The integration of technology into K-12 education is a top priority for both the FCC and the Department of Education, and the challenges and objectives of both correlate nicely.  Representatives from both agencies joined spokespeople from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) this week to discuss the important steps their agencies, and other stakeholders, are taking to facilitate a 21^st century education system that fully embraces all of the opportunities that a broadband connection can offer.

Susan Gendron, the President of CCSSO and the Maine Commissioner of Education began with her state’s new motto for education: “A personal digital device, at the point of learning, as defined by the learner.”  Gendron sees tremendous benefits in students being increasingly connected and shared that even when the budget was cut in her state, Maine still continued funding technology.

Doug Levin, the Executive Director of SETDA, seeks to address the following questions through his work:

1)   What are the ways we can address longstanding goals for education through technology?

2)   Due to large societal shifts in technology, how are expectations for education changing?

He sees large-scale trends and opportunities changing the education landscape.  He believes that rising student expectations, the need for new learning models and processes, and the potential to improve teacher and administrator effectiveness can all be addressed through technology. “None of this is possible without the technology infrastructure and policies that enable them.”

Karen Cator, the Director of Education Technology at the U.S. Department of Education talked about how she is going to utilize technology to make sure the U.S. is the highest nation per capita in college grads by 2020.  She recited the following ways technology will achieve a 21^st century model of learning.  Also, watch our video below for more on her agency’s efforts including the site www.ed.gov/technology.

1)   Learning (tech changing how people learn)

2)   Assessments (real time identification of what is working)

3)   Teaching (help teachers be as effective as possible – connect them to data and experts)

4)   Infrastructure (every student needs broadband at school, at home, in their community)

5)   Productivity (cost effective methods to meet education goals)

Finally, Steve Midgely, the Education Director for the FCC, discussed his agency’s approach to better integrating technology in education.  To do that, he gave attendees a sneak peak at some of the education related recommendations that we can expect to see in the National Broadband Plan next week.  Here are some of those:

• Streamlined the application process (simple application for small institution won’t have the same process as big project)
• Copyright adjustments (new educational notice, with an “e” in a circle instead of ©, to indicate free for use by teachers in classroom
• Fostering adoption of electronic education records so that data can securely and privately move between institutions
• Standards for financial data systems.  (What are financial strategies for effective learning?)
• RFP broadcast for services (to improve access to cost effective solutions and better connect buyers and sellers)

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