| Many teachers and professors are looking for the | | | | not technology. A little explanation: What is the |
| magic touch of technology to implement into their | | | | purpose of bringing technology into the |
| classroom experience. They review many | | | | classroom? Is it to simply say "We use |
| software titles, read up on the latest and greatest | | | | technology day to day in our learning |
| technology, go to conferences, and in general get | | | | environment"? |
| very involved and engrossed in researching the | | | | Is it to meet a mandate of a particular number of |
| products available to them that they could use in | | | | computers or hardware pieces per learner or |
| their class or school. Some companies will tell | | | | student? Almost always, these reasons will not |
| them there is a great solution to their information | | | | suffice for giving a student information technology |
| technology needs, involving complex systems and | | | | skills. The reason should be to provide information |
| high cost. | | | | to students and teachers, using the best |
| Sometimes, contractors or consultants are | | | | information technology solution to meet that goal. |
| brought in to suggest a solution, usually suggesting | | | | Technology is changing very rapidly, but the |
| the technology their organization happens to sell. | | | | information it is providing is timeless. Whichever |
| School IT directors read how information | | | | solution is chosen, it should help the learning, not |
| technology workers will be the workers of the | | | | necessarily be the object of the learning. The |
| future, and that without this type of learning, their | | | | technology solution should provide the means of |
| learners will slip and fall behind technology workers | | | | learning for students, it should be flexible, and |
| in other parts of the world. As we speak, India | | | | robust, and not interfere with the learning in the |
| intends to pass the U.S. in graduates with higher | | | | classroom. |
| degrees that can do work at less cost and faster | | | | For the same reason, when choosing a vendor, |
| than their American counterparts. | | | | implementer, consultant, or contractor, they |
| Administrators see these signs and become | | | | should understand these basic facts also, and be |
| concerned that they need to implement a similar | | | | encouraged to work with the school or learning |
| solution to a peer school or college, in order to | | | | institution to sufficiently meet the goal of enabling |
| keep student numbers or improve grades. But | | | | a rich learning environment. The best information |
| what is the correct solution, the right approach to | | | | technology solutions are the ones that have |
| harnessing technology in the classroom? The | | | | emphasis on information, with the technology |
| correct approach should be geared on information, | | | | geared toward providing it. |