Blog Posting #3

The executive summary of the National Educational Technology Plan was intended to set goals and to challenge our current methods of technology education. According the reading, under the Obama administration, education has taken a priority driven by two clear goals. These goals are: We will raise the proportion of college graduates from where it now stands (39%) so that 60% of our population holds a 2-year or 4-year degree, and we will close the achievement gap so that all students—regardless of race, income, or neighborhood—graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers. It’s the responsibility of educators today to overcome the fear of not being adequately trained and inexperienced in using technology. Our students do not know of a world without hand held devices and easy access to the Internet. They approach its use with great ease and are comfortable in trying out new technology tools. However, educators often view the approach of using technology with anxiety and are not comfortable with experimenting with new technological tools. Educators need to devote time, energy, and funds to increasing their ease and knowledge in working with these various tools. Once teachers are comfortable with these tools in their teaching they will become a seamless part of the students’ learning process. It is vital that teachers become connected in online learning communities that involve their students’ subject area experts, libraries, and other web resources. This is the way we will engage our students and prepare them for the 21st century.