Industry Insight: Changing the Conversation About Education IT

The U.S. Department of Education recently released a study of educational software products and its impact on student performance. Reaction has been harsh, leading many to conclude that the educational technology being used in today's classrooms is not working.

Irene Spero is vice president of external relations for the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). Look for her Industry Insight column about IT in K-12 education every month.

Before jumping to any conclusions, let's take a moment to understand the study and its limitations. Mandated by Congress as part of the No Child Left Behind legislation and conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and SRI International, the study (Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Findings from the First Student Cohort) tracked 16 reading and math software programs used in first-, fourth- and sixth-grade classes at 132 schools nationwide.

While much can be learned from the results, people should be careful to not assume that all educational software is ineffective or that educational technology is an inadequate use of school resources. If only the study focused on other areas -- like how technology advances 21st-century skills, engages students in authentic learning experiences, assesses student achievement in real time, and targets corrective interventions, promotes collaboration and extends learning beyond the classroom.

At this critical moment in U.S. education, let's not spend time lamenting the conclusions of a narrow study. Rather, attention and efforts should focus on how technology can be used more effectively to meet the needs of individual students and why investment in technology is essential for today's students. The "how" includes strong and frequent professional development for teachers, visionary leadership and an understanding that technology is a tool -- not a panacea -- for changing the educational process.

"It's important to remember that technology, like textbooks, is only one tool in the learning process," my colleague, CoSN CEO Keith Krueger, recently noted. "Neither can it be a substitute for well-trained teachers, leadership, and parental involvement."

Technology offers students and teachers with access to rigorous coursework, resources, data and curriculum to individualize instruction. Consider for a moment an example from Fairfax County (Va.) Public School District, where Individual Learning Plans are being developed and utilized for each and every student. As students progress toward graduation, they must demonstrate mastery of the key subject areas covered by their learning plans. This kind of personalized instruction --tailored to the learning styles and needs of the individual student -- is only possible if school districts have access to technology and receive training on how to best implement that technology to serve teachers and students alike.

It's time to change the conversation to one that focuses on the dedication, skills and training of educators who will transform education, and how technology can be the powerful tool in this transformation when thoughtfully and properly used. That's a conversation I'd be happy to participate in.