What does the future hold for educators and facilities professionals when it comes to planning, building, funding, and operating school facilities? No one can absolutely know beforehand. However, there are many, many indicators of where public education in the United States may well be destined. These indicators take the form of already occurring…

To support schools as they move into the 21st century, the Massachusetts Department of Education is developing improved systems to collect, analyze, and report data, which will ultimately allow districts to make decisions about instructional practices that will better meet students' needs. Many Massachusetts school districts are using these…

Online learning is growing rapidly as states and districts are creating new online schools, and existing programs are adding new courses and students. The growth reflects the spreading understanding that online courses and programs can serve a wide variety of students and needs. These include: (1) Creating opportunities for small and rural school…

The pervasive popularity of the Internet in the past decade has changed the way many students live and learn, in part, because modern technology has made it possible for learners to access Real-Time Multimedia information on the Internet, or research any topic of interest to them from virtually any computer anywhere in the world. Students can also…

The recent revolution in information technology (IT) has significantly challenged society's perception and thinking about the world in which we live. Because of its many advantages, distance learning has been identified by educators, scholars, academicians, and researchers as one of the most effective ways to improve the quality of learning. This…

Shortly after becoming a CIO (Chief Information Officer), the author read an article by Gregory Jackson in the January 2004 Chronicle of Higher Education entitled, "A CIO's Question: Will You Still Need Me When I'm 64?" Jackson, one of the most widely known and respected CIOs in higher education, argued that CIOs in higher education face four…

Implementation of information systems has lagged in many areas of clinical healthcare for a variety of reasons. Economics, data complexity and resistance are among the often quoted roadblocks. Research suggests that physicians play a major part in the adoption, use and diffusion of information technology (IT) in clinical settings. There are also…

This book is a guide for educators on planning an educational World Wide Web site. The book contains the following chapters: (1) "Why Create School & Educational Web Sites?" including community connections, partnerships with parents, linking to learners and learning, and engaging educators; (2) "How To Get from Idea to Web Site:…

This paper reviews the efforts of the Idaho Council for Technology in Learning to provide consistent and thorough standards for planning for educational technology, presents keys for meeting those standards, and offers suggestions for using these keys to successfully implement and account for planned technology use in the curriculum. The planning…

This Digest lists a sample of no-cost Internet resources of special interest to K-12 educators. Highlights include: Guides to Internet Resources; Lesson Plans and Teaching Materials; Keypals and Penpals; Acceptable Use Policies; Technology Plans for K-12 Schools; Internet Projects for the Classroom; Grant Information; E-Rate Information; Federal…

Reviews products and services that are resources for staff development for educators. New offerings range from "do-it-yourself" kits to on-site workshops, from product-specific workbooks to Internet sites. The selection process should include costs and how the products and services complement a district's technology plan. (AEF)

Discusses school districts' technology plans and the need to look beyond funding for hardware to address more pertinent issues such as integrating technology use into subject and grade-level proficiencies, staff-development programs for technology, technical support, considering technology proficiencies when evaluating teachers, and restructuring…

When focusing school planning efforts around technology, educators may create costly "technocentric" plans that will not necessarily improve learning or increase school-community communication. Internet access is wasted unless students are taught critical-thinking/information-validation skills. Students do not need $2,000 pencils to…

Handheld computers are just beginning to be introduced in schools. Before adopting the latest innovation, administrators must ask careful questions about issues and implications regarding leadership, teaching and learning, staff development, technology support, planning, infrastructure, safety and security, ethics, evaluation, curriculum, change,…

Sound technology policies can spell the difference between an effective website and an online nightmare. An effective web development policy addresses six key areas: roles and responsibilities, content/educational value, privacy and safety, adherence to copyright laws, technical standards, and use of commercial sites and services. (MLH)