National Goals

Under the Obama administration, more attention is being paid to education. Currently, 39% of our citizens hold a college degree. One of the goals of this administration is to increase that percentage to 60% (by 2020). In addition, another goal is to close the achievement gap so that all students are successful. We, then, need to do a lot with a little. We need to capitalize on cost-effective resources in order to improve education in our country and achieve these goals. We need to much better prepare our students to compete and succeed in this global economy. In order to meet these goals, American education isn’t simply tweaked. It is totally transformed through the use of technology and the vast amount of opportunity it provides. In regard to learning, technology enables us to cater that learning to the individual, provide relevant and engaging learning experiences (experiences that truly translate beyond the classroom walls) and improve assessment. Technology improves teaching by allowing us to move beyond our often isolated state. It connects us to a world we don’t otherwise “see” or experience in our traditional school setting. It allows our students, then, to have authentic learning experiences. Effective professional development is at the heart of this transformation, as without it, many of our teachers remain digital immigrants. And we must institute the changes rapidly in order to meet our goals. Along with the two goals listed above, there are five goals that offer more specific recommendations. The goals are as follows: provide students with learning experiences that translate and allow them to be productive 21st century citizens; use technology to measure that which matters in this global world and use assessment data to measure its effectiveness; supporting teachers throughout the process; 24/7 access to infrastructure; and using technology to improve learning outcomes. We must provide our teachers with training and connect them to each other to offer further support. Our students deserve it, and we cannot drop the ball in this regard. This total transformation must be a priority if we expect to produce citizens who can and will succeed in a global economy.