As the Federal Communications Commission works on the National Broadband Plan as it relates to education, it is focusing on evaluating three key gap areas: connectivity required for schools and applications, the ecosystem necessary for broadband to advance progress in education, and the incentives that need to be aligned to realize the potential of broadband. But the key questions are what is the level of connectivity in these classrooms and is it sufficient to meet the needs of students mastering 21st century skills. There is a lot lacking in terms of pervasive and effective use of technology in our classrooms today - the broadband ecosystem is weak in multiple dimensions. This is due, in large part, to a lack of innovation in the field. Finally, the education community needs better aligned incentives to realize the potential of broadband in schools.
