Collectively referred to as ISET (the Integrated Studies of Educational Technology), the TLCF Supplemental Study, the Professional Development for the 21st Century Classroom Study, and the Formative Evaluation of the E-rate, are linked studies covering the perspectives of states, districts, schools and teachers on educational technology in the nation's schools.

The ISET studies have been designed to fill specific gaps in knowledge about educational technology and our schools. For example, policymakers do not have adequate answers to questions such as:

• What is the current status of the financial and technical support for the implementation of educational technology, including the influence of the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF) and E-Rate programs?

• Which districts and schools have benefited from the TLCF and E-Rate programs, and what is the role of these programs in supporting effective use of educational technology for improved teaching and learning?

• What is the current state of practice of professional development in educational technology? Under what circumstances does professional development in the instructional use of technology result in changes in teaching and learning?

ISET includes surveys of all state technology coordinators; a stratified, national probability sample of public school districts; a probability sample of schools nested within the selected district sample; and a probability sample of teachers nested within the school sample. This sampling design allows for the analysis of interrelationships of policies and programs at all levels of the education system. The ISET strategy of linking surveys from multiple contractors is designed to enhance the evaluations of the TLCF, the E-Rate, and teacher professional development while reducing the burden on state, district and school staff. ISET surveys supplement analyses of existing program data, reviews of technology plans, and case studies.

ISET will enable the U.S. Department of Education to provide policymakers and program managers with the information needed to inform future decision-making about federal investments in educational technology. Significantly, the equity issues that technology is raising in today's society add to the importance of the information that will be gained through this study.

ISET includes a program evaluation of the federal Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (TLCF). AIR is conducting this evaluation. Known as the Supplemental Study of the TLCF because it supplements an earlier formative evaluation of the TLCF that looked at program implementation in five states, the evaluation seeks to answer the following questions:

• What is the status of state and district planning and leadership with respect to educational technology and what is the role of TLCF in these areas? What types of activities have TLCF funds supported?

• How are states and districts initiating and supporting the use and evaluation of educational technology?

• How is educational technology used and supported in schools and classrooms? How does use differ by local characteristics?

The primary sources of data for the TLCF program evaluation are:

• WWW surveys of state and district technology coordinators and district directors of fiscal services.

• Data from other ISET surveys

• TLCF State Performance Reports

For more information about the Study of the TLCF, contact: Roy Pearson at RPearson@air.org

The Formative Evaluation of the E-Rate, being conducted by The Urban Institute, is designed to answer two broad research questions:

• To what extent does the E-Rate program equalize access to educational technology?

• What is the role of E-Rate in the broader context of student learning?

In addition to the ISET surveys, the E-Rate study has two other primary components which are:

• An analyses of a sample of local technology plans to help determine the role of the E-Rate in districts' overall educational technology planning

• An analysis of E-Rate administrative records covering the first two years of program operation.

A report based on the latter component entitled E-Rate and the Digital Divide: A Preliminary Analysis From the Integrated Studies of Educational Technology, is available at http://www.urban.org/education/erate.html

For more information about the E-Rate evaluation, contact: Mike Puma at mpuma@ui.urban.org

The teacher professional development study is being conducted by SRI International. It is designed to answer four broad research questions:

• What are effective practices in professional development for the effective use of educational technology in schools and classrooms?

• What contextual factors (e.g., strategies, resources, leadership, evaluation) contribute to effective professional development in educational technology?

• Under what circumstances does professional development in the instructional use of technology result in changes in teaching and learning?

• What is the current state of practice of professional development in educational technology, including the influence of the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund on professional development practices?

The professional development study will use data gathered from a national survey of teachers and all other surveys in the ISET. The professional development study will also include nine in-depth case studies of effective practice for professional development in the use of technology.

For more information about the professional development study, contact: Nancy Adelman at iset@wdc.sri.com