"Technology is important to me because I am able to research and find the information I need online. Technology makes life easier. For example, writing assignments. When I want to change a sentence, you can delete the sentence no matter where the sentence is in the essay. If it was on paper, I would have to write the whole essay over. But I want unlimited internet access at home!"

-- Grade 6 Girl, ROBERT C. FISLER ELEMENTARY, CA

"Technology use is important to me because that is how I find out my grades, homework, talk to my friends, collaborate with other students, type papers, do research and relax."

-- Grade 10 Girl, ORANGE HIGH SCHOOL, OH

"Technology is extremely important to me to keep in touch with friends, teachers, and family. I can also check assignments online, or type up an essay. "

-- Grade 9 Girl, WASHINGTON LEE HIGH, VA

"Technology is important to me because I can write reports on Word rather than writing it by hand. Also you can look up information on something that you do not know about. You also can check your grades using an online school website. Lastly you can use online textbooks and not have to bring as many books home everyday."

-- Grade 9 Girl, WASHINGTON LEE HIGH, VA

"Technology is important, it can help you stay organized, check assignments, check your grades, and you can get questions answered from students or teachers on a school website. With some of the newer textbooks, you can get them online, which is very beneficial if you forget a book, or don't want to carry it!"

-- Grade 6 Girl, NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE, CA

"The purpose of using technology would be to get a better understanding of the world. All of the things we can't or aren't learning in regular class is most likely on the internet; where basically everything is. Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and etc. are useful because they get more social experience. Also, they'll help you better yourself by learning from people rude mistakes on their profiles and such things of that nature. "

-- Grade 8 Girl, MADISON #1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AZ

"The technology we use is important to me because it helps you research educational games and facts about school subjects,animals,people,and many more exciting things. I think it would be important to use technology in learning because it helps you learn much faster online, like searching for answers on homework to help you, not to cheat."

-- Grade 6 Girl, NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE, CA

"Cell phones now are very popular and it would be very good if children could use them to study. They could send text and video clips to their friends to help them better understand or get them motivated to do better and I think it would make the experience more exciting."

-- Grade 6 Girl, CLANTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AL

"Education through technology is essential in creating more motivated and productive students."

-- Grade 12 Girl, CORONA DEL MAR HIGH, CA

"Using technology in learning is a good way to learn. I am a student that sometimes goes online and finds games to play in a subject that I am struggling in. This is important to me because if it can help me I am sure that it will help thousands of other students."

-- Grade 7 Girl, GARNET VALLEY MS, PA

"Technology is defined as the application of science to make our lives easier. In that respect, all teacher, no matter what age, should be taught and well-versed in the ways of this new technology, and not have to rely on students that know more about the technology than they do."

-- Grade 11 Boy, AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL, AL

"Using web-cams to explain things in some kind of subject and posting it online is a great way for kids to get things, but some schools don't allow it! Some kid's interests in a career do not include science, math, engineering etc. so some kids may suffer in those subjects without the help of online videos, pod-casts, or even blogs."

-- Grade 6 Girl, LAFAYETTE TWP., NJ

"Technology is becoming more and more important as we move along in the 21st century. Schools need to be update their technology sources more often because I don't think America would like to lag behind in technology knowledge. "

-- Grade 11 Girl, CLEAR SPRINGS H S, TX

"Technology is easier to take notes and do assignments, and it gets frustrating every now and then, but the laptops are nice to have around. I think we should be able to have more freedom online to get the help that we need, and that teachers should have videos online to get into a subject thoroughly."

-- Grade 9 Girl, AUBURN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, AL

"We are in the age of technology. We need to start using the technology more in class and stop living in the dark ages."

-- Grade 10 Boy, SEVEN LAKES HIGH SCHOOL, TX

"We use cell phones all the time in the real world...why can't we use them at school? They're an important part to our society!"

-- Grade 9 Girl, CLEAR CREEK H S, TX

"Technology was first made to help the men in the wars to communicate. But now it has evolved into a more sophisticated thing. People are regularly making new friends around the world this very second from programs such as Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace. Later this will make a great difference to our children and grandchildren. It will make them realize that equality is a virtue and it will lead our world in the path of success."

-- Grade 8 Boy, LADERA VISTA JUNIOR HIGH, CA

"Each generation has something different attached to their name. This generation's word is technology. It is the future."

-- Grade 11 Girl, MOUNTAIN BROOK HIGH SCHOOL, AL

"We are the future. Technology is the future. Therefore, we are technology."

-- Grade 12 Boy, CLEAR LAKE H S, TX

"I personally believe that having more technology in our school systems may engage more students. With proper supervision and private textbooks/blogs, internet bullying probably wouldn't be much of a problem…"

-- Grade 7 Girl, DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AL

"…If I were part of Congress, I'd address the kids of the nation that they are responsible for everything they do online, and if they "accidentally" partook in activities on a website they weren't allowed on,and saw/read some hurtful things, they shouldn't have gotten on the website in the first place, so there's no need for the school system to take away computer privileges."

-- Grade 7 Girl, DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AL

"...Now, if some stranger managed to get into a private website for schools, and cyber-bullied someone, then they are innocent, and it means that those programs need to be further protected, not shut down altogether. "

-- Grade 7 Girl, DISCOVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL, AL

"I believe that in order for students of our generation to pursue their goals and the careers they want to participate in, teachers and administrators need to know that some students are abusing their technology privileges for harassment, plagiarism and accessing inappropriate content. I think that once these problems are resolved, technology will be a very important factor in a student's education."

-- Grade 7 Girl, ROCKLAND DISTRICT MIDDLE SCHOOL, ME

"Technology is becoming the central pillar in all of today's careers. Schools need to incorporate new technology into their classes to prepare students for the fields in which they will be working."

-- Grade 10 Boy, Virtual Virginia, VA

"Technology is the way of the future. The more technology our schools have, the more prepared we'll be for our futures. More and more careers in technology, engineering and science are available. Many of these careers will involve high-end technology that requires training. If we get constant training in schools, then we'll be prepared to invent new technology! It's a constant cycle."

-- Grade 8 Girl, FRANKLIN MIDDLE, MD

"Technology is being used more and more now a days. It is vital that students learn to use this technology so that they can utilize it later in their lives no matter what career path they chose."

-- Grade 10 Boy, GARNET VALLEY HS, PA

"Technology is becoming more advanced so it's very important that we teach students how to use technology so in the future with their careers they will know how to use it."

-- Grade 9 Girl, PRESCOTT HIGH SCHOOL, AZ

"Technology is important to me because it allows me to research topics that I find confusing. This allows me to gain a better understanding of the issues that I find perplexing. Also, I can use technology to contact other classmates and friends and help them with subjects that they are struggling in. New kinds of technology in learning will help students engage in the subject."

-- Grade 12 Girl, CLEAR SPRINGS H S, TX

"Technology is important to me because it is the main way i find information outside of school"

-- Grade 11 Boy, KLEIN H S, TX

"We could text each other with out interrupting the teacher if we need help on the subject we are learning.(:"

-- Grade 9 Girl, BRYAN H S, TX

"Technology is important because it enhances my learning. It provides me with adequate information and I feel a sense of freedom and control when I use a piece of technology. Technology will help me in my career that I want to pursue, so I find it intriguing and necessary to learn all I can about computers and other devices."

-- , Florida Virtual High School, FL

"Technology is extremely important to my education. I was able to become a full-time home-schooled student thanks to virtual school. Virtual School made things easier in a sense. I am never board anymore and if I find myself board I am able to take more classes and more challenging classes."

-- , Florida Virtual High School, FL

"Technology is important to me because I am able to research and find the information I need online. Technology makes life easier. For example, writing assignments. When I want to change a sentence, you can delete the sentence no matter where the sentence is in the essay. If it was on paper, I would have to write the whole essay over. But I want unlimited internet access at home!"

-- Grade 6 Girl, ROBERT C. FISLER ELEMENTARY, CA

"Technology use is important to me because that is how I find out my grades, homework, talk to my friends, collaborate with other students, type papers, do research and relax."

-- Grade 10 Girl, ORANGE HIGH SCHOOL, OH

"Technology is extremely important to me to keep in touch with friends, teachers, and family. I can also check assignments online, or type up an essay. "

-- Grade 9 Girl, WASHINGTON LEE HIGH, VA

"With online learning, you could easily upload or download textbooks so that students wouldn't have to bring so many textbooks home. Having too many textbooks in your backpack can shorten you, especially walking up big hills such as where I live. It would also be helpful if teachers let you use computers for school needs and posted your assignments online so that if one lost it, they could print it out in case the teacher had ran out."

-- Grade 6 Boy, NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE, CA

"After having a laptop for 2 years in school, i noticed how much easier it was learning and organizing when i had it. I did better in classes and understood alot more because of it."

-- Grade 12 Girl, AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL, AL

"Our generation is very tech savvy and I feel that since it's what we grew up with, that we are more comfortable and it would make learning easier. I also feel that if we allowed more technology such as laptops at school that kids would try harder and be more motivated to learn."

-- Grade 8 Girl, MONROVIA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AL

"The importance of technology is everywhere we go. These days, without the use of such things like web sites to research things for reports, writing applications such as Word, and online textbooks, a great quantity of assignments could not be completed. With the use of technology we can move forward and use new things to create newer things that will benefit all future society."

-- Grade 6 Girl, NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE, CA

"Technology is important, it can help you stay organized, check assignments, check your grades, and you can get questions answered from students or teachers on a school website. With some of the newer textbooks, you can get them online, which is very beneficial if you forget a book, or don't want to carry it!"

-- Grade 6 Girl, NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE, CA

"Technology is brains, it helps students learn more faster and quicker, and can also be easier. In school computers are the most used without this we would be lost!!!! Thank goodness for technology."

-- Grade 10 Girl, ZEPHYRHILLS HIGH SCHOOL, FL

"Using internet will give you a better understanding and will give you a picture. You also can enter into great online classes that you can talk to local people that can and will sit down with you and help you through your career as a math teacher, science teacher, and etc."

-- Grade 8 Girl, NEW MARKET SCHOOL, AL

"For students of any age, technology would definitely benefit them in their work. With technology, they can search on information themselves and they can learn at their own pace without getting caught up in what someone else is saying, that way, they can understand things better. "

-- 11th grade girl, Hyndman MSHS - Hyndman, PA

"Technology is at work everyday, whether if your a student or even if its a tweet sent via Twitter. The importance of technology in learning depends on knowledge. Technology is important because if they didn't have online textbooks you would have to take them home(and all parents you know how much homework they have on a daily basis). "It's all around us, you might as well use it."

-- Grade 6 Girl, NIGUEL HILLS MIDDLE, CA

"Education through technology is essential in creating more motivated and productive students."

-- Grade 12 Girl, CORONA DEL MAR HIGH, CA