Genachowski, Duncan and Stakeholders Discuss Steps to Digitize U.S. Schools
The FCC took the next step toward its goal of digitizing U.S. schools by 2017. Chairman Julius Genachowski and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan hosted a meeting Thursday with education technology executives, including leaders from Apple, Discovery Education and the Leading Education by Advancing Technology (LEAD) Commission, to discuss concrete steps to meet the challenge to digitize the U.S. education system. Genachowski and Duncan have challenged U.S. schools to switch to using only digital textbooks in five years and endorsed the Digital Textbook Collaborative, an initiative to meet that goal (CD Feb 10 p4).
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The meeting was “a unique opportunity, because we have gathered senior leaders from the different parts of the digital textbook ecosystem: Traditional publishers, platform developers, device manufacturers, connectivity providers -- both in-school and mobile -- and educators,” Genachowski said. Challenges to digital textbook adoption include affordability, content creation, interoperability, connectivity, technology and state policies, he said: Those challenges can be overcome, and the meeting discussed ways to overcome them.
Genachowski, Duncan and participating leaders developed steps to lead American schools towards digitization in five years. The LEAD Commission will gather input from teachers, parents, government and school officials, students and industry leaders. The commission plans to release its findings, along with an action plan, in late 2012, said a LEAD Commission presentation at the meeting. That commission will “make a material positive difference in moving digital textbooks from idea to reality,” Genachowski said.
The FCC will continue to improve its E-rate program and employ other programs like learning-on-the-go mobile pilots, which it said should help the FCC learn how to best connect kids’ learning devices in or out of school. The agency chose 20 applicants to help schools and libraries provide broadband connections over those devices outside the school or library. The FCC also started a program called super-fast fiber to bring connectivity by utilizing unused fiber lines already in place across the country. Another program, school spots, will allow schools to provide broadband access to communities.
Meeting participants discussed developing a low-cost, high-quality digital textbook bundle, including device, content, connectivity and technical support. Companies were challenged to develop near-market-ready products and to present them at the White House this fall. T-Mobile is partnering with K-12 schools to help them achieve the goal and has seen success among current programs, it said.
"Advancements in mobile technology are rapidly changing how and where students learn, shifting from a paper textbook in a classroom during school hours to a nearly everywhere, all-the-time digital education,” said T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm. “Our work with the FCC and others to advance the Digital Learning initiative and put devices and connectivity in the hands of students will not only help them learn more effectively, but can positively impact our country’s future economic growth.”