FCC Commissioner asks tech industry to innovate education

On top of its decision to raise Internet connectivity funding for schools, the Federal Communications Commission is encouraging the technology industry to improve innovative educational material. On January 8th, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel spoke to a group of tech leaders in order to encourage the "digital disruption within teaching and the textbook industry," calling the textbook industry "unimaginative" and a burden to both educators and students, as most school districts cannot afford to update their textbooks regularly.

"...The world and the job opportunities that are out there look remarkably different," said Rosenworcel. With 50% of current jobs requiring digital skills - and 77% of future jobs requiring digital skills in the next decade - Rosenworcel suggested that textbooks have digital counterparts (e.g. software, apps) in order to engage students on an interactive level. With improved textbooks and educational tools, and a potential increase in the FCC's E-rate spending, Rosenworcel hopes to reduce "the homework gap," which occurs when students lack home Internet access in order to complete their homework.

Interested in learning more? Read the original article, "FCC Commissioner to Tech Industry: It’s Time to Reinvent Textbooks, Teaching" by Jason Shueh (Government Technology).

During Speak Up 2014, we asked questions regarding Internet access, E-rate funding, and ed tech funding. For example, we asked technology leaders: If you had increased Internet bandwidth, how would your school or district use that enhanced connectivity?

Find out the results from this question and more when we release the data on February 4th!