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Hi folks, What fun! A good debate on policy, the role of professional organizations, and status of libraries. Important discussions. There are some interesting questions here in both Dawn's statement and Peter's response. 1. Is the National Education Tech Plan one that our profession should endorse - either politically (which it has chosen to do) or philosophically (which as an AASL member I do not remember being asked about)? Of course, even as a board member of ISTE, I do not remember being asked my opinion about the plan either, but I do not remember reading a statement of organizational support from ISTE either. But my memory is spotty - just ask my wife. 2. Is this a plan worth endorsing and supporting or is it simply a political manifesto done for PR purposes by the Dept of Ed? I found the recommendations rather bland and uninspiring, things that most districts are already working on rather than dreaming about. No one can object to strengthening leadership, budgeting innovatively (is there any other way given the state of school finance?), improving teacher training, getting more capacity for Internet access or integrating data systems (my eyes are glazing over). E-Learning and virtual schools have their place as does digital content to support learning. Big whoop to all of these. Say what you will about the implementation of NCLB, but the goals themselves are exciting - all children literate and all teachers highly qualified. Now THOSE are goals! Where are the equivalent goals of the tech plan? - All graduates able to use information technologies to solve problems creatively and give defensibly supported answers to meaningful questions. - All students able to harness technology to communicate powerfully. - All teachers using technology to provide individualized learning opportunities for every child. - The educational goals of all children with special needs met through the use of adaptive technologies. - The recognition that the use of technology is a means to an end, not an end in itself by every school decision-maker. Is it upsetting that libraries were absent from the plan, but the things we as librarians think are important were left out? I am curious to know if any of the input collected from practitioners was actually read. I know the SIGMS group from ISTE and many librarians personally made comments. I don't see any of MINE reflected in the plan, but my cynical side did not really expect to. My vision of technology use is rather different from that of the federal DOE (as would be my means of achieving the goals of NCLB.) 3. What is the long-term impact of a national tech plan? Well, until federal funds are allocated with the requirement that one of the "action steps" (not goals) are address in order to receive them, I think we can all safely put the document on the shelf and bring it our when it suits our purpose. And when funds depend on the plan, we twist (no excuse me), interpret the plan to fit our real needs as anyone who has been in education for 6 months or longer can do without thinking. As another LM_Netter suggested, it is far more important that our district and state tech plans reflect the values of AASL and ISTE. I ain't losing much sleep over this document. I was disheartened by the lack of vision in the plan. This is no "man on the moon by the end of the decade" challenge but an incomplete set of instructions on how to build a bottle rocket. A lost opportunity to make our schools actually better places. Long enough. All the best, Doug Doug Johnson Director of Media and Technology Mankato Area Public Schools Box 8713, 1351 S Riverfront Dr. Mankato MN 56001-8714 507-387-7698 x 473 dougj@doug-johnson.com www.doug-johnson.com "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." -- George Carlin -------------------------------------------------------------------- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/ LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------