The National Educational Technology Plan; a look at the Draft

In February 2009, President Barack Obama made a comment that will continue to reverberate throughout American History. He said, “By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.” He didn’t make that statement just to voice his opinion about college graduate rates. He said this because he and his cabinet foresee the importance of education and technology and how much of an impact these factors have on our future as a country.

Because of the gravity of technology, our country must combat the growing distance between where our technology is and the amount of experience we have with utilizing it. That is where the National Educational Technology Draft Plan was born. Experts, from all across the country, came together to create a national plan to incorporate technology in all aspects of education.

There are two main goals of the Draft Plan:

v  raise the graduate rate from 39% to 60% (of American population who holds either a 2 or 4 year college degree)

v  close the achievement gap between races so that all students are prepared for college

These goals will be achieved through the incorporation of technology in teaching, infrastructure, learning, and teacher development.

As far as teaching goes, the draft declares the age of teaching by yourself is over. Teachers will work together and collaborate to provide an education experience that can continue even when the school day is over. There will be online communities where educators can gain ongoing knowledge and professional growth.

In regards to infrastructure, this model for learning is “always on” and always obtainable for students, educators, administrators, and parents. It is more than just a social network or network of knowledge. It is an opportunity to create an online community with a wealth of knowledge regardless of monetary wealth.

Learning will be assessed using data and teacher/student designed measurement tools. The inclusion of technology allows for instant and reliable access to data for everyone involved.

Teacher development opportunities will be available around the clock and around the world. Schools and education agencies will provide ample workshops and developments so that teachers will be equipped with the latest and most recent updates.

I am sure that there are many concerns regarding this initiative. For one, who is paying for this? When will educators be given time to learn the programs? Is this going to be another addition to high stakes testing? I am sure all of these concerns will be addressed as time progresses. If not, I am sure that we educators will voice our concerns.