Horace Mann became the first leader of educational reform in 1837 with the passing of the Education Bill of 1837. With this bill, Mann reinvented the structure of public education, making it a free and public service to all of our nation's children. Mann's work in public education included creating school boards, establishing minimum school days, and demanding an appropriate academic curriculum. What has transpired since his work in 1837 is remarkable. School days were expanded to nine months instead of six, teachers started receiving salaries, and children, all children, began a true journey into learning.

The debate over using technology in the classroom is apparent in our classrooms today. If you were to walk into today's classrooms, what would you see? Would you find technology being effectively utilized? Would you find students hacking into unauthorized territory? Would the students know more than the teacher? These are common fears heard from both parents and teachers. Add to it the expense of maintaining up to date hardware and software, throw in the issues about plagiarism, filtering systems, and the First Amendment, and is there any doubt as to the reasons technology is often avoided? Over the past few years I have been opened up to a world I had not known existed. Once exposed to the realities of technology, the answer is found: Technology is an amazing, integral part of educating our youth. The possibilities are endless.

Technology Integration is a powerful, necessary teaching tool. The obstacles that come with it must be overcome in order to link our students to an amazing world of knowledge and self discovery.