In addition to learning the mechanics of computer hardware and software, and altering their pedagogy to reflect student-centered learning, teachers are also being asked to develop lesson plans that incorporate Internet resources into the curriculum. Efforts must continue to be made, the report says, to make the Internet more useful for teachers and students. Some commercial, university, school, and publicly funded efforts have generated good resource lists and lesson plans, but the Internet is not necessarily the place to turn students loose, the study says. The report advocates encouraging students to devise lesson plans for themselves. Figuring out how to measure the effect of computer networking on student achievement has also become increasingly important, the report says, even as the difficulty of doing so has become more obvious.
Experts differ on whether familiarity with computer technology improves student achievement.
And common assessment techniques won't necessarily shed much light on the issue, the study says. Many analysts argue that standardized tests may be useful for measuring discrete skills and factual knowledge, but not higher-order thinking skills. Some alternative types of assessment, such as portfolios of student work, may be promising, but their subjective nature makes winning public acceptance problematic, the report says.