Computer availability over time . Because of that history, many educators believe policymakers are playing catch-up. Yet, most in education's own ranks are still more comfortable with chalkboards than with a computer mouse. Only one out of five teachers uses a computer regularly for teaching, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But budgets and funding often don't reflect that belief.
Technology is a special case.
We assume teachers know about content and pedagogy, and we expect them to stay up to date in those areas. But they have not been prepared to think about how technology can enhance their teaching. Solid data can make a real difference in public perceptions and in policymaking, experts say. For example, a 1995 NCES survey showed the nation that only 9 percent of school classrooms were wired to the Internet. Coming at a time when the public was becoming intrigued by the World Wide Web, the figure provided a rallying point for the NetDay movement to wire classrooms.