Telephone and computer companies, meanwhile, are contributing dollars, hardware, services, and expertise to help schools get connected. But for all the enthusiasm, some fear that technology may simply be an expensive diversion. While researchers debate the actual effects of technology on learning, only 13.4 percent of teachers polled by the research firm Market Data Retrieval in February 1997 said they believe Internet access has yet helped students achieve better results. Not if they are adopted in a vacuum.
Evidence strongly suggests that technology alone is no panacea.
Enrollments are rising, and many districts are grappling with an increasingly diverse student population. And many Americans worry that large numbers of children aren't even mastering rudimentary reading and writing skills, let alone learning how to navigate the new high-tech information byways. Not if they are adopted in a vacuum. Though some schools that use computer technology are achieving impressive results, many factors contribute to their overall success. Evidence strongly suggests that technology alone is no panacea.