The Obama administration urged educators and policymakers last week to embrace a host of digital-learning approaches it says will make K-12 schools better, including putting a computing device in the hands of every student. Guided by an overarching goal set by President Barack Obama to raise national college-completion rates from 40 percent to 60 percent by 2020, the first National Educational Technology Plan issued by his administration outlines the big-picture approaches it says U.S. schools need to employ in the areas of classroom learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity to help meet that goal. The plan, titled "Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology," was written over nine months by educators, researchers, and policymakers, with input from the public. It emphasizes the importance of leveraging technology to customize learning for each student, citing tactics such as mobile computing and online coursetaking. It recommends enabling every student to learn through digital technology in school and at home, a 1-to-1 computing approach using cellphones, laptops, and other mobile-learning devices that is taking hold in a growing number of school districts. President Obama has often cited technology as the engine that drives innovation and growth in the U.S. economy, a belief shared by Karen Cator, who was an executive for Apple Inc. before joining the department, and other educational technology advocates. The plan rings that bell, saying the use of technology in schools does not sufficiently reflect or build on the ways students use digital tools in their lives outside school, or how technology is used in the professional world. That must change, the plan says, to fully tap the intellectual potential of today's students and prepare them to compete for the jobs of the future. The plan plays up the role of technology in creating more-personalized learning experiences for students through changes in curriculum, assessment, and teacher education. It recommends improvements and expanded use of multimedia curricula, formative assessments that provide regular updates on students' progress, and teacher training in how to use digital tools to customize learning