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Does technology improve student achievement? The definitive answer is not yet in, but the evidence is strong that it does. A school board in Henrico County, Virginia, compiled 184 studies of technology in education and found that they showed "there was definite improvement in student performance where technology was used," said board chair Robert Hall.

Although early studies on the impact of computers and software in the classroom were inconclusive at best, now evidence is accumulating that supports the instructional value of classroom technologies, according to David Moursund, of the International Society for Technology in Education.

What has changed since the early studies? First, a new generation of technology with greater capabilities and software designs that reflect hard lessons learned in the pioneer days of school technology. In addition, a larger body of data is allowing researchers to draw more confident conclusions.

Source: National School Boards Association News Service

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a research agenda that sets seven national priorities for improving schooling. The report, "Building Knowledge for a Nation of Learners," is an attempt to identify the nation's future needs for knowledge about education and set priorities for educational research.

The priorities for research include:

Early childhood learning.

Improving curriculum, instruction, assessment, and student learning.

Expanding the supply of potential teachers, improving teacher preparation and promoting professional development;

Helping schools better encourage young people to be active and responsible learners;

Preparing diverse populations to meet high standards and to participate fully in American life.

Promoting learning in informal and formal settings;

Understanding the changing requirements for adult competence in civic, work and social contexts.

Source: National School Boards Association News Service

Legalized gambling creates revenue, but it's not very positive for families. That was the finding of a telephone poll of 632 adults in Iowa, which has more forms of legalized gambling than any other state.

More than three-quarters of those polled said gambling has a negative impact on low-income families; 60 percent said it's bad for all families with children.

Almost half said they had observed children participating in some sort of gambling.

Source: Education Week, January 22, 1997

Sexual harassment remains an explosive and unresolved legal issue that will continue to give school officials headaches, education law experts predict.

"The sexual harassment cases are going to continue to come fast and furious," predicted Charles Russo, vice president of the Education Law Association, a group of more than 1,700 educators and lawyers.

Most authorities now agree that schools are responsible for employees who harass students. However, there is less consensus when students harass each other on the bus or in class. As is clear from the now infamous case of the six-year-old boy suspended for kissing a girl on the cheek at a North Carolina elementary school, there is debate about what constitutes harassment and at what age harassment begins.

Education law specialists suggest teaching students about inappropriate behavior and warning them about what is improper (such as an unwanted kiss or a sexual remark) before disciplining them.

Source: Education USA, January 13, 1997