IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY IN LEARNING   pt2    1500w

2.1.3 Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT)

Apple (2002) have argued that one of the most imperative contribution that can be drawn from the use of technology in the learning of a student is that it affects the attitude of a student as well as their teachers towards the learning and imparting of knowledge respectively. There are several studies that have identified that when technology is made part of a student’s life the attendants improves significantly and the rate of dropouts is declined (Apple, 2002).

              Baker Gearhart and Herman conducted and an evaluation of the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow in 1994 in an endeavor to asses the impact of interactive technologies in the learning as well as teaching process in five schools that were located in various parts of the nation (for example Ohio, Minnesota, California, and Tennessee). The reasons behind ACOT were to emphasize the educators of the importance of computers in the learning process (supporting student initiative), motivate teachers and students to engage in long term projects, allow both parties of the learning process access wide range of learning materials and encourage instructional innovation as well as cooperative learning (Apple, 2002).

              This study took place for five years whereby comparisons were made; the comparisons consisted of: ACOT students’ achievements as well as progress over some time, the basic learning skills of ACOT students’ performance in the nationally reported norms, and teachers teaching practices of ACOT teachers.

The following positive findings were identified:

The experience from ACOT appeared to lead to some new learning experience that required a higher level of problem solving or reasoning. It was also identified that ACOT had a positive impact on the attitude of the students and was also able to modify the teachers teaching practices, enabling the learning process to be more cooperative whereby students learning was more of group work and less of teachers lecturing in class.

Apple (2002) has noted that when a comparison was done between ACOT students to their non-ACOT colleagues in the same high schools, the rate of absenteeism among the ACOT students