Urging the presidential candidates to make K-12 student access to education technology and modern learning environments a top national priority, leading education association have launched a public service announcement campaign titled One Giant Leap for Kids.

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the National Education Association (NEA) and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) designed the PSA to drive home the message that making investments in technology today is critical to ensuring the ability of U.S. students to compete and succeed in the 21st century global workforce.

In coordination with the PSA effort, the groups will also actively promote a link to an online petition in support of making 21st century education a public policy priority, available at the EdTech Action Network Web site -.

The four organizations will also send the PSA to the campaigns of Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Barack Obama (D-IL), along with five questions about each candidates vision for the future of American education and the modern classroom. The PSA will also appear in a number of education and education technology trade publications.

"We're no longer in the world of the 1990s, and our schools can't continue as if we were," said Don Knezek, CEO of ISTE. "Today's students and teachers need more than a sprinkling of technology literacy to thrive. They need to learn to leverage 21st Century tools to think critically and creatively, collaborate across cultures and distances, and innovate. We hope the presidential candidates keep these realities in mind as they build their education platforms."

More information: Edtech Action Network web site

Source: CoSN Press Release, Education Leaders Urge Presidential Candidates to Make Technology, 21^st Century Classrooms A Top Priority