Education and Industry

How the future unfolds — in all the counties around Puget Sound — will obviously be a co-creation of business, government, and not-for-profits. The state's technological planning is relatively advanced. Its legislative home page (www.access.wa.gov) has been recognized by several national organizations as among the best providers of on-line information to citizens. Anyone with Internet access can dial in and get draft legislation as well as audio and video feeds from legislative hearings. These — plus the state's TVW government channel — provide citizens with unprecedented access to the policy discussions in Olympia. The state has also taken steps to "wire" all counties with high-capacity lines which will allow schools and libraries to link with each other and to the Internet (the K-20 plan). And the University of Washington snagged a "point of presence" (a hub known as a gigapop) in an entirely new generation of the Internet, known as Internet II. This positions the state as a critical node in the emerging communications infrastructure.

Experiments in distance learning — using technology to link learners with teachers and resources who are in other places — are enabling students of all ages to get information from experts, wherever they are. For example, Virtual Running Start allows high school juniors and seniors to earn college-level course credit, along with their high school diploma, by taking "virtual classes" in such topics as American government, health and wellness, Internet and computer skills. North Seattle Community College has offered this course since 1997. Federal Way public schools host the Internet Academy, which allows people who find it difficult to attend school the opportunity to work toward a high school diploma.

West Seattle High School is one of a number of sites where Microsoft Corporation has installed computers with access to the Internet. Students use them all the time, says librarian Debbie Arthur, who became a convert to new technology when she saw how the library's new computers resulted in students getting more engaged in research, and checking out three times as many books. "A cloud settles over the school when the Internet access is down," notes Principal Jim McConnell.

Not only does the school use computers to extend students' research capabilities, they also use computer technology to communicate with community mentors in companies like Immunex. "Our kids are extracting DNA with scientists there," says McConnell. He also encourages students to learn to "wire" the school, where coils of fiber optic cable can be seen in the halls. "There will be lots of jobs on the service side of the information revolution," he predicts.

Apple Computer wisely invested in giving computers, software, and training to schools and not-for-profits — arguably one reason it has survived as a company at all. In Washington state, the industry noticed a distinct need to better connect with the education system, so it created the Washington Software & Digital Media Alliance (now called simply, Washington Software Alliance) and the Washington Software Foundation. The Alliance is a trade association whose vision is "to make Washington State the Information Technology center of the world." The Foundation gives grants and scholarships to promote access to technology and computer literacy.

One reason high-tech firms put major resources into education is that schools still lag behind in training the next generation of computer users and software programmers. In fact, in many cases, the students know much more than their teachers about how to operate in the digital domains of cyberspace. For many, the computer is as natural a tool as the pencil was to previous generations. While this might appear to be a golden opportunity to reform education and create more interactive learning communities, industry sources told Good News/Good Deeds that many education systems are digging in their heels and resisting change. Still others can't afford it. The Technology Alliance has recently acquired support from the Gates Library Foundation to train every school principal in the state in how to use new technology to improve education. Hopefully, the training will go beyond nuts-and-bolts to such larger questions as: If it's true that emerging economies are based more on knowledge than capital, what role can schools and education play?