Indiana gets a 'C' in use of educational technology in K-12 schools

INDIANAPOLIS - A new report found that Indiana ranks about average in how well it uses technology to advance K-12 education.\nWhile the state fared well in student access to computers, the way Indiana tracks some education data lags behind other states, according to the Technology Counts 2006 report released Thursday by Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center.\nThe report gave Indiana an overall education technology grade of C-plus, which was the average nationwide.\nIndiana fared better than average in student access to computers, the report said. Nationally, schools have one instructional computer for every 3.8 students, while Indiana has one for every 3.4 students.\nThe state is working to get more computers to high school classrooms through a program called Indiana Access, said Mike Huffman, special assistant for technology at the Indiana Department of Education.\n"It is transforming these classrooms where we have it. Every student has a computer, so teachers can now fully integrate the technology into the curriculum," Huffman said. "We're making tremendous strides in Indiana."\nMany of the states that scored well for student access to computers were those with small populations, such as Alaska, South Dakota and Wyoming. Such states may turn to technology for distance learning and other features that would particularly help states with vast geographical regions, the report's creators said.\n"It's often the less-populated, more rural states that have gravitated toward technology," said Chris Swanson, director of the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center.\nIndiana scored higher marks in computer access and use of technology, getting a B-minus in both those areas.\nBut Indiana earned a C in its capacity to use such technology because teachers and administrators are not required to be proficient in technology as part of licensing and certification requirements.\nCaroline Hendrie, Technology Counts project editor, said it's important for teachers and administrators to know how to use technology to its fullest.\n"Technology access may be ahead of educators' ability to use it effectively," Hendrie said. "States are clearly seeing a need to do further work in this area."\nWest Virginia had the overall highest grade, with an A, followed by Virginia with an A-minus. Nevada received the lowest grade with a D-minus, and Minnesota, Oregon and Rhode Island scored a D.