Case 1 Study:

Something has been happening lately in education, and the implications are a bit unsettling. People are beginning to ask a cogent question, but I fear it's being framed for the wrong reason. I'm hearing more and more important decision makers asking, "Why are we using technology?"

The question itself isn't inherently problematic. In fact, it's quite an excellent question that should be asked every time we create a student learning experience, but it should be asked as a pedagogical inquisition rather than the way it's being framed in too many districts as of late.

I've heard from several colleagues in various states that there is pressure mounting to cut both future and existing plans for increasing technology utilization in their districts. Many districts are eliminating technology personnel as well. The primary catalyst for this is being blamed on the economy. Budgets are being trimmed and belts are being tightened, and it would appear to those wielding the shears that technology is the low hanging fruit. The federal stimulus package, while certainly helpful, hasn't proven to be enough to reassure many of the trepid districts. Technology is typically expensive, and the reality of the expense is seen by some to outdistance the reality of the return on investment we can get when affording students the opportunity to engage learning with technology.