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On the Roadwith Rachel Hendricson* Recently, I conducted a workshop at the NEA Midwest Leadership Conference in Chicago on quality in distance education. The neatest part of the session: The audience was almost equally divided between our NEA higher education and K-12 members. The group's discussion made the commonality of interests between K-12 and higher ed members incredibly clear. Higher ed faculty, for instance, found that K-12 teachers share their concerns about the erosion of intellectual property rights. At the conference, we talked about what it takes to create a quality distance education experience for students at all levels. We looked at the question from a pedagogical standpoint (what makes a class good?) and we talked about distance learning from a union standpoint (what do we bargain to ensure that both members and students are protected?). Two concerns surfaced. First, there's a danger the public will misconstrue our emphasis on quality issues as simple job protectionism. Second, too many faculty, higher education and K-12, aren't aware of the escalating attacks on their intellectual property rights. I was heartened that both constituencies find distance education to be a concern that requires a K-16 solution. * Rachel Hendrickson coordinates NEA higher education activities. |
