Using Technology To Improve Accountability Systems MS Word - Technology provides ways of designing, collecting and sharing information that can help improve accountability systems and outcomes. This paper gives a set of criteria to educators and policymakers to help them make better technology choices that improve learning and make teachers more effective. It reviews issues that must be considered such as security, compatibility, resilience and transparency. It provides examples of effective use of technology available now and it shows elements of design and technology in practice in two very different school district settings. (Eva Baker, Education Commission of the States, July 2003)...

Education: Uses of Information Technology: A View for State Leaders PDF - Higher education is being swept up in an irreversible transformation. Technology is spreading everywhere, even in the academy: more than 40% of all courses in American colleges and universities now include some use of new technology. Students increasingly come to campus expecting to learn about but also to learn with technology. Achieving technology's potential to extend access and improve higher education entails some major challenges. (Margaret A. Miller and Steven W. Gilbert, from Briefing Papers - Transforming Postsecondary Education for the 21st Century, Education Commission of the States, June 1999)...

Evaluating Education Technology MS Word - How do we know technology is working to improve teaching and learning? Despite overwhelming public support — seven out of 10 voters say it's important that the nation's schools be equipped with computers and up-to-date technology — the effectiveness of education technology is increasingly called into question. Periodic evaluations of education technology policies, practices and products are essential to policymakers who are responsible for making decisions and allocating resources. (Education Commission of the States, September 1998)...

Toward a New Golden Age in American Education: How the Internet, the Law and Today’s Students Are Revolutionizing Expectations - Over the next decade, the United States will face increasing competition in the global economy, an economy that is increasingly technology driven. It is vital to ensuring the economic future of the nation that students are adequately prepared, particularly in the areas of mathematics and science. This report examines why our students are not currently prepared, and provides recommended steps to ensure they will be in the future, examples of schools that are leading the way and state initiatives. The report’s recommendations include: (1) strengthen leadership; (2) consider innovative budgeting; (3) improve teacher training; (4) support e-learning and virtual schools; (5) encourage broadband access; (6) move toward digital content; and (7) integrate data systems. (U.S. Department of Education, January 2005)...

Greater Involvement Needed by FCC in the Management and Oversight of the E-Rate Program - The E-rate program is intended to help eligible schools and libraries acquire telecommunications and internet services, and the FCC has committed more than $13 billion for that purpose since 1998. This GAO report argues that the E-rate program was established by the FCC using an organizational structure unusual to the U.S. government and that the FCC then failed to conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine which federal requirements, policies and practices applied to it. Additionally, the FCC has not developed useful performance measures for assessing and managing the program and the FCC’s oversight mechanisms contain weaknesses that limit the FCC’s management of the program and its ability to understand the scope of any waste, fraud or abuse within the program. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, February 2005)...

The Learning Return on Our Educational Technology Investment: A Review of Findings from Research - This report summarizes major research findings related to technology use and discusses implications for how to make the most of technology resources. It focuses on pedagogical and policy issues related to technology. A major conclusion is that technology is most powerful when used as a tool for problem solving, conceptual development and critical thinking. The report includes sections on teacher training, access, long-term planning, desirable outcomes, teacher training, sufficient and accessible equipment, long-term planning, technical and instructional support, and alignment to curricula framework. (Cathy Ringstaff and Loretta Kelley, WestEd, 2002)...

E-Rate and the Digital Divide: A Preliminary Analysis from the Integrated Studies of Educational Technology MS Word - During the program's first two years, three out of four public schools and districts applied for the federal government's "e-rate" discounts on the cost of telecommunications services and equipment. The report also notes that much of the funding went to poor schools, and larger districts and schools. Participation rates vary by states, ranging from a low of 41% in Montana to highs of 93% in Georgia, 94% in Tennessee, 95% in Rhode Island, 96% in Arkansas and 99% in Hawaii’s single school district. (Prepared by Michael J. Puma, Duncan D. Chaplin and Andreas D. Pape at The Urban Institute for the U.S. Department of Education, September 2000)...