Title: Partnerships and Collaborative Learning. (Editorial)(Cover Story)
Abstract: The power of partnerships and the value of alliances in education have existed for many years. Hardware vendors have been partnering with content providers and users to demonstrate the value of technology in education. Creating and utilizing an environment that connects people so they can share information has become essential. The Internet's growth in education has demonstrated that collaborative efforts are assisting in solving educational problems. However, a number of recent issues emphasize the value of partnerships. Needing Professional Development, Demanding Lifelong Learning A consortia of universities, private corporations and for-profit companies are collaborating to provide training for school personnel, community groups and industry workers. More federal, state and local funds are being provided for professional development as needed. Private companies are helping with staff development and administrative functions. The Ameritech Technology Academy (ATA) teaches four-person teams from schools throughout Michigan on how to apply technology in all curriculum areas. ATA's partners include the Michigan Department of Education, the Michigan Association for Computer Related Technologies in Education, the Michigan Association of School Administrators and the office of the governor. Many communities are equipping libraries and community centers for use by adults and students. Planning usually involves the community, businesses, funding agencies and educators. A number of major universities and private corporations are involved with providing AARP members the opportunity to enroll in free and paid courses. The growth in staff development opportunities is documented and increased sharing of information can be noted. However, it must be remembered that professional development should be ongoing, and monies provided for this purpose need to reduce operational costs and increase services. The recent computer mergers have various affects on the educational community. Hewlett-Packard and Compaq's merger is supposed to reduce operating costs and make the combined company more competitive with Dell, IBM and Sun Microsystems. This is bound to drive prices down and provide better choices to educators. Universities and booksellers are also collaborating to reduce costs for students. The University of Phoenix has initiated a plan to convert itself into a bookless college, providing customized, interactive digital textbooks to students. In addition, the National Science Foundation is working with IBM, Intel and Quest to build a computing grid that can store more than 450 trillion bytes of data by 2003. The Rise of Virtual Universities Many for-profit organizations have been formed. Michigan Virtual University is a private nonprofit organization established in 1998 by the state's governor and the Michigan Jobs Commission (now the Michigan Economic Development Corp.) to provide online learning opportunities. The school does not grant degrees or certificates, but acts as a broker of programs made available by Michigan's public and private colleges, universities and commercial training providers. However, problems from accreditation to funding are feared by online educational institutions, in contrast to the successes of e-learning in business environments. Increased Job Market Opportunities Educators are continually criticized for graduating students who do not understand the fundamentals of technical literacy and are ill-equipped to get a job. The business community has become more involved with curriculum content, apprenticeships for students and teachers, and with job placement. In addition, vendor-specific courses are now being developed by educators and businesses at educational institutions. …
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-10-01
Language: en
Type: article
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