Why Education Technology May Have To Wait For The Mainstream

The education technology industry has grown to be a $32.1 billion per-year market. It continues to receive support from big names and large corporations, but there is still some hesitation from educators. E-learning initiatives have been built into school budget plans, but those education departments are concerned that technology advanced teaching programs are failing to be effective and accessible to all students. The fear that as technology advances rapidly, educational software programs are marketed to schools as the next best thing, rather than the most effective teaching method. There is no doubt that technology in the classroom can aid to a students learning, but the big question is how? John Keller, assistant superintendent for technology at the Indiana Department of Education asks the question, “How will these tools inside the school and inside the learning context be put to good use, not just a doing these things differently, but doing different things?”

Another prominent challenge is the “digital divide” among students who has access to technology outside of school and those who do not. Not only is there a barrier to access for students, but textbook companies continue to create roadblocks in the development of new technology.

So the question is how can educational technology be successfully implemented into the classroom? Can too much technology begin to adversely affect students performance?

Original article posted by Kyle Stokes, October 18, 2011, for StateImpact Indiana on National Public Radio (NPR).