Under The National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), President Obama has laid out a plan to raise the number of graduates to 60% by 2020. (NETP, 2010). The plan has five goals with recommendations for everyone involved in the learning process. In addition, it addresses most of the issues involved with infrastructure, teaching, productivity and assessment. The goals are as follows: “All learners will have engaging and empowering learning experiences both in and outside of school that prepare them to be active, creative, knowledgeable, and ethical participants in our globally networked society. Our education system at all levels will leverage the power of technology to measure what matters and use assessment data for continuous improvement. Professional educators will be supported individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners. All students and educators will have access to a comprehensive infrastructure for learning when and where they need it. Our education system at all levels will redesign processes and structures to take advantage of the power of technology to improve learning outcomes while making more efficient use of time, money, and staff.” (NETP, 2010). Under this plan, students should become “skillful and strategic…motivated and engaged…and networked learners” (NETP, 2010).
I believe that all of this is excellent and true. I personally embrace technology and think it’s a great plan. The problem that I have is that not every student will want to go to college. Maybe not 60% will want to go on for that associate’s or bachelor’s degree. There are still those who are on another route. Some (although I admit not a great number) do not even like technology and are resistant. How, then, is it feasible to make those great strides in so few years?
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming american education: learning powered by technology. draft national educational technology plan 2010
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