Can A Low-Tech, Generic Teaching Practice Make A Difference
May 1, 2015Improving Educational Outcomes in America: Can A Low-Tech, Generic Teaching Practice Make A Difference? William L. Heward and Charles L. Wood (2015). It is generally agreed that what teachers do in classrooms will have the greatest impact on learning; however, there is little agreement about what should be done. Heward and Wood consider a range of instructional practices that were identified by participants of the eighth Wing Institute summit and make an argument that Active Student Responding (ASR) has the potential to significantly improve student learning. The further make the case that ASR is a low cost, effective alternative to many of the instructional practices, such as computer assisted instruction, that are often proposed by educational reformers. The authors consider ASR in the context of the positive benefits and the cost considerations including equipment/materials, training, logistical fit, and the fit with the teacher’s belief about effective instruction.