Elearning - February/March 2008 - (Page 10) News Senate Bill Introduced To Control Online Ed Going Green with Online Education Though little research has yet been done on the environmental benefits associated with online education in the U.S., a number of European organizations have already released studies quantifying the environmental impact of the higher education sector and establishing the “potential of the Internet and other elearning methods to radically reduce energy consumption and emissions,” according to an article by WorldWideLearn.com. “The results of the European studies are quite astounding,” says WorldWideLearn.com spokesman Doug Jones. “It turns out that choosing an online degree program is an incredibly easy way for students to make an environmental impact.” The Stockholm Environmental Institute and the U.K.’s Open University Design Innovation Group found that, compared to traditional campus college courses, distance learning courses consumed nearly 90 percent less energy and produced 85 percent less carbon dioxide emissions. These energy reductions included a 92 percent reduction in travel-related environmental impact and a nearly 50 percent reduction in paper and print consumption. “For the first time, students have the opportunity to make an environmental impact while at same time receiving a high-quality educational experience,” says Jones. “Conserving natural resources is only the tip of the iceberg. An online education program also enables students to strengthen global communities and build awareness of environmental responsibilities. According to the Racine (Wisc.) Journal-Times, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Education Committee is introducing legislation to permit the continued operation of so-called “virtual charter schools” in Wisconsin. A Court of Appeals decision recently held that the operation of a virtual charter school run a Virginia-based company is not permitted under the state’s existing charter school and open enrollment statutes. Sen. John Lehman (D-Wisc.) believes that his E-Learning Options and Accountability Act will: >> >> >> Clarify state law to specifically allow school districts to charter virtual schools and enroll students from across the state regardless of the location of the chartering district. Ensure quality by setting minimum standards for contact between teachers and students. Provide a per pupil funding level based on actual costs incurred for providing on-line learning. “I’m hopeful that a reasonable approach addressing the issues raised by the court to allow virtual charters to operate, setting minimum standards to ensure a quality education and protecting taxpayers by aligning public funding with actual costs can be quickly enacted into law,” Lehman told the Journal-Times. 10 February/March 2008 Elearning! http://WorldWideLearn.com http://WorldWideLearn.com
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