Good Reasons to Support Universal Free Online Education

 

If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, you know that the Straube Foundation advocates for universal free online education.  That means education at all levels, particularly at the higher levels, available online, at no cost, for anyone who wants it.

 

The past year-and-a-half of Covid restrictions, and education-related data released recently, highlight the relevance of this mission.

 

The costs of college are going up, and families’ ability to pay the full cost is going down.  Recent estimates suggest that, including supplies, room and board, the cost of college can exceed $70,000 per year.  And that’s not for an expensive Ivy League school.  Many families do not have to pay that full cost, relying on scholarships, grants and student loans, to make up the difference.  But even with financial assistance, the annual “How America Pays For College” report suggests that families on average pay $26,373 per year for college.  Given the level of job disruption caused by Covid shutdowns, these college costs are no longer manageable for many families.  Does that mean their kids should not receive a college education?  Of course not.

 

There are also non-financial costs associated with attending school in person.  Being in a crowded, poorly ventilated, classroom for many hours increases exposure to Covid and other illnesses (which are enjoying a resurgence due to reduced immunity from extensive mask wearing).  There is an ever-increasing risk of physical violence at schools (79 school shootings have been reported this year so far, with ~115 school shootings for each of the three years before (2018, 2019, 2020)).

 

If we add in the diversity of learning styles across the population, and the ability of well-designed online classes to accommodate each learning style, it becomes clear that universal online education, available at no cost for all educational levels, would be a great benefit and equalizer in our society.

 

The Argument for Continued Online Learning in non-White Communities

 

A recent OpEd in the New York Times entitled “Don’t Kill Remote Learning.  Black and Brown Families Need It.” really spoke to me.  I’ll let you read the full article yourself, but highlight some of the main points.

 

·      Families of color are hesitant to send their children back into the classroom, due to fear of having the children contract Covid or become asymptomatic Covid carriers.  Many adult persons of color have jobs where they are in constant close contact with other individuals.  Vaccinations of adults in communities of color are moving slowly, and children under the age of 12 cannot be vaccinated at all (yet).  All to say that the cumulative risk of being exposed to Covid remains very high in non-white families.  Sending their children back to in-person school simply increases the risk.

 

·      Children in families of color suffer from debilitating medical conditions like asthma and diabetes at far higher rates than white families.  This can prove a challenge for regular in-person school attendance, and also increases the risk of poor results if an affected child contracts Covid.  The option of online schooling provides these families an option for effective education for their children with chronic illnesses.

 

The OpEd concludes as follows:  “School districts shouldn’t add to the burdens of the families already suffering from educational and health disparities. Remote learning should remain available even after Covid is no longer an epidemic.” 

 

Interactive Map Released that Documents US Digital Divide

 

On June 17, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a first-ever interactive map which “displays key indicators of broadband needs across the country [the United States]. This is the first interactive, public map that allows users to explore different datasets about where people do not have quality Internet access.”

 

Data from public and private sources include:

·      Usage:  75% or more devices in area connect with download speeds below 25 Mbps (county level)

·      Speed tests:  Median download speeds in area below 25/3 Mpbs (county and census tract level)

·      American community survey:  25% or more households in area report no internet access (census tract level)

·      American community survey:  25% or more households in area report no computer, smartphone or table (census tract level)

·      FCC Form 477:  No provider reports broadband services at 25/3 Mbps (census block level)

 

The data on the map can be viewed according to several different spatial boundaries:

·      County

·      Census tract

·      Census block

·      Minority serving institutions (NTIA MSIs)

·      American community survey high poverty communities (20% or more households below poverty level)

·      Tribal lands

 

The NTIA Administrator said this information will be used by federal and state governments to “make more informed decisions on expanding broadband access.”  The interactive map can also be used by non-profits and individual donors to target donations.

 

Where do most Americans without internet access live? You may be surprised.

 

In recent blog posts, we’ve explored the lack of broadband access in the United States, and described actions the federal government is taking to fix the problem.  The focus on expanded broadband access is often on the rural areas of the country, assuming that it’s mostly an infrastructure problem. 

 

A recent New York Times article looks more closely at the urban households who cannot afford access to the internet, even though the infrastructure is present in their neighborhood.  The article suggests that “some critics worry that the capital-heavy rural-first strategy could leave behind urban America, which is more populous, diverse and productive.”  It goes on to state that the total number of urban households without internet (13.6 million) is almost three times as high as the number of rural households who have no access to internet (whether they can afford it or not).  And notice that the numbers are for households, not the total number of individuals in those households.

 

Not surprisingly, the major impediment for urban households without internet access is financial.  They simply can’t afford it.  They are also overwhelmingly low income communities of color.  Which raises the politically sensitive issue of providing subsidies or otherwise regulating the pricing of internet service.

 

One urban community has taken matters into their own hands.  Three underserved neighborhoods in Detroit have benefited from the Equitable Internet Initiative, a coalition of media and tech companies and community groups that is financing and building wireless broadband networks for 50 households in each neighborhood.  Called “community technology”, this approach seeks to implement the United Nations’ declaration a few years ago that internet access is a basic human right.

 

The project uses local labor, training the residents who will benefit from the internet access in the skills needed to install and maintain the broadband network.  In 2018, its pilot year, the Equitable Internet Initiative installed broadband access into 150 homes.  In succeeding years, it has expanded into additional underserved Detroit neighborhoods.  The group is currently looking to hire a coordinator to keep the program going.

 

Another approach to making the internet accessible to all urban households is to essentially treat broadband providers as utilities, mandating that they provide a minimum level of service to everyone.  The State of New York has recently required internet providers to offer broadband service for $15/month.  The audience for this subsidized internet service is customers whose low income qualifies them for other government services like food stamps or Medicaid.

 

Universal broadband access is clearly a complicated aspiration, which will require a multi-facted set of solutions to become reality.

Free Internet for qualifying US residents

 

The US government launched the Emergency Broadband Benefit last week, a $3.2 billion pot of money to help all eligible US residents access available internet services, regardless of ability to pay.

 

What is the benefit? 

·      Up to $50/month on broadband service for eligible households.

·      Up to $75/month on broadband service for households on qualifying Tribal lands.

·      Up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer or tablet for eligible households (you need to contribute $10-50 toward the purchase price).

·      Only one monthly benefit and one device purchase benefit per household.

 

Who qualifies?  To be “eligible”, a household needs to meet one of these criteria: 

·      Income less than or equal to 135% of federal poverty guidelines.

·      Participates in certain assistance programs (SNAP, Medicaid, Lifeline).

·      Approved to participate in free school lunch or breakfast program in 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year.

·      Received federal Pell grant during current award year.

·      Experienced substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since Feb 29, 2020, and total 2020 income was below $99,000 for single filers or $198,000 for joint filers.

·      Meets eligibility requirements for participating broadband provider’s existing low-income or Covid-19 program.

 

How does an “eligible household” apply?  I’ve read it’s time-consuming and complicated, so be patient and persistent.

·      Contact your preferred participating broadband provider directly.

·      Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online and find participating broadband providers near you.

·      Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application.

 

Read more here, here, here, here and here.

 

I recognize that this blog post may not apply to all of our readers.  Please forward it on to anyone you know that might qualify for the Emergency Broadband Benefit. 

 

Free virtual conference for online educators, June 9-10 2021

 

REMOTE: the connected faculty summit, hosted by Arizona State University, will be held on June 9-10, 2021.  As described on their website:  “Join educators and decision makers from global universities and colleges to view and engage with presenters and peers on pedagogy, blended learning and best practices for student engagement online or on campus. REMOTE helps to design & deliver the best possible experience and outcomes for teachers and learners and provides keen insights for those involved in supporting education.”

 

This is the second year the summit has been offered.   It describes itself as the “largest virtual gathering of higher education faculty and administration.”

 

The agenda covers these topics:

·      How to optimize online learning

·      Equity first approaches

·      Developing and supporting robust systems

·      Adapting to policies that address faculty and student facing challenges

·      Lessons from COVID

·      Economic impact

·      How to partner with technology companies

·      Techniques and strategies

 

Participants also receive curated free resources and best practices.

 

And did I mention that it’s free.  Register here.

Education Will Look Different Post-Covid in Some School Districts

 

We’re coming to the end of a year-plus of disruption in the education system due to Covid-19.  This change in routine has itself caused a lot of learning.  Many school systems have, by necessity, become familiar with online platforms.  Many faculty have, again by necessity, incorporated online learning pedagogy into their curriculum.  And some students, by happenstance, have discovered that online classes suit their learning style and lifestyle.

 

So, will that Covid-induced learning cause our education system to make permanent changes?  Time will tell, of course, but there are already some hints of change on the horizon.

 

One school district in Utah is opening up three virtual schools in fall 2021 (one elementary, one middle, one high school) to provide the option for students to continue online learning if they want to.  The elementary and middle schools will be entirely virtual, with no physical location available.  High school students will have the option of taking all their classes online, or doing a hybrid model with some classes in person and some online.  The faculty and staff will work solely for the virtual school, which will also have its own mascot and school colors.

 

A school district in Colorado is offering a remote learning program for grades 6-12, available to any student within the state.  The remote learning student will take some or all of their classes online, and will remain connected with their neighborhood school for athletics, social activities (think prom), extracurricular activities and other school-related events.  The remote learning program will use the synchronous teaching model, meaning that all students will be attending class at the same time, interacting with both the teacher and each other in every class session.  The program estimates that 1,000-2,500 students will enroll in its first year of operation.

 

Some school districts are considering offering low-demand classes online to increase access for all interested students.  Say, e.g., there is adequate demand for learning Portuguese across the district (or even across a state), but not enough students (or qualified teachers) in any one jurisdiction to offer the class.  Offering the class online can allow the subject to be taught, without an unmanageable increase in cost.

 

At least one commentator has suggested that blended learning will become more customary in the near future.  Sometimes referred to as “flipped classrooms,” this approach to teaching allows the instructor to use the best of online and in-person methods to maximize the learning experience.  Often, the content of a class is delivered via pre-recorded video lecture.  This allows the student to learn the material on their own schedule, with the opportunity to review the lecture as many times as desired.  In-class time is then used to put the content into practice, facilitating extensive question-and-answer sessions, as well as experiential learning through exercises.

 

In Texas, education officials have purchased over 4.5 million computers and hotspots in the last few months.  They have also set a goal to provide free internet access in the home for all public school students.  President Biden’s proposed infrastructure legislation and other proposed Congressional action also include extensive funding to build a universal broadband network across the country.

 

It will be interesting to watch how the emergency reliance on online learning during a pandemic will permanently alter the landscape of education for the future.  With a year-plus of accidental experience with online learning, its benefits have made themselves known.