Jan 20, 2017 08:06 AM EST By Amanda Foster, UniversityHerald Reporter

The under secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, Ted Mitchell, wants everyone to know that technology can be used as a supplement and encourages legislators and policy makers to join his plan.

During a panel discussion at MIT, the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education has launched a plan. The addition is to provide a supplement to the 2016 National Educational Technology Plan. It is called "Reimagining the Role of Technology in Higher Education."

This is the first time that the NETP is focusing on higher education, as reported by MIT. With this new supplement, the OET hopes to create a collaborative university ecosystem for people to share new ideas. Technology is being used in multiple industries and is a common tool everywhere.

Which is why using technology to improve access, equity and affordability makes sense for the Department of Education. This new move will challenge policy makers, educators and researchers working with technology to ask the important questions. One of which is if the technology they are using is helping students.

This is Under Secretary Ted Mitchell's last official act, as reported by Campus Technology. The Department of Education has always been focused on expanding education and K-12 and Joseph South, the director of OET, feels that it is time the department is focusing more on higher education.

Technology can be used in different areas of teaching, learning and assessment. South emphasizes that technology is a tool for innovation. The authorities behind this supplement hopes that the misconception that innovation only happens in labs will be removed. The supplement will also help leaders in universities take the necessary steps to meet students' needs.

Since the plan is relatively new, Mitchell encourages everybody to believe in the power of technology. He feels that higher education should always be advanced and updated, or remain at the cutting edge of technologies.

Watch this TED talk from Kerry Gallagher where she reimagines learning and explains how technology can help:

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