National Educational Technology Plan

In the year 2010 a National Educational Technology Plan was written to address the needs and concerns facing the 21^st Century Learner. The plan is wide in its scope and idealistic in its goals. The plan articulates these six main goals: Learning: Engage and Empower, Assessment: Measure What Matters, Teaching: Prepare and Connect, Infrastructure: Access and Enable, Productivity: Redesign and Transform, and R&D: Innovate and Scale.  The end objective of implementing all of these goals is that every teacher and student in the nation would have access to high speed internet connection and use it effectively in the classroom and at home to increase student interest and learning. This would require rethinking the educational system as it has been known for the past century.

Many concerns and questions began to swirl in my mind as I read this document. At face value it seems like a utopian ideal which should be sought after with vigor. Yet on closer inspection some serious concerns were raised in my mind. First, how will the time for learning and development be provided for the educators? Teaching is a highly demanding profession that often requires great sacrifice of personal time. This is of utmost importance and I would like to know more about concrete ideas. Second, all of these goals require a great deal of money. If in the public sector $10,000 a year is already spent on students, (this astounds me because my private school spends $5000 a year per student and has more technology integrated than the local public schools), where will the extra money needed come from, especially in states overwhelmed by debt?

 I was taken aback by the statement in the document that said, “how can students grabble with real world problems without being connected 24/7?” Astounding, it that assuming you must be connected to technology to know and understand a real world problem? What about hunger, poverty, abuse, etc.? Another statement to the effect of, in the past learning was not continuous and lifelong, was made. I say speak for yourself, and don’t assume that others in the world at large were not committed to lifelong learning. So, no one needed lifelong learning before the world of technology? What about in the areas of parenting, teaching, farming, and business? Could those people remain stagnant before we had 24/7 broadband connectivity? I had other large concerns, but I alas am already in excess of the recommended response length.