Bandwidth: the Bottom Line

Dear friends,

I have often said that every conversation about technology in schools boils down to one about bandwidth. It doesn't matter how many netbooks, iPads, or other hardware a school can manage to purchase, if a child has to wait 15 seconds, or longer, for the results of every click on a website or online resource for its results, the gains won't happen. Now that I'm striving to improve the quality of education in the Public Schools sector I understand the need to level the playing ground; and not only level it, but to raise it higher for all of our children, not just those in pricey private schools.

http://blog.edtechteam.com/2012/02/updated-ipad-for-educators-workshop.html

You don't need to know what a SIG is, or what ISTE is, or what any of the other plethora of acronyms we educators can come up with at the drop of a flying feather, this is important and deserves your attention and action. I received this email yesterday. Please take the 30 seconds it will take to jump through the very simple hoops needed to verify your digital signature on this petition. Help assure all children have the access they need to avail themselves of the opportunities that are afforded by developing online technologies:

Here's the letter:

Dear SIG Leadership Council,

Last week, ISTE submitted a petition to the White House regarding broadband access for students. We were able to get the 150 signatures needed for the petition to go up on the White House website, but there is still a long way to go to reach the 100,000 signatures needed by the end of April so that it goes in front of committees. It's an audacious goal, but one we're eyeing. Please share the link with your SIG listserves, professional networks, friends, families and colleagues and invite them to sign. Together, our voices will carry.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to support this critical advocacy initiative. April is Advocacy Month, and we're determined to make the most of it!

Here's the link: http://wh.gov/LVL7. 

Warmest regards,

Lauren Suveges

Volunteer Leadership Manager

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

180 W. 8th Avenue, Suite 300

Eugene, OR 97401

Now use your clicks!