Although the E-Rate has been a catalyst for school technology purchases, there are no subsidies for hiring qualified technology support staff. District technology coordinators are relying on technology support systems and shoestring survival strategies, employing standardized equipment and hard-drive configurations, desktop lockdowns, anti-virus…

Although 95 percent of American schools have computers and teachers are being trained, school leaders are being left behind. Vignettes in California schools underline the need for capable, future-thinking principals who can lead staff in creating realistic technology plans focused on informational, safety, and security issues. (MLH)

The push to implement classroom technology, regardless of cost or real benefit, often intrudes on making wise choices. Strong technology candidates will provide a compelling extension to ongoing classroom work, be good curriculum enhancers, offer cost-effective software and equipment options, and offer a gentle professional-development learning…

The second annual Educause survey of current issues in campus information technology (IT) found that administrative systems challenges have escalated, the IT staffing crisis continues, distance education is in a steady state, and security management has the potential to experience explosive growth. Includes several tables of findings. (EV)

The "Local Technology Plan Guidelines" serve as the basis for the Department's annual technology data collection. This report takes a look at the data submitted by 344 school districts, examining the progress Massachusetts school districts are making in meeting the recommended guidelines. In doing so, it will gauge the degree to which…

Cognizant of the difficulty teachers face in attempting to integrate computers into instructional settings, the authors propose a new technology integration assessment strategy that can guide individual development or be used to track programmatic change. The Technology Integration Assessment Instrument (TIAI) explores seven dimensions of planning…

Computers on wheels, or COWs, combine the wireless technology of today with the audio/visual carts of yesteryear for an entirely new spin on mobility. Increasingly used by districts with laptop computing initiatives, COWs are among the hottest high-tech sellers in schools today, according to market research firm Quality Education Data. In this…

This article describes the premises, principles, and processes for integrating TECH into instruction. TECH is an acronym designed for educators to more smoothly integrate technology into instructional activities. It includes four steps: (1) Target the students' needs and the learning outcome; (2) Examine the technology choices, then decide what to…

Federal educational technology grant coordinators from seven small liberal arts colleges were interviewed to determine the ways in which technology had been infused in teacher education programs over the life of the grant. Substantive integration of technology had occurred in each of the schools. Traditional change models were unable to explain…

While it is often argued that technology could act as a change agent and transform educational practices, individuals, communities, government and society holding their own ideological beliefs limit such a liberalisation of the educational system. To show that the use of educational technology is part of a dialectical struggle this article…

Although research studies in education show that use of technology can help student learning, its use is generally affected by certain barriers. In this paper, we first identify the general barriers typically faced by K-12 schools, both in the United States as well as other countries, when integrating technology into the curriculum for…

The Alaska Department of Educational and Early Development (EED) has developed this five-year educational technology plan based on the recommendations of a taskforce representing education stakeholders throughout the state and has submitted this report to the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education. A state technology…

We see all around us how technology is changing teaching and learning--as it is changing all facets of our lives. We have data that shows technology, depending on how it is used, efficiently and effectively supports student learning and the instructional process. Yet technology is not the end goal--it is but one component in an educational…

Summarizes findings from a study of the emerging Information Technology function of community college "Chief Information Officers" (CIOs). According to the author, rapid changes in both technological environments and in the expectations of what technology will be used for have significantly shaped CIO responsibilities within community colleges.…

Finding a competent technology leader to manage educational technology for a school district can be a daunting task. The technology director plays a vital role in the leadership of instructional technology and related services. This individual is in a position to frame out the vision and direction for how technology can be used in teaching and…