When Kyle Peck, professor of education, is not in front of the class, he is working to determine how to improve what goes on inside of the classroom.

Peck is involved in research that explores the impact of different approaches to education. In particular, Peck works with instructional system design to educate people on using a variety of media as learning resources.

"Instructional systems is to education as architecture is to construction. It's the science and planning that serve as the basis for the development of effective learning systems," Peck said. "Instructional refers to the products' intent to teach someone something, and systems refers to the fact that what we create is a set of related components to get the job done."

Peck's belief on the importance of research on education has helped to fuel his career. He started his career as a middle school teacher in California and Colorado, but Peck's career changed course with the invention of microcomputers.

"When microcomputers were invented, I got very excited about what they could do for education. I decided to get my Ph.D. in education technology with the intent to return to the public school classroom, but there were so many unanswered questions that I decided to become a professor so that I could try to find the answers.

Peck trusts that modern technology can provide a positive alternative to traditional form of education.

"I know, but I can't prove, that active and collaborative approaches to learning are more powerful," Peck said.

In 1998, Peck and Mark Toci co-founded the Centre Learning Community Charter School to give students an edge in learning through technology.

"I believe that there is a real advantage to certain forms of education, not just in terms of the knowledge people walk away with, but in terms of creativity, problem solving and other higher-order outcomes," Peck said.

Glenn Johnson, chief administrative officer of the CLC Charter School, said Peck's research is important because it asks people to reevaluate an education system that can be improved.

"Kyle has been responsible in Centre County for getting people to look at education in a new light," Johnson said. "His efforts have gotten people to ask what is the more effective way to get kids to think, do things and see themselves as learners."

Peck's research has shown the "sage on the stage" method of teaching can be replaced without diminishing the results of standardized tests. This new method involves interaction between students, teachers and technology in which students are active learners rather than spectators.

"If we can improve education, some students who are now unsuccessful might become successful, providing better lives for themselves and their families," Peck said.

Currently, Peck is working on what he calls "measuring what really matters" to demonstrate that important skills are not being taught in the classroom.

Peck explains that while knowledge is necessary for success, teachers often place little value on the importance of teaching such things as forming relationships, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, ethics and confidence.

"We are in the process of looking for ways to show that public schools are more than just standardized tests. Someone who scores the best on the SAT isn't always the best employee," Johnson said.

He predicts that parents will demand changes in the classroom when they are shown that these factors contribute more to success than previously believed.

"The machines of the Industrial Revolution multiplied a person's physical strength," Peck said. "The tools of this new technological revolution can multiply our cognitive strength." Peck provides students with access to computers, scanners, digital cameras and a variety of printers to achieve this effect.

Peck has also introduced students to the Internet, e-mail and server space to create personal Web pages.

"These technologies are thinking tools that allow the students to spend their time in very important ways. It's about students engaged in meaningful learning activities. The technologies allow this to happen," he said.

At the charter school, students are taught the value of technology. "Technology is important in education because it is important in today's world," Johnson said.

The availability of learning resources provides a greater spectrum of information to the student and allows for creative expression, Peck said. "These technologies can help us develop students who are better thinkers, writers and people," he added.

Bringing technologies into the home might change the traditional relationship between parents and their children, Peck said. Because children often have more time to "play with" technology, they may actually be able to teach their parents about technology.

"That will create a new twist on their relationship that will result in a mutual respect," Peck said.