November 12, 1998

November 13, 1998

View the List of Participants in the Panhandle Conversations

"Individualism and Western pragmatism are Panhandle strengths, but can also be weaknesses now that we need to be more interdependent and work together across boundaries." -- a participant

33 participants

Dennis Baack welcomed the group and asked everyone to introduce themselves.  Ellen Russell, Patricia Kennedy, and Dennis provided an overview of Nebraska Network 21.

Initial conversations took place in five small groups around the issues listed below.

1. Re-evaluate the NN21 vision for the year 2020 and get feedback. 
2. See if we are on track with current NN21 activities and experiments. 
3. Examine what higher education needs to do differently. 
4. Explore new ways in which education, government, and communities might collaborate in the future.

Steve Bosserman and Ed Nelson facilitated the wrap up, as each group summarized its conversation. 
 

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November 13, 1998
8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 

42 participants 

After brief introductions and an overview, new small groups were formed.   The conversations began with a recap of what people talked about the night before, then pursued in depth each of the four issues. 

Toward the end of the session, a reporter from each group summarized the discussion from his/her group.  In addition, each participant was asked to complete a worksheet with his/her individual responses to the four issues. 

Comments from groups and individuals are listed below. 
 

1. Re-evaluate the vision for the year 2020 and get your feedback. 
(Vision:  Affordable, accessible, lifelong learning for all Nebraskans.) 

• Can education be both affordable and accessible?  If we're committed to access, then affordability becomes a problem.  Will senior citizens have access if they don't have computers at home?
• Access is important, especially in the Panhandle.
• Technology is essential.
• Traditional campus experience is necessary for 18-22 year olds.
•  Social development should be added to the vision.
• Lifelong learning a good goal.
• Basically the vision is on track.
• How can we train people for jobs that don't exist?
• Non-traditional students and adult learners will be important.
• Looking at education 20 years into the future -- virtual reality education.  Kids might not have to leave home to get the best professors and classes.
• We need to learn to deal with change, and work with tools not discovered yet.
• Technology can enhance, but people skills still need to be developed.
• Community social development is also a critical component.  People need to understand how to work and live together regardless of ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Look at ways to incorporate our emerging technology in our communities.
• Do, and did, we have representation from the total population?  Strategy Team seems to be mostly educators from higher education.
• Vision is still applicable -- is it achievable, attainable, and sustainable?
• Vision needs to be flexible for changing needs.
• Be sure to include input from all segments of community.
• Address a seamless education from K through 12 and beyond.  Delivery of education will constantly change.
• Explore college vs. lifelong retraining and skill certification.
• Great start.
• Can government and education satisfy all individual wants and needs?
• Not very well publicized to the general public.
• Can it be affordable no matter where?  With the rapid change can a new system be put in place every (X) years for just a few (Y) students? What are the minimums for X and Y?
• The vision is excellent, concise and current.
• Embrace rural lifestyle.
• Twenty-two years to 2020 -- four generations of technology.

2.  See if we are on track with current NN21 activities and experiments. 
(Especially the seven target learning areas of diversity, distance education, faculty rewards, human capital development, sustainable communities, curriculum, and food systems.) 

• More youth involvement/emphasis is needed (elementary and middle school too).
• Need to focus on gifted and talented.
• Don't forget the elderly.  Do we need experiments like the UNL Sage Program?
• Health care must be an important component.
• Why don't we access teaching talents and resources from out of state?
• Reevaluate 4-year degree vs. skills certificate.
• Use skills and expertise of senior citizens.
• People reported that the Chautauqua was a very well done project.
• Summer Chautauqua was high energy and unlike usual conferences.  Saw forward thinking, constant interaction, and cooperative activity.
• Sell the valuable lifestyle that we have in Nebraska.
• Age 18-22, go to school. Age 25-65, school goes to individual.
• Allow for learning activities for all stages of life.
• Cross-state/cross-county lines to meet shortages.
• Needs to be more awareness of NN21.  Don't think many people outside of the loop know what's going on.
• Need business, community and education at all phases.  We are reliant on each other.
•  The Chautauqua was outstanding, difficult to even describe.  We in Scottsbluff are anxious to have Jeff Razz and the Diversity Project next Thursday.
• Need for education for minority population.
• Keep up regional meetings.
• Must be able to change and adjust as everything else changes.  (Difficult to predict the future 20 years out.)
• Teach people to deal with change?
• Could we have a model of linkage of higher education in Panhandle?
• Distance education available but not utilized due to poor marketing; need more satellite uplinks and downlinks.
• Some instructors will not deal with distance learning unless rewarded.
• Distance learning is very important in Western Nebraska.  Technology is there but who foots the bill?
• Nice to see Lincoln come this direction for a change.