6.2.4 Digital Management Systems
As we have seen, the technological infrastructure for the print-to-digital curricular transition is mostly in place: bandwidth, connectivity, access to devices from computers to tablets to smart phones, and interactive whiteboards. In addition, there has been a significant investment in enterprise management systems including learning management systems (LMS), student information systems (SIS), and (although lagging behind) data warehouse and analytics systems. This is certainly enough to support the basic transition from print to digital curriculum; but, as we shall see in the next section this transition requires much more.
6.3.1 Digital Teaching Platforms
DTP is a model of school-based learning experiences. The model provides a framework to understand the dynamics of a teacher-led classroom where the digital environment is the major carrier of curriculum content, and functions as the primary instructional environment in today’s technology-intensive classrooms. There are two feedback loops in the model. The main classroom loop displays the dynamic between the teacher, students, and curriculum. This is a continuous feedback sys- tem as the teacher manages the classroom, facilitates learning, and monitors student progress. The inner, technology-intensive personalized practice loop is individu- alized dynamically for each student (Fig.6.4).
A full-fledged DTP addresses three major requirements of contemporary class- rooms:First, a DTP models a completely realized, networked digital environment that includes interactive interfaces for both teachers and students. Teachers use the administrative tools of this digital environment to create lessons and assignments for students and to manage and evaluate the work the students return. A DTP includes specific tools for assessment: for creating tests, assigning them to students, and reviewing the results. The teacher tools also provide timely reports on student progress or their remedial needs. The administrative tools for students allow them to complete assignments and assessments. More importantly, these tools allow for both individual and group work. Some students can work independently on indi- vidualized assignments, while others can work collaboratively on shared assignments.
Second, a DTP provides the content of the curriculum and assessments for teaching and learning in digital form. This content includes all of the information in the curriculum, the instruction, the exercises, and the assessments. The content also includes interactive elements, manipulative activities, special-purpose applications, multimedia materials, and so on.
Fig. 6.4 The inner Assessment-Content Management loop provides personalized practice. The outer curriculum loop provides space for VR/AR/MR applications
Third, a DTP supports real-time, teacher-directed interaction in the classroom. It includes special tools for managing classroom activity; for monitoring progress on assignments; for displaying student work, demonstrations and challenges on interactive displays; for managing group discussions; and for coordinating all large-group and small-group activities.
All of these capabilities of a DTP are designed to function effectively in the give-and-take atmosphere of a regular classroom. The teacher can shift quickly from large group demonstrations, to small group activities, to individualized practice and assessment. Students move seamlessly from using their devices for some of these activities to closing their computers and participating in discussions.
The teacher is fully in control of student activities by making assignments, men- toring individuals, and leading discussions. In DTPs, the pedagogy of the cur- riculum is designed using principles of guided social constructivism as a theory of learning, and the system provides the support for a transformation of teaching and learning.
The teacher, as facilitator, is a demanding role. We speak of this as under- standing the choreography of the classroom—the movement of the teacher:
• From the desktop and interactive whiteboard;
• To the small groups collaboratively solving problems;
• To the half-class lesson;
• While managing individuals practicing their individualized problem set.
Being the“guide on the side”is a new dynamic for many teachers and the DTP needs to provide scaffolding for the teacher in this role.
The DTP model incorporates a curriculum model, an assessment model, an instructional model, a classroom management model, an infrastructure model, and a policy model (at minimum). In the next two sections we look at the digital cur- riculum, and the assessment models. When we present the classroom architecture, we look at models for instruction, classroom management, and infrastructure.
6.3.2 Curriculum
The digital curriculum has the potential to provide the student, or students, with exploratory environments that can challenge their curiosity and creativity. The teacher can pose problems for the class, or a part of the class on the interactive white board. Thesefit the classroom just as the manipulatives have, and the science laboratory. This requires that the curriculum move far beyond the e-book page turner. Simulations, time line tools, geographic information services, can bring the world into the classroom to engage the student.
The traditional curriculum, as expressed in textbooks, is created once and pre- served in the print copies. Traditionally, particularly in adoption states, warehouses were required to store enough copies to cover seven years usage. The result is a
stagnant, fixed document that is not subject to change. Teachers did modify the curriculum by adding supplemental materials, by omitting sections of the text, or by changing the order.
In contrast, digital curricula are distributed to each device in the classroom. In so doing, there is the possibility of personalization at several levels. The teacher can modify the curriculum as was done with textbooks, but in addition the actual materials could be selected for any individual student, or for a group of students.
This could be done by the teacher by modifying lessons, by the formative engine adjusting to student performance, or, potentially, by the student seeking deeper materials as part of a project, or more or less challenging materials in practice.
The ability to modify the curriculum applies not only to the depth that the main curriculum provider supplies, but also to the inclusion of supplemental materials.
These are traditionally videos, media, interactive learning objects that promote exploration and challenge the students. This is where AR/VR/MR can be integrated into the existing curriculum.
The challenge is to allow the system to accept these additional materials. They must be aligned to the curriculum and appropriate standards, metadata must be commensurate with the system, and the teacher has to know when they wouldfit with the lesson.
6.3.3 Assessment
The traditional Learning Management System (LMS) maintains a close connection between content delivery and student assessment. The LMS model invoked a constrained curriculum delivery with regular feedback from the assessments for learning, as seen in Fig.6.5.
The nature of the assessment in the traditional LMS is summative. At the end of a curriculum unit there is a test with a mapping either back into the unit or on to the next unit. The metaphor is that there is a“boxcar”of content, and the assessment looks at the student as they enter and leave this boxcar. While this inner loop looks the same in a DTP, the nature and purpose is quite different. First, the LMS content
Content Assessment Grade SIS
Fig. 6.5 Testing—curriculum practice loop
is the curriculum with the intent to provide instruction. In the DTP, the content is clearly practice, and the purpose is to provide this practice in support of the classroom instruction. The assessment is ongoing formative assessment that is constantly interacting with the student’s performance.
6.3.4 Classroom Architecture
The basic architecture is constructed around a Digital Asset Manager that provides access to tools, and a variety of libraries of lessons, projects, videos, graphics, and simulations. All of this is integrated with meta-data to connect to standards and an assessment engine. Multiple curricula can be constructed in this environment. The classroom functionalities are controlled by a Student-Facing App and a Teacher-Facing App (see Fig.6.6).
The Student Facing App gives the student access to challenging, interesting, and dynamic content. The VR experience is part of a full complement of media for the student to explore and analyze. This is the heart of the student-centric pedagogy that changes the dynamic of the classroom. In addition to interactive lessons, the student will also have access to basic tools such as journaling, planning, access to feedback from the teacher or other students, and assignments. The student needs a workspace/lab to assemble assignments. This should allow the ability to take screen snapshots of work and incorporate into their journals or assignments.
The Student-Facing App provides the student with:
• Lesson/Tools Interaction
• Content Sequencing
• Assignments
• Assessment
Fig. 6.6 Classroom side of the DTP architecture
• Progress Reporting
• Social Networking/Communication.
The Teacher-Facing App gives the teacher control over the classroom and the ability to monitor, adapt, and modify the curriculum. The structure of lessons must be completely transparent so that the teacher can modify parts of a lesson. As a part of teachers’lesson planning and classroom management they should have access to a dashboard that provides information on any individual student as well as cross-class information about specific topics. The teacher needs to be able to assign different sets of materials to different students.
An important part of the teacher’s ability to modify lessons is a Lesson Planning tool that provides a framework for planning curriculum (calendar, plans for a day including sequencing activities, and differentiation of instruction and materials).
Thus, the Teacher-Facing App provides the teacher with:
• Real-Time Classroom Management
• Lesson Planning/Calendar
• Assessment Tools
• Reporting
• Social Networking/Communication
• Tools for Managing Students and Classes
• Dashboards and Tools to Review Student Progress, Work, and Performance.