Plato at the Keyboard: Telecommunications Technology and Education Policy

The pace of adoption of distance-learning services has accelerated during the past few years due to more reliable equipment, lower costs, and better design of learning materials. Many new applications for distance learning emphasize low-end equipment with fewer bells and whistles, a new or extended use for an existing technology or network, interactive learning components, and new partnerships between public and private sector groups. In implementing new distance-learning applications, it is important to emphasize the service to be provided, not the technology that provides it. Further, teachers should be viewed as partners who are essential to the success of an application, not as enemies of technology. From a policy perspective, telecommunications may be viewed as a highway system that will serve a vital role in education and economic development during the next century. In order to construct a comprehensive highway system, it will be necessary to organize many existing telecommunications groups, such as public broadcasters, cable operators, and telephone companies.