As part of an economic stimulus plan, President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to initiate sweeping efforts to modernize school buildings and equip more classrooms with computers and broadband Internet access. This has brought a new sense of optimism among ed-tech advocates, despite current budget restraints.

In his campaign for the presidency, Obama and his team made pervasive use of the Internet and technology to bolster participation in the political process, which is credited for his landslide victory on November 4th.

Along with indications that he will create a chief technology post in the new administration, Obama is heralding a new era that will revolutionize the way technology is viewed and used in the United States.

Rather than a luxury, Obama views education technology as an infrastructural necessity. In recent years, math and science performance has been on a downward trend. To be competitive in the 21st century, math and science instruction must be world-class and education technology plays an important role.

To reverse this trend, affordable broadband access is necessary to give schools the tools they need to do the job.

In addition to improving education technology, the new president has pledged to bolster professional development for teachers. "Without the right professional-development component, technology resources alone won't be efficient" says Ann L. Flynn, director of education technology at the National School Boards Association.

Obama will be sworn-in as the nation's 44th president on January 20th.