Instructional technology can help improve student learning and boost graduation rates, according to an annual trend report by the State Educational Technology Directors Association, or SETDA.
Teachers in a select group of high-needs districts, for example, reported significant improvements in student achievement in math and reading, as well as in graduation rates. The number of teachers in Missouri districts in the survey who say they use technology in innovative ways to teach core subjects increased by nearly a third over the course of the 2007-08 school year.
The districts were identified as having effectively integrated technology in the classroom, providing ongoing professional development to teachers, and using assessment data to differentiate instruction.
The sixth annual report also notes growth in virtual learning opportunities and improved technology literacy among students. It includes state profiles that gauge how federal funds and programs are affecting school innovation.
