The authors believe our schools can be significantly improved through appropriate use of IT tools and techniques. There is a large base of research and practice in effective uses of IT for teaching and learning. However, often this knowledge is not used when making critical educational decisions. One difficulty is that the field keeps changing.
Information technology is itself an agent of change.
As of fall 1998, researchers estimate that schools have one personal computer per every five to seven students. Computers are moving out of special computer labs and into everyday classrooms. IT in education is obviously a major political and policy issue. Policy and politics are often the issues that bring educational technology into the news. However, the unifying theme in this document is that information technology should be thought of first as a mind tool.