|
Guest Editorial |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
CONTACT: Gabrielle
A. Prutisto |
State Rep. Thomas
Caltagirone |
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 18, 2007
Guest Editorial: Classrooms for the Future are important tools
By State Rep. Tom Caltagirone
Teachers and parents face many obstacles when it comes to their students.
Whether it’s getting kids to do their homework, pay attention in class or live up to their potential, the major challenge today is getting students engaged in their education and, ultimately, helping them achieve to their greatest ability.
In the past you could rely on chalkboards and textbooks as being the major learning tools in every classroom. But in the past 20 years, technology across the globe has improved so much, and our kids have to compete with the rest of the world’s top students for the best jobs. It’s our job to help them develop critical-thinking and analysis skills at an earlier age so they’re fully prepared to step out in the world and get ahead.
Research is showing that laptops are the best tool to replace those textbooks and chalkboards. It is this technology that helps our students to do better in the main subjects of English, math and science. When teachers can help students direct their own education through the Internet, the results are astounding: students become more active and engaged.
The problem Pennsylvania faces is that it recently was ranked 37th in the nation for the amount of Internet use that our teachers employ during classroom instruction. Research shows that in our classrooms, on average, eight students share one Internet-accessible computer. This statistic is making many of us stop and think, including me.
We all know that technology costs money… and we wonder who is going to pay for it. Our school districts are already overburdened, so where can we turn? The state’s answer is “Classrooms for the Future. With a $20 million investment, the first year of the initiative the program is transforming education for 103 high schools. Now, every student and teacher in those core classrooms is now equipped with a laptop (16,000 laptops in all). The classrooms also have electronic whiteboards, digital cameras and scanners. But it’s all useless without proper training, so an additional $6 million is being spent so teachers can fully understand how to use the new technology.
I fully believe this is a step in the right direction for the future of students in the Commonwealth, but it is only a first step. Hundreds more high schools need this program, as well. The state intended for “Classrooms for the Future" to deliver laptop technology to every high school in Pennsylvania by 2009. However, this summer the legislature must approve Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposal to expand the program to another 253 high schools in its second year. For that to happen, it’s going to take $90 million for 83,000 laptops and hardware, and $11 million to train 12,100 teachers. I believe it is well worth it. This is a commitment we can and must make to give our students the best possible chance for a brighter future. For all of these reasons, I am urging the members of the state House and Senate to remember our students during the upcoming budget season and vote in favor of giving our schools the technology of the 21st century.
###gap/2007/agh l:\print\releases\classrooms.127