Integration: Evaluating the Impact of Technology Integrating technology often requires large expenditrues of funds, heavy allocations of time for training and development, and even a shift in the philosophy of many stakeholders as they reconsider the mission and best methods for the processes of teaching and learning. The cry to adequately prepare students is often tempered by the call for accountability. Is money being spent wisely? How is technology helping students? Is it all worth it? Often, the burden of accountability has been placed on the shoulders of the building principal. The best place to start evaluating the impact of technology is your technology plan. The technology planning committee members must understand the impact technology can have on teaching, learning, and school management so they can verbalize the vision they wish to achieve through implementing technology initiatives. This vision will be expressed in the technology plan and will drive goals and objectives for the initiative. It will also guide your evaluation efforts and determine what questions you ask and what data you gather in order to answer them. Did You Know? The CEO Forum issues an annual assessment of the nation's progress toward integrating technology into American classrooms. A popular set of tools to come from their research are the STaR Charts. The STaR Chart provides a quick self-assessment of basic technology integration practices and is being used by schools, districts, and states across the nation. There is also an online version. New generations of this and similar tools will benefit from the development and validation of new methods that demonstrate technology's effectiveness.