Taking Note
March 2013
The Power of Technology
Today, computer technology and internet access have the ability
to connect students from diverse locations across the globe
to one shared universe of knowledge. Since the mid-1990s,
states across the country have focused on increasing access to
technology and in particular the internet. According to the U.S.
Department of Education, in 2010 all public schools had at least
one computer with internet access that was used for instructional
purposes, and more than half of all public schools had laptops
available for students. The vast majority of schools are using this
access to technology for online student assessment, gathering
instructional materials from the internet, engaging students in
learning with new technology, and using the internet to provide
standardized assessment results and data for teachers to inform
instructional planning. Tennesseans can look to our own schools
and educators for examples of classroom practices that effectively
integrate technology. The table on page 2 outlines strategies for
using technology in the classroom to achieve multiple goals and
provides specific examples from Tennessee.
In addition to supplementing the traditional classroom experience,
technology is transforming the way that education is being
delivered. Each year, K-12 students take nearly 2 million courses
online, and, in the 2010-11 school year, approximately 250,000
students were enrolled in full-time virtual schools.v Technology
is also being used as a vehicle to create more educational
opportunities for students that are tailored to their individual
interests, abilities, and learning styles. While research on
technology use in education is limited, studies have consistently
found that technology can help to engage students in their
learning. Researchers at the University of Memphis found that
students in classrooms that used technology were more often
engaged in cooperative and project-based learning, and that the
level of student interest and engagement in academic content
was higher than in classrooms where technology was not actively
integrated. Comparable analyses of programs in Florida, Michigan,
and Texas found similar effects.vi
Tennessee has made progress in increasing access to technology
and the internet, but more work remains to ensure that all
students have equal access. We must also focus on providing
schools with resources aligned with their needs and teachers with
the appropriate training to make the best use of computer-based
and online learning.
Challenges
While technology is emerging as an effective strategy to
enhance teaching and learning in the 21st century, there are
two key challenges that prevent the leveraging of this resource:
infrastructure and training. The Foundation for Excellence
in Education’s Digital Learning Now state report card gave
Tennessee low marks for infrastructure that supports digital
Page 3
learning, in part because current state law does not require
schools to have high-speed internet access or provide teachers
with internet access devices. SCORE has found, through our
First to the Top progress monitoring work, that there is variability
across the state in terms of technological capacity, but even
the more digitally advanced districts are concerned about the
system’s ability to accommodate whole-school online testing.
This underdeveloped infrastructure inhibits the ability of districts
to administer new, online assessments aligned with the Common
Core State Standards, higher and more rigorous academic
standards that Tennessee is currently implementing. It also
limits the extent to which technology can be used to meet other
school and district needs, like individualized learning for students,
professional development for teachers, and greater access to
advanced and college-level coursework.
Governor Haslam’s proposal to allocate $51 million to education
technology in the 2013-14 fiscal year has the potential to help
districts address their infrastructure and training needs. In addition
to the financial investment, there must be a clear strategy in place
to ensure the funds are used most effectively across the state.
While infrastructure and access are important, we must ensure
that teachers have the training they need to incorporate new
technology. A 2012 report from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation found that teachers believe technology is an important
tool to supplement traditional instruction, but feel intimidated
by the need to keep pace with the ever-changing technology
landscape. Responses from teachers indicated that they are
overwhelmed at times by the new technologies available and are
still struggling to make the best use of the tools that are already
in their classrooms. Furthermore, teachers “cited inadequate
training as a reason they would not use technology to support
their teaching.”vii
Recommendations
To prepare students for success after high school, Tennessee has
committed to a comprehensive education reform plan. Schools
and districts throughout the state have been using technology
to support all components of this plan, from using technology
to individualize learning so students can meet higher academic
standards to using technology to connect teachers across the
state to share innovative practices. However, there are several
steps that policymakers, educators, and communities should take
to help advance technology integration across all schools and
districts in the state:
Use technology to support clearly identified
needs in school districts. District leaders need to
have a strategic plan in place as they work to integrate
technology in schools. Investments in technology should
be tied to district needs with a clear understanding of
1207 18th Avenue South, Suite 326, Nashville, TN 37212 — tel 615.727.1545 — fax 615.727.1569 — www.tnscore.org