Steve Peha & Margot Carmichael Lester

If we knew we could improve education by buying every learner a laptop, many communities might be so inclined. But it doesn’t appear that this would make a significant difference in student outcomes. We take it for granted that kids with computers at school are better off than those without, but most major longitudinal studies of the effectiveness of technology on student learning have been inconclusive. Why? More »

Steve Peha & Margot Carmichael Lester

What gets tested, gets taught. That’s a guiding principle of education reform. And it appears to be working. But is it working the way we want it to in reading?

In a New York Times article (“Mission: Making a Love of Reading Happen,” October 14, 2007), a parent wrote of his surprise at learning that his middle school-aged children weren’t reading in reading: “Not until back-to-school night did I realize what was actually going on. The ‘reading’ teacher had a stack of workbooks. They were going to be reading short essays and answering questions: a full year of test prep.” More »