Our thanks to Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education(ISTE) for presenting on this week’s The Intersection: A Biweekly Education Policy Conversation. Richard joined us to share insights on the latest trends in education technology. He also provided an update on state progress towards meeting educational technology goals set forth in several governors’ State of the State addresses.
Key Takeaways:
States have made significant progress in computer science | There has been a lot of movement at the state-level to get more students enrolled in computer science courses. ISTE expects this trend to continue but encourages policymakers and educators to start early to increase the diversity of students enrolled in these courses.
Expanding access to digital resources | As Internet access continues to expand, more and more schools and districts are turning to open licensed resources for students – instead of textbooks. This is largely due to the costs of digital resources increasing more slowly than the cost of textbooks and digital formats provide a more up-to-date resource for students.
Instruction in digital citizenship is critical | Educators must shift from teaching students about online safety to teaching students about digital citizenship. This change in mindset will help ensure that the next generation is equipped to engage and contribute positively to their online communities.
States shouldn’t stop at connectivity | Great strides have been made at the state-level to increase the connectivity of our schools and classrooms. However, state investments in educational technology must not end with infrastructure. Educators need training on how to best utilize digital resources in order to create robust, rigorous, and interactive experiences for students.
For more on our conversation with Richard, check out the full webinar below!
You can also find ISTE’s standards for technology in education here.
