was concluded that the TELDEC model was the right model to develop, it was not the best model for the following two reasons:
- The classroom model was not as replicable as was hoped. Districts found it difficult, if not impossible, to develop high tech classrooms with the equipment listed above, without a broad source of funding such as the grant. In other words, districts did not have the internal resources to pay for that much equipment for each classroom.
- After repeating the TELDEC project for five consecutive years, the project came to an end as a result of discontinued grant funding. As the years went by, the project director learned from many of the participating grant teachers and their technology directors that their equipment was becoming obsolete. In some cases, the original equipment still resided in the classrooms up to eight years later. While it was cutting edge technology at the time it was purchased, eight years later it did not have the capability to take advantage of the technological advancements that had taken place in the meantime. And as stated in the previous paragraph, districts did not have the resources to replace the equipment, even though a substantial investment had been made in the teachers to teach in high-tech classrooms.
Another instructional technology classroom model was needed…one that was replicable with district dollars, and that utilized sustainable technology and classroom instruction. In contrast to the high-tech TELDEC model that equipped the classroom with one teacher laptop and six student computers along with a substantial amount of multimedia hardware and software, the new model featured the use of an LCD projector, document camera, an interactive whiteboard, and a wireless response system, all connected to a single computer in the classroom. This new model was called The Sustainable Classroom.
Download the Excel spreadsheet that shows a cost comparison of the Sustainable Classroom Model and the high tech classroom model. This spreadsheet includes the approximate costs of the initial purchases, and the long term (five year) replacement costs of hardware, software and professional development.
During the 2005-2006 school year, ten K-12 classroom teachers participated in the pilot of the Sustainable Classroom project. The purpose of developing this project was to observe and document the kinds of changes that are possible when technology tools are employed to change the learning experiences of the students.
Objectives:
- To develop learning environments that utilizes technology for research-based instructional strategies;
- To identify the most valued technology solutions for each instructional strategy;
- To document the successes and challenges of technology integration with research-based instructional strategies;
- To disseminate information about the observed changes in the teacher, students and learning environment.
During this time, these ten teachers led the way as they developed a replicable classroom model of technology integration that is sustainable and that supports research-based instructional strategies through the careful selection of technology tools, the provision of technology-related professional development, and through ongoing support and collaboration. Through formative assessment, the project was refined and improved for the subsequent year.
- Read the background information about the case study project.
- Read the case studies that were done on nine of the ten pilot classrooms.
- Click here to view a list of videos that demonstrate how interactive technologies support the instructional strategies in Marzano's book.
What is the recommended equipment for a Sustainable Classroom?
The recommended equipment for a Sustainable Classroom includes one Internet accessible computer and one each of the following technologies:
- LCD projector
- Document camera
- Interactive whiteboard, panel or wireless tablet
- Wireless response system
- Classroom audio system
What is the recommended professional development for the Sustainable Classroom?
Sustainable Equipment Training
Participants engage in hands-on training on the use of the Sustainable Classroom equipment such as the interactive whiteboard/panel, document camera and student response system. In addition, they participate in collaborative activities that support research-based instructional strategies that are supported by the technology.
Sustainable Classroom Strategies Training
Participants examine the nine instructional strategies explored in the book Classroom Instruction That Works (Marzano et al, 2001). Each session explores one of the strategies in depth, and the goal it so develop a clear understanding of the research and the recommendations covered in the book. Self-reflection on current practices is a major focus of the professional development, and there is also a teacher sharing segment along with collaboration activities that support the best use of the strategies and the use of the sustainable classroom technologies.
2009 addendum to this model:
The nine instructional strategies identified in the book Classroom Instruction That Works can be separated into two types of strategies: (1) lesson-based strategies, and (2) student support strategies. To improve upon the original implementation of the Sustainable Classroom model, the ten original teachers recommended that the project’s implementation be delivered over the course of two years, rather than just one. The following chart shows the “phased approach” of the professional development and the subsequent procurement and installation of equipment for the classrooms:
| Year One: | |
|---|---|
| Lesson-based strategies covered in the professional development this year | Equipment provided to the classrooms to support the lesson-based strategies |
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| Year Two: | |
|---|---|
| Student support strategies covered in the professional development this year | Equipment added to the classrooms to support the student support strategies |
|
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So, what conditions must be in place to support the sustainable classroom?
The International Society for Technology in Education has identified eleven essential conditions for implementing the National Educational Technology Standards in schools. While all eleven conditions are important, the following are key in developing a sustainable classroom:
- Skilled Personnel: School and district leaders who are skilled at using technology for their job responsibilities;
- Professional Development: All staff have continual access to professional development in technology-related areas;
- Technical Assistance: School staff have the technical assistance they need for using and maintaining technology;
- Content Standards and Curriculum Resources: Teachers and school leaders are knowledgeable about content standards, pertinent curriculum resources, teaching methods and technology integration;
- Student-Centered Teaching: Technology is used to support classrooms where students direct their own learning experience.
- Assessment and Accountability: There is a system to continually assess the use of technology for increasing student achievement.
Additional supporting documents:
- View the article that appeared on the eSchoolnews website (Brumfield, 2005) on July 14, 2005.
Who can I contact for further information?
Debbie Tschirgi
Director of Educational Technology Programs
Educational Service District 112
2500 NE 65th Avenue
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: 360.750.7500
Fax: 360.696.3099
E-Mail: debbie.tschirgi@esd112.org
References:
(2005). Essential Conditions for Implementing NETS for Administrators. Retrieved July 27, 2006, from NETS for Administrators Web site.
Brumfield, R., eSchool News Online, (2005). Grants encourage sustainable tech. Retrieved Jul. 14, 2005, from eSchool News Online Web site.
Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.