Educational technology with its fascinating potential for enhancing student achievement through the Internet, distance learning and more will be featured in tonight's U.S. Department of Education TV show, carried on various television networks, cable outlets and downlink sites nationwide.

This month's "Education News Parents Can Use" show, the final program of the 2002-2003 school year, will be broadcast live from 8-9 p.m. EDT and available on the Web at www.connectlive.com/events/ednews/. A full listing of viewing options can be found at http://registerevent.ed.gov/.

"Technology has tremendous possibilities to inspire students, improve academic performance and close the achievement gap for children who historically have been left behind," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "That's why -- along with reading, writing, mathematics and science -- technology has become our schools' 'new basic'."

Tonight's broadcast will address such issues as:

• How can parents stay involved in their child's education through the use of technology?

• What resources are available to help kids use computers and the Internet safely and responsibly?

• How does technology shape student perceptions about school, home and the world? How does this impact their learning?

• How can advanced technology be integrated into the curriculum to help students prepare for the digital age?

• How can technology be a tool to help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers?

Among the guests will be John Bailey, director of educational technology at the U.S. Department of Education; Mary Ann Hawthorne, principal of Samuel Gompers Vocational and Technical High School in New York; Onnie Shekerjian, parent advocacy director with Internet Education Exchange; and Tim Lordan, director of Internet Education Foundation/GetNetWise.

In addition, also appearing will be students from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., along with Richard Washer, the school's educational technology and integration specialist.

"Education News Parents Can Use" offers one-on-one interviews, how-to demonstrations, and brief conversations with parents, educators, community, business and religious leaders, and education experts. As always, viewers can call in their questions to a phone number that will be posted on the screen.

The show is broadcast on the third Tuesday of every month during the school year. Besides local cable systems, the program is carried live on the Dish Network, and is rebroadcast nationally on the Discovery Network's TLC (The Learning Channel), the Channel One Network, and various Public Broadcasting Service stations.

Details about the series are available at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OIIA/television/index.html.

The next program will air in September.

###

Top

Back to June 2003