What's Education Sec Arne Duncan's Legacy on Ed-Tech?

[Commentary] US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced his plans to resign later in 2015, bringing an end to a long tenure in which he pushed for far-reaching and sometimes divisive changes in school policy. But what will be his legacy on educational technology?

Sec Duncan served as secretary at a dynamic time in the ed-tech space. Private investors were pouring vast amounts of money into digital products, seeking financial returns, during his time in office. And districts were taking on ambitious and in some cases daring ed-tech projects in the hopes of leading to increased student learning and engagement. But it was also a confusing time for many K-12 offiicals. Some struggled to implement sweeping ed-tech efforts, while others were vexed by digital projects they were obligated to implement, such as delivering state online tests. Sec Duncan had limited ability to shape many of the forces at work in the ed-tech space.