The Job of Integration is Done?!

Yesterday the President cut funding to states for educational technology. The justification was that the work of integrating technology is done. I beg to differ!

Are your school-age children learning to conduct effective research on the Internet? Can they construct persuasive arguments in compelling ways - using audio, video, and text? Are they communicating with experts on topics they are studying? Are they learning about other cultures by interacting with people who live in those cultures? Do they use technology seamlessly in their daily classroom activities?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnny/110936654/

Well mine aren't - not on a regular basis anyway. These are the things that they need to be doing everyday. There are moments of great innovation and change breaking through in our schools, but the systemic reform that we need to prepare children for their future has not happened. We must continue to fund this initiative!

So I sent a message to all my congressional representatives. I encourage you to do the same.
Find your representative: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Here is my message to Congress:

I encourage you to restore funding to Title II D of the No Child Left Behind Act, Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT). The work of integrating technology into education is NOT done.

I have two daughters in public schools in North Carolina. They each have one computer in their classroom that is rarely used by students. They go to a computer lab once a week for instruction. This is not good enough!

They should have at least have a group of 3 computers in their classroom. Students should be using them on a regular basis as a natural part of their assignments.

Employers and educators alike have repeatedly stated that students need to be technologically proficient to succeed.

• http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=questions&topicID=1
• http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
• http://www.conference-board.org/publications/describe.cfm?id=1218

Even Time magazine recently called for further reform and modernization of America's schools.

• http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568480-1,00.html

North Carolina has taken a strong position in educating our students for the 21st century. The federal government must support our state by reinstating funding that will further our efforts to put technology in our schools and train our teachers how best to use it.

I am very passionate about this subject and would be happy to talk with you further about this issue.

Respectfully,

Laura B. Fogle

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