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Brewer 1Tina Brewer Issue # 3Due: 10/7/08
The Cost of Infusing Technology, the $100,000 Answer!
A.Background InformationIn today’s world, technology is just as common as reading a book. No onereally thinks about it, nor do they realize the huge impact that it plays in our dailylives. Our students have to be prepared to become competitive contributors intoday’s society. That being said, it is a must that students gain a grasp ontechnology early on and ensure that they receive proper education. Furthermore,it is important to note that technology alone is not as beneficial as havingqualified teachers that can properly integrate it into their lessons/curriculums;thus increasing student engagement, parental involvement and academicachievement (EdTech Action Network).According to EdTech Action Network, there is significant data that suggesttechnology has become a fundamental aspect in our educational systems.Infusing technology into educational systems has allowed for improved learningand achievement, aiding teachers in becoming “highly qualified” and supplyingadministrators with more accurate information to enhance decisions made andpolicies put into practice. With that being said, it is also important to note that thefederal government has been very proactive in this issue as well.An example of a government initiative is the
Examining Educationthrough Technology Program
. The primary goal of the EETT program is “to
 
Brewer 2improve student academic achievement through the use of technology inelementary and secondary schools.” It was authorized by Title II, Part D, of the
Elementary and Secondary 
 
Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)
, as amended by the
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
, to provide formula grants to states for promoting the use of educational technology to improve student achievement(Bakia, Mitchell & Yang, 2007). The monies are to increase the use of technology in schools and to cut cost and promote professional development for teachers/administrators, etc. According to John Bailey, the EEFT programencourages schools to ally their educational needs and goals with thetechnological solutions they are attempting to place inside the schools (Delisio,2003).B. JustificationPositive effects have been found in mostly all areas of instruction. Theimportance and benefits of technology has been unveiled in our school systemswith the following data:
In
Massachusetts
: It was reported that 4
th
grade students who frequentlyutilized technology at school to edit papers had higher totals inEnglish/language arts test scores and higher writing scores on theMassachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) thanstudents who did not. (O’Dwyer, Russell, Bebell and Tucker-Seeley, 2005)
In
Georgia
: 6-12
th
grade students that utilized an interactive software tolearn pre-algebra and algebra scored higher on standardized state math
 
Brewer 3tests than those students in traditional classrooms alone (What WorksClearinghouse, 2004).
In
Oklahoma
: It was reported that 9
th
grade students who used interactivesoftware to learn algebra earned higher course grades. Also, attendanceand retention in the classes improved for those students. Specifically theresearch states that “students using this software performed 30% better on questions from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study,demonstrated an 85% better performance on assessments of complexmathematics problem solving and thinking, have a 70% greater likelihoodof completing subsequent geometry and algebra II courses and achieved15% -25% better scores on the SAT and Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test”(Ringstaff & Kelley, 2002).
In
Mississippi 
: students at Shaw High School are part of the 1
st
Things 1
st
initiative; this initiative relies on technology as a means for trainingteachers, assessment, system leadership and parent involvement. Just 3years into the 1
st
Things 1
st
implementation: Shaw met NCLB AdequateYearly Progress in all areas; the students significantly increased their passrate on exit exams in math and language arts and performed better thanstate average on all mandatory assessments.
In studies focusing on reading and language arts, technology has beenrevealed to provide a learning advantage in the areas of phonologicalawareness, vocabulary development, reading comprehension and spelling(Sivan-Kachala & Bialo, 2000).
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