When network laws are followed, learning and teaching are far less costly than in cash-devouring 20th century schools. Just for overall starters:
- One virtual textbook can serve essentially unlimited students while costing almost nothing — instead of costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, euros, yen, etc. only to be worn out and become obsolete very quickly.
- Talented, knowledgeable teachers can reach students far and wide who are seeking to benefit from their expertise — serving many more students than they can in a 20th century type classroom, and at no cost increase.
- Mobile devices that students own are multiples cheaper in device cost and maintenance than school based PCs — and the connectivity is both spreading and getting cheaper, FAST!
Education needs re-tooling to engage the virtual world of knowledge. There are at least these pieces of very good news about that:
- The knowledge students will learn is already online, and more accurate and up-to-date there than in older school resources like textbooks and overworked subject teachers.
- Connected learning will save billions in current education spending — some of which can redirected to setting up open knowledge network access for all students, and to providing them with mobile computers. For starters, we could freeze any further spending on printed textbooks, which would save school systems and students billions.
