This success translates into increased self-esteem, higher motivation, and, ultimately, student achievement. Truly successful media and technology programs are based on collaboration among the school library media coordinator, the instructional technology facilitator, and the individual classroom teacher. Studying a moving target is difficult. We cannot use these very valid arguments as an excuse, however. As difficult as the evaluation process is, we owe it to all teachers, children, and the community, as well as ourselves, to continue to document the impact of media and technology programs on teaching, learning, and, ultimately, student achievement.
Education counts in the United States.
It counts because every element of personal well being, social progress, and economic development is bound inextricably to knowledge, learning, and skill. Because we value education we should measure it. We must learn to measure what we value rather than valuing what we can easily measure. Some of the most compelling data that illustrates how media and technology programs impact student achievement is summarized in information that follows. This study was replicated in both Alaska and Pennsylvania in the late 1990s.