October 2004 — Special Reports

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Evaluating Technology’s Role in the Classroom

By Chris Rother, V.P. of Education CDW•G

  • Everybody’s input counts. Great buying decisions are more apt to happen when educators, IT professionals, administrators and vendors pool their special insights. For dollar-stretching help, check out “The Big Deal Book of Technology” (available as a free PDF download online at www.cdwg.com/education), which provides information on grants, research Web sites, free materials and training programs.
  • Trumpet your success. Teachers are nothing less than miracle workers. Despite aging hardware and a national budget crunch, they are using technology to improve academic performance - and they can prove it. Why not share that message with your local community. Show them what you are doing and what can be done with technology. Perhaps you can persuade the local press to spread the word as well.
  • Training is not a sometimes thing. Technology changes rapidly; we tend to move more slowly. Learning how to operate new hardware or software is the tip of the educator’s iceberg. The real challenge is integrating technology into the core curriculum and making it a valuable teaching tool. One of the best ways to do this is with ongoing professional development.
  • Plan ahead. Although the rapid pace of innovation often upsets the best-laid plans, strategic thinking still pays off. Failing to plan, or promising more than a school can deliver, can trigger a backlash against future spending. Some administrators recommend focusing on what you want to accomplish from an educational standpoint and setting funding priorities to achieve these goals. Don’t forget to factor in the need for standards-based learning, the core skills students require to compete in the new economy, the present cost of a school’s computing infrastructure, and the most cost-effective way to accomplish necessary upgrades.
  • Go wireless. Consider using mobile computing and wireless technology to improve student access. Rather than having students travel to a computer lab, a mobile computer lab travels to the students for use in their regular classroom. By combining mobile computers with wireless technology, schools can achieve a 1-1 computer-to-student ratio less expensively.

It takes 21st century tools to outfit students with 21st century skills. Teachers understand that better than anyone else. CDW·G hopes that the 2004 “Teachers Talk Tech” survey and other research efforts will help educators get from here to there - from ambitious hopes and goals to affordable and effective integration of new technology and core subject matter.

Key Findings of the 2004 “Teachers Talk Tech” Survey

  • 81% of the teachers said that classroom computer availability increases student academic performance.
  • Two-thirds reported that they do not have the right number of computers in their classrooms.
  • 62% of the teachers indicated that computer technology aids student performance on standardized tests, an 8% increase over 2003.
  • 48% reported that having enough time to become skilled with computer equipment and software is an “extremely” or “very” serious problem.
  • 57% of the teachers said that they believe computer technology increases parent-teacher communications.

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Chris Rother, V.P. of Education CDW•G, "Evaluating Technology’s Role in the Classroom," T.H.E. Journal, 10/1/2004, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/16983

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