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Executive Summary

Strategic Planning Document - Education & Training

Executive Summary

The most important measure of success for the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) will be its ability to make improvements in the lives of Americans. Few enterprises touch the lives of as many people as do those concerned with education and training. High-quality education and training benefit the individual whose knowledge and skills are upgraded, the business seeking a competitive edge, and the Nation in achieving overall productivity and increasing competitiveness in the global marketplace. It is essential that all Americans have access to the education and training they need and that the teaching and learning enterprise itself becomes a high-performance activity.

In recognition of the importance of education and training -- and of the necessity of bringing to bear the talent and coordinated resources of all the Federal agencies to create productive and successful education and training enterprises that support the lifelong learning needs of all Americans -- the NSTC created the Committee on Education and Training (CET).

Committee on Education and Training

The CET was established to advise and assist the NSTC in coordinating and increasing the effectiveness and productivity of Federal efforts in education and training. Its purpose is to:

Coordinate Federal research and development in education and training;
Promote the use of technology to enhance lifelong learning; and
Promote excellence in science, mathematics, and engineering education at all levels.

CET Vision

To coordinate and focus Federal efforts in education and training so that they become a powerful force in helping Americans meet the challenges of the 21st century.

CET Plan

The CET has developed its Strategic/Implementation Plan to guide Federal efforts in education and training in accord with principles established by the National Education Goals as delineated in the "Goals 2000: Educate America Act," the National Science Goals as expressed in "Science in the National Interest," and the National Information Infrastructure Agenda for Action. The Plan provides a framework for making cross-agency policy, programmatic, and budgetary decisions, and for assessing the impact of these decisions. This framework centers on the vision and goals of the two subcommittees the CET has formed to meet its responsibilities. The two subcommittees are: The newly formed Subcommittee on Research and Development in Education and Training, and the Subcommittee on Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education, continuing work started in 1990. Their visions, goals, objectives, and activities are outlined in this Plan.

Research and Development in
Education and Training

The vision for research and development in education and training is:

Ensuring all Americans access to quality education and training tailored to their individual learning and workplace needs.

Goals

The goals for research and development are to:

Provide National leadership in guiding education and training in its evolution toward the 21st century; Develop a research and development agenda for achieving the National Education Goals by the end of the decade;
Promote increased resources for research and development in education and training; and
Promote partnerships for demonstrating and deploying cost-effective learning technologies and techniques.

Objectives

Identifying and exploring areas of research and development that significantly improve learning;
Coordinating the design and implementation of evaluations to assess the effectiveness of new education and training technologies and techniques;
Identifying, demonstrating, and implementing exemplary models of cost-effective education and training;
Making information on learning, research, and existing tools and techniques widely available; and
Enhancing collaboration through interagency, intergovernmental, and industry partnerships that increase learning productivity for all Americans.

Activities

Activities of research and development are organized around four focus areas:

Demonstrating innovative technology and networking applications;
Developing new models for evaluating learning and learning productivity;
Developing high-quality, affordable learning tools and environments; and
Promoting research on learning and cognitive processes.

Excellence in Science, Mathematics,
and Engineering Education

The vision for excellence in science, mathematics, and engineering education is: Achieving an American performance in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology in the classroom and the workplace that is second to none.

Goals

The goals for excellence in science, mathematics, and engineering education are:

By the year 2000, all students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having demonstrated competency over challenging subject matters, including science and mathematics;
By the year 2000, the Nation's teaching force will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the next century;
By the year 2000, United States students will be the first in the world in mathematics and science achievement;
By the year 2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
Produce the finest scientists and engineers for the 21st century.

Objectives and Activities

Objectives and activities for excellence in science, mathematics, and engineering education are organized around the following eight focus areas:

Encouraging science as a core requirement for grades K-16;
Promoting systemic reform of K-12 standards-based science, mathematics, technology, and engineering education;
Promoting a competent and contemporary undergraduate science, mathematics and engineering enterprise for a diverse student population;
Promoting graduate and postdoctoral science and engineering education/training commensurate with human resource requirements;
Promoting a competent, contemporary, and diverse scientific and technical work force;
Focusing interagency programming on science and mathematics supported by technological education to ensure work force competency in a rapidly changing economy;
Promoting Federal efforts to enhance public understanding of science and apply technology to lifelong learning; and
Promoting efforts to determine the effectiveness of Federal investments in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education and training programs.

Benefits

The Federal Government as both a customer and partner of the Nation's work force has a direct stake in the quality of education and training in America. In assuming its leadership role, the Federal Government is highlighting national challenges, mobilizing national support, and building partnerships involving Federal, State, and local governments, business and industry, professional associations and community-based organizations that will meet the challenges of the next century.

This Plan addresses the entire spectrum of education and training -- from preschool activities through higher education, workplace training, and lifelong learning. Its infusion of new education and training capabilities that are now available from advances in learning technologies will ensure an acceleration toward fundamental reform. It will promote private sector interest in increasing the quality and lowering the cost of learning materials. It will provide nationally visible evidence of the value and practicality of learning technology and the essentiality of paradigm shifts needed to ensure learning productivity.