The Net as a Tool for the Schools

The cable television industry is offering free Internet access to elementary and secondary schools around the nation. In California, the first jurisdictions to benefit are Culver City, Claremont, Mission Viejo and other Orange County districts, Poway, San Diego, Chula Vista, Fremont and Sunnyvale. But how can schools ensure that such efforts aren’t reduced to just another “boutique” project to show off on parent-teachers night? How can these changes best help students? And how do we ensure that teachers are prepared to use new forms of education technology?

To date, instruction in the schools has been textbook-driven, and for good reason. Authorized texts provide a clear and detailed path that even the weakest classroom teachers can follow without much risk. But that path is blurred as the nation’s schools employ more computer-related lessons.

It is plain that teachers need time and instruction on how to exploit emerging technologies. Otherwise, a disjointed, trial-and-error process might ensue that slows rather than enhances instruction.

In the coming days, the National Foundation for the Improvement of Education will release the results of a national teacher survey. It is expected to draw a strong connection between continuing professional development and student progress. New technologies are an important part of that development.

One instance of technological gain in L.A. County involves the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project. After a slow start, LAAMP is beginning to benefit 100,000 students through challenge grants. The L.A. Unified School District will use part of its share of $3.5 million in funding to make computer technology more widely available.

But to make the best use of that and similar money, the county clearly needs programs such as its year-old Technology for Learning initiative. Through it, according to the county Office of Education, partnerships with private companies, foundations and school districts have taught 2,400 county teachers in the past year how to use advanced technology to help their students.

Internet access is much more meaningful when the teacher knows exactly how to exploit the connection.