10 TechTrends • January/February 2012 Volume 56, Number 1 ICT International Are Most Investments for Technology in Schools Wasted? By Ross Perkins he question, “Are most inves- ments for technology in schools wasted?” is constantly on my mind, and one that is likely on the minds of many others within our pro- fession. Te question presses nearer when one sees unused or poorly maintained ICT infrastructure in places that barely have enough mon- ey to pay teachers, provide students with books, provide desks, etc. Te inspiration for the title of this column comes from a discussion sponsored by infoDev and UNESCO through the Educational Technology Debate (ETD). Te purpose of the ETD is “to promote a substantive discussion of how low-cost information and com- munication technology (ICT) device initiatives for educational systems in developing countries are relevant to the very groups they purport to serve …” (ETD, n.d., para. 1). Te ETD site has a number of archived debates, as well as invitations for suggestions for future topics. Te purpose of this issue’s column is two-fold. First, it is to make readers aware of the infoDEV/UNESCO re- source, which could be very useful for any class dealing with technology in- tegration. Te numerous archived de- bates are excellent sources for course discussions, or perhaps can be used to motivate some further research. Te second purpose is to summarize the debate concerning ICT spending, which took place in New Delhi, India in May 2010 at World Bank ofces. Te discussion had two sides: those who supported the motion that ICT investments are indeed being wasted, and those who argued against the mo- tion. Moderated by Dr. Tim Kelly, the debate included six discussants: Atanu Dey (an economist at Netcore Solu- tions in Mumbai), Ashish Garg (Asian Regional Coordinator for Global E- Schools and Community Initiative), Benjamin Vergel De Dios (Program Ofcer for ICT in Education at UNES- CO Asia-Pacifc Regional Bureau for Education), Robert Lattimore (Advi- sory Partner at PricewaterhouseCoo- pers India), Sam Carlson (World Bank Lead Education Specialist), and Way- an Vota (consultant to infoDev). As one can see, the panel included people who are passionate about education and ICT use; it was not simply a de- bate of those who wished to return to traditional classrooms pitted against those who would have a tablet com- puter in each student’s hands. Te full text of the speakers’ remarks and pod- casts are linked from the debate’s main page, found at: http://edutechdebate. org/archive/is-ict-in-schools-wasted/ ICT investments are being wasted Discussants Dey, Vergel De Dios, and Carlson argued in favor of the mo- Getting Started in Instructional Technology Research By Steven M. Ross and Gary R. Morrison Published by AECT 52 pages, paperback The ABCs of Ethics for Today’s Educators By Annette C. Sherry, Megan Rothschild, Kealoha Kaliko, and Pam Hagan Published by AECT 75 pages, paperback ISBN 978-0-615-22569-2 T