A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Building Pathways to a National Learning Community

Thanks to OERI's "Pathways to a National Learning Community" initiative, teachers nationwide will eventually enjoy greater access to information and resources available through Internet and other electronic networks. Pathways is laying the groundwork for local schools to begin networking and become active participants in the development of the national information infrastructure. It consists of three major activities.

The first centers on improved access to research through networking. It builds on several promising resources developed under a previous initiative. For example, OERI now has its own Internet node (INet) that allows access to OERI information. Four prototype databases were developed on research results, promising practices, funding opportunities, and sources of help for educators seeking advice about improving teaching and learning.

In fall 1993, most of the information collected for these databases, along with other Department resources, became publicly accessible through the ED/OERI Gopher Server on Internet. The Gopher places OERI publications, statistics, and resources in easy reach. Internet users can access the information using a Gopher client (gopher to gopher.ed.gov or select North America -> USA -> General -> U.S. Department of Education) or an FTP client (ftp to ftp.ed.gov). Some publications can be viewed graphically in hypertext format on INet's experimental World Wide Web Server using a client such as Mosaic (URL = http://www.ed.gov/).

AskERIC at askeric@ericir.syr.edu provides teachers and parents nationwide with answers to educational questions through Internet and other online services (e.g., America Online). Questions sent by e-mail will be answered within 48 hours. Collections of research results and lesson plans are also available through the AskERIC Gopher at ericir.syr.edu (see Fall 1993 Bulletin).

In looking to the future, the Pathways initiative will provide expanded access to sources that can help educators reach their own decisions about how to effect changes in their schools and classrooms. Specifically, the focus will be on four major tasks

Coordinating with other federal agencies to provide educators with increased access to Internet, state electronic teacher networks, and other national online services;
Facilitating navigation through the Internet by refining and improving user interfaces and linkages among diverse resources;
Improving and expanding online services-such as AskERIC and the Gopher Server-for teachers, administrators, and students; and
Improving and expanding OERI's databases and information resources and providing linkages to resources in other offices of the Department and in other agencies.

The second activity will be the Teacher Networking Project grants competition. The grants will support model projects that demonstrate compelling applications of electronic networking in support of teacher professional development. They are to increase teacher participation in learning communities that provide access to resources for self improvement and to improve learning opportunities for students in the core subjects. Funds may be used to support access to electronic networks with professional development and training activities. Projects may include developing applications of electronic networking in any one of the core subjects to support the National Education Goals or establishing a state network that links teachers to resources available through existing networks.

OERI published an application package in March (due April 29) that encourages applications that demonstrate a variety of promising approaches to teacher networking. Guidelines are flexible enough to assure funding for projects of varying sizes, organizational arrangements, technology applications, and networking approaches. For this reason, there will be several 3-year awards with the amounts depending on the kind and scope of each project.

Third, the Secretary will convene a national conference May 8-10 in Washington, DC, to focus on teachers' use of networking as a professional development tool. It will also help participants develop an approach for increasing teacher participation in electronic networks in their own states. Participants will examine various approaches that can be used in the classroom, meet with teachers who actively use networking for student instruction and professional development, and engage in online networking activities. Invited attendees will include five-person state teams of teachers, resource personnel, administrators, district and state personnel, and teacher educators. OERI will carry segments of the conference via satellite to teachers unable to attend the gathering.

For further information about Pathways, contact Cheryl Garnette at cgarnett@inet.ed.gov or 202-219-2267. For INet and the ED/OERI Internet Gopher Server, contact Keith Stubbs at gopheradm@inet.ed.gov or 202-219-1547. For conference information, contact Thelma Leenhouts at MayConference@inet.ed.gov or 202-219-1558.

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