The Forum on the Future of Technology in Education: Envisioning the Future
concluded with the identification of emerging priorities. All students
and teachers will have universal access to effective information technology
in their classrooms, schools, communities, and homes.
Much of the promise of the use of technology in education, including the
notion of fostering learning anytime anywhere, hinges on the universal
availability of learning tools for students and teachers and on their
effective use. In addressing this issue, it is important to pay attention
to individual learner characteristics and needs, as well as the social
context of using technology.
All teachers will effective use technology
There is universal support for devising ways to encourage teacher use
of technology aligned with instructional goals–whether delivered
through preservice education or inservice professional development or
both. Given the continual changes and advances in technology, the need
for training is ongoing and must not only be about how to use technology,
but also about how to support student learning.
All students will be technologically literate and responsible
cybercitizens
Today’s world is marked by increasingly rapid social, political,
and technological change–change that is becoming increasingly more
difficult to predict. As a consequence, in addition to being academically,
socially, and emotionally prepared, students will need to be technologically
savvy—understanding how to locate information, determine its relevance,
determine its accuracy, and integrate it with other sources. In addition,
we must help students to remain vigilant in safeguarding personal information
and from accessing inappropriate materials.
Research, development and evaluation will shape the next generation of
technology applications for teaching and learning
As the use of technology in education becomes more commonplace, it becomes
critical to understand what we are learning about what works and what
does not. Too often individual schools and districts are left without
good information that could guide them in making appropriate investments
in technology – investments that could result in tremendous changes
to the educational experience for both teachers and students.
Education will drive the E-learning economy
The Internet is fast becoming an engine of innovation in education. As
it is revolutionizing business through e-commerce, the Internet is on
a course to redefine education. E-learning, or the delivery of education
and related services over the Internet, is being touted as the next most
innovative application of the Internet, and private investment in education
organizations is rapidly expanding. Fostering innovation in education
– from the provision of digital learning, digital content, assessment
services, tutoring, distance learning, data warehousing, and other forms
of instructional technology – is important. Other areas ripe for
innovation included ways of: establishing collaboration among schools,
libraries, museums, higher education, and industry; evaluating the quality
of educational materials and content; and, archiving public domain historical,
cultural, and scientific resources.
