In addition to the survey released by the National School Boards Foundation, in the last year, several universities and foundations have announced research efforts with the goal of better understanding the role technologies are playing in people's lives. At the same time, a number of new think tanks and coalitions have emerged that seek to not only study information and communications technologies, but formulate policies around their use. Some of these studies have been structured to give special attention to children and families.

Sound research helps us to go beyond speculation and sensationalism in order to create a more accurate picture of technology use. Research that is conceptually or methodologically flawed, on the other hand, may feed unreliable journalism and lead to misunderstanding among parents, educators, and the general public.

• Re: Importance of Sound Research null, April 03, 2000 (0)