Show me the $$$

Barriers of technology in education? Isn't it ALWAYS about money? I guess that would be the first and foremost "excuse" or barrier when it comes to the use of technology in education but i can think of a couple more...Actually, I would list the following three things as the most ubiquitous barriers of technology in education:
1) the aforementioned all mighty dollar
2) lack of understanding and/or close mindedness
3) appropriate and meaningful ONGOING professional development (lack thereof)

With these three things in mind I would like to propose some recommendations as possible solutions to alleviate the presumed obstacles as such. First, the money issue. I have read recently several different articles that discussed the number crunching dealing with the cost of the 1:1 initiatives  in school systems vs. the use of text books and/or consumables. Just imagine the money we would save if we could get to the place where the majority of our teaching, classwork, homework, school work in general were ALL done electronically , not to mention the whole "going green" and "save the earth" campaigns. Yes, initially the cost of purchasing laptops/ipads whatever is decided on would be a significant expense but cumulatively after years of NOT purchasing text books and/or consumables, and NOT making copies for every student everything that they work on in every class everyday! WOW!!! just thinking about it!

The lack of understanding and/or close mindedness can be resolved through awareness and openness between colleagues. The ones that know and use the latest and greatest can share what they know and how is can be used in the process of education to increase student achievement. Which in turn would lead right in to the third barrier PD. I heard a teacher at my school talking about a weekly twitter chat that she participates in every week with other educators from the same grade level with the same interests. they share ideas and knowledge and expertise on various technologies that they heard about, use, and explore with students in the classroom, things that they are doing RIGHT NOW, not things that were developed and researched decades ago in some university learning lab some where by educators who are 10 or more years removed from the classroom! This teacher made the comment that when she participates in these chats that "it is the BEST professional development I have ever gotten" isn't that just what we are trying to impart to the students we teach? Inquiry, collaboration, communication...sound familiar? Why don't we MODEL what we expect? Without having to spend ANY $$$!!!