April 2002 — Editorial
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Educators' Acceptance of Computer Technology?
Standards are becoming available and usable. The International Society for Technology in Education, funded by the Education Department, has prepared National Educational Technology Standards for students, teachers and administrators. The Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA), published in November 2001, specifically defines what administrators need to know and do to implement systematic reform through the use of technology. Thirteen institutions collaborated on this document, including the American Association of School Administrators, the national associations for both elementary and secondary school principals, and the National School Boards Association. You can find the TSSA standards online at http://cnets.iste.org/tssa/framework.html.
Partnerships and cooperative efforts. Teams of individuals - i.e., administrators, faculty, students, IT staff and parents - are working together to implement technology. Institutions are seeking help from, and partnering with, those that are more advanced in technological implementations. For example, Cabrini College, a small liberal arts college outside of Philadelphia, is partnering with Drexel University, also in Philadelphia, which is noted for its technological innovations. Drexel's program was initiated in 1983 when all of its students were required to have access to a computer. Drexel was also one of the first universities to become completely wireless. Both Cabrini and Drexel staff members will support Cabrini's IT needs, including faculty development and integration into the curriculum. In addition, Drexel has the opportunity to maximize its resources and assist Cabrini at a cost considerably less than using outside vendors.
Partnerships between businesses and educators are also increasing to make technology more available to students and teachers. Last December, Maine signed a four-year, $37.2 million contract with Apple to supply laptop computers to the state's seventh- and eighth-grade students. Apple plans to equip 33,000 students and 3,000 teachers with books, wireless networks, training and technical support. Georgia's Gov. Roy Barnes announced a partnership with AOL last November, which was a statewide initiative to provide school systems throughout the state with AOL's service. In addition, both hardware and software companies are now providing consultants to work with educators. For example, NetSchools Education Services provides consultants for coaching, to review lesson plans, to help teachers diagnose student problems, and to offer strategies for better performance.
Increased use of the Internet. The 2001 Market Data Retrieval report states that 80 percent of schools offer some form of dedicated Internet access. Instructors at all levels find assignment listings, lesson plans, communication with parents, etc. of great assistance. Online courses are also part of the curriculum offerings. For six years, the University of Central Florida (UCF) distributed learning programs that compared student and faculty issues on the use of the Web. About 75,000 UCF students from Web courses - both fully online classes, as well as courses that feature a combination of face-to-face and online integration - have been involved.
