Does your money support learning?

It's been about 8 months since I last posted here. I've been resurrected in a way. It's late right now, and I should be in bed reading "Goodnight iPad" through my wife's belly to my soon to be born daughter. I can't shake this feeling that I've missed the mark somehow when it comes to technology and student learning.

Tonight I was challenged by professor on purchasing technology and how it helps students. I'm sure Michael Wacker has all the answers as he knows more about blended learning than anyone else I know and you should follow his blog for more intelligent posts.

Why do I purchase technology? What's the point? At my school technology purchasing is ultimately left up to me. I take great pride in this and I have always felt that I generally take into consideration how what I purchase, will support best instructional practices as I know them. We've bought Netbooks, Promethean Boards, and even iPod touches. I could justify why we've purchased all these to you and even give clear ways that teachers are implementing these technologies. I keep asking myself, "Have any of these purchases wasted money?" When I buy a Promethean Board is it worth the cost? What about a Netbook? In the end I think the answer is yes, and in some ways no.

I know that in my school many of our students DO NOT have access to internet at home. They can go to the library or maybe the Boys and Girls Club of America but that's it. Because of our focus around purchasing student computers I feel that we've been able to provide internet access to students, and helped bridge that "digital divide." What I feel I have to be careful though is to ensure that students are using the internet to learn how to research and learn. Students must learn how to learn. What I mean is that student’s must tech themselves how to research, organize their ideas, know what good information is and what isn't, and then synthesize that information in their own way. If we put our money towards this, then yes I feel we have spent our money appropriately.

What are your thoughts? Is there technology your school has purchased that has been a waste of money?