The National Education Technology Plan must be a brave document with a future vision to transform education through leadership, collaboration, capacity building, and sustainability that enhances learning through technology.

Just as twisted cable moves data from source to destination, these themes are the essential components for moving the NETP from concept to successful implementation. Effectively using technology in education will be successfully implemented when we work towards a vision of future possibilities. In order to implement that vision of learning possibilities, we must provide leadership by developing policies and practices that promote innovative uses of technology in an evolving learning environment. Collaboration between K-12 and higher education, educators and business, public and private agencies and organizations must be encouraged so that we share ideas, new technologies, strategies and resources for the benefit of all learners at all ages. By learning from each other, we can offer high quality professional development to teachers, administrators, and higher education staff that will build capacity for strengthening the quality of learning opportunities. Working together, we build the capacity to move closer to that future vision.

Each of these themes impacts the other. Just as separate components of twisted cable are essential to move data from source to destination, these themes work together towards the vision for educational technology. What happens in K-12 informs higher education, particularly pre-service programs that are preparing future teachers. K-12 and higher education inform the development of products and technology innovations from business. Effective practices in business move to the classrooms. Both education and business push for policies that open the door for future changes in how we use technology. Interrelationships such as these are essential for the sustainability of the future vision; the ability to continuously improve and move towards that future vision.

The National Education Technology Plan (NETP) Work Group worked to build consensus around several aspects of the NETP that they believe will provide a strong foundation for building the NETP. This included:

• the identification of themes that should be inherent to all aspects of the NETP;
• the development of a set of recommendations to be included in the NETP;
• a list of critical stakeholders who should be consulted and considered in the development of the NETP.

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