LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Here's a new mail list that may be of interest:
Forwarded by Gladys Roseman
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@ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Education Policy Digest <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< @
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EdPOL-D January. 1994 Vol. One, No. 1
Editor-in-Chief: CONNIE STOUT Email: stoutc@aol.edu
Assoc. Editor: SHIRLEY HANEIN-LANE Email: sherli@aol.com
Copyright (c) Scholastic Network, Scholastic Inc
555 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
phone: 212-343-4920; fax: 212-343-4951
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. About EdPOL-D
2. Publisher's Note
3. Welcome from the Editor
4. January Discussion:
Building Consensus for Communications Infrastructures
5. Upcoming in February:
National Information Infrastructure (NII) - What is the role of
the States?
6. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO EdPOL-D
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1. ABOUT EdPOL-D
EdPOL-D (Education Policy Digest) is a new moderated discussion
list from Scholastic Inc. Unlike other educational lists, EdPOL-D
is the only list that focuses on educational technology policy on
all levels -- federal, state, and local -- without the techno-talk.
EdPOL-Digest was created for teachers, parents, administrators,
researchers, policy-makers and anyone else interested in the present
and future of K-12 networking and technology.
Each month you will find those-in-the-know sharing their first-person
accounts and perspectives on the latest legislation and what impacts
these decisions will have on the future of K-12 networking.
Our goals are to provide practical, timely information on such topics
as NII, the development of telecommunications and technology
infrastructures, and the ground swell of funding for educational
telecommunications in the service of systemic education reform -- and
to include lots of teacher voices in the dialogue!
We hope you enjoy the first issue. Send your comments, ideas for
future discussions and other mail to: edpol-d-editor@scholastic.com
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2. PUBLISHER'S NOTE
Welcome to the first issue of Education Policy Digest.
Moderated by Connie Stout, director of the Texas Education Network
(TENET), and a steadfast voice in Washington on educational telecom-
munications concerns, EdPOL Digest brings you news from the field and
discussions about the issues.
As teachers' access to online networks and services has increased,
the need for an area where educators, policymakers, and technologists
can talk together about the planning, regulation, and features of
electronic networks has grown as well.
We welcome you to this, our first issue, and hope you'll share your
thoughts and feelings on creating policies to support educational
telecommunications networks and services with us and the readers of
the digest.
John Lent, Publisher
Director, Scholastic Network
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3. WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR
Becoming an equal partner in the National Information Infrastructure
is somewhat problematic for K-12 educators. Although many educators
have access to electronic communications technology, common access
has not yet reached the majority of those who work in K-12 public and
private schools. When educators are compelled to articulate the
benefits telecommunications technology can have in education, they
are placed at a disadvantage. It is also difficult for them to
illustrate how technology will systematically impact teaching and
learning without having the resources and time to study the impact of
a technology enriched environment on students. For these reasons, it
is important for a dialogue to open between all stakeholders involved
in building telecommunications infrastructures. Educators, policy
makers, parents, commercial vendors and non-profit groups need to
talk together to create an understanding of the issues which need to
be addressed. EdPOL-D has been developed to help stimulate
discussion and awareness of many of these issues.
Welcome to the start of our discussion group.
Connie Stout,
Editor-in-Chief
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4. JANUARY DISCUSSION:
Building Consensus for Communications Infrastructures
A report from Tel-Ed '93 Global Connections
November 12, 1993
At the Tel-Ed '93 conference presented by the International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE) held in Dallas Texas on Nov., 11-13,
1993, a panel comprised of members from the educational, legislative,
industry, and content provider constituencies discussed the future of
a
national information infrastructure and implications for education
networking.
Panel members included: Scott McCollough, Assistant Attorney General,
State of Texas; Thomas R. Spacek, Director, Bellcore Information
Infrastructure Initiatives; Susan Mernit, Director, Network
Development, Scholastic Inc.; Patsy Lanclos, Technology Coordinator,
North Brook Middle School, Spring Branch, TX.
Connie Stout, Director, Texas Education Network (TENET) acted as
moderator.
A summary of the panel's comments about the issues around building
state and local telecommunications networks follow:
CONNIE STOUT:
The Texas Education Network (TENET) is a model for educational network
development. TENET has managed to join forces with the individual
sectors that have a stake in a network infrastructure to provide not
only an electronic network but a human network of teachers and teacher
trainers to the educational community. In Texas, TENET is more than a
network comprised of hardware and modems, it is a principle or belief
in
a means of communications held by members of its community.
For educators that are not yet part of the networking community within
Texas or in other states, understanding the agendas of all the sectors
involved in bringing networking into schools is difficult. There is
generally a lack of information of the issues; educators are almost
always the last to know. When they do find out, they tend to get
filtered
information full of legislative or corporate jargon. Understanding
the
complexities of these sectors, which often have opposing goals is
difficult
enough, but when magnified to the context of the future's National
Information Infrastructure, having a grasp of these issues is that much
more urgent.
The main issue is changing the existing technological infrastructure in
schools. For a change to occur there must be an evaluation of current
legislation impacting educational telecommunications and its relevance
to the present and future condition of education. Scott McCollough,
Assistant Attorney General works with the Public Utilities Commission
and has been a leader in Texas to help obtain an education tariff.
SCOTT McCULLOUGH:
Educators play a crucial role in the process of consensus building.
There can really be no consensus if the needs of the end-users, that
is, teachers and students, are not met. Urging educators to take
charge
in the design of these technologies is crucial, especially since
industry-preferred technology gets pushed into education. The
Tel-Co's,
computer manufacturers, software designers, network developers can, if
asked, work with the education community to develop products and
services that fit its needs. This does not necessarily mean that the
newest developments and the fullest network capability should be
recommended for all potential users. On the contrary, the sectors
involved must spend time developing services that use existing
technologies (i.e. copper wire as opposed to a complete fiber network)
as they are suitable for current, and most likely, future uses of the
education community.
THOMAS SPACEK:
As a member of the Council on Competitiveness, Bellcore and the Tel-Co's
have a "vision for a 21st Century Information Infrastructure." The
main
goal of this initiative is to "enable all Americans to access
information and communicate with each other easily, reliable,
securely,
and cost-effectively in any medium -- voice, data, image or video -- any-
time, anywhere." The potential benefits to education come in the form of
"digital libraries, virtual classrooms and labs, and collaborative
learning." Realization of such benefits comes through large
investments in
hardware, software, content and information, training and support, and of
course, money.
The policy framework should combine the needs of the education
community with products and services determined by the free market.
Investment will come from the private sector if there are incentives
for them. In order to establish a policy for the National Information
Infrastructure "cooperation among government, educators, industry and
users" must be in place.
SUSAN MERNIT:
Scholastic, while working with the current technology available in
schools, is also looking towards the future. The development of digital
libraries, electronic catalogs, and lists are not far off. Scholastic
is
in a unique position as it is an established content provider which
has
always met the needs of the education community. However, as the
educational community plays a role in developing state and local
networks, the following questions should be considered? To what
purpose
should K-12 funds be used? To create private networks or public
networks? What is the difference between these two types of networks?
What is it that taxpayers will be paying for? Is there a push towards
cheap connectivity or a fixed fee schedule? Do educators want to
spend
their money on access, or on connecting to valuable products and
services? There is no question that educators will be paying tolls on
the data highway, but they should decide what they want to pay them
for.
PATSY LANCLOS:
Building infrastructure is not so different than building a house. What
is required in building the two levels of foundation are the support of
people in decision-making positions and the necessary infrastructure.
Training, human and financial resources, and curricular support are also
required for successful implementation. Efforts in developing this new
technology will help to restructure schools, perhaps making education an
equitable experience, but many factors have to be taken into account.
While all these sectors share the ideal that a National Information
Infrastructure should be built and that incorporating new technology
in
the classroom can surely help to restructure and equalize schools, a
consensus on how to do this is yet to be arrived at. All the cards are
not yet out on the table. There is still no word from the Federal
government on its potential role. As time goes on and more
discussions
like this take place, these questions will be answered leading to a
genuine consensus in building the communications infrastructure.
Your comments on the above are welcome; a selection of responses will
be included in the next issue.
Send email to: edpol-d-editor@scholastic.com
RE: BUILDING CONSENSUS
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5. UPCOMING IN FEBRUARY:
NII: WHAT ROLE SHOULD STATES PLAY IN BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE?
If the National Information Infrastructure is to become the ubiquitous
network, what support or effort will the various states need to play?
The local public utilities commission or public service commission
each
play individual roles in setting tariffs. What state support will
be provided to the educational community in assisting the development
of a communications infrastructure? Many of these issues will be
discussed.
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6. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO EdPOL-D
To subscribe to EdPOL-D send email to: edpol-d-request@scholastic.com
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EdPOL-D is a production of the Scholastic Network a division of
Scholastic Inc. If you would like more information about the
Scholastic Network, please send email to: SNEDITOR@aol.com or
write to:
Scholastic Network
Scholastic Inc.
555 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
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- Mel
____________________________________________________________________________
Mel Roseman
Internet: mrosema@ctp.org
LM_NET
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