Ten ways to boost learning with technology

Urging policy makers and school leaders "to take bold steps ... to improve education for America's 21st-century leaders," the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has issued new guidance for reforming the nation's schools with the help of technology. With input from more than 100 national policy makers and all 50 state educational technology offices, SETDA's action plan sets forth the following 10 recommendations for national, state, and local education leaders:

1) Ensure that technology tools and resources are used continuously and seamlessly for instruction, collaboration, and assessment.

2) Expose all students (pre-K through 12th grade) to STEM fields and careers.

3) Make ongoing, sustainable professional development available to all teachers.

4) Use virtual learning opportunities for teachers to further their professional development, such as through online communities and education portals.

5) Incorporate innovative, consistent, and timely assessments into daily instruction.

6) Strengthen the home-school connection by using technology to communicate with parents on student progress.

7) Provide the necessary resources so that every community has the infrastructure to support learning with technology, including assessments and virtual learning.

8) Obtain societal support for education that uses technology from all stakeholders--students, parents, teachers, state and district administrators, business leaders, legislators, and local community members.

9) Provide federal leadership to support states and districts regarding technology's role in school reform by passing the ATTAIN Act.

10) Increase available funding for the e-Rate so that schools can acquire telecommunication services, Internet access, internal connections, and maintenance of those connections.