The Technology Fix: The Promise and Reality of Computers in Our Schools

By William D. Pflaum

During the technology boom of the 1980s and 1990s, computers seemed set to revolutionize education. Do any of these promises sound familiar?

* Technology would help all students learn better, thanks to multimedia programs capable of adapting to individual needs, learning styles, and skill levels.
* Technology would transform the teacher's role from a purveyor of a one-size-fits-all curriculum to a facilitator of student exploration.
* Technology would replace static textbooks with dynamic, interactive learning resources that were always up-to-date.
* Technology would boost test scores, as engaged and motivated students acquired advanced skills, problem-solving abilities, and a growing thirst for knowledge.

By 2001, educational materials developer William D. Pflaum had begun to suspect that technology was not the all-purpose solution it had seemed. He decided to see how computers were really being used in U.S. classrooms and embarked on a yearlong road trip to a cross-section of elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the nation. In this book, he recounts his journey. Although he did find technology application to admire, too often he found broken promises: millions spent for little measurable gain, problems instead of solutions, a fix instead of a fix.

This inside look at computer use in our schools shares the voices, experiences, triumphs, and frustrations of educators and students in urban, rural, and suburban settings. The author provides insight into the key roles that computers currently play in the classroom and clarifies what we must do ensure that the promise of technology is fulfilled . . . and that students truly benefit.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0871208423
• ISBN13: 9780871208422
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: ASCD
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The Technology Fix

A good read for educators who would like to understand the issues and possibilities of technology in our schools.

Readable and thoughtful look at technology in schools

For anyone who has grappled with the question of why technology hasn't lived up to its promise in schools, this book is a must-read. Pfaum's observations are fresh and candid, and he examines the question of the "technology fix" of schools without an axe to grind or pre-formed conclusions. This very readable book will ring true to those who have spent time in classrooms and have wondered why technology has not had a greater impact on improving student achievement.

Getting it right.

This is a wise and thought-full book. Unlike many books about technology in education that are often too theoretical, too empirical, too uninformed, or too polemical, this book is anchored in real classrooms. Rather than starting with a breathless vision of the future or a cranky rant about the imagined glories of the past, Bill Pflaum begins with what is happening in classrooms right now. He gathers his data first hand - not from surveys, focus groups, or aggregated data but from a year-long personal journey through classrooms all across the country. His careful, thoughtful (and often entertaining) observations are neither completely unexpected, nor completely predictable - instead they explode with authenticity. From such a solid foundation, both personal and universal, he reflects carefully on what is working and what is not working - and offers thoughtful suggestions for a better future that is both reachable, and worth reaching. I liked reading this book.

A balanced, readable look at technology in schools today.

Too many books are either all for technology in schools or completely against it. Neither kind of book is very useful for teachers who are trying to figure out how to use technology intelligently in their classrooms.This author takes a walk through 20 or so schools, and describes what he observes with the insight of a seasoned educator. He does a very good job of spotlighting the intelligent uses of technology, and an equally good job of uncovering the dreary, wasteful uses. I found the book is a wonderful way to hone my own thinking.Moreover, the book is a fast read, and very engaging. Pflaum writes with an uncommon honesty and humanness, and he has that wonderful ability to draw pictures in your mind. I'd recommend it to both teachers and parents who have input in the way schools are run.

A great springboard for discussion and planning!

This book is a must read for decision makers at every level. Data rules in the age of standards. This is the only book that I have read that discusses educational technology with a genuinely human voice. Pflaum takes a refreshing welcome approach to the task of thoughtfully examining the use of technology in America's schools. Instead of recycling mountains of data from research studies, he visited classrooms across the country and talked to students, teachers, principals, and technology co-coordinators who are on the frontline of the problem.For educators, like myself, who deal daily with the problems and the blessings of technology in the schools, the book is raw opportunity to view the problem outside of the boundaries of their state and local district. Pflaum ends his book with some clear, realistic guides for future directions, but the real value of the book is in its rich, constantly thought-provoking portrayal of things as they are now.