What Are the Challenges?

• Schools must actively work to meet the U.S. Department of Education’s recommended student–computer ratio of 5–to–1. Furthermore, the computers must be both Internet– and multimedia–capable, and available in all classrooms, not only in computer labs or school libraries.

• As the Internet is brought into classrooms, accessible to all students, the school and community must decide upon and adhere to an Acceptable Use Policy for all students and staff. Acceptable Use Policies should guide students and staff in the use of the Internet, as well as software, hardware, and other technologies.

• Every effort must be made to adequately prepare teachers to adopt technology by providing frequent, high–quality training opportunities. Staff meetings should regularly feature briefings by outside experts or more knowledgeable staff members. Building on-site capacity for staff development should be every school’s goal.

• Departments of teacher certification in each state should be prodded to require more than one general course in education technology as prerequisite to even a temporary license. Colleges of education should be petitioned to expand their technology training for all pre–service teachers.

• Schools, public libraries, and other organizations and agencies must work together to ensure that students and their families have access to computers after school. Economically disadvantaged students and those families without up–to–date computers must have access to computers and other technologies for homework, skills reinforcement, and as an additional means for communicating with their schools.