THE NATIONAL CENTER & COMPETITIVENESS/INNOVATION LEGISLATION

The National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies (P.L. 110-315, Sec. 802) complements federal competitiveness and innovation legislation and addresses several of the gaps cited in both the Gathering Storm report from the National Academies and the Innovate America report from the Council on Competitiveness. Both reports underscore the need for a strategic approach to improving training and education.

• America's investment in basic research for education and training is inadequate. Whereas the National Science Foundation receives $5 billion annually and NIH receives $27 billion for pre-competitive research, the amount spent on education and training research is just $280 million. That is a ratio of 20-1 and 100-1, respectively.

• America's competitors invest in R&D for education and training at a rate that far outpaces our own. Countries such as Ireland, Finland, China and India—emerging destinations for American jobs—are investing in research on better ways to teach, learn and train through the use of advanced communication technologies and digitization. The National Center, if adequately funded, will begin to address this investment gap.

• How we teach has become as important as what we teach. Research shows that new technologies can help capture and hold students' attention and convey complex information quickly in formats that students and teachers alike find highly effective. These technologies can help speed learning and ensure that a higher proportion of students—particularly in remote and rural areas—reach higher levels of competence.

• Markets for innovative educational materials are fragmented and challenging. Private firms often cannot afford the investments in long-term basic research, testing and evaluation needed to develop effective and engaging digital technology-based learning. As the Gathering Storm report points out, there is a unique and essential role for basic federally-sponsored research for pre-competitive, high risk, long-term projects. We currently support similar research in the fields of health, agriculture, energy and other areas of national priority. The National Center, if adequately funded, will help fulfill that need in education and training, so vital in a knowledge-based economy.

The growing gap between the knowledge-based jobs that need to be filled and the skills of available workers is one that could very well undermine American competitiveness for decades to come. We must invest in technology and innovation in the education and training sectors now to secure continued economic growth in the future.