Education professionals have worked diligently to bring computers and the Internet into their schools. In less than a decade, schools across the nation have gone from virtually nothing to achieving metrics that, in some cases, distinguish them from some business and government entities. Yet despite these massive investments, many schools are struggling to realize the return on their investment. Why? There are three reasons:
1. The Digital Divide: Not all stakeholder groups are capable or comfortable using computers and the Internet. National studies indicate that nearly half of households in the U.S. do not have Internet access and despite on-going efforts, many teachers continue to report a lack of advanced technology skills.
2. Data is not always the most appropriate communications medium: This is both a function of how people are naturally inclined to communicate as well as the type of event provoking the communication (e.g. emergency situations, disciplinary problems).
3. A lack of meaningful and relevant applications: Despite massive investments in computers and wiring, studies indicate that the majority of schools are still using the Internet for non real-time, non bandwidth-intensive applications.