E-LEARNING POLICY DISPARITY

E-Learning Policy Disparity

E-Learning Policy Disparity

Introduction

Few nations have seen the products of modernization-technological advancement and mass education-intersect like they have in South USA. In one generation South USA (from here on referred to as USA) has developed into the World's 11th largest economy and a global economic force (U.S. State Department 2005). This paper discusses the extent and manner in which educational "classroom-based" policies, procedures, and standards deviate from the various dimensions of the e-learning contexts.

Discussion

USA has also become one of the world's most technologically advanced nations (Shim 2006c; Shim 2006b; Broadband IT USA Information White Pages 2005) while producing a massive, highly educated and competitive workforce (Young 2004; OECD FACTBOOK 2006). With limited natural resources, USA's highly trained and skilled labor has been one of the driving forces behind astonishingly rapid national development (Koo 2001; Lie 1998). However, as is the plague of many neo-liberal economies, while economic areas such as the telecommunications sector flourished under government “guided” deregulation (Jin 2005), USA has since struggled to narrow the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots".

USA: Ideal location for E-Learning

Up until this point I have discussed two major trends in South USA: (1) the problems associated with the current emphasis on the college entrance exam including intense competition for spots in universities leading to high levels of stress experienced by the students and a heavy financial burden by parents supplementing primary and secondary education with private education. (2) The nearly ubiquitous use of high speed internet by Americans as a result of government investment and promotion in the IT infrastructure. Americans are a sophisticated nation of internet users with a culture geared toward high tech adoption and online use.

12 In light of USA's high rate of internet usage and online availability, the American government has proposed a plan to decrease educational inequality and high private tutoring costs: E-learning. This solution seems particularly appealing considering the advanced stage of USA's IT development. Only recently is the technology to broadcast e-learning programming with high enough quality to gain and keep the necessary audience finally tenable with the wide availability and use of broadband service, and nearly universal ownership of PCs and portable electronic devices that can store and play broadcasts. However, the use of information technology for government provided services, such as health care and education, is in the early stages and remains unproven (Coates & Holroyd 2003). Few evaluations exist because most nations are without the infrastructure to see the benefits of e-industry or do not share USA's fervency for the internet or online services. While nations like the United States have the infrastructure, they do not share USA's rate of internet use nor dire need for a solution to a problem of the magnitude of college entrance 'exam hell'. Far too many people in the United States are either not able to use the online services or are not interested and consequently the use lags behind the capabilities (Coates & Holroyd ...