Triple E Framework

The Triple E is an open-source framework developed by the School of Education at the University of Michigan for educators to measure how well technology tools integrated into lessons are helping students engage in, enhance and extend learning goals. Learning First, Technology Second

Triple E is being used by K-12 teachers, preservice teachers to design lessons that integrate technology to leverage learning. Triple E is being utilized by K-12 administrators to help evaluate and assess the technology use in their teacher's classrooms.

Learning with technology doesn’t happen because a specific tool “revolutionizes” education. It happens when proven teaching strategies intersect with technology tools, and yet it’s not uncommon for teachers to use a tool because it’s “fun” or because the developer promises it will help students learn. Learning First, Technology Second offers teachers the professional learning they need to move from arbitrary uses of technology in their classrooms to thoughtful ways of adding value to student learning.

View authentic classroom projects that use technology to engage, enhance and extend learning goals. These stories are often featured on our blog.

A second grade teacher, Beverly Ladd, from North Carolina is teaching Geography in a whole new way: Skype! Her classroom is trying to find 50 classes from other states to Skype with and share geography and cultural norms. She set up an open Google doc where classrooms can sign up to do a mystery Skype with her classroom. This is a wonderful way to use technology to extend learning and make it more authentic. Rather than reading about other states, learning from the local "experts" in an inquiry-based way is something that these students will remember, and this would be very difficult to do without the aid of technology!

• Engagement: The students are co-engaging through the Skype software with the other classes as well as working together in class to construct questions and try to solve the geographic mystery. score=5/6
• Enhancement: Skype allows authentic conversation to be happening at one time, something that would be difficult to capture with only traditional learning tools. While the teacher is needed to create those important instructional moves for reflective thinking, the software helps connect students to real world geographical areas. score=4/6
• ​Extension: The way that Sara set up the assignment, allows students to connect with everyday political culture and historical character's perspectives. In addition, students can participate 24/7. Finally, the students learn how to have a positive but constructive dialog online about politics. score=4/6
  

Total Score=13/18 (See how to read score results)

This assignment by Sara Romeyn of Bullis High School has always stood out as an extremely effective use of technology to meet learning goals. Sara has the students do a deep-dive into a historical character. They research the character's thoughts, ideas and writings. Then they create a Facebook FanPage about their character, updating it often and responding in character to other historical characters of their classmates. Sara encourages them to work outside of school hours, when they are already on Facebook to extend the learning. She also encourages them to consider how their character would respond current political issues. In the end, the students participate in a virtual salon, where they are all online, in character responding to each other's posts.

• Engagement: The students are co-engaging through their characters by both asynchronously and synchronously responding to each other's Facebook posts. While Facebook can be distracting, by using a tool that the students are already engaging with outside of class, they will see their classmate's character's posts show up in the general feed and prompt them to respond. score=5/6
• Enhancement: Facebook allows students to post different types of multi-media about their character and share their thoughts with others. It also allows the teacher to weigh in through replies and push the student's thinking. Facebook gives students an opportunity to be reflective and monitor their thinking. Note, the teacher should be modeling how to do this. Finally, Facebook allows a lot of conversation to be happening at one time, something that would be difficult to capture with only traditional learning tools. score=5/6
• ​Extension: The way that Sara set up the assignment, allows students to connect with everyday political culture and historical character's perspectives. In addition, students can participate 24/7. Finally, the students learn how to have a positive but constructive dialog online about politics. score=4/6
  

Total Score=14/18 (See how to read score results)

Does your lesson plan include technology that helps students to engage, enhance and extend their learning goals? We would love to hear from you! Please share your lesson story using our online form. We may feature it on our blog!

No lesson that integrates technology can be successful without the teacher carefully integrating instructional moves. Take a look at some examples of instructional strategies that can be used in collaboration with technology tools for leveraging classroom learning.