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Past Initiatives

Learning and Technology (2003)

The Learning and Technology Initiative originated from the realization that, for the nation's economy to maintain global competitiveness, the level and quality of U.S. education—K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning—need to be enhanced.

Co-Chaired by Molly Corbett Broad, former President of University of North Carolina, and Sean C. Rush, former General Manager of Global Education Industry for IBM, the initiative explored the growing contributions of technology-based learning and how these new strategies impact teaching and learning.

The Learning and Technology Initiative culminated in the 2003 report, Building a Nation of Learners: The Need for Changes in Teaching and Learning to Meet Global Challenges (pdf). The report builds on the Business Higher-Education Forum's 1999 report Spanning the Chasm: A Blueprint for Action (pdf) and looks at the role of information technology in transforming teaching and learning. It considers technology's ability to position the United States and its businesses to compete more effectively in the global economy.

The report concludes that information technology, including so-called e-Learning and distance learning via the Web, can be instrumental in improving an education system. This new educational model must help students learn what they need when they need it – providing "learning on demand." It further notes that colleges will need to adapt or modify traditional academic calendars, course credits, and means of delivery to adapt to these changing technologies.