I think this plan outlines some much needed changes in schools.  However, I feel like it falls short in practicality.  First, I think that educators should exploit all the resources they can, and I would guess that most truly want to.  But, no matter the amount of time spent with professional development or seminars, which can present you with ideas that sound great in theory but simply do not work in the classroom, there is no way to constantly use up to date resources.  The plan calls for a new approach from a new R&D organization to bring ideas of educational technology uses.  By the time the findings of these groups reach teachers, there may be better options already available.

Second, I do believe that, as it is with most changes to education, change should happen quickly.  However, if we have to wait for all fifty states, all districts and schools, the federal government, and all other education stakeholders to come together in order to fully design and implement technology in the classroom, it seems as though we still have years of waiting ahead of us.  Because of this, I think educators have to be proactive with change.   If we are expected to better the situation now, we cannot sit around and wait for policymakers and R&D teams to tell us how to do it.  This is a pretty big responsibility, which requires tons of time and effort, to carry around.

I recently saw a seventh grade ELA teacher struggle with using a limited number of laptops in her classroom.  She has over twenty students and only nine computers.  Instead of pairing students up to work collaboratively, she randomly drew nine numbered popsicle sticks and allowed those nine children to work with the technology.  I am sure, or at least I hope, she has contemplated different methods of sharing technology than this, but that she has simply found this to be the easiest way.  If she were to wait until someone could tell her how she should be using this technology, fifteen children would lose out every year.  So it is up to the educator to decide, through trial and error, just how to implement technology in the classroom.  It seems like creating local R&D teams in individual schools and districts, instead of waiting for the Department of Education to take the reins, might be more effective.  Do you think it would be a better idea to wait until R&D teams have decided what is best or to spend extra time in collaboration with other educators around you?  Is technological design and use something we can tackle alone, and still have positive results?