-Undertake an Internet search of web sites addressing issues of cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of educational technology and share your findings via email with the class.

Two sites I found:

The California Department of Education, an innovator in cost-effective programs for K-12, maintains a web site:
http://www.c-smart.org/

C-SMART, California Statewide Master Agreements for Resources in Technology, is a statewide project designed to help schools acquire technology for teaching and learning, without breaking the budget. A well-designed site, C-SMART offers solutions, downloads, and links to participating vendors.

and

http://instructionaltechnology.editthispage.com/

This "weblog" run by Serious posits a forum for participants to post comments and suggestions: "Because there's a lot of bad research (pseudoscience) out there on Instructional Technology and Distance Learning. I intend to say so, and find what's good. I'm also worried about the future of the discipline, because I don't see existing researchers publishing on the web and I don't see new researchers coming through."

-Develop your own particular position on technology as an effective instructional tool, and share your perspectives via e-mail with other classmates and the instructor.

Technology as an instructional tool in the classroom is important because many resources and educational sites can be used as part of the traditional classroom. Sites like Encarta, Brittanica.com, pbs.org, discovery.com, offer resources like links to explorers in spacecraft, mountain-climbing, government, and news.

Jake