1. Technology is transforming society. Schools do not have the choice of not incorporating technology.

2. Rather, the question is how well will they use it to enhance learning?

3. Technology’s major purpose must be to improve learning and not to create a new content area.

4. Technology offers great opportunities to reform and improve education.

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5. Technology planning is a process involving planning committee members who work to establish technology implementation directions and priorities.

6. Technology does not replace the good teacher but instead enhances his or her abilities and creativity.

7. Technology has great potential for making education far more meaningful and productive for students but only if they are allowed to become active learners involved in real tasks.

Policy Issues in Using Technology for Engaged Learning :

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In order for technology to effectively promote engaged learning for all students, certain elements inside and outside the classroom must be in place. This section identifies several sets of policy issues that affect a school’s ability to use technology for engaged learning experiences. While policymakers at local, state, and national levels are addressing many of these issues, their efforts are largely uncoordinated. But even more alarming is that in many cases, no group of policymakers is addressing the issues deliberately and systemically.

Equity :

Technology is a tool that gives everyone an equal chance to loam. Given its significance in national and local policy, the first issue concerns equity, or the goal of universal participation.

Policymakers at a national level have made a commitment to building a national infrastructure and achieving universal participation. But that’s not enough. State policymakers must make this commitment as well, since the bulk of technology funding is expected to come from states. Finally, local policymakers must guide the implementation of technology.

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Universal participation, as a policy goal, means that all students in all schools have access to and are active on the information highway in ways that support engaged learning. Inequities will be reduced because everyone will have equal access and equal opportunity to learn. However, the danger is that many poor schools will be precluded from these learning activities because:

1. Schools don’t have the funds to buy the needed technology;

2. Curricula and assessment programs focus on low- level skills even when technology is applied;

3. Teachers don’t have the support they need to develop instructional strategies to use with the information they can access through the technology; and

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4. Bureaucracies keep communication and development from moving beyond the walls of the school into business and community sectors.