Week 1:

 Hello everyone! My name is Melody McCarty, and I’m currently pursuing a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on technology at Southeastern OSU. I’ve been in education for nearly 15 years, holding a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Early Childhood. My husband and I are proud grandparents to two wonderful granddaughters who have us wrapped around their little fingers (and we wouldn’t have it any other way). This is my first time blogging, and my passion is helping teachers use technology to enhance student growth!

My current research is using the Triple E Framework in the classroom and this is what I have found: The Triple E Framework was developed in 2011 by Professor Liz Kolb at the University of Michigan. It was created to address the desire for K-12 educators to bridge research on education technologies and teaching practice in the classroom (Kolb, 2011). When using this framework evaluation along with the assessment tools provided by the district, teachers and administrators will be able to evaluate the integration of technology in the lessons taught in the classroom. 

I have also found it is noted that to effectively guide and support technology use practices in our district, the Triple E Framework (Kolb,2011) offers an option that aligns well with best educational practices and the ISTE standards. This framework evaluates technology integration through three key components: Engagement, Enhancement, and Extension. This is important because it will motivate student engagement to enhance higher-level learning. 

(Kolb, 2011)

Engagement is level one of the Triple E Framework (Kolb,2011). Is the student truly immersed in the content in front of them? As mentioned in the graphic above, there are three questions an educator/administrator can ask themselves when looking to see if their students are engaged through the technology in their learning goals. 

1. Does the technology allow students to focus on the task of the assignment or activity with less distraction (Time on Task)?

2. Does the technology motivate students to start the learning process?

3. Does the technology cause a shift in the behavior of the students, where they move from passive to active social learners (co-use or co-engagement)?

(Kolb, 2011)

Level two of the Triple E Framework (Kolb, 2011) is enhancement. This is where traditional teaching is being replaced with technology but not doing anything different than what traditional teaching does. The technology tool can help the student or scaffold them in ways that may have proven to be difficult traditionally. There are three questions an educator/administrator can ask themselves when looking to see if their technology tool is enhancing the learning of the students. 

1. Does the technology tool aid students in developing or demonstrating a more sophisticated understanding of the content? (creates opportunities for creation/production over consumption)

2. Does the technology create scaffolds to make it easier to understand concepts or ideas?

3. Does the technology create paths for students to demonstrate their understanding of the learning goals in a way that they could not do with traditional tools? 

Higher-level thinking is encouraged through this type of enhancement tool allowing students to become lifelong learners.

(Kolb, 2011)

Level three of the Triple E Framework (Kolb, 2011) is extension. Extension is bringing the learning back to real-world experiences. This can be anything from taking a virtual field trip to using a technology tool that the student will use in daily life. There are three questions an educator/administrator can ask to measure if technology tools are extending learning goals, the following questions can be used for analysis.

1. Does the technology create opportunities for students to learn outside of their typical school day?

2. Does the technology create a bridge between school learning and everyday life experiences?

3. Does the technology allow students to build skills, that they can use in their everyday lives?

(Kolb, 2011)

As stated on the Triple E Framework website, technology is a TOOL to help students reach learning goals. This is one reason why the framework is not built around using a certain type of tool for learning, rather it is built around making sure students are on-task and meeting their learning goals through the technology tools. The district I am currently working in is almost completely a virtual school, therefore making the Triple E Framework a good fit. When looking at the rubric, it looks as though the Triple E Framework and the initiatives within my district are compatible. The image below is an example of one of the rubrics from the Triple E Framework. Teachers and administrators can use the rubric to help them evaluate the technology in a lesson plan.

The ISTE standards and the Triple E framework (Kolb, 2011) align by providing a comprehensive approach to integrating technology in education. 

The ISTE Standards offer broad, student-centered goals for technology use, while the Triple E Framework provides a practical perspective for evaluating how well technology meets these goals by focusing on engagement, enhancement, and extension while the ISTE framework is built to guide educators in the direction to support students in driving their learning. 

My district has developed a new teacher evaluation tool, which will be used by administrators for the first time this year. As mentioned earlier, the process is mainly virtual for students, teachers, and administrators, making technology essential. However, while the use of technology isn't specifically addressed in the evaluation tool, the use of data is emphasized. Teachers use data to make informed decisions about their students’ learning and their teaching method allowing them to target areas where their students are having the most difficulty. The teacher evaluation tool addresses the use of data in the classroom, therefore, in a roundabout way, addressing the use of technology.

Citations:

        ISTE. (2024). ISTE standards: For educators. ISTE. https://iste.org/standards/educators

‌ Kolb, L. (2020, December 9). Triple E Framework. Triple E Framework. https://www.tripleeframework.com/