Schools must fund hookups to classrooms, computer labs and libraries. Old schools without new annexes face formidable barriers. In many cases, construction work has been held up when lead paint, asbestos or foot-thick walls have made it difficult or impossible to string cable. The costs can be high. Lack of teacher training, and teacher resistance.
Many teachers are reluctant to move beyond drill and practice or word processing.
One teacher complained that the two computers in his classroom are a distraction, and that many students cut short their time on lessons so they can tinker with the computers. Yet dips in test scores are common during periods of technology integration, observes Karen Percak, technology coordinator and librarian at Wildwood Elementary School on Chicago's Far Northwest Side. Under the gun, many older teachers fall back on traditional teaching methods. I'd like to see the board waive one year for this accountability during the setup period. I can predict there would be tremendous gains later, just not right away.