Education is “dead last” in technology use compared with all major industrial sectors, according to a paper published this month by the State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills at the SETDA Leadership Summit and Education Forum in Washington, DC.

The report, Maximizing the Impact: the Pivotal Role of Technology in a 21st Century Education System, addresses the changing landscape of the modern work force and asserts that today’s students must have sound digital literacy skills in order to compete in the global marketplace. The report debunks the myth that schools are already using technology as an integral, indispensable tool, which certainly is the case in leading businesses and organizations.

The report also stresses the need for technology to support innovative teaching and learning. “To keep pace with a changing world, schools need to offer more rigorous, relevant and engaging opportunities for students to learn—and to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways.”

Maximizing the Impact is a thought-provoking article that certainly raises eyebrows in the education sector. Rather than taking a doom-and-gloom stance on this article, I find its suggestions to be invigorating and achievable. As conscientious educators, we can use this article as a catalyst to continue molding our classrooms into the engaging, inquisitive, 21st-century learning centers. You can download the report to read more about its findings.