Educational Policy Recommendations

 

USDLA National Policy Recommendations
(revised January, 1997)

In January 1997, the second USDLA Policy Forum was held in Washington, D.C. The following USDLA policy document was the result of the forum.

PREAMBLE

As we approach the 21st century, one of our biggest challenges is keeping up with all the high-tech changes that rule our lives on a daily basis. Maintaining a keen level of knowledge in this fast-paced world we live in is now mandatory, be it in the workplace or in the comfort of our own home. The days of routine are over, replaced by a seat in the fast lane on the Information Superhighway.

Take, for example, the field of education. In today's highly competitive marketplace, obtaining a good education is of utmost importance. We must provide our young people with the finest and most up-to-date educational resources available, in addition to the traditional teaching methods that they receive. Here is where distance learning makes such an impact in the education and telecommunications arena around the globe.

In basic terms, distance learning involves teaching through the use of telecommunication technologies, which transmit and receive numerous materials through voice, video and data. Examples of such analog and digital technologies include telecourses, audio and video teleconferences, closed broadcast and cable television systems, microwave and Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS), compressed and full-motion video, fiber optic networks, audiographic systems, interactive videodisk, and satellite-based and computer networks. By utilizing these multiple technologies, distance learning enhances the educational spectrum to schools and communities of all sizes from coast to coast. In particular, people benefit greatly from this popular educational medium, given the opportunity to explore this new and fascinating dimension of technology and learning that continues to grow each and every day.

It is imperative that we bring learners of all ages together from widespread locations for live interaction, which leads to new relationships with peers, teachers, performers, and distinguished leaders in education, business ands government. The ubiquity of distance learning technologies will ensure that we can reach all individuals regardless of their location, learning style, or when they are available to learn.

Programs for the K-12 audience must be designed in concert with the emerging local and national curricula frameworks to serve the Common Core of Learning, including staff development modules for in-service and pre-service educators. Our resources should consist of live satellite broadcasts and other communication opportunities (such as the Internet, CD-ROM and cable) which link education, learners and other professionals nationally and internationally.

As it grows, distance learning must reach out and empower many disciplines, including that of higher education. Organizations must work with selected colleges and universities to offer undergraduate, graduate and certificate courses through distance learning. Distance learning also provides a timely and cost-effective means of continuing education and lifelong learning. Utilizing a network infrastructure and a combination of multiple technologies, motivated adults can earn degrees, credits or certificates at home or in other learning environments through satellite and computer networks. Delivery systems will include video over the Internet, digital libraries, videoconferencing and participation at satellite downlink sites. Cable systems will also play a critical role in education delivery to the home.

Through distance learning, everyone can have equitable access to information worldwide. With this data readily available, people can acquire the necessary knowledge to become productive members of the workforce and distinguished leaders in our society. Providing people with access to worldwide information for lifelong learning allows them to reach their maximum potential.

In order to maximize the full potential of distance learning and educational technology, federal, state and local government must make a concerted effort to become proactive in a few key areas. First of all, they should combine their expertise and resources to create an infrastructure which focuses on systemic educational reform and advanced telecommunications services on a national level. Secondly, they should develop an open system where all educational institutions are able to utilize satellite access at a reduced rate under the Universal Service Fund, as established in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Some of the topics that distance learning will focus on in the near future, as discussed during the 1997 USDLA Policy Forum (January 5, 6, and 7 in Washington, D.C.), include; Equitable Internet Access; Affordable access Rate Making; Telemedicine; Public Libraries; Distance Learning Copyright Issues; and Copyright Policy Recommendations. During the Policy Forum, the USDLA made it clear that it would take a very active role in:

    • Congressional considerations of the next National Information Infrastructure (NII) Copyright Protection Act;
    • Ratification of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaty; and
    • Concluding negotiations on educational fair-use guidelines for distance learning, electronic multi-media and digital images.

The USDLA recognizes that in a digital environment we are all copyright owners and users of copyright materials.

Like all systemic change, improving the quality of education within the United States requires total commitment of time,. energy and resources from teachers, students parents, administrators and business and government leaders. Only by working together for the same common goals will our educational system escalate to a new and advanced level in the years ahead.

INTRODUCTION

The USDLA recognizes that we live in a world driven by information and communications technologies which makes global competition a fact of life. Education systems which do not reflect this are cheating their students and the citizens whose taxes fund these systems, and they are helping to compromise the future of the society they are funded to serve.

The United States is a nation founded upon laws but with a vision which has been open to and inclusive of differing peoples, ideas and beliefs. In a time of significant legal change, and with the enactment of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, it is essential that the elements of the new Act fully reflect the inclusion of distance learning and its related technologies as we come into the mainstream of American education for the 21st Century.

The 1997 USDLA National Policy Forum reflects our concern that we indeed be a part of the mainstream in the educational world as the Act is implemented. The following principles for our policy efforts and the recommendations from this Policy Forum offer guidance as we pursue positive change for distance education into the next century.

The principles which will guide us in the policy arena are:

    1. It is the role of the USDLA to articulate unmet and distinctive needs of distance learning interests.
    2. We will advocate balance and equal inclusion of distance learning in all areas where education and lifelong learning concerns are involved. This includes consideration for specific and critical services and education efforts such as telemedicine.
    3. From 1997 forward we will not settle for guidelines which may include us when basic changes in law are the only way to assure our seat at the digital table in the 21st Century.
    4. We will promote and support incentive-based plans and regulations which can increase the use and involvement of distance learning activities. We will also support the responsible and accountable participation of education in the use of national resources related to distance learning. Examples might include supporting incentives for companies which help to stimulate better than average distance learning progress in education and also supporting reasonable budget obligations, perhaps in partial matching fund efforts to assure that educators provide training and in-service support at the school level.
    5. In a world rapidly becoming digital we must exclude no technologies such as satellite. We must support a hybrid future and we must not support penalizing those using alternative technologies. The goal is access and not a given technology or market interest.
    6. We must focus our support for funding efforts on those activities which institutionalize budget change to include distance education and related technologies in the normal funding of access for education and training purposes.
    7. We must continuously strive to lead balanced and bipartisan efforts based upon the greater good of the nation and avoid becoming the promoter of any given technology in a world where access by any appropriate means must be the rule.
    8. At the national level we must promote and support the development and design of strategies, methodologies and content in distance education that ensure individual learner success. These, and effective professional development for faculty who work in distance education, are critical components in assuring the economic security of our nation through the provision of an educated and well-trained workforce anywhere in this nation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The USDLA convened its second National Policy Forum on January 6,7, and 8, 1997, in Washington, D.C. to redefine its policy goals. Over 100 leaders representing education, government and corporate distance learning providers, users and policymakers convened to debate the changes and directions in education and communications policy needed for the 21st century.

The recommendations that follow represent their concerns and were unanimously approved by the USDLA Board of Directors as representing the interests of our membership. They encompass both education and communications policy, the inexorably-linked cornerstones of our new economic infrastructure.

In order to accelerate and fulfill the tremendous potential of distance learning and educational technology, federal, state and local government should:

    1. Require that teacher preparation institutions restructure pre-service and in-service programs to recognize the importance of integrating communication and information technologies in education.
    2. Encourage regional and professional accreditation associations to recognize and accept as commonly as traditional education, the appropriate uses of distance learning technologies.
    3. Continue active consensus-building with industry and educational leaders as rule-making and implementaiton proceeds to ensure rapid deployment and effective use of educational infrastructure.
    4. Continue to support program developmetn, including distane learning options, to ensure quality learning materials will be available voer the nation's expanding educational networks.
    5. Maintain the protections for copyright holders and users that exist in current legislation and agreements in any rewrite to accommodate the digital technology.
    6. Include the present exemptions for the "rights to control, display and perform" which are available for analog distance learning in desktop (computer) applications for distance learning.

 

Recognizing that all forms of advanced telecommunication services are critical to supporting distance learning and educational reform, federal, state and local government should:

    1. Ensure that all federal, state and local funds available for teacher development, staff training, program development and technology purchases are enabled to work together and with affordable access funds for maximum advantage. All such funds should recognize distance learning as eligible for support.
    2. Ensure that affordable Internet service are available to schools and libraries to complement affordable infrastructure access. A universal service Internet fund similar to the one supported by local access providers should be considered for Internet Service Providers.
    3. Maintain `set asides' for educational applications in allocations of digital spectrum
    4. Maintain `set asides' for educational applications in "RF" frequency allocations, and compensate the educational community for frequencies reallocated and auctioned for commercial use.
    5. Support efforts to provide affordable access to satellite communications for the use of education.

 

PREAMBLE TO LIBRARY SECTION

Information access has become a necessity for today's society -- a determiner of success, a way to differentiate between the haves and have-nots. The USDLA believes that access to digital information through public libraries in the United States should be free to the citizenry. Locations should be designed and made available for 24-hour, on-demand access.

Libraries have the responsibility for digitizing their collections and training professionals to assist the public in retrieving information from electronic collections. The federal government should ensure that affordable rates on installation and maintenance of telecommunications services are provided to all public library systems.

Therefore, USDLA makes the following recommendations:

(1) Security

For libraries as well as the general public it is necessary that systems be designed to protect security rights in a digital environment. Opportunities for abuse of privacy are inherent in today's open data retrieval systems, allowing information about the individual to be collected, sold and used in any contexts unknown to the originator. Privacy is a basic societal right.

(2) Authenticity of Information

With the volume of information delivered, policies must be designed and enacted that will assure the authenticity of information. Strategies could include a form of digital watermarking or electronic stamping to allow the user to ascertain that the material is not plagiarized or attributed illegally.

(3) Intellectual freedom

USDLA is committed to the individual's right to free speech in a democratic society. Digital information should not be censored by arbitrary governmental groups, and that fair an equitable policies be established that protect the public's rights.


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from "A Technical Guide to Teleconferencing and Distance Learning," 3rd edition