| In 1996, Tennessee became the first state in the nation to connect every public school to the Internet via a single network (ConnecTEN). Through an initiative originated by Tennessee's Governor and Education Commissioner, 1,560 public schools serving nearly 900,000 students were connected to the Internet. Although directly administered by the State Department of Education, it has only been through the cooperative efforts of governmental agencies, local school boards and the private sector that ConnecTEN has become a reality. Hamilton Elementary, the site of this evaluative case study, is a central city, public school located in Memphis, Tennessee and a participant in the ConnecTEN initiative.;The purpose of this qualitative evaluative case study was to examine the ConnecTEN initiative and it's progress five years after conception and implementation. The study compared the perspectives of teachers and policymakers concerning the ConnecTEN initiative. The two study groups were 4 policymakers and 40 public school teachers. Data was gathered using a series of surveys, documentation collections, observations and interviews. Qualitative methodology was used in a case study design to examine the convergence and divergence of perceptions concerning ConnecTEN as held by policymakers and teachers. Hamilton Elementary serves as a single study site with the multiple embedded cases being those of the policymakers and teacher groups.;The study found that long-term administrative commitment to ConnecTEN is perceived differently by policymakers and teachers. From the teachers' perception, initiatives having the policymakers' long-term commitment are those programs that are supported by specific administrative actions rather than those programs merely outlined in policy statements or given verbal treatment. In addition, the findings of the study show that while both policymakers and teachers agree the training program has thus far been a success, the ConnecTEN policymakers should work to create adequate access and develop a stronger sense of teacher commitment. The study concludes that for an initiative to succeed, policymakers should consciously work to provide initiators with adequate equipment and access, include initiators in the planning and decision making process, update and upgrade both material and personnel resources as needed, and systematically evaluate the initiative through all phases of implementation. The study describes how the ConnecTEN initiative was implemented at one sight and provides insight into needed project modifications. A discussion of the study's limitations and directions for future research are included. |
