On September 18, 1998, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, the US Department of Education will sponsor a free, live teleconference on the application of distance learning and other technologies in places other than the traditional schoolhouse or classroom. The teleconference, Technology and Learning Beyond the Schoolhouse, will highlight activities in early childhood education settings, correctional facilities, and community-based learning centers for adults.
About 60 percent of our nation?s children under 5 years old are in day care, Headstart, or preschool programs, 2.6 percent of our adult population (4.9 million adults) are under correctional supervision; and 21-23 percent (40-44 million) adults demonstrate the lowest of literacy skill levels. These are persons most in need of educational opportunities and yet they do not have the benefit of access to a public education system. Indeed, many of the adults in prison and those with low level literacy skills experienced failure in traditional school systems. And many of the providers of day care for our nation?s children do not have adequate training in early childhood education and child development.
Despite the large number of potential learners who are not served by the traditional K-12 school systems, some learners are getting the skills, lessons or information they need through alternative means. They are creatively using various educational technologies with quite interesting results.
Five expert panelists - one each from the arena of early childhood education, correctional facilities programming, and community learning centers for adults, and a researcher and a policymaker - will describe the programs, technologies, and impact of these educational opportunities. The teleconference will be moderated. The viewing audience will be able to interact with the panelists through telephone call in and fax in.
The panelists include:
Downlink satellite coordinates are as follows: Telstar 5-Ku Band
97 degrees west
Transponder 25
Downlink frequency 12144.0
Polarity Vertical
Audio 6.8
The call-in number is 1-800-733-9205 and the fax-in number is 1-800-267-3718. The numbers will also be made available during the broadcast. The technical help number is 703-228-5714, It is recommended that downlink engineers test the signal at least 15 minutes before the program airs.
This teleconference is sponsored by the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination (ORAD) Star Schools Program in cooperation with the National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning (PLLI), the National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education (EC), and the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE).