|
|
|
|
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON WEB-BASED EDUCATION
The Web-based Education Commission was established by Congress to explore the policy and pedagogical issues surrounding the use of the World Wide Web in the area of education. The commission is comprised of leaders from Congress, and experts in the education and technology fields. It is charged with recommending specific public policies to help fulfill the educational promise of the Internet for learning. 2. What is web-based education? "Web-based education"
encompasses a broad variety of educational approaches that utilize the
Internet and communication technologies. These approaches range from
using the Internet as a research tool to taking online classes at a
virtual high school. Web-based education also includes communication
between teachers, students, and parents via email or electronic message
boards, publication of student work on the web, and online teacher support.
For more detailed discussions of web-based learning, visit the Links
page.
The Web-based Education Commission was established as part of the most recent reauthorization of the Higher Education Act under Title VIII, Part J of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (Public Law 105-244). 4. Why was the Web Based Education Commission formed? What is its purpose? The Commission was established by Congress to explore the promise of the Internet and other technology-mediated learning strategies and to identify the obstacles that inhibit students from realizing that promise. In the long term, the Commission is working to develop a comprehensive policy "road map" to assist policymakers, key education stakeholders, and the private sector in making decisions about web-based education. It also will establish a strong presence on the World Wide Web to serve as a center for discussion and debate over policies that affect web-based learning. 5. How were the members of the Commission chosen? Who are the Commission members and where can I find more information about them? The President, the Secretary of Education, and majority and minority leadership of the House and Senate appointed members of the Web-based Education Commission. The members of the Commission are listed below. If you wish to know more about them, you may leave this site, and go to http://hpcnet.org/webcommission From there, click into About Us at the top of the page, and you will be able to click into further information about each member. The Honorable Bob Kerrey, US Senator, Nebraska (Chairman) The Honorable Johnny Isakson, US Representative, 6th District, Georgia (Vice Chairman) Patricia Abraham, Professor, Dept. of Technology and Education, Mississippi State University Alan Arkatov, Founder and Chairman, Online Learning.net George Bailey, Assistant to the Vice President, Research for Special Projects, University of Montana The Honorable Jeff Bingaman, US Senator, New Mexico Richard Brown, Director of Instructional Services, Walden University Susan Collins, Senior Vice President and General Manager, bigchalk.com The Honorable Mike Enzi, US Senator, Wyoming The Honorable Chaka Fattah, US Representative, 2nd District, Pennsylvania John Gage, Chief Researcher and Director of Science Office, Sun Microsystems Richard Gowen, President, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Doug King, President and CEO, St. Louis Science Center Florence McGinn, GKE Vice President of Research; CEO, Insynthesis LLC; former Teacher and Pilot Programs Developer, Hunterdon Central Regional High School; Nancy Pfund, Managing Director, Private Equity Group, Chase H & Q David Winston, Senior Vice President, Fabrizio McLaughlin & Associates
6. What issues will the Web-based Education Commission focus on? The Commission will focus specific attention on a core set of policy issues to better understand the impact the World Wide Web can have on transforming and improving learning and achievement. These policy issues include technology trends, pedagogy, access and equity, technology costs, teacher training and support, regulatory barriers, standards and assessment, accreditation and certification, intellectual property protection, online privacy and protection, new learning institutions, research and development, and marketplace stability.
7. How will the Web-based Education Commission collect data and information for its recommendations? The Commission is inviting responses to its questions from the foremost experts in education, policy officials, and the public. This data will be collected through public hearings, site visits, stakeholder meetings and discussion, and policy analysis. The Commission will also collect information in the form of "e-testimony." 8. What will happen after the Web-based Education Commission presents its report? How will the findings in the report be used? The findings of the Commission will focus on the policy actions necessary to utilize the Internet to the fullest capacity. The report will provide specific policy guidance aimed at local, state, and federal policymakers. The long-term objective of the Commission is for its recommendations to be implemented at the local, state, and federal levels as appropriate. In addition, the Commission seeks its web site to become a "first stop" for education stakeholders and policymakers who seek (a) a better understanding of the educational capabilities of the web, and (b) effective approaches for maximizing high quality web-based learning strategies.
9. What resources are available on the Web-based Education Commission Web site? The Links page lists online resources with general information about web-based education and distance learning, sites affiliated with witnesses who have testified before the Commission, and links for teachers, students, parents, and policymakers. Additionally, the e-testimony page includes many resources submitted by individuals and organizations testifying online. |