Technology is not a slave to the pedagogical master but is a building block.
(Zhao, 2007)
Essay
In their paper “Factors affecting technology uses in schools: an ecological perspective”, Zhao and Frank (2003) attempt to analyze the use of computers in schools and analyze their data by comparing it to an ecological metaphor. Zhao and Frank begin by recognizing that while computer technology is spreading throughout education, in many situations computers are either unused or underused. Previous research into the causes for this had resulted in a long exhaustive list of reasons why this is happens, so Zhao and Frank wanted to develop a new framework which could unify many of these reasons and take a larger systems approach to the analysis. Zhao and Frank decided to compare computer use in schools with the spread of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and by developing this framework it was hoped that a better understanding of computer technology use in schools would emerge.
Before continuing, it is best to introduce the zebra mussel. Zebra mussels originated in from the Caspian Sea and were introduced to the Great Lakes likely through contaminated bilge water. Since being introduced to the Great Lakes, the zebra mussel have flourished and spread. Due to the environmental conditions of the Great Lakes and source of nourishment for the zebra mussel, combined with a lack of predators, the zebra mussel population has grown unchecked.
The metaphor begins by treating schools as an ecosystem and looking at the ecological interactions that affect computer use. The teacher-student interaction was focused on, being that teachers attitudes have a strong affect on the use of computer technology. To complete the analogies in the habitat metaphor, students, teachers and computer uses were all seen as living species.
Zhao and Frank further defined teachers as a keystone species: teachers are inherently selfish but act in the interest of reciprocal altruism, which is loosely defined as “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.” It is this reciprocal altruism that makes teachers contribute and help out in schools. In contrast to the teachers, there are computer uses brought into the schools by techno-enthusiasts: the invading species. This completes the framework, with computer uses being the metaphorical zebra mussels.
With a framework of understanding in place, Zhao and Frank turn to analyzing technology uses in schools. This is split into two categories, comparing student use to teacher use. As a keystone species, teachers use the resource for both self and common use. They have their own reporting and organizational duties performed with the aid of technology, as well as a common goal of using computers with the students. The teacher’s interactions necessarily dictate that computer use is aligned with both their self and common interests. For students though, use is always as a common resource as part of the goal in the educational ecosystem. Zhao and Frank highlight the dependence of the expansion of computer use on its very own characteristics by comparing it to zebra mussels and Richard Dawkins’ concept of memes. Dawkins tells us that successful species depend upon three memes: fecundity, longevity and copy fidelity. Zebra mussels are successful in the Great Lakes because of these memes, and Zhao and Frank argue that the invasive species in the educational ecosystem, computer use, also must depend upon these same memes. Longevity corresponds to how long a particular use is in place, fecundity relates to collaborative growth amongst teachers, and copy fidelity describes how existing ideas morph into new ones.
In the final analysis within the metaphor, the success of the invading species depends upon the keystone species and how well the invader’s memes allow for growth and success. Computer use therefore relies heavily upon the interaction with teachers. This interaction is dynamic and rational, yet many times is flawed.
Zhao and Frank set out to test their metaphorical framework by looking at four different school districts that have made significant investment into computer technologies. Their research incorporated questionnaires and qualitative interviews with staff and teachers. Two main questions were focused on:
- To what degree are technologies used in schools?
- How are teachers engaged in technology?
These questions, therefore, look specifically at the success (or non-success) of the invading species, and the role that is played by the keystone species.
The research findings were that the teacher-ecosystem interaction and social process had an effect on computer use, similar to the ecological mechanism of species competing with each other. Specifically, niche computer uses by teachers had a large effect, just like zebra mussels filled a niche within the Great Lakes. The teacher-ecosystem interaction and social process had an effect on computer use, similar to the ecological mechanism of species competing with each other in the Great Lakes. Social collaboration fostered computer use whereas social pressure reduced computer use, corresponding to the fecundity meme. The school ecosystem’s predisposition towards a particular teaching style was similar to ecological mutualistic interactions, where the keystone species (teachers) ensures the success of the invader (computer use). Zhao and Frank also concluded that teacher’s exploration and learning with computers was a predictor to success. In the metaphor of the framework, this compared to ecological mutual adaptation.
There are two primary outputs from Zhao and Frank’s research:
- Computer use changes should focus on teacher factors, of which they identified four: recruitment and selection of teachers; training and socialization; exploration opportunities; and using the social context to lelerage change.
- Zhao and Frank suggest that future research should focus on different levels of computer technology adoption, since their research looked solely at ecosystems (schools) with heaving adoption.
Keynote Podcast
In Zhao’s keynote address (Zhao, 2007), he focuses on the same thoughts contained in his paper and highlights why greater access to computer technology is not translating into better classroom uses. By looking at the process of adoption, Zhao considers the holistic surroundings where ecology is the study of everything: it is the context, the system, the household, and innovation is invasion.
Summary from an ecological perspective:
- Technology is an active agent
- Individuals are selfish actors
- Technology uses evolve
- Human factors change
- Relationships are important
- Opportunities for interaction are essential
References