A Crisis: Funding for Educational Technology in the United States

1872 Words4 Pages

A Crisis: Funding for Educational Technology in the United States

The United States is a country that thrives through technological advancement. The wealth and success of this nation is dependent on providing every child, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender, with the opportunity to obtain technological skills that are essential for a successful future. Unfortunately, educational funding for technology has failed to take precedent. In realizing that, the question then becomes, how is a country expected to thrive from the use and advancement of technology, when failing to properly train future leaders? Funding must be provided for schools to purchase technological equipment, such as computers, in order to ensure that each child has an equal chance to thrive in a country that is defined by its advancement in technology.

Funding for technology is one of the first plans eliminated in public schools. In 2002, Bush's plan for solving the school funding crisis was to decrease funding for technology from eight hundred seventytwo million dollars to eight hundred seventeen million dollars, a fifty-fivemillion dollar difference. The cut was accomplished through the consolidation of nine "education technology programs" into one("Bush Budget" 1). The new plan created "a single education technology grant program under theElementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that would be performancebased and would attempt to reduce the number of grant applications requiredby schools"("Bush budget"1). The Elementary and Secondary EducationAct of 1965, established during Lyndon Johnson's presidency, directed "billionsof federal dollars in a dazzling array of special programs focused especiallyon the children of poverty"("Reaut...

... middle of paper ...

...his online article is an overview of the proposed solution to the school-funding crisis for technology. The Technology Literacy Challenge Fund proposes that they will make it their priority to ensure that every child is "technologically literate" by the 21st century. It goes on to give examples of schools benefiting from TLCF.

7. Zucker, Andrew. "Computers in Education: National Policy in the USA." European

Journal of Education 17.4 (1982): np.

Andrew Zucker examines computer use in the United States in both elementary and secondary education. It addresses issues such as teacher training, technology availability at home and in schools, and current technology projects that were ongoing at this time. The article ends by discussing computer usage in schools in a larger context, which provides a different perspective on educational technology.

Show More
Related

  • Unplugged: The Myth Of Computers In The Classroom

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    David Gelernter author of the essay, “Unplugged: The Myth of Computers in the Classroom,” used some rhetorical appeals but not many in his essay, whilst trying to logically persuade his audience that computers could be utilized in the classroom, but under certain stipulations. Gelernter has great credibility for speaking on education and technology, as he is a professor of computer science at Yale University, so he more than anyone should know the outcomes of using a computer as a tool while teaching. However, when it comes to technology a lot of older generations usually are pretty biased when discussing technologies advancements, Gelernter still had some very good points! Using computers while teaching our young children can be useful but with strict moderations; when, where, and why, because if not heavily monitored, computers could be extremely detrimental to the learning experience and processes for many students.

    Read More

  • School Funding in the Modern Era

    1496 Words  | 3 Pages

    School funding is a recurring issue in the modern era. Debates ranging from give schools more money, to get rid of the system in place and reform a new idea have been plaguing the world over the years. “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed in 2009, provided more than $100 billion in education aid to offset budget cuts..” (School Finance). Later, “Congress provided an additional $10 billion in 2010 to avert mass teacher layoffs (Education Week, "Total Recovery Act")” (School Funding). These numbers are just a sample of the struggles in school funding, that is costing a ton of money to keep afloat. “There are many ways schools fund varying from state to state and even school to school. Income taxes, corporate taxes, sales taxes, and other fees provide 48 percent of the elementary and secondary school funds. 44 percent of local districts draw money from local property taxes. The federal government makes up approximately 8 percent of state education budgets. These funds are a dealt out on a per-student basis, and categorically to ensure enough resources for each special program or facility” (School Funding). These funds play a huge role in every student's education, either positive or negative. The three main areas that need to be addressed in the school budget are extracurricular funding, building and equipment maintenance, and last but not least staff funding.

    Read More

  • The Four Journeys Of Columbus And The Life Of Christopher Columbus

    742 Words  | 2 Pages

    Columbus started his life in Genoa Italy 1451, with his dad Domenico Colombo being a middle class wool weaver , and his mum was Susanna Fontanarossa. He grew up in a Christian household, but it was thought that he may have converted to Jewish later in life. As well, it was thought that he definitely thought he was well educated and knew several languages as an adult and had a good amount of knowledge about classical literature. Continuing on, his career as a seaman began in the Portuguese merchant marine and was on his first voyage when he was just 14. While working there in 1470, he went on trading trips to the Aegean Sea, northern Europe and even possibly Iceland. Plus, already he had survived his first shipwreck of the cape of St Vincent (in southwest Portugal). Nine years later, he met Felipa perestrello e moniz had had a son one year later, who would become the leader of Hispanola, in Haiti. After that he was trading along gold coasts in west Africa, but sadly Felipa died in 1485. Following the death of Felipa, he then moved to spain and immediately embarked on his journey to explore a way to move west to get to the gold and treasures lying in the east. He was first turned down by king john ii, but only in 1492 did he finally get support from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. The deciding factor for this, was Juan Perez of La Rabida, since he had been the queens confessor and helped entice the audience Columbus needed . The lust for ...

    Read More

  • Christopher Columbus

    806 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christopher Columbus, the son of a wool merchant, was born in Genoa in about 1451. (History.com, 2013) When he was still a teenager, he got a job on a merchant ship. Until 1470 Christopher Columbus remained on the see, when French merchant ships that were owned and officered by private individuals using government permission for use in war attacked his ship as it sailed north along the coast of Portuguese. The boat sank, but the young Columbus floating on a scrap of wood from the sunken ship made his way to Lisbon, where he studied four subjects which were mathematics, astronomy, cartography and navigation.

    Read More

  • Christopher Columbus' Dreams Fulfilled

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christopher Columbus is a man of many dreams and wishes. One of his many wishes turned out to be sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a quicker way to reach India. The only way to get to India by sea was thought to be around Africa, but Columbus felt he could make the trip a lot easier by traveling straight across the Atlantic in search of the west coast and India. Columbus had been in need of money to fund his trip so he sought out Queen Isabella. Isabella did not want to help at first, but Columbus then told her that he would bring in the church. The church would assist with the money to fund the trip and in return get ten percent of what is brought back. Queen Isabella was finally on board and Christopher Columbus could start his voyage. Columbus went on two important voyages between 1492 and 1493 that changed the world and started the Columbian exchange.

    Read More

  • Christopher Columbus, A Critical Character in the Discovery of New Lands

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christopher Columbus’ early life was very interesting and involved a good education and an introduction into exploration. Christopher Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa, Italy in about 1451, though “the exact date of Columbus's birth is not known” (López-Portillo, José-Juan). Christopher’s dad was a wool merchant; he worked in Genoa and Savona. Columbus studied mathematics, astronomy, cartography, and navigation in Lisbon, Portugal. As the fifteenth century came to a close it was “nearly impossible to reach Asia from Europe by land” (History.com). Explorers were forced to travel by sea. Christopher had many different ideas, he was thinker. One of his early ideas was to sail west across the Atlantic instead of sailing around the massive African continent like Portuguese explorers did. Christopher’s early life was very interesting and it also set the tone for his ambitious attitude for exploration.

    Read More

  • The Challenges Of Christopher Columbus

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christopher Columbus was an explorer who discovered the New World of the Americas in the year of 1942. His voyage ended up taking him five weeks to complete. Throughout his journey, Columbus and his crew experienced the struggle of hunger and disease. However, Columbus had the skills to be able to remain strong and make it through the hard things that he faced. He had great survival and navigation skills. However, Columbus needed support to finance his mission. It took him two years to convince the Spanish courts to support his mission. He first went to the Portuguese with his proposal, but they were not in favor of supporting his voyage. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in Spain were the ones who ended up helping Columbus. The marriage of

    Read More

  • Theme Of Gambling In The Rocking Horse Winner

    1253 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the beginning of the story, Paul's mother, Hester was described as someone who was heartless and materialistic. She was a women who was "beautiful, who started with all the advantages, yet she had no luck. She married for love, and the love turned to dust. She had bonny children, yet she felt they had been thrust upon her, and she could not love them. They looked at her coldly, as if they were finding fault with her. And hurriedly she felt she must cover up some fault in herself. Yet what it was that she must cover up she never knew." Hester was the root of the problem, not only could she not provide motherly love for her children, she influenced Paul with her poor judgment on luck. When Paul asked her why their family does not own a car like their uncle, Hester responded by bl...

    Read More

  • The Contributions Of Christopher Columbus

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    Christopher Columbus is famously known as an Italian explorer and navigator who discovered the Americas( now known as the Bahamas) in 1492. Born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, later known as Italy, Christopher grew up as a seaman and first set sail on the sea when he was just a teenager. His first job was as an map/chart maker, in which he excelled at, though Columbus was mainly interested in being a seagoing entrepreneur . Columbus’s main mission for sailing across the world was to find a route to richer land in Asia and bring riches back to Spain. Though Christopher Columbus’s expedition to finder richer land was treacherous, he managed to overcome the harsh conditions and colonize the Bahamas and display to the Spaniards his great achievements,

    Read More

  • Computer Technology in the Classroom

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Not many people would argue that computer technology is bad for the K-12 classroom. There is, however, a serious and thought-provoking debate going on regarding computer technology in the classroom. At issue is to what extent and at what age should computers be integrated in American classrooms. There is no question that a certain level of technology will bring improvements in academic achievement. In one study on children of low socioeconomic status a definite improvement was seen. It was noted that, “Increasing the technology available to students encourages, facilitates, and supports student achievement – at the elementary level, the most profound effects were found in the area of mathematics” (Page 391). Page also states that, “numerous studies have demonstrated that young children’s self-esteem or self-concept directly affects their academic performance” (Page 391).

    Read More

  • Cocaine Essay

    573 Words  | 2 Pages

    Cocaine is a very addictive, dangerous and illegal drug in Canada. It is a white powder that is made from a coca plant and is usually snorted through the nose, injected through a needle or rubbed onto tissues and gums. This drug also has a second form, a rock form which is known as crack. Crack can be smoked, usually through a glass pipe, unlike cocaine. The name comes from the sound it makes when crack is heated (Drug Facts Cocaine, 2014).

    Read More

  • Caribbean Essay

    1726 Words  | 4 Pages

    Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer and navigator born in the Republic of Genoa. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarch of Spain four (4) voyages were completed by him across the Atlantic Ocean that led to the awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere. These voyages were part of his plan to establish permanent Spanish colonies on the island of Hispaniola, commenced the process of Spanish colonization, which indicated the general European colonization of what became the “New World”.

    Read More

  • Digital Access Divide

    1978 Words  | 4 Pages

    Technology is a vital part of education and the workforce. The digital divide is putting some students at risk for lacking vital vocational and educational skills. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration states that currently about half of Americans are online (ClickZ, 2002). According to a report from the New York Times (2003), United States President, George W. Bush seemed to be satisfied with this number. He tried to eliminate the technology access programs that were initiated in the Clinton Administration for the purpose of bridging the digital divide. His cuts eliminated over 50 million dollars. Fortunately, as a result of several passionate coalitions, Congress has given $50 million back to the funds (Feeder, 2003). However, there is still a digital divide, and it is putting students at risk. According to the educational testing service, which is the world’s largest private educational measurement organization and a leader in educational research (Landgraf, Statistics Section, para. 5); “ ‘49 percent of Caucasian children use the Internet at home, compared to only 29 percent of African-American children, and 33 percent of Hispanic children’, ‘children from high-income families are more than twice as likely to have home Internet access (66%) than children from low-income households (29%)’ and ‘despite strong growth in school access from 2000 to 2002 for low-income children (20 to 32 percent), their current school use still significantly lags behind high-income children (47 percent)’ (Landgraf, Statistics Section, para. 5). The fact that so many children are not accessing technology is not just a present problem for them, it is creating future problems by putting them at risk for lacking vital educational and vocational skills.

    Read More

  • Education and the Digital Divide

    2435 Words  | 5 Pages

    Andy Carvin states “ internet access in schools isn’t worth a hill of beans if teachers aren’t prepared to take full advantage of technology” (2000). Schools spend a lot of money on computer hardware and software as well as other technologies without realizing that many of their employees are unprepared to include them in their teaching and use them to their advantages. Educators often use technology as a classroom management tool rather than an educational one, allowing computer time as a reward for good behavior (Clark & Gorski, 2001). The problem with this is that students learn to use the computer for games and such because it is their reward instead of using it on their own time for educational purposes. This is teaching them the wrong idea. Margaret Honey, director of the Center for Children and Technology in NYC said it best, “The bottom line is, you don’t just put technology into schools or into homes and expect miracles to happen. The technology is only as good as the program that surrounds it” (Meyer, 2002, p.2).

    Read More

  • The Impact of Technology on Education

    1237 Words  | 3 Pages

    Today, schools are being pressured more and more to improve the technology they use and teach in the classrooms. Parents are placing this pressure on schools so that their students have the skills needed to compete in the real world job market. Students are placing pressure on the schools to improve technology by having more knowledge of

    Read More

More about A Crisis: Funding for Educational Technology in the United States

Open Document