WHAT ARE THE RESPONSES?

An ever-growing universe of technology companies and nonprofits are competing to sell educators on their programs. Some experts say these innovations can improve educational outcomes, boost graduation rates, personalize lessons for students or lower the cost of education – but there isn’t consensus.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

When assessing these technologies, reporters should ask: Has the school created a plan for teaching and learning? Were the teachers trained? Is the school wired for technology and is the Internet fast enough? How will technology and reoccurring costs be financed? Talk to teachers, students and parents; they tend to have a clear view of how the technology actually works in practice. Ask about the cost of tech approaches, both up-front and long-term, and determine why school leaders believe they will be effective. If a source cites research to support a claim, ask for a copy of the full report. If possible, ask an expert unconnected to the product or program to examine the claims.