As the teaching profession begins the 21^st century, teachers face many challenges, some familiar and some new. Low wages and long hours are issues familiar to the profession. Teacher shortages, testing and accountability are more recent phenomena. Many of these topics are extremely political.

For most teachers however, the greatest issue always will be how to meet the needs of students. While many factors are often taken into account, technology is often overlooked. Technology can bring enthusiasm and interest as well as autonomy and direction for a child. While there are still many dangers for children, from misinformation to devious individuals, teachers also face many obstacles in trying to bring worthwhile curriculum that uses technology into the classroom.

Many schools still do not use technology for even the simplest communications. Unlike businesses, the cost of getting “online” with the fastest equipment or purchasing the proper software cannot be passed along to the consumer except through a public bond measure. Then there is the cost of upgrading the infrastructure to handle the new technologies since many schools are so very old. School budgets are projected a year in advance of revenue and with supplies and construction costs increasing rapidly, it is difficult for a school board to justify and even plan for the enormous expense that occurs with a substantial commitment to technology.

Next, after the hardware and infrastructure are put in to place is the question of support. Even the simplest problems take time to diagnose and if reliable equipment is not being used frustration will prevail as lessons are rearranged or just set aside. Many districts cannot afford a fulltime technician to handle the maintenance these machines take. Often the machines are not standardized and several different types of computers or printers can be housed under one roof or throughout a school district.

Training also becomes an important teacher issue. Workshops, university courses, and staff collaborations are available and acceptable forms of instruction but must be approached in a systematic way with the needs of different learners in mind and the overall goals of the district as well. For many veteran teachers, they become students all over again when it comes to technology and the learning curve can be very high.

Finally, if all of these hurdles are met and technology inhabits the classroom, as it should, teachers can easily fall into the trappings of “edutainment”; the use of software that engages children but for all the wrong reasons. These programs don’t provide teachers with printouts of student progress of the discreet skills practiced and resemble home video games more than anything else.

Teachers also face the challenge of integration versus separation with technology. Separation creates another layer to be taught rather than using technology as a tool that enhances or makes learning easier. Developing curriculum that truly integrates is time consuming because there are so few models; it does not already exist in a teacher manual.

Technology has a great deal to offer to students, teachers, administrator and parents. We must make an honest commitment that takes into account all these factors and more when looking at how to bring it into the classroom and the benefits it can bring to our students.