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[email protected] www.newyorkcharters.org 1032 O COPYRIGHT NATIONAL HERITAGE ACADEMIES 2001-2002 SCHOOL YEAR (REV. A 7/2001) 1033 Educational Technology Philosophy The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has tracked student achievement for nearly three decades. In 1996, the results of the NAEP indicated a link between certain kinds of technology use, higher scores on the NAEP, and an improved school climate.1 It is important to note that not all types of technology use produced these results. In fact, the results indicated that the use of computers for "drill and practice" may result in decreased student scores. The technology use that proved most beneficial centered on using the computer for simulation, problem solving and analysis. The computer's most powerful uses are for making things visual," says James Kaput, a math professor at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. "It can make visual abstract processes that that are otherwise ineffable." As an organization, NHA focuses on delivering a "back to basics" approach to education based on research to generate student performance results. NHA's philosophy is grounded in the premise that the primary educational focus in elementary school should be mastering the core academic subjects of English, reading, mathematics, history, and science. Use of technology within the framework of the core academic curriculum must be age appropriate and must enhance the learning process.