As we continue our weeklong spotlight on broadband and education, we’re excited to share more about AT&T’s initiative called Aspire. Aspire is a $100 million project to address high school success and college and workforce readiness.

As part of the Aspire program, AT&T provides grants aimed at combating the national dilemma of rising high school dropout rates. These grants go to school districts and non-profit organizations that develop programs that teach and mentor students about the importance of a high school diploma, while simultaneously preparing them for college and the workforce.

While Aspire mission is not overtly aimed at utilizing broadband to empower new and innovative styles of learning, the programs that are enabled through the grants are a necessity in order for America to maintain its competitive edge. As part of the Aspire initiative, AT&T joined together with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom to launch a national workforce readiness program titled Get Schooled. As part of the platform, a short documentary was developed featuring President Barack Obama, Kelly Clarkson, and LeBron James.

America’s broadband providers are stepping up to the plate to combat some of the nation’s most pressing education issues. While NextGenWeb spends most of its time focusing on the services provided by these providers, it is important to take a step back and applaud those companies who are taking seriously their corporate social responsibility.

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With approximately 175,000 full-time online school students, virtual learning is the fastest growing segment in education today. And one of the pioneers of cyber schools, K12, Inc. is also the largest online school provider in the U.S. K12 Inc. operates full-time online schools in 27 states and the District of Columbia. NextGenWeb recently sat down with K12 Vice President Jeff Kwitowski to learn more about virtual schools.

K12’s online public school program incorporates its curriculum with certified teachers and state-of-the-art technology. Regardless of geographic location or educational needs, this customized tuition-free public school program is available to any child with an Internet connection. Watch our interview with Jeff Kwitowski as he explains how broadband brings a quality education to students.

And check back with NextGenWeb as we continue to focus on broadband and education this week.

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We are continuing the NextGenWeb issue spotlight this week on education. While the majority of our focus is on how broadband directly enables things like distance learning and the virtual classroom, there is another side to the story. America’s broadband providers have stepped up to the plate and are investing millions of dollars in programs designed to tackle some of the most pressing education issues of the day.

One of these programs is Verizon’s Thinkfinity. Thinkfinity is an online portal that provides free resources to teachers, students and parents in the form of lesson plans, networking communities, tutorials, professional development training, at-home activities for students, and more. The Verizon Foundation has made significant investments to provide this unique content, all in one easy-to-find online portal – powered by broadband.

The resources available on Thinkfinity’s portal are a great example of how broadband is providing new, unique and tailored learning opportunities for students like never before. Outdated textbooks, limited curriculum, and passive learning have all gone the way of the Dodo. Instead, current topics, expanded curriculum and interactive learning are the wave of the future – and the future is now.

To be competitive in the 21st century, students need to be equipped with 21st century skills. America’s broadband providers have realized the role that broadband can play in delivering these skills. A world of learning opportunity is at every child’s fingertips – all they need is a broadband connection!

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Not long ago, access to quality education was determined by where someone lived. Rural areas could have a shortage of qualified or accredited teachers while urban areas might suffer from outdated textbooks. But now, thanks to advances in technology, online education has become more commonplace, and is allowing students all over the country to get the quality education that every student deserves.

This week, NextGenWeb will be highlighting the role that technology, and specifically broadband, plays in enabling distance education and online learning programs (We’re not the only ones focusing on education this week. Apparently, so is the White House). The goal is to highlight some of the cutting edge applications utilized in the virtual classroom, while also providing resources on how they work, what their benefits are, and where you can learn more.

The Washington Post had a recent feature story on how advances in technology are leading to a more interactive and collaborative online learning experience. Thanks to broadband, students can be connected virtually with other students around the world, an expert lecturer in a specific area of study, or a real-life field experiment. And while many of the gizmos and gadgets enable these types of interactions, it is important to remember that our state-of-the-art, modern communications infrastructure makes them possible.

So stay tuned the rest of the week as NextGenWeb will be live streaming the Education Week Leadership Forum titled, “Unleashing Technology to Personalize Learning,” as well as posting feature spotlights on how broadband is being utilized by others to improve the education experience.

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A panel of experts convened before the FCC yesterday to talk national broadband strategy and online safety.  The clear consensus: While there are roles for government and industry, the best solutions are rooted in consumer education.

Adam Thierer, Director, Center for Digital Media Freedom and Senior Fellow at the Progress and Freedom Foundation, offered promising news.  In his research, he has found no correlation between online safety concerns and broadband adoption.  Thierer cited household media rules, parental controls and outstanding benefits of broadband as reasons for this positive outcome.

Facebook’s Director of Public Policy, Timothy Sparapani, urged the FCC to maintain perspective, since many stories of online safety violations are sensationalized.  “Every day people share 1 billion pieces of themselves without incident on Facebook.”   Therefore, Sparapani believes resources should focus on the most vulnerable populations.

For purposes of the broadband plan, panelists urged a focus on media literacy that reflects changing expectations of privacy among different generations.  Schools, educators and parents must help guide this mission by helping people find the best that the Internet has to offer.  Industry should continue to provide technical and other solutions in today’s rapidly changing environment.  Finally, the government must continue public awareness campaigns like OnGuard Online.   Through this concerted and collaborative effort, we can have a safe and thriving Internet.

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Is the world of online learning on par with classroom instruction? “Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning,” a report prepared by SRI International for the Department of Education, reveals just how effective broadband-powered education is proving to be.

Evaluating 99 studies that quantitatively compare online and classroom performance, SRI International found that, on average, students who did some or all of a course online ranked higher than those who did their schoolwork exclusively in the classroom. In particular though, blended instruction – combining online and face-to-face elements proved to be a stronger education method than pure classroom learning.

The effectiveness of online learning is in no small part due to the ever-evolving dynamism of broadband. After all, distance learning has come a long way from staid correspondence courses. With the arrival of online video and individualized online curriculums, online teaching has the potential to be more tailored and effective. And given young students’ interest in the Internet and attraction to multi-media, websites like Brightstorm and TeacherTube are not only appealing, they even manage to make learning cool.

Given the rapid rise of technology-based distance learning across the nation, it’s excellent news that online education can go the distance, enhancing knowledge no matter where you live via a simple broadband connection.

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Broadband’s ability to improve education is the topic of the day at tomorrow’s FCC broadband workshop. Broadband has seemingly unlimited potential to advance how we learn. Think of smaller school districts that struggle to provide a full slate of Advanced Placements courses. Broadband can bridge that divide. Remember the days of covering your textbooks with old grocery bags? What if instead we had educational materials that could be continuously updated and are accessible digitally (not to mention the cost savings and environmental benefits). And, the ability to get a degree online—affordably and on your own time—can change lives, particularly for the many Americans who are making career transitions amid today’s challenging economy.

NGW is committed to bringing you a steady stream of insights and inspirational stories on the future of education in a broadband world. We’ve talked with Susan Patrick of iNACOL, the national association serving the growing numbers of K-12 students learning online, and Ron Packard, CEO of K12, Inc., a leading online curriculum provider, and others who want to harness the full potential of broadband to both enhance education and help more Americans reap the benefits of life-long learning.

From using the appeal of online gaming to help students master their lessons to addressing over-crowding through the rising trend of virtual public schools, broadband can play a game-changing role in advancing U.S. education. We commend the FCC for shining a spotlight on this important issue, and we look forward to the conversations at this workshop. Of course, if you have a question, don’t raise your hand and wait to be called on — participate in the FCC webinar here.

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The future of the classroom as we know it was the topic of discussion today at an ITIF event held to release a new study “How Information Technology Can Enable 21st Century Schools.” The study details how technology can remake the American classroom, raising performance while potentially cutting costs.

Just as technology has transformed American industry and increased productivity, with broadband networks and all of the information and resources they deliver to us, we have the capability to transform education. Connected education can be individualized to meet a student’s learning style, maximize areas of expertise and strengthen areas where a student may be struggling. The information, resources and interactive tools available for students to access online provide the core information, so teachers can focus their time on fostering creativity and critical thinking skills.

Curtis Johnson with Education Evolving spoke about the power of technology at the event and told the audience that, by 2017, the majority of high school students will learn online. We all remember struggling through a subject, trying to keep up as the class moved onto the next level. Imagine a classroom where you could have had more time to really understand that algebra lesson while your classmates move on to geometry. Meanwhile, you may be acing your chemistry exam, while another classmate takes some extra needed time to master biology.

NGW is committed to exploring how technology and online learning can open doors to new educational opportunities through distance learning, access to diverse subject matters, innovative teach tools and more. Today’s discussion showed how we can use technology to help customize learning to maximize the potential of every student. Remember learning about Ford and the Model T? The story of the early days of connected education just might be a lesson future generations of students learn about in history class.

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The Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) hosted a conversation today in Washington, DC on technology in K-12 during the economic crisis. One idea shared during the open discussion was that the current economic climate underscores the value of technology.

We know broadband provides an economic boost to communities and opens doors to new educational opportunities, but today’s discussion offered new thoughts and ideas on how educators are using technology to cut costs. One educator said his school is having people work from home during the summer break, so they can save money on energy costs. Another administrator mentioned how his school is working to reduce textbook costs by using resources available on the web. He also noted the important role a robust network plays in making these options possible. Another panel participant addressed the amount of time and resources used to develop emergency preparedness and contingency plans. She stressed how virtual learning options can overcome many of these challenges during emergencies, citing schools that were forced to close because of the swine flu this spring.

Economic challenges often drive innovation, and these educators are looking to broadband-enabled technologies to save costs and still meet student needs.

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NextGenWeb was blogging, tweeting and conducting interviews today at the Internet Innovation Alliance’s Symposium “Developing a National Broadband Strategy: Deployment, Adoption and the Stimulus.”

The importance of universal broadband access was stated many different ways throughout the event. However, the variety of voices there promoting broadband deployment speaks volumes. The audience heard from a governor, an NBA All-Star and an online education company CEO…to name just a few.

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin delivered the keynote speech, addressing how far his state has come in expanding access and the importance of public-private partnerships.

Chris Bosh, NBA All-Star, blogger and Toronto Raptor, made an appearance to talk about the promise of technology, and how he is utilizing broadband.

The morning panel featured diverse voices. Ron Packard, CEO and founder of K12, Inc. spoke about the growth of online education and how the Internet is giving students across the country access to a quality education. NextGenWeb caught up with him after for an { interview}.

We’ve posted already on John Horrigan’s new study for the Pew Internet and American Life Project. It shows that broadband is soaring in popularity across demographics. Here’s our conversation with John on his latest findings.

Lots of diverse people. One consistent theme: Broadband is the future—and the time is now for our nation to push to see that its opportunities reach everyone.

John Horrigan, Pew Internet and American Life

Ron Packard, CEO and founder of K12

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin
Chris Bosh

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