From ESchool News (January 20, 2012)
“A new report from the Alliance for Excellent Education argues that the United States faces several critical challenges in education, and technology may help to meet these. America’s high schools are not improving fast enough that all students are graduating college- and career-ready. The nation also cannot meet President Obama’s goals for college completion without dramatically improving the quality of learning in secondary schools. Continued economic strains on state and local tax bases are forcing leaders to rethink how resources are used. And many students still lack access to highly qualified, skilled teachers; the best available teaching strategies that meet their individual needs; or enriching learning experiences. Yet multiple forces are converging to create a significant opportunity to affect education greatly. Technology for instruction is improving, and its cost continues to decrease. The report asserts that the use of technology and digital learning, when implemented effectively, provides opportunities to employ the necessary elements for whole-school reform and effective instruction. Educational technology strategies can link the “three Ts” — teaching, technology, and use of time — with overall whole-school reform. ”