Critical Issues in Technology
Karon Tarver

My research using ERIC led me to this article from the Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology. I believe that the issues examined by this article are global in nature. The group of authors did an excellent job not just is identifying critical issues but providing examples for clarification of their position. I believe that the issues identified in this article will be the driving force of educational technology policies and funding opportunities.

The group identified seven critical issues as listed below: The effectiveness of technology is embedded in the effectiveness of other school improvement efforts. Current practices for evaluating the impact of technology in education need broadening.

Standardized test scores offer limited formative information with which to drive the development of a school's technology program. Most schools are looking for additional means for collecting useful data for this purpose. Schools must document and report their evaluation findings in ways that satisfy diverse stakeholders' need to know.

In order for evaluation efforts to provide stakeholders with answers to their questions about the effectiveness of technology in education, everyone must agree on a common language and standards of practice for measuring how schools achieve that end.

The role of teachers is crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of technology in schools, but the burden of proof is not solely theirs. Implementing an innovation in schools can result in practice running before policy. Some existing policies need to be "transformed" to match the new needs of schools using technology.

The article clearly identify the shifting issues of educational technology - from infrastructure to classroom effectiveness. The article is succinctly summarized by the following opening quote: "The primary reason for this conference is to gather information from all of the outstanding schools, districts, and states represented here-so that we can study it, share it, and learn from it. Just as important as learning what works, we must learn what does not work. We must not assume everything that employs technology is going to be successful. That is why evaluation is so important. And then we must use that evaluation to create positive change." Richard W. Riley, U. S. Secretary of Education

Reference: Mary McNabb, North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, Mark Hawkes, Dakota State University, Üllik Rouk, Policy Studies Associates. "Critical Issues in Evaluating the Effectiveness of Technology". The Secretary's Conference on Educational Technology-1999.

Available at: http://www.ed.gov/Technology/TechConf/1999/confsum.html.