Can Computer Programs Help Students, Teachers?

 

Junior Alvarado was worried when he began his first year at a public charter¹ high school in Washington, DC. He often struggled in his math classes and earned poor grades in middle school.

But the teachers at the Washington Leadership Academy used computer programs to identify the areas he was weak in and design a learning plan just for him.

As Alvarado started geometry in his second year of high school last week, he says he felt much better about his math skills.

“For me personalized learning is having classes set at your level,” the 15-year-old said, in between lessons. “They explain the problem step by step, it wouldn't be as fast. It will be at your [speed].”

Many schools in the United States struggle to raise the high school graduation rate. They also have difficulty helping² many minority and low-income students perform at the same level as others. So many educators see digital technology as a way of solving these problems.

Personalized learning

The use of technology in schools is part of a larger idea of personalized learning. This idea has been gaining popularity³ in recent years.

Personalized learning is a way of teaching centered around the interests and needs of individual students instead of entire classes as a whole. It includes flexible learning environments, specially-designed education plans, and letting students help decide what and how they learn.

Under the Obama administration, the Education Department put $500 million into personalized learning programs in 68 school districts. These programs served almost 500,000 students in 13 states and Washington, D.C. Organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have also invested heavily in digital tools and other student-centered methods.

The International Association for K-12 Online Learning supports the growth of education technology. It claims that up to 10 percent of all of America's public schools now use some form of personalized learning.

Rhode Island plans to spend $2 million to become the first U.S. state to make teaching in all of its schools individualized. And current U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also supports personalized learning.

Supporters say traditional methods, where teachers just speak at the front of the class and test students all at once, do not match the modern world.

Ken⁴ Wagner is the Rhode Island Education Commissioner⁵. He said, “The economy needs kids who are creative problem solvers, who synthesize information, [form] and express a point of view.”

At Washington Leadership Academy, educators use computer programs to collect information on students’ performance. This information helps teachers follow their students’ progress and make changes to lessons that meet students’ individual needs. That way students are able to master subjects at their own speed.

In English classes, for example, students reading below their level would have the same books or reading materials as their classmates. But complex words in the reading materials would have notes helping explain the words shown on the students’ computer screens.

Joseph Webb is the principal who helped establish the Washington Leadership Academy last year. The school serves about 200 mostly African American students from high-poverty and high-risk areas in Washington, D.C. He says the digital tools help teachers identify problems students are facing before they become too serious.

“We can [solve them] right then and there; we don't have to wait for the problem to come to us,” he said.

Too early to tell

Still, many researchers say it is too early to tell if personalized learning works better than traditional teaching.

The Rand Corporation recently did a study of personalized learning and found that it only led to small improvements. It found only a 3-percentile improvement in math and even smaller improvements in reading compared to schools with traditional teaching methods. Some students also complained group work in personalized learning classes was more difficult as each student had different tasks to complete.

In addition, experts in children’s health say the overuse of technology presents other problems. They warn that too much time looking at screens can damage face-to-face relationships and young people’s interest in physical activity.

Some teachers have their doubts as well. Marla Kilfoyle is the executive⁶ director of the Badass Teachers Association, an education activist⁷ group. She admits that technology can be helpful in the classroom in many ways. But she argues that no computer program should ever replace the personal touch, support and inspiration⁸ teachers give their students.

“That human element is very important when children learn,” Kilfoyle said.

I’m Lucija Milonig. And I’m Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

charter – n. a document which declares that a city, town, school, or corporation has been established

graduation – n. the act of completing an education program at a school, college, or university

income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, or business

digital – adj. using or characterized⁹ by computer technology

flexible – adj. easily changed

district(s) – n. an area or region containing the schools that a school board is in charge of

match – v. to be suited to (someone or something): to go well with (someone or something)

synthesize – v. to combine things in order to make something new

screen(s) – n. the usually flat part of a television or computer monitor that shows the images or text

complain – v. to say or write that you are unhappy, sick, uncomfortable, etc., or that you do not like something

doubt – n. a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something

inspiration – n. something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create

1 charter   

n.特许状，执照，宪章；v.特许，发给特许执照

参考例句：

• This new law amounts to a tax evader's charter.这项新法律简直成了为逃税者开的许可证。
• We will charter a steamer to convey the goods.我们将租一艘船运送这批货物。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

4 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

7 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

8 inspiration   

n.灵感，鼓励者，吸气

参考例句：

• These events provided the inspiration for his first novel.这些事件给了他创作第一部小说的灵感。
• What an inspiration she was to all around her!她对于她周围所有的人是一种多么大的鼓舞！

9 characterized   

adj.[医]具有特征的v.是…的特征( characterize的过去式和过去分词 )；以…为特征；描述（人或物）的特性；使…具有特点（或最引人注目的特征）

参考例句：

• Mozart's music is characterized by its naivety and clarity. 莫扎特的音乐特色是纯朴兴清澈。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The world situation is characterized by turbulence and intranquility. 世界局势动荡不安。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》