The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) will host a discussion on technology’s role in educating America’s youth at its upcoming conference in Washington, DC. The event will focus on how state legislators can transform their states’ education systems to better serve families and improve America’s global standing in educational achievement.
The “Workshop on 21st Century Learning” will welcome policy experts to discuss topics such as improving learning access, spending tax dollars more effectively, and combating reform opponents’ iron grip on public schools—all through the use of new technology. The workshop is a component of ALEC’s “States & Nation Policy Summit,” an annual conference in Washington, DC, to be held December 2-4.
“Legislators need to know the benefits of employing technology in education for students, parents, and society in general,” said Colorado State Senator Nancy Spence (R-Centennial), public sector chairman of ALEC’s Education Task Force.”Take online learning; those who have followed its expansion know of its potential to better serve families and to transform lives.”
Virtual Learning
This workshop—and the States & Nation Policy Summit conference overall—will welcome newly elected state legislators to participate in intensive policy discussions on issues they and their fellow lawmakers may face in 2010—such as virtual learning.
“Students engaged in virtual learning took some hits in legislatures across the country this past year,” said Mickey Revenaugh, cofounder of the online education group Connections Academy and the task force’s Private Sector chairman. “All legislators—including newly elected ones—need to know the facts and myths associated with online education so this critically important education innovation doesn’t suffer similar setbacks next year. This workshop will be an important step toward that goal.”
