Authentic Use of Software &
Technology
in an Applied Statistics Course
Damian W. Betebenner,
Yun Xiang, & Xiaohui Yue
Lynch School of Education
Boston College
April 11, 2006
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 1
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Abstract
● Effectively combining software use with instruction is easier in
subjects where the use of software is an integral component of
content mastery
● A prominent example: applied statistics
● Current frameworks of technology/software use in the classroom
● Our implementations
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 2
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Perspectives
“It takes intelligent people to take full advantage of intelligent machines”
–Wooldridge, 1993
● An emerging problem is the inauthentic manner in which software/
technology and instruction are combined.
● Difference between inauthentic use and authentic use of
technology (cognitive tool)
● A place to begin where technology already plays an authentic role is
in subjects where technology already plays an essential role.
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 3
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Purpose – Goal of the study
● The central purpose: to authentically incorporate the use of
technology in an applied statistics class.
● To dissect the manner in which technology/software has been
effectively incorporated into a graduate level introductory statistics
● To discern insights into the effective incorporation of software use in
the classroom where software is an essential component of the
subject
● We hope to help educators from any discipline interrogate their
own (in)authentic use of technology.
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 4
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Frameworks for the
Implementation of Technology
● Definition of “authentic”: Following Hennessy & Murphy (1999), an
activity is authentic if it is:
● coherent and personally meaningful, and
● purposeful within a social framework – the ordinary practices of
culture
● To make judgments about the purposeful use of technology
requires knowledge about how technology is used in society at
large.
● Such a critique of expert knowledge aligns well with a large
number of learning theories
● A chicken-egg dilemma emerges when attempting to situate
technology use within expert practice.
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 5
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Background
“Experts think with machines, they don’t let machines think for them.”
● Many of the implementations of technology in the classroom
lacking due to a lack of authenticity
● Major challenge with regard to the seamless integration of
computer software use with the development of theory in the
class
● Limitations of the lecture/lab class format
● An attempt to overcome the limitation
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 6
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Background
● An authentic use of software requires an operating computer in
the classroom that is projected in such as way so that all students
can view the process as it takes place
● The limitation of PowerPoint: This distance between “the pointer”
and “the voice”
● Our solution to this dilemma: instead of projecting the software
onto a basic reflective surface, the GUI is projected onto a touch
sensitive white board (TSWB)
● Advantages of TSWB
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 7
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Setting and Methodology
● Critical reflection of practice through participant observation
● The setting for the participant observations occurred at two
different universities:
● In 5 classes where a TSWB was made available and
● in 6 classes without a TSWB
● Classes were no larger than 35 students
● How was TSWB used in class?
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 8
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
SOME DIGITAL PICTURES CAN BE ADDED HERE
TO DEPICT DIFFERENT SITUATIONS THAT
ENCOURAGE/DISCOURAGE AUTHENTIC
INSTRUCTION
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 9
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Results
● A separate lab is no longer needed to demonstrate software use
● Richer and less contrived examples can be explored
● Students are exposed to an authentic discussion of theory and
application
● A price: mastery over 2 domains
● subject matter and
● real-time use of the software
● Unexpected benefit for disabilities
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 10
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
Summary
● Our overall goal was/is to create a learning environment for students that
allows the instructor the freedom to model authentic practice.
● Authentic technology use in the classroom makes the instructor more
relevant rather than less.
● The future of authentic instruction
● The interface between the technology/software and the subject
matter
● The instructor’s fluency with that technology/software
● “How do/would/should I, an expert, utilize technology in my own
discipline specific research?”
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 11
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
References
● Brown, J., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning.
Education Researcher, 18 (1), 32–42.
● Hennessy, S., & Murphy, P. (1999). The potential for collaborative problem solving in design
and technology. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 9 (1), 1–36.
● Newmann, F. M., & Wehlage, G. G. (1993). Five standards of authentic instruction.
Educational Leadership, 50 (7). (Available online at http://pdonline.ascd.org/pdonline/
diffinstr/el199304_newmann.html)
● Otero, V., Peressini, D., Anderson Meymaris, K., & Ford, P. (2005, January/February).
Integrating technology into teacher education: A critical framework for implementing reform.
Journal of Teacher Education, 56 (1), 8–23.
● Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in thinking: Cognitive development in social context. New
York: Oxford University Press. Turnbull, W. (2002). The place of authenticity in technology in
New Zealand curriculum. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 12, 23–
● Wooldridge, A. (1993). A comparative view of education: Effective school reforms.
Current(351), 4–16.
10/30/26 Department of Educational Research, 12
Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College
About this copy
Authentic Use of Software & Technology in an Applied Statistics Course — AERA Annual Meeting, March 2006.
This is an image-based copy of the original PowerPoint slides; builds and animations are flattened.