Election News and Features
Larry W. Smith/AP
Education Groups Push Technology into Presidential Campaigns
A collaborative effort between some of the nation’s largest education advocacy groups is trying to make sure technology is at the center of this year’s election debate on education.
30-Second Summary
The One Giant Leap for Kids campaign is trying to make sure presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama both place technology at the forefront of their education policies.
The push comes amid worries that American K-12 students are falling behind their counterparts in other nations, ultimately making the country’s workforce less competitive.
The Giant Leap campaign comes from the EdTech Action Network, a new consortium made up of The Consortium for School Networking, the International Society for Technology in Education, the state Educational Technology Directors Association and the National Education Association (NEA).
The NEA recently released a report concluding that efforts to train and support teachers in the field of technology integration have been inadequate, leaving teachers unprepared to address the needs of students in a 21st-century classroom.
Combining the member groups’ influence and reach, EdTech has launched a petition and several outreach and advertising efforts to make technology in education a public policy priority.
Both candidates have addressed the need for education reform on their official Web sites. Only Obama has specifically addressed the role of technology in the process, though in a section of his site dedicated to technology, not education.
The push comes amid worries that American K-12 students are falling behind their counterparts in other nations, ultimately making the country’s workforce less competitive.
The Giant Leap campaign comes from the EdTech Action Network, a new consortium made up of The Consortium for School Networking, the International Society for Technology in Education, the state Educational Technology Directors Association and the National Education Association (NEA).
The NEA recently released a report concluding that efforts to train and support teachers in the field of technology integration have been inadequate, leaving teachers unprepared to address the needs of students in a 21st-century classroom.
Combining the member groups’ influence and reach, EdTech has launched a petition and several outreach and advertising efforts to make technology in education a public policy priority.
Both candidates have addressed the need for education reform on their official Web sites. Only Obama has specifically addressed the role of technology in the process, though in a section of his site dedicated to technology, not education.
Headline Links: A push for tech in schools
EdTech’s campaign, called One Giant Leap for Kids, is meant to draw public attention to the role of technology in U.S. schools. Framing the campaign as a way to ensure U.S. schools remain competitive on the global stage, the group is pressuring both major party candidates to place technology at the forefront of their education platforms.
Source: The Washington Business Journal
The EdTech Action Network, a collaboration of education and technology associations, includes the The Consortium for School Networking, the International Society for Technology in Education, the state Educational Technology Directors Association and the NEA.
Source: The EdTech Action Network
Background: Further behind
The push comes soon after a report was released concluding that fewer American students are pursuing computer and technology-related jobs. The decrease comes amid worry that retiring baby boomers will create a void of professionals with technological experience in the United States.
Source: The Washington Post (free registration may be required)
A recent study by the NEA, one of the participating groups, found that despite a decade of investment in technology integration and professional development, the majority of American teachers do not feel prepared or adequately supported when it comes to incorporating computers into the classroom.
Source: NEA
Reactions: Less than hoped for
Earlier this month, representatives of both campaigns spoke to Scholastic about their plans for education, laying out their platform for audience members, however, neither directly addressed the importance of technology in the American classroom.
Source: Scholastic
Opinion & Analysis: A more competitive field demands definition
A study conducted by the RAND Corporation in June found that, although America’s competitive standing in science and technology has not decreased, other countries’ rapid education of their workforces demands education reform in the United States to avoid falling behind in the near future. One of the study’s suggestions was to concentrate on K-12 education, specifically as it applies to science and technology.
Source: RAND Corporation
Steve Lohr of The New York Times said that technology undoubtedly plays an important role in K-12 classrooms, but it is a role that remains undefined and unclear. Lohr suggests that computing in American K-12 schools is decades behind colleges in terms of having a clearly defined use in classroom education.
Source: Bits and Bytes Blog (The New York Times)
Reference: The presidential candidates and education technology
Having made technology a central part of his campaign, Barack Obama includes a proposal on his campaign Web site to use technology to “Upgrade Education to Meet the Needs of the 21st Century”. The proposal exists in the Technology section of his site, though not in the Education section.
Source: Barack Obama Official Campaign Site
John McCain’s campaign Web site’s education section addresses U.S. competitiveness but does not specifically mention the role of technology. The campaign site does not host a section dedicated to technology.
Source: John McCain Official Campaign Site
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