In a recent conversation with Business Week's William C. Symonds, Gore discussed the role he believes technology should play in the drive to improve America's schools. In recent years, computer technology and the Internet have transformed the business world. Just as thoroughly. There's no reason why that can't happen. We can adapt the pace of instruction to the learning pace of each student.
Schools are in some ways the most resistant institutions in our society when it comes to change.
The desks are still in rows in most schools, the bell still rings at the end of the period, and the teacher stands in front of the blackboard with chalk. I don't demean any of that. But there are more productive ways to facilitate learning than those that came two centuries ago. The changes needed go beyond access to technology. They really have to start with universal access to high-quality preschool, more teachers who are better trained and better compensated, more accountability, more reward for performance, and making it easier to fire teachers who are not doing their job well, with procedures that follow due process.