Assessing Value of Nets

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How can schools and libraries share services with each other and
with other community groups?

An infinite number of possibilities. Micron corp. in Boise, Idaho
gives schools a 50% price break in return for use of a closet to
house Micron's equipment which Micron also uses to sell dial-up
connectivity to local homes.

If we're becoming a K-100 lifelong learning networked society the
institutional distinctions between K12 school-based learning and
home-based lifelong learning will continue to dissolve.

BBN has begun to research school/community cooperative ventures.

How can these activities be structured so as to foster
competition among telecommunications providers?

Design evaluative metrics to measure whose services best promote
lifelong learning, purposeful public problem-solving, "Real
benefits for Real people." Without such metrics, puffery leads
the way with hypeway glitz.

Allow for short term contracts to support the option for changing
providers. Deciding who has the best offering is like painting a
moving train. It will be the value-added training, resources and
services beyond connectivity which determine the best provider.
This has yet to be recognized or thoroughly demonstrated.

What examples exist of effective school/community collaborations.

There's a vast knowledgebase resulting from 10+ years of
community networking innovation. BST has a international
clearinghouse of community networking models, studies, etc.
http://macsky.bigsky.dillon.mt.us/

Curiously, this knowledge base seems to be largely ignored by
govt., corporations and foundations who seem to think they can
reinvent the wheel better, without examining what's been
demonstrated and learned to date. Actually, it appears many don't
know this knowledge base exists.

Does the Telecom Act promote such collaborations or endanger
them?

The Act's impact is a muddle depending on how the "law" is
interpreted and implemented. The full range of options and
opportunities possible are only alluded to by the Act.

How can an enhanced competitive environment help schools and
libraries? Are there new services likely to result? Is dramatic
price competition likely to occur?

Bill Gates, in his last book, says the three biggest emerging
industries are 1. Education 2. Entertainment 3. Social Services.
Put them together and you have "Fun Social Learning." The
anticipated emergence of successful school/community networking
models will deliver easy, online opportunities to engage in 
'fun social learning' with emphasis on purposeful skills on
school/community networks. The most benefit with the least
effort, sweetened with humor and sociability.

What structures exist to facilitate community collaborations in
the development of telecommunications infrastructure? Is this
activity typically driven by school districts, municipal govts,
community groups, libraries or other organizations?

I posted my "Guide to Implementation of Community Networks" to
the info-ren archive as an example of the complex variety of
issues inherent in creating collaborative school/community
networks. Since as a society we still hold competitive,
controlling attitudes from the Industrial age and have yet to
embrace the collaborative attitudes required for success in the
present information age, turfism dramatically undermines most
collaborative attempts, as the evidence will show upon
examination.

The very fact that the single best known support entity for
community networks, the National Public Telecomputing Network,
was unable to find govt., corporate, or foundation support is
testimony to the lack of understanding of what school/community
networking is, or how to support it. My NTIA "Bootstrap
Coalition" proposal was a detailed plan to address these issues;
ftpable at 192.231.192.1  /u1/ftp/pub/franko/Bootnarratives

I am currently a member of a group of oldtimers working to create
a national, perhaps international, association to support
school/community networks. Funding support is our biggest issue
despite a stellar group of experts.


My best answers as to what needs to happen next to support
school/community networks can be found in the above two
referenced documents.



\  /
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/  \  Frank Odasz; franko@bigsky.dillon.mt.us
 Western Montana College of the University of Montana
 >>>-NEW--> http://macsky.bigsky.dillon.mt.us/
 Telnet: 192.231.192.1 Dialup:406-683-7680, Type bbs 

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