To Make Online Learning Work, Invest in Teachers

As Congress debates the second federal education relief bill, including the HEALS Act, the issue of effective technology use is gaining increasing attention. During a June hearing on reopening schools, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) remarked, “This shift [to online learning] underscored the need to help educators effectively integrate a wide range of technologies… and use them to educate students who may have… specific needs.” This sentiment was echoed by an educator quoted in Baldwin’s recent article coauthored with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who said, “Teachers… are asking for additional training… on the use of educational technology, but districts need funding to support this type of professional development.”