Dive Brief:

• As the federal E-rate program expands broadband access in schools, Jeff Patterson, the founder and CEO of Gaggle, says it's time to ask tougher questions about tech in schools.
• The E-rate program, officially called the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, was overhauled in recent years to focus exclusively on Internet connectivity and to streamline the once-hefty application process.
• But the focus, Patterson says, has raised questions of its own about what to do with the additional connectivity.

Dive Insight:

In the new (and growing) realm of Internet-connected education hubs, Patterson says that educators and administrators should look beyond the technological capability itself to find what works for students. “Bandwidth on its own is not enough,” he wrote in the op-ed for eSchool News. “We have to find meaningful ways to use that bandwidth to impact learning and to create anytime, anywhere learners.”

Sure, schools and districts are responsible for answering those mandates, but Patterson says the federal e-Rate program could play a larger role in that process, too. He compared it to a utility that builds new infrastructure for water transport without securing the water needed first. “Our water is digital content, learning management systems, homework submission tools, live-stream video, all products and solutions that can impact learning,” he writes.

Now that the broadband access is underway, educators must figure out what should flow through the fiber. Patterson says officials have to make sure that whatever does is proven to benefit students.