Seeking a place at the table? Become the table. 

Jim Lukaszewski is right. If you want bring people and technology together, become the table where they meet.

But is it really possible to bring data communication professionals, higher education institutions, public school districts, telecom providers, state government, educators, students, parents, public broadcasters and libraries together in a meaningful way? A living example of this kind of statewide collaboration is the Utah Education Network. Take a look at http://www.uen.org.

Foster statewide technical collaboration among all educational stakeholders  

The Utah Education Network's interactive video conferencing system handles up to 180 fully interactive classes per day. It is expected that usage of this technology in will more than double within just a few years. This interactive system was pioneered 31 years ago using analog microwave transmission of standard television signals. Today such conferencing is fully digital and flows across UEN's 10-gigabit backbone. More than ever, this technology is relevant in reducing travel costs, enabling learners to focus on their coursework rather than the cost and time associated with commuting.

Now that robust digital networks are largely in place, we hope to see many more innovative uses of technology for education. Network architecture is application agnostic. For example if you can make high definition video work on your network, all other applications are bound to benefit. For example, when students are learning American Sign Language subtle differences in video quality make a significant difference their ability to learn. You can earn more about the Utah Education Network at http://www.uen.org.

Foster statewide collaboration among all educational stakeholders 

The Utah Education Network is an excellent example of actual implementation of many of the suggestions already posted here. For example, Utah's two decade experience with the benefits of concurrent enrollment demonstrates that high school students can obtain college credit while they are enrolled in the public schools system. High school students can thereby enter college with an associates degree saving them and their parents thousands of dollars and empowering them to enter the workforce earlier and better prepared.

The Utah Education Network's interactive video conferencing system handles up to 180 fully interactive classes per day. It is expected that usage of this technology in will more than double within just a few years. This interactive system was pioneered 31 years ago using analog microwave transmission of standard television signals. Today such conferencing is fully digital and flows across UEN's 10-gigabit backbone. More than ever, this technology is relevant in reducing travel costs, enabling learners to focus on their coursework rather than the cost and time associated with commuting.

Now that robust digital networks are largely in place, we hope to see many more innovative uses of technology for education. Network architecture is application agnostic. For example if you can make high definition video work on your network, all other applications are bound to benefit. For example, when students are learning American Sign Language subtle differences in video quality make a significant difference their ability to learn.

I invite you to learn more about the Utah Education Network at http://www.uen.org.