Hello David and all,

David thank you for posting this, it is interesting and provocative to
think about the delivery of distance learning (DL) services under such
absolute conditions. It models the way much "hard science" is thought
through, for example studying climactic change by tracking changes that
take place at the Equator or North and South Poles, rather then in more
temperate climates.

I'll throw my hat in the ring first and encourage others to do so also.
Given our current state of internet access DL services would have to be
delivered through a variety of modalities (TV, telephone, mail
correspondence, internet).

If we want to think about what it would take to have an internet only
delivery system...
First, a number of municipalities are considering free and low-cost
citywide wireless access. Cities like Philadelphia have taken this on as a
government initiative rather then waiting for it to be led by the private
sector. I believe under the conditions of a widespread public health hazard
prevailed then Wi-Fi would come to be seen a a necessary public service
funded nationally and provided for at a state-wide level. This service
would be accessible through personal computer, cellphone or P.D.A.
There is getting these tools to people in need of the DL education services
ofcourse (something that would need to be subsidized), and then 
providing not only content-area instructional services (the language,
literacy, GED content) but also instruction on learning using that tool and
at a distance. Instructor professional development would be vitally
important in insuring a high quality service.

I'd be really interested in hearing from folks from around the country
involved in Project IDEAL on these questions and from others on the list.
Regards,
Mariann




At 11:03 AM 11/22/2005 -0500, you wrote:

>Technology Colleagues,

>

>Indulge me.  This post may seem a bit of a stretch, but that's what a  

>discussion forum is for -- a place to try out ideas. It also follows  

>from a discussion here earlier this year on adult education distance  

>learning.

>

>I have been thinking about Asian Bird Flu.  I hope the predicted  

>epidemic does not come to pass, or if it does, that its scope is  

>tiny; but many experts claim that it is inevitable, and at a scale  

>that could be between 5 and 50 million people afflicted.  In earlier  

>world epidemics, for safety reasons public gathering places were  

>closed or limited to only those that were essential.  Schools were  

>closed.

>

>Suppose schools in North America or in other parts of the world  

>actually were all closed, including all adult education schools and  

>programs.  Suppose adult education could only take place by Internet,  

>TV broadcast, radio broadcast, CDROM or DVD,  and telephone. Those  

>with experience in delivering adult education at a distance -- many  

>of you on this list -- would be asked to step forward and think  

>through how to organize this adult education distance learning  

>delivery system.

>

>I have been thinking about this, and would like to invite you to  

>think about it, too.  What would be needed to deliver all adult  

>literacy education (including English language learning) by  

>Internet?  What would the issues be?

>

>• Access from home, including broadband access

>• Good content online in all areas, all levels: ELL, basic literacy,  

>ABE, ASE, Transition to higher ed, etc.

>• Counseling

>• Online training for participants using online learning -- including  

>technology skills

>• Online teachers/facilitators recruitment and initial training

>• Ongoing professional development and training for online facilitators

>• An online assessment system

>• An online MIS

>• How to provide services to low-literate adults and beginning level  

>English language learners

>

>What else?

>

>How should this be organized? By community? By state? Nationally?  

>Internationally? Some other way?

>

>What pieces of such a distance learning system do we have now?  Can  

>some of the Project IDEAL states -- and Florida, California and other  

>states which may be doing distance learning -- do some of this -- or  

>all of it now?  If so, tell us what is in place in these states.   

>Could Alpha Plus or other Canadian models point the way? What about  

>Australian and Irish (NALS) distance learning models?

>

>Let's think together on this one, hoping we never have to use such as  

>system under such calamitous conditions, but through the thinking and  

>planning being prepared.  It may also suggest some things we should  

>be doing whether there is an epidemic or not.

>

>David J. Rosen

>djrosen at comcast.net

>

>

>

>----------------------------------------------------

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>

>




Mariann Fedele
Coordinator of Professional Development, 
Literacy Assistance Center
Moderator,
NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List
32 Broadway 10th Floor
New York, New York 10004
212-803-3325
mariannf at lacnyc.org
www.lacnyc.org