Newly Published Book Examines Six Urban High Schools' Successful Technology Implementation Strategies

MENLO PARK, Calif. - October 29, 2001 - SRI International, a leading independent research institute based in Silicon Valley, today announced the publication of a new book chronicling six urban high schools' use of technology to support their educational goals. Published by Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Company, and written by researchers in SRI's Center for Technology in Learning and Center for Education Policy, The Connected School: Technology and Learning in High School examines the potential impact of technology on students' learning and provides a deep analysis of why this potential is often not realized in today's urban high schools.

According to the authors, the key to effective design and evaluation of technology for schools is providing students with more responsibility to use technology to solve challenging problems and complete complex projects. In The Connected School, SRI researchers analyze effective individual technology projects within the schools studied. They then discuss strategies to successfully integrate technology throughout the entire school systems, factoring in the broad challenges facing each school system.

While every school faces obstacles when integrating technology into the classroom, urban high schools are faced with the additional barriers often associated with low-performing schools in high-poverty areas. Urban students tend to have less access to technology at home, which often translates to lower overall technology skills. They often attend schools that face considerable accountability pressures and receive lower funding to buy technology and train teachers in its use. The researchers found that urban school districts could successfully mitigate these barriers by creating a stable technology infrastructure and a strong professional development program for teachers, and by encouraging collaboration among teachers.

The SRI researchers found that in each of the six Chicago and Detroit area urban schools studied, the most successful technology applications were those that empowered students to think for themselves. Exercises that required students to apply technology to complex, extended tasks (for example, interacting with distant scientists involved in actual scientific expeditions and investigations) were among the most effective applications.

The three co-authors of The Connected School are all researchers within SRI's Center for Technology in Learning (CTL) and Center for Education Policy (CEP) at the institute's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. Dr. Barbara Means is an educational psychologist and Director for the CTL, Dr. William Penuel is a senior research scientist within CTL, and Christine Padilla is a senior policy analyst in the CEP.

The Connected School (October 2001, Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Company, ISBN 0-7879-5953-7, $27.00, 244 pages) is available in bookstores nationwide, via all major online booksellers including Amazon and Wiley.com, or by calling 1-800-274-4434.

About the Center for Technology in Learning
SRI's Center for Technology in Learning (CTL) is dedicated to improving learning through research and innovation in educational uses of technology. CTL is world-renowned for its design, evaluation, and implementation of educational technologies. The staff, including psychologists, computer scientists, content specialists, anthropologists and educators, conducts innovative research and development for clients such as the National Science Foundation, the World Bank, the US Department of Education, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Texas Instruments, and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

About the Center for Education Policy
SRI's Center for Education Policy (CEP) focuses on reforms that hold promise for improving the K-16 system of schooling. The Center's staff conduct research and evaluations on the design, implementation, and impact of a variety of educational programs, especially improvement efforts targeted on traditionally underrepresented students, and issues related to teacher professional development, mathematics and science education, and adult literacy. CEP staff includes experts in the reform of educational systems, curriculum and instruction, technical assistance to districts and states, and effective educational practices. CEP carries out its important policy research for federal agencies, state departments of education, local school districts, private foundations, and not-for-profit groups.

About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded in 1946 as Stanford Research Institute, SRI has been meeting the strategic needs of global markets for 55 years. As part of its strategy to bring its technologies to the marketplace, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships and creates spin-off companies.