Technology is only useful if teachers are actually using it to teach. Six key points are made in this article cited below. First, "keep up with the students." If schools connect their networks with items that students already own, then the students can access information and resources whenever they need to or want to. Doing this may allow funding to be stretched to give items to students who do not own any. Second, "measure and communicate technology’s value." Educators were never asked to prove the value of textbooks or workbooks, yet, due to the higher cost, technology is expected to be justified. Budges are tight and computers are often viewed as additional unless it would become the main way to learn the curriculum. Third, "attain one-to-one access". Until teachers are able to use computers for teaching and accessing, technology will not be more than a "peripheral" means. The author takes the viewpoint that students and teachers need "individual access, 24/7,"and "the issue of access to computers is a civil rights issue." The fourth point is "shift the leadership role." Those that push for using technology in instruction come from those who are already technology specialists in the schools. The district leaders and content area specialists need to be the ones pushing for technology if technology is going to get past being just an add-on service. Fifth, "keep planning alive." Those responsible for curriculum and instruction are those who should be given the responsibility for planning the use of technology and the plan should be full of instructional purposes. The reason for this is so that technology is integrated across curricular areas. Lastly, "dare to dream." Look at budgets and transform them as there are plenty of success stories for those that did.

One interesting part of this article is a quote from a middle-school student, who has a laptop, and said to the Executive Director, Milton Chen, of the George Lucas Education Foundation, "This computer is part of my brain. Why would I leave it behind in a computer lab?" I do not know the feasibility of schools purchasing a computer for some students and not for others based on whether the student already owns one. I think computers would have to be distributed the same as textbooks meaning each student would have the opportunity to receive one. In virtual charter schools, in PA, students are give a computer as well as needed texts. Lessons are accessed online with relevant learning materials. There are still many older leaders who are not comfortable with technology because they were not taught it in college and have never taken the time to learn its benefits. Likely, lack of exposure to technology and learning is based out of fear or lack of time. Even cell phones were scary in the beginning. Those teachers who have learned themselves, with online courses or other forms of technology, are more apt to see the benefits for their students. In some school districts, grades are kept online now so that parents and caregivers can have immediate access at any time. This is certainly a move in the right direction in terms of working with parents as team members and using technology to do so. Another way of looking at the Internet is that it is a world of reading just like newspapers, magazines, and books. Many people see only the downside of the Internet because it is so frequently used for the "darker side" of life. With appropriate filters to assist responsible users, the Internet is a virtual library for information seekers and gives the user a great sense of freedom in communication with people and their thoughts, knowledge, research, and life experiences. I believe the world needs smarter people and the Internet is a very useful tool for this. Throughout our careers and lives (if not now, then when you have children), technology is a piece of life and sometimes the central piece. In education, computers should be central; no longer with one computer per classroom and one trip weekly to the computer lab. Computers need to become more and more central as students advance. Handwriting needs to be worked on in the younger grades and group cooperation throughout grades. I still believe knowing how to spell and compute are important. After all, its people who program computers. Once computers are up and running for every student, money will be saved because a textbook will not be needed for every subject or, at least, not as large a textbook if one is still desirable. It may not matter if the library does not have what you need because you can find it online. Libraries will always be needed for quick facts, books that we can take to places where computers are not, collections of knowledge, memoirs, and recreational reading among other reasons, and for the meeting of minds to discuss searches for and finds of information.