Professional development for practitioners needs to model the ideal of life-long learning. When teachers recognize that they will never stop learning, they will live that ideal, and they will model it for their students. Technology allows all sorts of possibilities for continuing education for teachers, but first they must be comfortable using it. What we know doesn't work is somebody standing at the front demonstrating how to use a computer, and then everyone goes home. We know that becoming comfortable with technology takes an intense amount of time and that educators need to have the computers at school and, typically, at home if they are truly to become users.
Teachers are very creative, very intelligent people, who quickly see the power of technology.
You have to have teachers who are eager and interested. You have to have administrators who value learning about technology as an important piece of what teachers do. All parties must recognize teachers' accomplishments in the use of technology and accept even their mistakes as an important part of the learning process. It has become clear that educational technology is not a passing fad. Its potential is overwhelming, and we need to do it right.