There is no doubt that the Internet has become an indispensable part of American higher education. With online registration, homework and even degree programs, using the Internet is as common in today's colleges and universities as writing term papers or visiting a campus bar. But in America's elementary schools and high schools, the situation is much different. At first glance, schools seem to be headed in the right direction. An initiative by the Clinton Administration plans to have all schools online by the year 2000.
Statistics shows that school systems are closing in on that goal.
Almost 82 percent of public schools have Internet connections, and 96 percent expect to have them by the end of this school year, according to a study by Quality Education Data . While schools may provide Internet access, few teachers use it effectively. Researchers estimate only one in five teachers regularly uses a computer in the classroom. Schools are doing little to increase the percentage. Even where schools and teachers are online, students lack access.