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NCSL Education Technology Foundation Project
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Overview of Issue
Technology is becoming an invaluable tool in today's classrooms. In recent years, states have been focused on ensuring students had access to computers. And their efforts have paid off. According to the National Education Association's Gains and Gaps in Education Technology, the number of classrooms with 10 or more computers has doubled between 1998 and 2001. Additionally, 74 percent of the educators surveyed in 2001 say their students use the computers to access the Internet, compared with only 37 percent in 1998.
While states are improving the infrastructure for education technology, some communities are still lacking the necessary capacity. Rural schools have a greater challenge getting and maintaining high-speed connections for efficient Internet use. Schools serving low-income families, in urban and rural communities, often have fewer resources, which can mean outdated computers and lack of technical support.
Yet, there is a lot more to education technology then just ensuring every student has access to a computer. Technology needs to be incorporated into every aspect of education. Teachers need to be adequately trained in computer operations as well as incorporating technology into the daily curriculum and instruction. Students will be better served if they are using technology as an on-going part of the learning process, rather then a separate activity.
Consider some of the ways technology can be used to enhance our schools and classrooms. Students can use the Internet to access unlimited resources that are much more up-to-date than textbooks. And students can be challenged more by offering learning programs that incorporate technology into the learning process. Studies have shown that the newer generations of children learn differently than past generations. They want technology to part of their education.
Adaptive testing can be used to more effectively measure student achievement and results can be returned to teachers in a much shorter time frame. Data can be used to highlight the achievement gap and help schools identify programs that are working or children that are falling behind. Teachers can use the data from test results to help guide the curriculum and improve classroom instruction. Professional development can be offered on-line to provide teachers better opportunities to hone their skills. School choice and supplemental tutoring services can be provided on-line to help schools meet the expectations of No Child Left Behind. In addition, schools can use on-line classes taught by highly qualified teachers to overcome teacher shortages, especially in certain subject areas.
As the world becomes more reliant on technology, today's students need to be prepared with the skills to be productive in the economy. Students need to leave school ready to compete in the ever-increasing technology dependent world.
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