CMEC-OECD-Canada Seminar, April 2002

Educational Technology Policy in the U.S.: An Update and Overview

Douglas Levin, Senior Research Analyst

DLevin@air.org

Initiatives of the Clinton-Gore Administration (1993-2000)

Initiatives of the Bush-Cheney Administration (2001-present) Emphasis on No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Current Challenges

Today’s Remarks

First national educational technology plan for elementary/secondary education (1996)

National educational technology plan update (2000)

Report of the Web-Based Education Commission (2000)

See http://www.ed.gov/technology

Clinton-Gore Initiatives

Shift in emphasis from education technology-specific programs to integrated programs Devolving leadership to states and

localities and increasing flexibility Increasing accountability provisions

New national technology plan to be prepared by January 2003; state and local plans to be updated more quickly

Bush-Cheney/NCLB

Overarching Goals of Education Technology Initiatives

To improve student academic achievement To ensure that every student is technologically

literate by the time the student finishes the eighth grade

To align teacher training and curriculum development systems with established research-based instructional methods

Bush-Cheney/NCLB (continued)

New state plans to describe:

• Goals for using advanced technology to improve student academic achievement, and how those goals are aligned with state academic standards.

• Long-term strategies for improving student academic achievement through the effective use of technology in classrooms.

• How technology will be fully integrated into the curricula and instruction of all schools by Dec. 31, 2006.

Bush-Cheney/NCLB (continued)

New state plans to describe (continued):

• How teacher preparation, professional development, and curriculum development will be addressed to ensure that all teachers and principals are technologically literate.

• Strategies to encourage the use of distance learning for rigorous academic courses.

• How to ensure that all students and teachers, particularly those in high-need schools, have increased access to technology.

Bush-Cheney/NCLB (continued)

Continued debate about technology’s role in schooling and willingness to experiment/innovate: radical/disruptive reform or incremental efficiency gains

Increasing disparities in use of technology in out-of-school settings, particularly by students

Capacity of the education system Alignment & evaluation of technology use

Some Challenges