Students 8 and younger have access to screens everywhere--on smartphones, tablets, handheld games, and laptops, to name just a few places. How do you know if students are using these tools effectively? Are the students participating in digital environments in ways that encourage critical thinking, active engagement, and contribution, or are they…

It is a fair assumption that most teachers in the United States have, by now, had some exposure to technology in the classroom. And most educators who have worked with technology in their schools will likely agree that simply having technology doesn't guarantee its effective use.

Given the power of instructional technology and the ubiquitous nature of technology in society and the workplace, what are the social implications associated with teachers' decisions to use, or not use, technology to enhance teaching and learning? Despite current U.S. educational goals and the documented effect of the achievement gap, little…

As the volume of L&L closes, I usually take some time to reflect on what we have done over the year as a magazine and what has happened in the field. We currently have infrastructure and technology for integrated systems that combine data, curriculum, resources, tools, assessments, delivery, and reporting, all at the fingertips of educators.…

Many principals want to provide effective professional development to assist teachers with technology integration, but they don't know where to begin. Sometimes teachers participate in professional development opportunities offered by local school districts, but these one-size-fits-all experiences seldom address teachers' specific needs or skill…

Excitement about handhelds must be tempered by an understanding of what is typically required when any new technology is introduced into classrooms. We know, for example, that to succeed, handheld initiatives will need clear educational objectives and a logical theory of action that guides implementation. We can anticipate that teachers will need…

Sixth grade language arts teacher Ms. Jones has just finished teaching a unit she's taught for the past 10 years. She uses the works of O. Henry to teach literary elements. Not much has changed about this unit over the years; the learning objectives and concepts covered have stayed the same. But something is different this year. Students are…

In March 2000, Maine Governor Angus King surprised the rest of the United States when he announced that he wanted to provide every seventh grader in Maine with a portable wireless computing device. An unexpected state budget surplus had given him the opportunity to do something radical to improve education and the economy of Maine. King recognized…

The most important step in recruiting a school technology coordinator is the interview. Examines the candidate interview, concentrating on four areas: technical expertise, understanding technology use in instructional environments, professional development, and Internet knowledge and experience. Provides questions and discussions of possible…

Phase 9, a teacher-designed, classroom centered model, takes teachers through a nine-step process that results in the development of integrated instructional units. Teams of teachers come to an intensive five-day training with lessons they know work well with students. In interdisciplinary teams, they fold technology, state and national standards,…

New technologies often assume the form of prior traditions during their infancy. For example, filmed plays known as photoplays were initially produced prior to the development of modern cinema conventions. Similarly, printed books at first assumed many of the characteristics of hand-lettered manuscripts.