The Trouble With Homework

By ANNIE MURPHY PAUL
NYTimes
September 10, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/opinion/sunday/quality-homework-a-smart-idea.html?pagewanted=1

Quality Homework: A Smart Idea

This is an interesting article that provides some good strategies for giving HMK that are reminiscent of things we cover in Educational Psychology..

Spaced Repetition - instead of concentrating study of information in single blocks, have students work with the same material in briefer sessions [even along with other information] spread over a longer period of time.

Retrieval Practice - using tests to reinforce vs. assess what students know.

Making students work a little harder to understand information [so they recall it better] through:

Cognitive Disfluency - e.g., leaving blanks or missing letters; or

Interleaving - mixing things up vs. grouping similar things by type.

GRADING THE DIGITAL SCHOOL In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores

NYT by MATT RICHTEL
Published: September 3, 2011
Being a technology advocate, I always bristle at articles like this that question whether technology is helping to improve education. In the face of the argument that it has not helped to improve test scores, I would counter that there are many other positives that technology brings [although I like to think that it should also help to increase scores]. On the other hand, I do believe a balance is needed - that is, there's a time for technology and a time for other things like pencil and paper or just plain rich f2f interaction. I also strongly believe that pedagogy must come first - i.e. inform the use of technology - that technology is not a panacea and that educators need to know learn how to effectively use it.  This article provides an interesting overview of technology in America's schools.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/technology/technology-in-schools-faces-questions-on-value.html?pagewanted=1&emc=eta1