Gone is the notion that the site of learning is limited to a single classroom. In fact, the delivery system for education has never been more important. In the early part of the century, just as access to schools was beginning to open up for larger segments of the population, how education was delivered was not as important as simply having the opportunity to receive it. Now, with all the benefits we have, and take for granted, in society, the motivation to inconvenience oneself in the pursuit of education is not as great. Therefore, how educational opportunities are delivered has become increasingly important.
Technology plays an additional role in the delivery of education.
As our children have greater exposure to television, video and computer games, and other highly engaging media, their expectations for how learning is presented changes. Because research tells us that the way information is delivered has a direct impact on the motivation to learn, educators will be more challenged than ever before to present information in a manner that will capture the attention and imagination of their students. As we address these challenges to education in the next century, one thing will have a significant impact on our ability to create the educational system our citizens will need. We must re-create a sense of urgency within the community to come together for the common good of all children. In the past, our strength as a country and a society has been the ability to blend individual ideas and commonly held ideals to create a society that cherishes the new while seeking a common foundation upon which to build.