National Education Technology Plan in line for an update

The Education Department is being urged to revise its draft version of the National Education Technology Plan to include measures on adult education and on accessibility for people with learning disabilities.

The department published the draft plan in March and welcomes public comments until May 14. After that date, the draft will be updated, according to a statement on the departmental Web site.

The draft plan primarily covers kindergarten through high school education and focuses on leveraging technology for learning, teaching, assessment and productivity. Students are urged to use computers and software for personalized learning experiences and teachers are encouraged to connect with networks to ensure their knowledge and methods are up to date.

“Technology-based learning and assessment systems will be pivotal in improving student learning and generating data that can be used to continuously improve the education system at all levels,” the draft plan states. “Technology will help us execute collaborative teaching strategies combined with professional learning that better prepare and enhance educators’ competencies and expertise over the course of their careers.”

Several public comments about the plan suggest that it should be broadened to cover adult learning and students with disabilities.

The plan “needs to be expanded, and specifically to mention immigrants and English language learning, family literacy, workplace literacy and the USDOE-sponsored adult education and literacy system,” wrote a commenter on April 17.

Others also suggested strengthening provisions for technology used in math and science education, as well as providing for educational systems’ use of alternatives to personal computers, such as Apple computers.