RE: [ifets] "A nice and rich childhood"

About this list Date view Thread view Subject view Author view

Joe Beckmann (joeb@oekos.org)
Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:25:51 -0500 

From: "Joe Beckmann" <joeb@oekos.org>
Subject: RE: [ifets] "A nice and rich childhood"
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:25:51 -0500

You ought to know that the "massive initiatives burdening taxpayers" are not
taxes, except for local or state options, but, in fact and in truth, deep
cuts from the universal access fees the phone companies once mandated,
through the FCC, to other phone companies. The Universal Access Fund which
now ATT & MCI and Sprint itemize on their bills represents about 1/3 of the
rates which were collected before the US Telecommunications Act of 1996
eliminated access charges.

You ought also know that most of the studies in the huge study the DOE did
of other studies in the early 90's indicated, at worst, no effect and at
best, for those who used the net, a very significant effect in learning and
learning rates. Since the net has grown exponentially, it is reasonable to
infer that the variety of responses will increase substantially (if not
exponentially), and that those who really use it will learn more than those
who don't, which is the general conclusion to several of the studies you
noted from the recent TechWeb study.

Nobody thinks "Internet access replaces a poor educational environment" at
least in part because nobody thinks a poor educational environment includes
internet access. Only an idiot would pose a choice of texts, teachers, OR
access and presume that a "rich educational environment" could include less
than all of the above. Such "logic" is typical of the CATO institute but
a-typical on this list. Wake up.

Joe Beckmann

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ifets@omega.gmd.de [mailto:owner-ifets@omega.gmd.de]On
> Behalf Of WileyCCC@aol.com

>
> David Boaz of the Libertarian think tank, the CATO Institute told
> TechWeb in
> an interview last week, that providing Internet access to schools was
> logically flawed. "It's the height of technological hubris to
> think that the
> Internet can replace a poor educational environment". Boaz added
> that if given
> the choice, schools would
> probably spend their money on more textbooks and teachers over Internet
> access.....
>
> John Spiers, MA Ed Admin

---------------------------------------------------------
Forum website: http://zeus.gmd.de/ifets/
Email address for sending message to everyone on the list ifets@gmd.de
Forum's contact person ifets-info@gmd.de
Join/Leave Digest or Normal List http://zeus.gmd.de/ifets/maillist.html
---------------------------------------------------------

About this list Date view Thread view Subject view Author view

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu 10 Dec 1998 - 16:54:56 MET