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Feds to create an Online Learning Registry
ED will create an online database of primary-source materials to help rural schools in particular
Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the creation of an Online Learning Registry at a summit on rural schools and technology.
In a move to help rural schools keep pace with more developed districts, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) said it will create an Online Learning Registry that will provide access to historical, artistic, and scientific primary-source materials.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan made the announcement July 21 at the National Rural Education Technology Summit held at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI).
“Knowledge knows no boundaries, and we cannot allow distance to stand between students, education, and opportunity,” Duncan said. “We have the hardware, the latest software, and huge investments are being made in the build-out of the National Broadband Plan to connect us as never before.”
The registry is one of the recommendations the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made in its National Broadband Plan to give more students and teachers access to high-quality digital content that the federal government owns.
“No technological innovation in our lifetime has greater potential to transform education than high-speed internet,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
“The National Broadband Plan recommended that the federal government increase the pool of high-quality digital resources that educators can easily find, access, and combine with other content to help their students learn. I am very pleased to see this recommendation being adopted.”
Many of the resources that will appear in the Online Learning Registry have associated educational materials that have been created by education professionals, and some of those educational resources are available online. However, currently it is difficult to find these many resources, because they are available across numerous agencies.
During his remarks to the more than 150 rural education stakeholders and technology experts, Duncan described digital artifacts from the first moon landing as an example of why the registry is needed. He said the artifacts, which include things such as weather records and recordings of conversations, are currently spread across three agencies.
“Right now, frankly, they’re not organized in a way that makes them easy to access. This registry will make it easy for teachers and students to find the variety of resources available,” he said.
And the collections, especially those at the Smithsonian Institution, belong to all Americans—including those who live in rural areas, said Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough.
“We have ambitious plans to use new technologies to reach new audiences. … We have much to offer students and teachers in art, science, history, education, and culture. We want to give learners of all ages access to America’s treasures and our creative experts who bring them to life,” he said.
A healthy American economy depends on a prosperous rural America, said Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“Broadband investment boosts innovative capacity, drives business competition, and expands both educational resources and health-care services in small communities throughout the country,” she said, “USDA, working with other agencies, recognizes that access to high-speed internet is fundamental for rural communities that seek to overcome the challenges of time and distance and provide sustained economic development and job creation.”
3 Responses to Feds to create an Online Learning Registry
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mgozaydin
July 24, 2010 at 8:03 am
Congratulations Duncan .
Another good move for education.
Be careful. Content has to be first class. Made by real experts.
Then a good content can be accessed by millions.
Please keep away from bad , weak contents.
Spend money for good contents. Think that it will be accessed by millions.
Hardware will be at $ 200 next year.
Now you have broad band as well. Hurra.
Your supporter from all the way from Turkey:
mgozaydin@hotmail.com
mgozaydin
July 24, 2010 at 8:03 am
Congratulations Duncan .
Another good move for education.
Be careful. Content has to be first class. Made by real experts.
Then a good content can be accessed by millions.
Please keep away from bad , weak contents.
Spend money for good contents. Think that it will be accessed by millions.
Hardware will be at $ 200 next year.
Now you have broad band as well. Hurra.
Your supporter from all the way from Turkey:
mgozaydin@hotmail.com
cyberhood watch
July 26, 2010 at 5:36 pm
These are exciting times for the new net-generation and the digital age. Recently, I read an article, (http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/23/india-develops-worlds-cheapest-laptop/ ) which announced the entry of the world’s cheapest laptop from India. In addition to its entry price of $35 dollars, and expected to drop to a low of $10 dollars, price is no longer a barrier. However, broadband connections to remote areas, may still linger behind.
Nonetheless, the exponential growth in education for the masses is nearby. Moreover, it is vital to be mindful of the need to not only educate, but also assure those afforded this educational advantage also are educated in the digital ethics and digital security that needs to accompany their digital life on the Internet.
It would not be prudent for a mass influx of technology users without knowing the issues and understanding best practices. Those who are new to the digital world need to understand how to safe guard their personally identifiable information, as well as what it means to be a responsible digital citizen.
Couple the mass outreach for education with “Enjoying the Internet Safely”.
david
cyberhood watch
July 26, 2010 at 5:36 pm
These are exciting times for the new net-generation and the digital age. Recently, I read an article, (http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/23/india-develops-worlds-cheapest-laptop/ ) which announced the entry of the world’s cheapest laptop from India. In addition to its entry price of $35 dollars, and expected to drop to a low of $10 dollars, price is no longer a barrier. However, broadband connections to remote areas, may still linger behind.
Nonetheless, the exponential growth in education for the masses is nearby. Moreover, it is vital to be mindful of the need to not only educate, but also assure those afforded this educational advantage also are educated in the digital ethics and digital security that needs to accompany their digital life on the Internet.
It would not be prudent for a mass influx of technology users without knowing the issues and understanding best practices. Those who are new to the digital world need to understand how to safe guard their personally identifiable information, as well as what it means to be a responsible digital citizen.
Couple the mass outreach for education with “Enjoying the Internet Safely”.
david
rachel rosenbaum
July 28, 2010 at 6:15 pm
A truly exciting development. As the CEO of CANnect, a small Distance Learning consortium which it is now my duty to grow. Our mission is to create leading edge, user-friendly access to usable online educational opportunities, learning resources and life skills training for blind and visually impaired people, professionals and families. I applaud Secretary Duncan’s direction. Let’s remind him that visually impaired persons need access to all these materials.
rachel rosenbaum
July 28, 2010 at 6:15 pm
A truly exciting development. As the CEO of CANnect, a small Distance Learning consortium which it is now my duty to grow. Our mission is to create leading edge, user-friendly access to usable online educational opportunities, learning resources and life skills training for blind and visually impaired people, professionals and families. I applaud Secretary Duncan’s direction. Let’s remind him that visually impaired persons need access to all these materials.