CoSN Sponsoring International Symposium: Researchers from Around the World will Discuss Education Technology Issues.

Business Editors & High-Tech/Education Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 2002

What should educators know about the research on how the Internet and computers impact student learning? The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is sponsoring an International Symposium, How Children Learn with New Technologies: Connecting Research to Education Policy and Practice to examine this pressing issue.

CoSN's Symposium will be held Feb. 28-March 1 at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. The event is co-sponsored by Microsoft, Sun, Dell, the Embassy of France, Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes, European Union Schoolnet and the British Council.

"The goal of this Symposium is to bring together leading researchers and key K-12 decision makers to examine what we know and what we need to know about the use of technology to improve learning," commented CoSN Executive Director Keith Krueger. "All too often, these communities do not speak to each other and research is done in a vacuum that never reaches the classroom."

Leading Educators from around the world will be in attendance including the Ministry of Education from Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Chile, Brazil and Canada, as well as the European Schoolnet and European Union. They will discuss the cognitive and social issues that surround children's use of technology and online resources.

The impressive discussion panels will include:

-- Chris Dede, Timothy E. Wirth Professor of Learning Technologies, Harvard
University

-- Margaret Honey, Director, Center for Children & Technology, Education
Development Center

-- John Bailey, Director of Education Technology, U.S. Department of Education

-- Ulf Lundin, Director, European SchoolNet

-- Roy Pea, Professor, School of Education, Stanford University

-- Jean-Francois Rouet, CNRS Research Scientist, University of Poitiers

-- Alain Dumort, EU Commission

-- Heinz Mandl, Chair of Education and Educational Psychology,
Ludwig-Maximilians-University , Munich

-- Takashi Sakamoto, Director-General, National Institute of Multimedia
Education, Japan Ministry of Education

-- Peter Upton, British Council

William Gilcher of the German cultural center added: "Given the Goethe-Institut's long-standing interest in fostering an international dialogue about these issues, we're looking forward to see how researchers and policy-makers from so many countries approach the same problems -- these issues are relevant to the reform of every country's educational system today."

Members of the media are welcome to attend the event at no charge, but will need to register for the event. For more information and to register visit www.k12schoolnetworking.org.

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is the premier national education technology association whose mission is to promote use of the Internet and telecommunications to improve K-12 learning. CoSN's members represent school districts, state and local education agencies, nonprofits, companies and individuals who share our vision. Learn more about CoSN's initiatives, policy work and membership opportunities at www.cosn.org.

Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes www.goethe.de/washington is Germany's most important operational partner for the development and implementation of foreign cultural policy. Through its global network, Goethe-Institut Inter Nationes supports the teaching and dissemination of German language and culture worldwide. The institute in Washington has a special emphasis on media-related issues, including online learning and school networks.