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Tracy Gray

Photograph of Tracy Gray
Tracy Gray
Director, NCTI
Director, Center for Implementing Technology in Education
Managing Research Scientist ,
American Institutes for Research

Tracy Gray is the director of National Center for Technology Innovation and a managing research scientist at AIR. Tracy is a nationally recognized expert in education and technology and has led numerous projects in the United States and internationally, examining the impact of technology on educational achievement. In addition, she has published and lectured widely on issues related to the integration of emerging technologies into the classroom and after-school programs. She recently published The Gateway to Student Success in Mathematics and Science for Microsoft and Teacher Learning Online: Improving the Teaching of Mathematics Through Better Professional Development for the U.S. Department of Education.

Before working at AIR, Tracy was vice president for youth services at the Morino Institute and was responsible for the design and implementation of the Youth Development Collaborative (YDC) pilot. That effort sought to understand the complexities of integrating technology into schools and community-based organizations. Under Gray's leadership, the lessons learned from the YDC led to the development of the YouthLearn Guide: A Creative Approach to Working With Youth and Technology and the YouthLearn Web site. Those award-winning tools serve as resources for teachers and staff interested in using technology to enhance educational programs for children.

Tracy also served as the first deputy executive director and chief operating officer for the Corporation for National Service (CNS). As part of the leadership team, she helped launch AmeriCorps, which enabled more than 50,000 members working in more than 1,000 programs to serve communities throughout the United States.

Tracy holds Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in education and psychology from Stanford University and received an A.B. in psychology from the University of California, Riverside. She holds a California secondary teaching credential and is bilingual in English and Spanish.

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Technology and Its Role in Increasing High School Success

More than ever technology has played a vital role in educating and connecting students to learning opportunities. With the surplus of information, including instruction, available on the Internet, and new technologies making computers increasingly portable, high schools are presented with many new opportunities for enhancing and supplementing classroom instruction through technology. The use of technologies such as virtual learning environments allows students to participate in classrooms and opportunities far from the reach of their school walls, and interact with students from across the country. In many districts and states, technology has allowed students from impoverished backgrounds to experience a world-class education and participate in advanced placement courses. Through the use of online curricula, social media outlets, virtual learning academies and assistive technology devices there is greater access for all students to enhanced education.

A number of trends are combining to create new opportunities for students and the field of technology. As more and more content is available online, sometimes exclusively, it is important to ensure that the information is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities; assistive and learning technology offers great promise in helping these students. Special education delivery now happens more often in the general education classroom, not in segregated special needs classrooms. Also, the stunning innovation of technology; has made it easier to use and customize. It has become more powerful and available at lower costs, therefore making it attractive as part of a school wide solution. Tremendous advances in technology in the past decade have led to the development of speech synthesis and recognition technology, interactive software, and miniaturization and portability that help these students achieve and thrive (National Center on Technology Innovation.(2006). Moving Towards Solutions: Assistive Learning Technology for all Students. Washington, DC: Author)

Questions on the Use of Technology:

Useful Resources on the use of Technology:

  1. Center for Implementing Technology in Education (CITEd)
  2. Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD)
  3. Moving Towards Solutions: Assistive & Learning Technology for ALL Students
    (NCTI, January 2006)
  4. National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI)
  5. TechMatrix