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Well, judging from the email in my inbox, I seem to have stuck a chord. I want to make it clear that I am not anti-business. But educators must take the lead -- not business. And you might want to read some of this with open eyes. There are some statements that from my perspective are very valid. But then, here are some other choice comments: Districts and other government agencies should not view the ease of distributing educational content over the Internet as carte-blanche cause to produce and make available these materials on their own and/or for free. Instead, such government action must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure it is not beyond its mission, does not distort educational decisions, and does not weaken the overall supply. When it comes to such products and services, education has long been served, and is nearly always best served, by the free-market convergence of supply and demand. In this regard, web-based curricula is no different than textbooks, desks, and computer hardware -- the public sector is neither well-positioned nor well-equipped to produce these products for schools. In general, government created and owned technology-based solutions that are provided for free have ultimately proven to be insufficient and non-sustainable. Initial development of technology-based instructional materials often accounts for a minority share of its life cycle cost. As a result, such government-funded products usually lack the infrastructure and sustained, annually renewed investment necessary to enter the market (e.g., marketing), sustain the product (e.g., technical assistance), and update and improve these products over multiple generations. The result has most often been failed implementation, including the failure to reach the intended audience and make it past release 1.0. In addition, most such grant-funded and free products are not large scale and high-quality enough to provide the value educators are seeking. By largely relying on free market mechanisms and creating incentives (e.g., school technology funding, and opening R&D competitions to the private sector), public policies will create an environment in which private sector and public goals coincide and providers better meet education needs. Competition between publishers will spur innovation, improve quality and reduce consumer costs. To the extent that government inappropriately competes in the software and curricula market via the Internet or other technology-based means, it will produce the following negative consequences: (1) create disincentives to private investment; (2) perpetuate the notion that web-based products in particular are free and thereby force the private sector to turn increasingly to alternative business models, such as when products are provided at reduced or no cost in return for advertising; (3) inhibit competition and innovation; and (4) ultimately limit choice and facilitate a more standardized, quasi-national, curricula. ... With the integration of technology into education at a relatively early stage, a considerable R&D effort will be necessary to determine the most effective tools and models. While much is known, many questions remain. Yet, despite continued calls for research on education and education technology, a number of fundamental issues stand as barriers to progress. These include models both for funding as well as for gaining participation of educational institutions, educators and students. The community of educational software publishers and other technology developers is key to the research effort. Because industry continues to make significant capital investments to research and develop education software and digital content, public resources must be appropriately targeted and designed to fill the gaps and enhance industry's ability to deliver effective products and services. Industry's investment is epitomized by the multi-year, multi-million dollar investments made to deliver products to market, while many online materials are further updated to ensure timely content. This should create some incentive to read more. Nancy -- Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D. Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use http://csriu.org nwillard@csriu.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/ LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------