A United Vision: Technology for All Americans
"Proponents of technological education envision more than an area of study that trains students to use computers. They envision an articulated, hands-on, program that enables students to gain the needed knowledge and experience working with a wide spectrum of technological devices and processes."

Relating Technology Education Goals to Curriculum Planning
A discontinuity exists in the descriptive theory (goal statements) and prescriptive theory (curriculum-planning practices) of industrial arts/technology education. This discontinuity is caused, in part, by the strategies used for planning curriculum and the limited prescriptive theory which exists in the field.

The KIE Curriculum:  The KIE curriculum involves students in projects in which they work with scientific evidence. KIE currently supports theory comparison, critique, and design projects. KIE can be used by science classes or for personal projects. When used in a classroom, KIE can complement other curricula such as laboratories.

Teacher's Role as Coach  Teachers who make extensive use of cooperative learning and project-based work develop skills as intellectual "coaches" and undertake a new role as the activity designer and facilitator rather than the chief "doer" or center of attention.

The Role of Teachers in School Reform  A collection of references to articles that examine the changing roles of teachers in educational reform.

Who Creates Curriculum?  New Roles for Teachers  A model for curriculum inquiry can help districts and teachers decide which decisions to make collectively and which to leave to individual choice.

TEACHER TRAINING-REACHING OUT  Author: Gwen Solomon, Office of Technology, US Department of Education. Reprinted from Electronic Learning. Staff development takes many forms; this article looks at four professional development models that will get teachers excited about using technology in their classrooms.

Investing In Teachers:  The professional development of teachers has often been an afterthought in American schools. When budgets get tight, career development is often one of the first things to go. But if teachers are to become comfortable with the technologies that will reshape schools, they must receive both preservice training during their college years and inservice training during their careers.

Designing Staff Development for the Information Age:  Whether it be learning to teach for thinking, to deliver lessons within a cooperative learning framework or to master new technologies such as videodiscs and multimedia, the traditional conceptions of staff development must be reconsidered and revised to support the kinds of adult learning which will bring educators enthusiastically to the cutting edge of practice without encountering the bleeding edge.

Teacher's Role as Coach  Teachers who make extensive use of cooperative learning and project-based work develop skills as intellectual "coaches" and undertake a new role as the activity designer and facilitator rather than the chief "doer" or center of attention.

The Role of Teachers in School Reform  A collection of references to articles that examine the changing roles of teachers in educational reform.

Personnel in Technology Planning  First and foremost must be the focus of the mission statement of how technology will benefit the institution. Since technology will in all probability benefit the institution in all areas and levels, then it would probably prove to be beneficial to select a cross-section of personnel who would represent the whole institution.

The Role of the School Business Manager in Technology Planning  Every individual associated with a school or school district is of vital importance to the process of technology planning.  Certain people at the central administration level, however, have acutely crucial roles to play when the district is making plans to infuse technology pragmatically into instructional and administrative operations. One administrator often overlooked in the technology planning process is the school business manager.

Roles Supporting Local Action Plans: (Private and NonProfit)   A number of individual businesses, foundations, and colleges and universities are already making significant contributions towards reaching the nation's technology goals by supporting the improvement of state and local infrastructure, developing instructional resources, and training current and future teachers in the use of technology in the classroom.

Who Creates Curriculum?  New Roles for Teachers  A model for curriculum inquiry can help districts and teachers decide which decisions to make collectively and which to leave to individual choice.

TEACHER TRAINING-REACHING OUT  Author: Gwen Solomon, Office of Technology, US Department of Education. Reprinted from Electronic Learning. Staff development takes many forms; this article looks at four professional development models that will get teachers excited about using technology in their classrooms.

Investing In Teachers:  The professional development of teachers has often been an afterthought in American schools. When budgets get tight, career development is often one of the first things to go. But if teachers are to become comfortable with the technologies that will reshape schools, they must receive both preservice training during their college years and inservice training during their careers.

Assessing Staff Technology Competence:   This article offers several tools to assist district technology planners in developing the human resource development piece which has been missing from all too many district technology plans. These same tools may also help support district grant-writing efforts by providing an assessment tool to define the adult learning needs of staff members in ways that will document a need for staff development programs.

Designing Staff Development for the Information Age:  Whether it be learning to teach for thinking, to deliver lessons witinh a cooperative learning framework or to master new technologies such as videodiscs and multimedia, the traditional conceptions of staff development must be reconsidered and revised to support the kinds of adult learning which will bring educators enthusiastically to the cutting edge of practice without encountering the bleeding edge.

A Summary of Professional Development  What kinds of preparation and professional development do teachers need, if they're to integrate technology into teaching and learning in ways that help students learn well?

Creating Flexible District Technology Plans:  Basic to good technology planning is the concept of flexibility and open-mindedness. Highly detailed plans stretching out over a five year period are fraught with peril because they might serve to lock schools into a sequence of activities which will overlook rapidly breaking new developments and actually blunt the staff experimentation required to provide a bridge between traditional classroom practice and the classroom of the future.

"Did anybody learn anything?"  Assessing Technology Programs and the Learning Accomplished:  "Did anybody learn anything?" is the essential question. Has this just been another great educational bandwagon or boondoggle? Or has the introduction of new technology made a substantial difference in the learning of students?

Roles Supporting Local Action Plans: (Role of States and Local Communities) In every state, and in many local communities, there are examples of how technology has transformed teaching and learning, and improved student achievement. State leaders are building information infrastructures and supporting teacher professional development. Local community leaders, such as school district officials, school board members, educators, families, students, and other interested citizens, are developing plans to use technology in schools and are raising money to implement them.

Assessing Staff Technology Competence:   This article offers several tools to assist district technology planners in developing the human resource development piece which has been missing from all too many district technology plans. These same tools may also help support district grant-writing efforts by providing an assessment tool to define the adult learning needs of staff members in ways that will document a need for staff development programs.

The Mission & Principles of Professional Development  Professional development plays an essential role in successful education reform. Professional development serves as the bridge between where prospective and experienced educators are now and where they will need to be to meet the new challenges of guiding all students in achieving to higher standards of learning and development.

Helping Teachers Teach Well: Transforming Professional Development  In virtually every state in the country, reform efforts are dramatically raising expectations for students, and consequently, for teachers. In response to these reform initiatives, educators are being asked to master new skills and responsibilities and to change their practice.

Investing In Teachers:  The professional development of teachers has often been an afterthought in American schools. When budgets get tight, career development is often one of the first things to go. But if teachers are to become comfortable with the technologies that will reshape schools, they must receive both preservice training during their college years and inservice training during their careers.

TEACHER TRAINING-REACHING OUT  Author: Gwen Solomon, Office of Technology, US Department of Education. Reprinted from Electronic Learning. Staff development takes many forms; this article looks at four professional development models that will get teachers excited about using technology in their classrooms.

Designing Staff Development for the Information Age:  Whether it be learning to teach for thinking, to deliver lessons witinh a cooperative learning framework or to master new technologies such as videodiscs and multimedia, the traditional conceptions of staff development must be reconsidered and revised to support the kinds of adult learning which will bring educators enthusiastically to the cutting edge of practice without encountering the bleeding edge.

A Summary of Professional Development  What kinds of preparation and professional development do teachers need, if they're to integrate technology into teaching and learning in ways that help students learn well?

Technical Assistance Our case studies show the importance of the level and role of technical assistance in the effective integration of technology in schools.

Network Wiring Standards: Knowing what to recommend for building network wiring is always a toughquestion. The real answer is "it depends".
Volume I
Volume II

Building-level (School) Technology Plans

Consortium for School Networking  Welcome to the World Wide Web server for the Consortium for School Networking. This server is currently under construction. It will house a wealth of material relating to school networking.

Computing EDGE - matches needy schools with excess, unused or obsolete computer equipment.

Burgeoning Markets:  Skyrocketing Sales of computer hardware and software point towards the future of education

District Technology Plans

Building-level (School) Technology Plans

Barriers to New Technologies, Part One: Staff Balkanization:  You might expect a discussion of Balkanization to arise in a middle school social studies class, but at an elementary school faculty meeting during a discussion about technology? Fact is, for many schools, politics and a school culture that supports "turf-guarding", not a scarcity of dollars, is preventing motivated and otherwise creative educators from making greater strides to blend technology into the culture of their school.

The Art of Persuasion: Marketing New Technologies to Key Constituents:  In September's From Now On we suggested the need for technology coordinators to become grant-makers. Now, if they wish to maintain forward progress, technology wizards must also become political wizards and marketing maestros.

The National Plan for Educational Technology

State Technology Plans

District Technology Plans

Building-level (School) Technology Plans

Libweb  Libweb is currently listing over 1100 libraries in over 45 countries on 6 continents.

Library of Congress  The Library's mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.

Virtual Galleries vs. Virtual Museums:  What's the Difference? --- Examples of Virtual Galleries --- Examples of Virtual Museums --- The Roles of Students in Each

Roles Supporting Local Action Plans: (Role of States and Local Communities) In every state, and in many local communities, there are examples of how technology has transformed teaching and learning, and improved student achievement. State leaders are building information infrastructures and supporting teacher professional development. Local community leaders, such as school district officials, school board members, educators, families, students, and other interested citizens, are developing plans to use technology in schools and are raising money to implement them.

Resource Guide to Federal Funding For Technology in Education

The Distance Learning Funding $ourcebook:  Although touted for distance learning, this page features all kinds of resources schools can tap for funding.

Money Matters:  Funding resources available from the Department of Education

Apple's Education Grants Program  The program, called Partners in Education, demonstrates Apple's continued commitment to schools through its Education Grants.

"Did anybody learn anything?"  Assessing Technology Programs and the Learning Accomplished:  "Did anybody learn anything?" is the essential question. Has this just been another great educational bandwagon or boondoggle? Or has the introduction of new technology made a substantial difference in the learning of students?

Evaluating the Impact of Technology:  The Less Simple Answer:  Why is it difficult, if not impossible, to find definitive studies which show the positive impact computers have had on teachers and learning?  Part of the answer lies in understanding that there are three major uses of technology in schools, and our approach to evaluating each use needs to be quite different.

Extra Resources that currently do not fit a Guiding Question:

Building Their Future:Girls and Technology Education in Connecticut

Program Equity and the Status of Technological  Education:  The Apologetic Nature of Technology Teachers

Technology in schools. Milton Keynes: Open University Press. 352 pp. (ISBN No. 0-7102-0732-8)

Guidebook for Developing an Effective Instructional Technology Plan an Acrobat file published by the National Center for Technology Planning unveiled at NECC by Dr. Larry Anderson.