We frequently hear in the news and even in our own communities that our public schools should and must invest in better information technology. From smartphones to SMART Boards™, laptops to tablet computers — and even ultra-high-tech technologies like holographic projection — schools across the country are going "high tech," making large fund allocations for purchasing technology and putting it into classrooms. But is this always a good idea?

"Like anything, using technology in the classroom has benefits and drawbacks," says Mark Fontaine, MAT, EdD, who teaches in a public charter school (TIMES2 Academy) in Providence, R.I. and is a graduate of the University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies. Dr. Fontaine uses a number of different types of information technology in his own classroom, including computers and an Internet-enabled overhead projector, and his high school is also currently considering installing SMART Boards (a high-tech "blackboard" that works like a very large tablet computer) into all of its classrooms. According to Dr. Fontaine, while using technology in the classroom can certainly enhance the learning experience, it should not be considered a replacement for good teaching. "Technology gives a teacher enormous potential in the classroom, but technology for technology's sake doesn't work," he says. "First and foremost, teachers have to understand how to use the technology properly, as well as how to harness it as a teaching tool. Furthermore, technology that is adopted and implemented at the teacher level tends to work a lot better than administrators forcing it upon teachers from the top level down."

Perhaps most important, Dr. Fontaine cautions that technology shouldn’t be considered a panacea to the problems our public schools already face. "This is not a silver bullet that will magically fix everything wrong with American education," he says. "No amount of technology will replace a master teacher. I have a master teacher colleague whose students consistently achieve top scores on achievement and placement tests, and she teaches with nothing but good-old-fashioned chalk and a blackboard."

Jackie Mangieri, PhD and Regional Assistant Dean of the University of Phoenix College of Education, agrees. "While many schools and districts are taking advantage of various funding opportunities and grants to implement technology into the schools, there is often a disconnect between getting the technology in the schools and giving educators the professional development they need to use that technology," says Dr. Mangieri. "Having a SMART Board in every classroom and a fully wired school doesn’t do too much if teachers are not prepared to use that technology in a meaningful way."

But how can schools adequately prepare teachers to incorporate technology into the classroom? Moreover, how can schools prepare students for today’s technology-driven world and workplace? The answers to both questions are complex.

First, Dr. Mangieri advises that schools should stop viewing emerging technology as potentially risky and therefore something to restrict or censor (i.e., via Internet filters, etc.) and instead teach students to be responsible users of technology. "Teachers need to feel supported in their efforts to integrate technology and to fundamentally change the way learning is happening," she says. "Too often school districts put up roadblocks and filters that restrict how teachers can use technology and information in the classroom. Instead, schools should be proactive when it comes to teaching students about Internet safety and security, and what it means to be a good digital citizen."

Furthermore, Dr. Mangieri believes that it is the role of schools themselves to advocate for better incorporation and implementation of technology into their curricula, not vice versa. "Schools need to highlight their successes with technology to policymakers," she says. "Schools also need to show policymakers what it means to be a productive employee in the 21st-century workforce and demonstrate what technology is needed to make that happen."

How can colleges and universities get involved in the push for better technology for our public schools? The answer lies in training the next generation of teachers to be technology-savvy. "Universities have an obligation to prepare educators to use technology to fundamentally change the teaching-learning process," says Dr. Mangieri. "We must graduate educators who understand the power of technology and the responsibilities that come with it. At University of Phoenix, for example, the College of Education has developed a Technology Resource Library designed to introduce educators to many Web-based tools and train them how to use them well."

For Dr. Fontaine, information technology is an essential tool for all students to learn about and understand, but exactly which technologies are taught and used in the classroom is less important. "All of the technology my students are using in class right now will be obsolete by the time they graduate from college and get their first jobs 10 years from now," he says. "Instead of focusing on teaching one type of software program or hardware tool over another, we instead need to teach our students to understand and appreciate how technology can assist them, and that includes understanding its limitations. I always tell my students that a computer or calculator is only as good as what you tell it to do; you have to understand the underlying concepts, like how to plot a mathematical graph or how to proofread a piece of writing. Graphing and spell-check programs aren't perfect."

Lastly, Dr. Fontaine emphasizes that at the end of the day, it all boils down to teaching. "Education in this country at its core has been unchanged for over 200 years," he says. "Teachers drive learning. Every bell and whistle in the world won’t make an effective teacher, because teaching is really an art form. Technology should just be another tool in the master teacher’s arsenal."

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