From: Geoff Haines-Stiles <ghaines@quest.arc.nasa.gov>
Subject: SOME WEEKEND READING ABOUT COMPUTERS AND THE NET?
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 23:08:32 -0800 (PST)
Dear Discuss-lfm, and Advocates, I hope this does not seem off-target. There are some stats about use of computers and the world of work that seem interesting, and perhaps will make your administration look more favorably on what you are doing. This posting comes from a Benton Foundation list that is discussing the value of an e-rate, and has veered into "is just providing technology enough, or do we need to do more?" Of course, the online aspect of PTK/LFM puts the content first, but the attempt to make user-friendly Guides, video and online experiences, and integrate all of them, does seem to me to ateempt to do two things: 1) generate positive examples and experiences which show new telecomms. are not just fads and gimmicks, but work... and 2) use content to drive the process, rather than "in principle" adoptions of new technologies. OK, now back to worrying about funding for LFA 2 and how to integrate Red Rover, Red Rover into LFM program 2. But your thoughts, please. GHS Geoff Haines-Stiles Project Director, PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE and the LIVE FROM specials vox: 973.656.9403 fax: 973.656.9813 mobile: 908.305.7061 "electronic field trips to scientific frontiers" Real Science, Real Scientists, Real Locations, Real Time ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 11:13:10 -0500 From: "Patricia F. Lewis" <pflewis@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu> To: upforgrabs-l@cdinet.com Subject: Re: Universal service -- Mark & Kevin Kevin said: >> No doubt many schools -- urban, suburban and rural -- face problems that >> appear more pressing than connecting kids to the Internet. But the Clinton >> Administration and the 104th Congress recognized some long-term trends re: >> employment and technological literacy. The workforce of the not-too-distant >> future will have to be able to use information tools. >> >> At a time we as a country re-negotiated the compact with telecommunications >> providers, we gained a payoff so that these tools can become affordable in >> schools and libraries. These proposed discounts are part of a solution. >> Continued commitment to these community institutions is another part of the >> solution. Mark said: >Simply saying that there is a long term trend towards increased >reliance on off-site electronic information doesn't mean that it is >reasonable for the federal government to tell schools that they can >have $X as long as they spend it on IS. > >I have probably not been very clear on my point. It do not believe >that utility regulators are in the best position to know how much >schools should spend on IS versus anything else. Schools are. If >the White House and the Congress believe that they know >something that the schools and parents do not, then the governmental >leaders should provide the information rather than take charge of >school budgets. Leadership can be provided without control. >BTW, you are correct that the discounts were part of a deal. However, >telecom providers won't fund the payoff. Customers will. I'm saying: Look at universal service as a small part of the grand scheme of things. It is true that the number of jobs requiring computer skills is growing and these jobs pay higher wages (sorry if the spacing on these charts does not work). ************************************************************* *****Percent***** 1984 1989 1993 Use computer at work 24.6 36.8 45.8 Complete data is available on the Census Bureau Web Site at <http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/computer/comp1.txt> ************************************************************* Family Income % of workers using computers Less than $10,000 18.3 $10,000 - 14,999 23.7 $15,000 - 19,999 31.7 $20,000 - 24,999 36.0 $25,000 - 34,999 42.8 $35,000 - 49,999 50.6 $50,000 - 74,999 61.5 $75,000 and over 67.0 (I had to extrapolate on this one b/c I can't find an actual wage site yet) Complete data is available on the Census Bureau Web Site at <http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/computer/compuseb.txt>. ************************************************************** Okay, that said, where should childen learn these job skills? I believe that children should learn these skills in school. BUT, there are currently great disparities in school access (see Table 1 of the Dept of Ed's "Advanced Telecom in the US Pub Elementary and Secondary Schools) as well as overall school and educational quality. Just read a book like Savage Inequalities and you'll see what I mean. I know customers, inccl myself, will pay more because or this. But how much do I pay because people can't find make a living wage now? I'd rather pay my money to educate a child than to pay welfare. Concerning letting the schools decide, there ARE administrators, teachers, and parents who do NOT believe that computers/internet in the classroom can make a difference. Also, yes, there are MAJOR structural problems in our schools that need to be fixed. But to say that all those things need to be fixed before offering computers is a little like telling Cinderelaa there is just one more chore for her to do before going to the ball. It will never happen. There will always be something deemed more important to the immediate future. I think computers are A PART -- not a silver bullet -- of solving this problem. I am not saying "build it and they will come." Of course there is training and ongoing funding and support that needs to happen as well. Plus, there is something not measurable by social science that I think computers contribute to. In reading Savage Inequlaities, the children at the low (very low!) income schools expressed a hopelessness that no one cared about them. When they visited the more wealthy schools for sports games, theyc ould SEE the disparities. From my anecdotal readings of children who have been given access to computers, it makes them feel like someone cares about them -- like they are worth spending the money on. It's not the ONLY way, it is A way. So many schools, just by their appearance, tell the children attending them that they don't matter. Anyway, I guess I'm done. Patty ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Patricia Figliola Lewis University of Florida PhD Student, Telecom Policy & Law http://grove.ufl.edu:80/~pflewis/ pflewis@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~