Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT; NCLB II-D)
Pennsylvania Educator Comments
May, 2006
At at time when remote instrumentation and relevant information is becoming more readily available to K-12 through broadband applications and database access for the education of students and teachers, why has Congress suddenly decided that it is also the time to cut funding that makes this sort of access possible? This just doesn't make sense! We currently use broadband to access an XL30 scanning electron microscope from Lehigh University to a 6th grade classroom. With this instrumentation, we allow students to analyze samples from a local Superfund environmental revegetation project. The students learn about nanotechnology along the way, in terms of environmental restoration applications and through microscopy. EETT funding would be the kind of source funding that we could seek to expand this program to other districts and states.
Andrea Harmer, Director of Web-based Education, Lehigh University, Bethlehem
In a world where nearly every aspect of our lives are enhanced by technology, it is painful to realize that education has lagged almost every other industry in leveraging technology. The EETT funding is a crucial step towards improving US education.
Andy Frost, Parent, Eden Prairie ISD, Pittsburgh
One way to 'not leave any child behind' is through technology. We cannot teach the children of the 21st century with the tools that are being provided in education today. Instead of handing out textbooks we should be providing every student with laptops and high-speed connections to the Internet. Textbooks are obsolete the minute they go to the press. For the children to be able to work in a worldwide task force we need to provide them with the tools to reach worldwide. Districts do not have the money for these tools. It is up to the government to provide grants for schools to obtain these monies. I have witnessed schools that have a 1:1 ratio of computers to students. These students do research, simulated science experiments, web hosting with other schools around the world, create projects and demonstrate presentations. These students will be ready for colleges of the future. They will be ready to work in coops that provide the students with future jobs.
Barbara Landon, , Tunkhannock Area School district, Tunkhannock
Technology can facilitate learning if students and staff have the skills necessary to use it. In my opinion, technology can help level the field for students with language and learning disabilities. This can only happen, however, if we have the resources and training necessary to support our learning goals.
Carmela Curatola Knowles, Elementary Technology Teacher,
Hatboro-Horsham School District, Horsham
Our society is entrenched in technology. It is imperative that schools have the funds to educate our children to be successful in this new world.
Carol Dittoe, Computer Science Teacher, Octorara Middle School, Atglen
As the outside evaluator of the School District of Philadelphia's EETT grant for the last 3 years, I have seen the power of technology in schools and the commitment to help principals and teachers use the power of data through Instructional Management tools to support their students' learning. Case in point is Welsh Elementary School, recently heralded in the Education Week Techology Counts 2006. Technology in the classrooms and throughout the school, only afforded through the EETT grant funding, has support those 5th graders to improve proficient scores on the PSSA in math from 1 percent in 2001 to over 70 percent in 2005. Yes, curriculum had something to do with the change in performance, but having access to data to identify individual students' needs had a big impact. This is but one example, and there are many more, thanks to the EETT funding. Were it to stop, which is possible, these success stories may recede because funding is key to making change in schools.
Catherine C. Schifter, Associate Professor, Temple University, Philadelphia
Students in the Information Age must be able to effectively utilize technology to process the glut of information. To do this this must be taught, which means that up-to-date technology must be in all of our public schools.
Celeste DiCarlo Nalwasky, Ph.D., Educational Consultant,
Intermediate Unit I, McMuray
How can we compete with the rest of the world without technology in the classrooms!!! Read the statistics. The US is behind and falling behind at an increasing rate! We can barely afford the basics with the upoming cap on property taxes. Please continue to fund EETT.
Christine Zervos, School Administrator, Pennsbury School District, Fallsington
Technology is critical to the success of our students in our schools and to our future earners and taxpayers.
D. McLaughlin, speech therapist, West Chester
Technology integration for today's student is critical for America's citizen of tomorrow. Please restore funding.
Dave Solon, Tech Analyst, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster
Many of our students come from limited economic backgrounds. We are providing a venue for our students where they can develop the set skills necessary for them to succeed in life. To limit access to technological education is to stifle their ability to succeed. We must move beyond the rhetoric of the American dream and it's blemished reality. Last year because of our school's commitment to our students learning, ninety-seven per cent of our graduating class were accepted into college - not bad for a charter high school in Philadelphia's barrio. We have five of our alumni who are studying some form of graphic design, computer animation and video production, all at the college level. We need a commitment to technological training for students from congress and the senate. Failure to do so will convert the idea of no child left behind to some whimsical saying of no value.
David del Valle, Director of Alumni Relations, Nueva Esperanza Academy, Philadelphia
We are moving toward a society that is highly dependant on technology. Students need to learn as much as possible about technology to keep competitive
Doug Martin, Teacher, Fox Chapel Area High School, Pittsburgh
Living in a rural area, the need for skills and contact with our global society is vital and necessary for our existance and cultural awareness.
Edna Snook, Computer Teacher, Indian Valley Middle School, Reedsville
My lower-income school district has utilized EETT funds to train our teachers and purchase equipment for our schools. Most of our students have never used a computer outside of the school setting. Without EETT funding, we would be unable to provide for our students the tools and experiences they need in order to become successful members of a technological society.
Erika Llewellyn, Technology Teacher, Southeast Delco School District, Folcroft
Globally, we are moving towards an information reliant society. We must prepare our nation's students to compete in our new and ever changing environment.
Frank Russo, Teacher, Towanda High School, Sayre
Small rural school districts with a predominantly poor population need the support of government to provide technology training and equipment to help ready their student population for the future with that technology.
Gary Hettinger, Teacher, Towanda Area School District, Towanda
Without EEET we will lose valuable funds for Staff Development which is CRUCIAL to the successful use of technology in schools.
Gina Fioravanti, Instructional Technology Specialist, DCIU, Linwood
Education needs technology! We cannot fall behind the rest of the world in our technology use and education.
Holly Dittmar, Continuing Education Facilitator,
CIU 10 West Branch Technology Center, Lock Haven
EETT Funding has served as a key component in our school and Diocesan Technology Plans. The funding provided has allowed for our school to continue to prepare our students for the technology challenges of the future.
James Marcks, Principal, Former Interim Superintendnet of Schools,
Bishop Hannan High School, Scranton
We live in the information age and high school graduates who cannot attend post secondary education must have a substantial exposure to technology to succeed in today's workforce. Please reconsider any/all proposed cuts to this very needed funding stream.
James Yeager, Technology Facilitator II, CIU #10 –
West Branch Technology Center, Lock Haven
EETT has made a difference in our district and we would like to continue the passion. Staff development has increased, technology literacy and student achievement will be impacted. Staff development for 13 schools and IT certification for 55 teachers has made a world of difference in our district. We are experimenting with video conferencing and plan to roll out a more definate program next year. EETT has made a difference in our district
Madell Dobrushin, Staff Development-Technology,
Pittsburgh School District, Pittsburgh
My school is in an economically and educationally disadvantaged area. Our students rely on the school's ability to expand their immediate environment and to reach beyond theior dreams. Technology allows us to do so in ways that would be impossible to do so other ways. We find access to information on the Internet, elearning courseware, presentation technologies, to be both motivational and effective tools in the classroom.
Martin Friedman, Project & IT Director,
Imhotep Institute Charter High School, Philadelphia
Technology supports project-based learning which is real-world learning which is REAL learning. It is also an equalizing factor in a diverse classroom.
Mary S. Hall, Teacher, Warwick High School, Lititz
Statistics suggest nearly 80% of world internet access is from other countries [http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm, Mar 2006]. IF the U.S. intends to stay competitive in the global marketplace, we need to aggressively champion technology in the classroom. Restoring funding to Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) is an important component of our strategy.
Mike Nerino, Dean of Students, Alvernia College, Reading
Any job or career that exists in our world today requires people to use technology, sometimes without even realizing it. So teaching our young people to understand how technology can make a BETTER world is most important to maintain our standing in the global community. As suspected by most educators, technology is here to stay. In the Diocese of Harrisburg, PA, we have 40 elementary schools and seven high schools with a total enrollment of 13,648 students. The EETT funding is extremely critical to our survival and excellence.
Richard T. Smith, Assistant Superintendent, Diocese of Harrisburg, Harrisburg
As our society becomes more reliant on technology tools it become imperitive that our children learn the basics that will allow them to incorporate these tools in a positive way. The culture presses for students and children to abuse the tools in order to generate revenue from the naive. Technology is quickly becoming a unifying aspect of the curriculum. Teachers are recognizing the motivational and pedegogically valid uses that tehcnology presents and how it serves the dual purpose of adding meaning and interest into the subject matter at hand as well as opening up the greater possibilities for communication that it offers.
Robert Kern, Technology Specialist / Library Media Specialist,
Prospect Park School / Interboro School District, Prospect Park
EETT funding is critical to the improvement of education in this country. We need to continually update our technology within schools inorder to allow our students to excel and to be competitive in an ever changing global economy. Cutting EETT funding would be a huge mistake.
Roger Crider, Business Technology Teacher,
Franklin Regional School District, Murrysville
Technology is critical to education in the 21st century. This is the Information Age and students need access to quality databases for research. It is estimated thatinformation in the world doubles every three years. Our students need to learn to find quality information in the midst of all the information available. School libraries need technology to teach critical searching skills to students. We are currently using computers for research using World Book Online, Nettrekker, POWERLibrary databases, Access PA, and various search engines. Students know how to "surf," but they must learn how to use search strategies and evaluation techniques to wade through all of the information available.
Ruth L. Fields, librarian, Bensalem Twp. School District, Bensalem
We use technology in all businesses, how can we expect to train knowledgeable workers without the same technology available to students in our schools?
Sandee Mandel, Elementary Instructional Technology Facilitator,
Phoenixville Area School District, Phoenixville
Reducing the funding for technology in schools will put our nation and the future of our children at risk. If they are not using it now, they will not be competitive for jobs in the global economy.
Shirley Campbell, Director of Instructional Design,
Seton Hill University, Greensburg
Technology is a necessary tool to supplement the learning of students at risk and to help those at risk stay competitive in the world market. To cut funding for technology for these students at this time is fool-hearty.
Sondra Lettrich, Chair, Division of Education, Seton Hill University, Greensburg
The haves will have....and the have-nots will be left to fall further behind. Keep trying to make the playing field even
Stephen R. Duncan, Math/Tech Integration Specialist,
Newtown Elementary School, Newtown
Technology can make a difference in achievement in EVERY child's school life. Emergent learners, gifted learners, challanged learners and regular learners can benefit from new ways to address varied learning styles.
Susan Natale, District Technology, UCFSD, Kennett Square
Many studies have shown a widening gap in income between skilled and unskilled workers. In today's economy, to be a skilled worker requires one to be well acquainted with technology. Providing students with technology is the way to accomplish this.
Timothy A. McCleary, Network Engineer,
Bensalem Township School District, Bensalem
Through the EETT grant to Pittsburgh Public Schools, I was able to gain training at Duquense University in Instructional Technology and a Pennsylvania Instructional Technology Certification. This has greatly enhanced my abilities as I carry out my responsibilities as a Technology Coordinator.
Tom McClure, Technology Coordinator,
Allegheny Traditional Academy, Pittsburgh
At the Jr. High School level, the only way to meet the individual needs of reading, is the computer. We don't have all morning to teach to all the different levels so we must make the most of the forty minets we have. By assigning lessons at each student's instructional level, we can meet those needs. Our work with the PT3 program (Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology) in Pennsylvania has helped to create hundreds of technology-savy teachers - now serving the needs of thousands K-12 students. EETT funding is important to keep the U.S. and our economic future secure - with citizens who are ready to be competitive in a global market.
John A. Kinslow, Professor, West Chester Univ of PA, West Chester
When I taught second grade to mainly Spanish speakers who were learning English, I could not get them to focus on writing until I paired them at a computer and had them write a story. Because this was going to be printed, the pairs of students (one typing and one advising) spent 30 minutes discussing proper punctuation and word use. They improved their English writing skills and became much more aware of word choice and grammar. This was important to them in a way that writing their stories individually by hand was not.
Judith A. Duffield, Associate Professor, Lehigh University, Bethlehem
I have witnessed first hand the role that technology plays in the gifted classroom to help the best and brightest scholars achieve learning objectives. Without EETT funding to continue, these students will lose out on valuable resources that can affect the health of the future of our nation.
Judith Kroboth, Teacher of the Gifted,
Downingtown Area School District, Downingtown
Bethlehem Area School District has invested EETT funds in professional development for integrating technology across the curriculum and in reading and math technology programs in the middle schools. They have been able to document exciting accelerated learning on the part of at risk youngsters, especially ELL, Special Ed., Title I.
Julianne Gehman, EETT Outside Evaluator,
Bethlehem Area School District, New Holland
21st Century skills are imperative to help break the cycle of poverty in the US - these skills will allow our students today to have a career that will potentially pay 40% more than if they didn't have these skills.
Kathy Scott, Central Bucks School District, Doylestown