IP: Higher Ed-K12 Ed and Distance Learning

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

> Reply-To: <hamblep@bwsd.k12.wi.us>
> From: "Paul Hambleton" <hamblep@bwsd.k12.wi.us>
> To: <farber@cis.upenn.edu>
>
> Dave,
>
> I am a K-12 teacher.  I currently serve on a NEA distance learning study
> committee.  We're looking into DL and its effect k12 and Higher Ed schools
> and employees now and into the future.
>
> One of the many issues is copyright law and how it might affect DL.  For
> instance, I may tape myself teaching a distance learning advanced placement
> course.  Who owns this tape of me if I work for a public school?  Can I sell
> it to Bill Bennett to use with his home school/cyber learning for-profit
> school?  Can he then resell it?  Is there an "Open Copyright" model that
> corresponds to open source software that we can use as we develop web-based
> courses?
>
> Another issue:  The upfront costs of developing quality distance learning
> are enormous.  How do public schools compete effectively in this arena where
> private organizations, such as Bennett, appear to be "commodisizing"
> educational products for marketing to the masses?  Should we even try?  Or
> rather, should public schools be anchored in communities?  Forida is one of
> the leader states in this area, with a Florida cyber-high-school already on
> line.  Should we be diving into this?
>
> The whole idea brings us back to basic issues:  What is public education? In
> a world which commodisizes everything from water to ideas, how will
> government-funded schools survive?  Should they?
>
> I'm interested in what IP listers might have to say on this topic or related
> topics.  It appears Internet-based DL is here to stay.  Very big in Higher
> Ed and coming to a K12 school near you.
>
> Paul Hambleton
> NB Certified English Teacher
> Baldwin-Woodville High School
> Baldwin, Wisconsin

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