Realizing the Promise of Technology

The school systems do need reform to take greater advantage of the promise of technology. The real problem is how the change is to be brought about. Learning theories, supported by scientific studies, have not swept the entire educational system, suggesting that the introduction of proof that technology use improves student achievement would have a similarly small effect on the system. Government reform also works incredibly slowly. There are therefore two things that need to happen, before the system fully realize the promise of technology: complete penetration or saturation of technology in schools and the complete conversion of all teachers to the promise of technology.

If technology isn't available, teachers can't use it. If students must go to labs in order to do computer work, the instruction won't be as effective as if the students met in a computer classroom or each had a personal computer of some kind to use. In order for technology to be widespread, schools could hold off on buying the cutting-edge equipment in favor of buying more equipment (instead of buying one Pentium IV, buy two Pentium III's). Perhaps alternative class schedules are in order, where one batch of students meets from 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM and another batch meets from 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM six days a week. Fewer students in the school at any given time means that there is more technology available to each student.

In addition to technological saturation, the school faculty (teachers and administration) need to believe and participate in the full utilization of technology. This will only happen when the technology-resistant faculty and teachers retire or leave the school system and all participants actively work technology into their lessons.

An interesting corollary to the infusion of technology and having all teachers and administrators sharing the vision is that parents will need to take a greater role, too. All that technology will aid student learning and administrative record keeping. It has been suggested that children whose parents are involved in the child's school work do better on standardized tests. When schools and teachers take advantage of software such as PowerSchool and other programs, the parents are better able to track their child's grades and attendance, with less time parent/teacher face time from the teachers.

Technology has made and will make great improvements to teaching, though greater reform