• US Educational Technology stimulus package

    04Feb
    Author: Katherine Pisana Categories: Education, Technology Comments: 1

    20090204-post

    The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 may be the catalyst for real growth in the educational technology community.

    Good News for Ed Tech in the Economic Stimulus Bills

    “Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT), is slated to receive $1 billion new dollars in addition to the existing $267 million in the program.”

    “Good News for Ed Tech in the Economic Stimulus Bills,” T.H.E. Journal, 2/2/2009

    Part of the allocation of these funds is meant to go toward the ‘modernization, renovation and repair’ of schools in order to ‘improve teachers’ ability to teach and students’ ability to learn’, such as installing educational technology infrastructure, the acquisition of hardware and software, etc.

    Ding! Ding! Ding! Who else is hearing bells ringing?? While reading the outline of spending, I’m picking up on the distinct assumption that teachers and students will know how to use all this new fancy shmancy kit. To be fair, “25 percent of the money a school district receives must be used for professional development.” Though I wonder, how will schools define professional development in 2009-11 when these new budgets will have to be spent?

    ~ Learning technologists of the world, this is our chance to swoop in! ~

    If we don’t, you KNOW people are going to start blaming the technology again when all this stimulus money seemingly goes to waste because of a lack of measurable improvements in the education system.

    So, that’s what the US plans to do. What about your country? What sort of stimulus packages are being considered in your part of the world?

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