Copyright Lawrence K. Grossman, Newton N. Minow Copyright Lawrence K. Grossman, Newton N. Minow and Anne G. Murphy, 2003. This work is the intellectual and Anne G. Murphy, 2003. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.from the author.

A Digital A Digital Gift to the NationGift to the Nation

Lawrence K. GrossmanLawrence K. Grossman

Newton N. MinowNewton N. Minow

The ProposalThe Proposal

The federal government should establish an The federal government should establish an independent educational trust fund to meet the urgent independent educational trust fund to meet the urgent need to transform learning in the 21st Century -- need to transform learning in the 21st Century -- The The Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DO IT).Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DO IT).

This trust will be financed by revenue from auctions, This trust will be financed by revenue from auctions, licensing, or fees generated by publicly owned licensing, or fees generated by publicly owned spectrum.spectrum.

The purpose of The purpose of DOITDOIT is to spur innovative uses for is to spur innovative uses for technology to enhance education, training, lifelong technology to enhance education, training, lifelong learning, and support new educational models and learning, and support new educational models and prototypes.prototypes.

To do for education in its broadest sense what NSF To do for education in its broadest sense what NSF does for science, NIH does for health and DARPA does does for science, NIH does for health and DARPA does for defense.for defense.

BackgroundBackground

Once each century, during Once each century, during a time of national crisis, a time of national crisis, our country has made a our country has made a bold investment in bold investment in transforming education.transforming education.

1818thth Century: The Century: The Northwest OrdinanceNorthwest Ordinance set aside land for the creation of public set aside land for the creation of public schools. For the first time, education was schools. For the first time, education was made available to the average child. made available to the average child.

1919thth Century: Congress passed and Century: Congress passed and President Lincoln signed into law Justin President Lincoln signed into law Justin Morrill’s proposal to set aside land for Morrill’s proposal to set aside land for every state to sell in order to create the every state to sell in order to create the Land Grant Colleges.Land Grant Colleges.

2020thth Century: The Century: The GI BillGI Bill offered offered opportunities for higher learning to opportunities for higher learning to millions of Americans. They went to millions of Americans. They went to college and helped propel the US and its college and helped propel the US and its economy to worldwide leadership.economy to worldwide leadership.

The 21st CenturyThe 21st Century

Our emerging knowledge-based economy makes Our emerging knowledge-based economy makes the people’s access to knowledge and learning the people’s access to knowledge and learning across a lifetime in the sciences and humanities a across a lifetime in the sciences and humanities a national imperative.national imperative.

Public education must be transformed to meet the Public education must be transformed to meet the fast changing technological challenges of the new fast changing technological challenges of the new century.century.

Our libraries, museums, universities, schools and Our libraries, museums, universities, schools and cultural organizations need to be brought into the cultural organizations need to be brought into the digital age so they can educate citizens to become digital age so they can educate citizens to become part of the informed citizenry our democracy relies part of the informed citizenry our democracy relies upon.upon.

Our workers need retraining to keep pace with the Our workers need retraining to keep pace with the changing workplace.changing workplace.

The Need and the OpportunityThe Need and the Opportunity

In this Information Age, the nation needs a In this Information Age, the nation needs a major initiative for research and development major initiative for research and development in teaching, training, and learning.in teaching, training, and learning.

Through simulations, digitization, and virtual Through simulations, digitization, and virtual reality, today’s advanced digital technologies reality, today’s advanced digital technologies can open the door to a knowledge-based can open the door to a knowledge-based economy for all Americans, as well as for economy for all Americans, as well as for people throughout the world.people throughout the world.

The Internet and EducationThe Internet and Education

We spend over $2 billion a We spend over $2 billion a year connecting year connecting classrooms to the Internet, classrooms to the Internet, but almost nothing on but almost nothing on educational educational contentcontent, and , and too little on educational too little on educational research and research and development.development.

DO IT is essential for:DO IT is essential for:

Education: America must make a new Education: America must make a new investment in education and research and investment in education and research and development for all citizens if we are to development for all citizens if we are to remain competitive in the new global remain competitive in the new global knowledge-based economy. We also need knowledge-based economy. We also need to develop a structure for delivery of to develop a structure for delivery of training materials to workers in all fields.training materials to workers in all fields.

DO IT is essential for:DO IT is essential for:

Jobs:Jobs: America is losing jobs to workers America is losing jobs to workers overseas because we don’t have a overseas because we don’t have a competitive, national Information competitive, national Information Technology training infrastructure. Technology training infrastructure.

Security:Security: America is no longer in a America is no longer in a position to play “catch up” with education position to play “catch up” with education and training for people of all ages. and training for people of all ages.

and DO IT is essential for:and DO IT is essential for:

Life-long Learning:Life-long Learning: America must provide America must provide every opportunity for our growing population of every opportunity for our growing population of senior citizens to remain productive, contributing senior citizens to remain productive, contributing members of society. members of society.

Democracy:Democracy: Democracy thrives when an Democracy thrives when an educated citizenry has access to information and educated citizenry has access to information and the critical thinking skills to make informed the critical thinking skills to make informed choices. choices.

Types of Projects the Trust will fund:Types of Projects the Trust will fund:

Visualization, Modeling, and SimulationVisualization, Modeling, and Simulation that that could enable students to learn by doing, to could enable students to learn by doing, to better understand difficult or abstract concepts, better understand difficult or abstract concepts, and apply what they learn in real-world contexts.and apply what they learn in real-world contexts.

Virtual worldsVirtual worlds that could offer sophisticated that could offer sophisticated content and challenging activities that, like content and challenging activities that, like popular communications media, engage and popular communications media, engage and stimulate individuals for significant amounts of stimulate individuals for significant amounts of time.time.

The Trust will fund...The Trust will fund...

Intelligent Tutoring SystemsIntelligent Tutoring Systems that could assess that could assess individual student strengths, weaknesses, and mastery individual student strengths, weaknesses, and mastery of subject material; generate instruction material of subject material; generate instruction material tailored to the progress of an individual student; serve tailored to the progress of an individual student; serve as an “expert” in a subject matter area; and use a as an “expert” in a subject matter area; and use a variety of pedagogical approaches – explanations, variety of pedagogical approaches – explanations, guided learning, and coaching among others. guided learning, and coaching among others.

Large Scale Digital Libraries and Online MuseumsLarge Scale Digital Libraries and Online Museums that could offer a fascinating array of multimedia that could offer a fascinating array of multimedia information and digital artifacts for student, teacher and information and digital artifacts for student, teacher and scholarly use, and for building engaging curricula and scholarly use, and for building engaging curricula and learning experiences for all, no matter where they live, learning experiences for all, no matter where they live, work, or attend school. work, or attend school.

The Trust will also fund:The Trust will also fund:

Distributed Learning and CollaborationDistributed Learning and Collaboration that could that could provide learners with unparalleled opportunities for provide learners with unparalleled opportunities for access to courses globally that integrate rich multi-media access to courses globally that integrate rich multi-media curriculum, expert instruction, and peer collaboration.curriculum, expert instruction, and peer collaboration.

Learning management toolsLearning management tools that could help students, that could help students, teachers and other education professionals better teachers and other education professionals better manage learning opportunities, assignments, and tasks, manage learning opportunities, assignments, and tasks, scheduling analyses of individual student performance, scheduling analyses of individual student performance, interventions of teachers and other education interventions of teachers and other education professionals, teacher-parent communications, student professionals, teacher-parent communications, student account management, and student portfolios. account management, and student portfolios.

Overcoming existing barriers:Overcoming existing barriers:

The Trust will:The Trust will:fund much-needed research and development in fund much-needed research and development in the areas of information technology, software the areas of information technology, software design, the process of cognition, learning and design, the process of cognition, learning and memory.memory.encourage the digitization of America’s libraries, encourage the digitization of America’s libraries, museums, universities and other scientific and museums, universities and other scientific and cultural repositories to preserve the foundations cultural repositories to preserve the foundations of American history and learning, and to develop of American history and learning, and to develop the most comprehensive learning experiences the most comprehensive learning experiences for the future. for the future.

Overcoming existing barriers:Overcoming existing barriers:

The Trust will also:The Trust will also:

serve as a center for national leadership serve as a center for national leadership and coordination among business, and coordination among business, university and Federal initiatives in these university and Federal initiatives in these areas which are currently operating areas which are currently operating without meaningful coordination or without meaningful coordination or integration. integration.

What Others are SayingWhat Others are Saying

United States Commission on National United States Commission on National SecuritySecurity

Former Sens. Hart and Rudman, ChairsFormer Sens. Hart and Rudman, Chairs

““The inadequacies of our systems of The inadequacies of our systems of research and education pose a greater research and education pose a greater threat to U.S. national security over the threat to U.S. national security over the next quarter century than any potential next quarter century than any potential conventional war we might imagine.”conventional war we might imagine.”

George LucasGeorge LucasCreator, Star WarsCreator, Star Wars

DO IT “will help fully realize the potential DO IT “will help fully realize the potential of the Internet and digital technologies of the Internet and digital technologies for the education of all Americans.”for the education of all Americans.”

Phillip J. BondPhillip J. BondUnder Secretary of Commerce for Under Secretary of Commerce for

TechnologyTechnology

““We need to…create a new We need to…create a new ‘knowledge utility’ for all, which ‘knowledge utility’ for all, which integrates learning into all aspects of integrates learning into all aspects of our work and our lives, making our work and our lives, making learning opportunities as ubiquitous learning opportunities as ubiquitous as electricity for everybody, from pre-as electricity for everybody, from pre-schooler to the retiree.”schooler to the retiree.”

James H. BillingtonJames H. BillingtonLibrarian of CongressLibrarian of Congress

““[We] are energized and [We] are energized and excited by excited by

the prospect of working the prospect of working with you…”with you…”

Sheila P. BurkeSheila P. BurkeUnder Secretary American Museums Under Secretary American Museums

and National Programs and National Programs Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution

"On behalf of the Smithsonian Institution, I "On behalf of the Smithsonian Institution, I am happy to express support for the am happy to express support for the recommendations contained in a recommendations contained in a Digital Digital Gift to the Nation…Gift to the Nation…""

Cato InstituteCato Institute

“ “A better idea is to simply return those A better idea is to simply return those billions of dollars to taxpayers….in the billions of dollars to taxpayers….in the end, it’s just more socialist snake oil end, it’s just more socialist snake oil that rejects free markets and that rejects free markets and consumer choice.”consumer choice.”

Business WeekBusiness Week

““Most of America’s 53 Most of America’s 53 million children in K-12 still million children in K-12 still attend schools designed attend schools designed for the industrial, if not the for the industrial, if not the agrarian era.”agrarian era.”

Nobel Laureate Leon LedermanNobel Laureate Leon Lederman

““The combination of education and research The combination of education and research may be the most powerful capability the may be the most powerful capability the nation can nurture in times of stress and nation can nurture in times of stress and uncertainty.”uncertainty.”

““A visitor from 1900 would feel totally out A visitor from 1900 would feel totally out of place in our greatly changed world, of place in our greatly changed world, except in one environment. In our except in one environment. In our classrooms we are still teaching in ways classrooms we are still teaching in ways designed in the nineteenth century.”designed in the nineteenth century.”

President’s Information Technology President’s Information Technology Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

““Our overarching recommendation Our overarching recommendation is to make the effective is to make the effective integration of information integration of information technology with education and technology with education and training a national priority.”training a national priority.”

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino,Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino,(Chairman, U.S. Conference of Mayors, (Chairman, U.S. Conference of Mayors, explaining its resolution endorsing DO explaining its resolution endorsing DO

IT)IT)

““We must develop a creative vision for generating We must develop a creative vision for generating the resources necessary for innovation…the resources necessary for innovation…

We spend shamefully little to provide We spend shamefully little to provide education-worthy content for the Internet to education-worthy content for the Internet to distribute; content that can help teachers and distribute; content that can help teachers and significantly enhance education, training, and significantly enhance education, training, and learning…learning…

Even in this age of networking, teachers and Even in this age of networking, teachers and their students still remain locked into their their students still remain locked into their classrooms… without the remarkable new tools and classrooms… without the remarkable new tools and programs that can assist and enhance learning."programs that can assist and enhance learning."

Congressional Black CaucusCongressional Black CaucusCongressman Major Owens Congressman Major Owens

(D. New York)(D. New York)

““In presenting our ‘Tech Champion Award’ to the In presenting our ‘Tech Champion Award’ to the Digital Promise Project, I want to cite its vision Digital Promise Project, I want to cite its vision and its potential to transform communities.”and its potential to transform communities.”

FundingFunding

In the emerging information economy, In the emerging information economy, there is no more valuable public asset there is no more valuable public asset than the airwaves, also known as the than the airwaves, also known as the electromagnetic spectrum.electromagnetic spectrum.

Congress mandated the FCC to conduct Congress mandated the FCC to conduct auctions for new licenses to use the auctions for new licenses to use the electromagnetic spectrum.electromagnetic spectrum.

These auctions and other fees are These auctions and other fees are expected to generate many billions of expected to generate many billions of dollars.dollars.

In past centuries, we used proceeds from In past centuries, we used proceeds from public land to fund public education. This public land to fund public education. This century, we should use the proceeds from century, we should use the proceeds from publicly-owned spectrum sales to help publicly-owned spectrum sales to help transform education for generations of transform education for generations of Americans.Americans.

This could amount to $20 billion for the This could amount to $20 billion for the trust.trust.

FundingFunding

These monies, invested in Government These monies, invested in Government notes and bonds, would generate notes and bonds, would generate income of $1billion per year.income of $1billion per year.

The Trust would make available grants The Trust would make available grants and contracts that meet the priorities and contracts that meet the priorities and criteria established by the Board of and criteria established by the Board of the Trust.the Trust.

FundingFunding

Is This For RealIs This For Real??

20002000 -- The DOIT idea emerged. -- The DOIT idea emerged.

20012001 – “A Digital Gift to the Nation” was published. – “A Digital Gift to the Nation” was published.

20022002 – Senate and House introduced DOIT legislation – Senate and House introduced DOIT legislation Spectrum hearings began.Spectrum hearings began.

20032003 – – Congress votesCongress votes itsits f first appropriation for irst appropriation for DOIT ($750,000). DOIT ($750,000).

What’s next:What’s next:

The House Commerce Committee will The House Commerce Committee will announce hearings to be held in late May announce hearings to be held in late May or early June.or early June.

The Senate Commerce Committee may The Senate Commerce Committee may consider a bill that will set up a Trust to consider a bill that will set up a Trust to reimburse the military and other Federal reimburse the military and other Federal agencies for expenses incurred in moving agencies for expenses incurred in moving to new bands on the spectrum.to new bands on the spectrum.

What you can do:What you can do:

Send letters to Members of Congress Send letters to Members of Congress (a draft is on our (a draft is on our website: website: digitalpromise.orgdigitalpromise.org).).

Help us spread the word by:Help us spread the word by:Hosting a regional meetingHosting a regional meetingJoining our media awareness campaign by Joining our media awareness campaign by drafting a Letter to the Editor or an Op ed.drafting a Letter to the Editor or an Op ed.

Sign up to receive our newsletter.Sign up to receive our newsletter.

Visit our website to stay informed.Visit our website to stay informed.

Leadership CouncilLeadership Council

Maxwell L. Anderson, Maxwell L. Anderson, DirectorDirector

Whitney Museum of American ArtWhitney Museum of American Art

Morton BahrMorton Bahr, President, President

Communications Workers of AmericaCommunications Workers of America

Ellsworth Brown, Ellsworth Brown, PresidentPresident

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh & Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh &

Carnegie Museums of PittsburghCarnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

Eamon KellyEamon Kelly, Former President, Former President

National Science Board and National Science Board and

President Emeritus of Tulane UniversityPresident Emeritus of Tulane University

Donald N. LangenbergDonald N. Langenberg, Chancellor Emeritus, Chancellor Emeritus

University System of MarylandUniversity System of Maryland

Leon LedermanLeon Lederman, Nobel Laureate in Physics , Nobel Laureate in Physics and and

Director Emeritus of the Fermi National Director Emeritus of the Fermi National Accelerator LaboratoryAccelerator Laboratory

GeorgeGeorge LucasLucas, Chairman, Chairman

The George Lucas Educational FoundationThe George Lucas Educational Foundation

Martin E. SegalMartin E. Segal, Chairman Emeritus, Chairman Emeritus

Lincoln Center for the Performing ArtsLincoln Center for the Performing Arts

The Hon. Paul SimonThe Hon. Paul Simon, Director, Public Policy , Director, Public Policy InstituteInstitute

Southern Illinois UniversitySouthern Illinois University

Charles M. VestCharles M. Vest, President, President

M.I.T.M.I.T.

Irving Wladawsky-BergerIrving Wladawsky-Berger, Vice-President, Vice-President

for Technology and Strategy, IBMfor Technology and Strategy, IBM

Digital Promise Leadership CoalitionDigital Promise Leadership Coalition

OOrganizations actively engaged in the support of rganizations actively engaged in the support of DOITDOIT::

American Arts AllianceAmerican Arts Alliance

American Association of MuseumsAmerican Association of Museums

American Council on EducationAmerican Council on Education

American Educational Research American Educational Research AssociationAssociation

American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIOAFL-CIO

Americans for the ArtsAmericans for the Arts

American Library AssociationAmerican Library Association

Association of American UniversitiesAssociation of American Universities

Association of Art Museum DirectorsAssociation of Art Museum Directors

Association of Independent Association of Independent Technological UniversitiesTechnological Universities

Association of Public Television StationsAssociation of Public Television Stations

Association of Research LibrariesAssociation of Research Libraries

Communication Workers of America, Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIOAFL-CIO

Consortium for School NetworkingConsortium for School Networking

Digital Library FederationDigital Library Federation

EDUCAUSEEDUCAUSE

Federation of American ScientistsFederation of American Scientists

George Lucas Educational FoundationGeorge Lucas Educational Foundation

International Longevity CenterInternational Longevity Center

National Association of State National Association of State Universities and Land Grant CollegesUniversities and Land Grant Colleges

National Education AssociationNational Education Association

National Humanities AllianceNational Humanities Alliance

National Initiative for a Networked National Initiative for a Networked Cultural Heritage (NINCH)Cultural Heritage (NINCH)

New America FoundationNew America Foundation

U.S. Conference of MayorsU.S. Conference of Mayors

We need your help in making this real. We need your help in making this real.

We hope you will join us.We hope you will join us.

TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT.TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT.

For information on DOIT events and current For information on DOIT events and current developments visitdevelopments visit

www.digitalpromise.org