October 5, 2008
The Source for Learning Teams with NEBSA on Wireless Broadband Competition

Two nonprofit organizations—both leaders in applying technology to education—have teamed to sponsor a contest that will explore exciting educational uses for the next revolutionary technology: wireless broadband. The Source for Learning, Inc. (www.sourceforlearning.org) and the National Educational Broadband Service Association (www.nebsa.org) have for years been instrumental in helping educators enhance teaching and learning through technology.

The Wireless Broadband Competition will create a showcase for innovative educational uses of one of the newest dimensions of the learning experience: mobility. High-quality wireless connectivity is coming soon, and it will have a major impact on education—“anytime/anywhere” learning. But how will it actually be used?

Exciting possibilities are starting to emerge—imagine, for instance:

• A class goes to a field behind the school to research native animals and habitats. While there, with no wires needed, they use the web to learn more about what they find, and share the experience via live video feed with other classrooms—from the same school or from many schools, anywhere in the world.
• A few students visit a location—for instance a “wind farm” where clean energy is generated. Other classrooms watch the visit live; they ask questions in real time as the students meet an expert and see the workings of the site. The students upload the GPS coordinates of the site; that data is merged with Google Earth layers showing wind patterns and electric power needs, for a comprehensive understanding of the experience.
• Older, non-wired school buildings add fast internet access from any room, with no wires and virtually no capital expense.

To stimulate similar creative thinking, SFL and NEBSA have created a competition for U.S. educators (Pre-K - 16) asking them to use their imaginations about ways in which wireless broadband could enhance teaching and learning. Three Grand Prize winners will receive scholarships to present their proposals at the National EBS Association Annual Convention, which will be held in Boca Raton, Florida from February 23-25, 2009. Each of the winners’ schools will also receive a $200 reimbursement to cover related school substitute costs.

Commenting on the initiative, SFL President/CEO Steven J. Gorski said, “The emergence of true wireless broadband, or WiMax, represents the culmination of years of effort by both public and private organizations. SFL is delighted to co-sponsor this contest, because it provides a way to both celebrate our success and demonstrate the huge potential of wireless broadband to create innovative educational opportunities.”

More details about the contest, including entry instructions,  are available at www.wirelessbroadbandeducation.com.

The Source for Learning, Inc. (www.sourceforlearning.org) is a not-for-profit company offering teachers, students, and parents the web’s best collection of learning resources. Compiled and reviewed by education professionals, the resources cover countless subjects and support diverse learning styles. Together, they enhance education at every level.

The National Educational Broadband Service Association (NEBSA—www.nebsa.org) is the professional association for nonprofit educational entities holding Educational Broadband Service (EBS) licenses. EBS is the designation for certain microwave broadcast frequencies established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide educational services.