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About K12HSN  Six ed-tech resources for ELL/ESL instruction Friday, February 10th, 2012eSchool News: From award-winning software, to a teacher-created program that needs peer input, our readers offered some useful ways in which technology can help English-language learners and those for whom English is is a second language. Free textbooks coming for 5 intro college courses Friday, February 10th, 2012eSchool News: College students in 5 of the most-attended courses in US higher education soon will have free peer-reviewed textbooks available to them as a Rice University-based program looks to to save students $90 million in book costs over the next 5 ye CENIC 2012: Full conference program online Friday, February 10th, 2012CENIC: The full conference program is now available online! A first-hand look inside a flipped classroom Thursday, February 9th, 2012eSchool news: There have been many school reform trends over the past few years: student response systems, video games for math, mobile phones for learning—but none have completely transformed thenotion of learning like the flipped classroom. Flex Schools Personalize, Enhance and Accelerate L Thursday, February 9th, 2012Tom Vander Ark: Innosight Institute's seminal report, The Rise of Blended Learning, outlines several emerging school models that combine the best of onsite and online learning. 10 states get NCLB waivers Thursday, February 9th, 2012eSchool News: The first 10 states to receive the waivers are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Schools see improvement with help from math softwa Thursday, February 9th, 2012eSchool News: For all the talk about ways to raise test scores in Las Vegas, a promising solution, educators say, might lie in one of the most criticized of youth activities: computer games. Boost your grant-seeking success Wednesday, February 8th, 2012eSchool News: You might have noticed that some funders require you to address the 'Capacity of Your Organization' to carry out the project you’re describing in your grant proposal. Creating an Ultra-Flexible Learning Space Wednesday, February 8th, 2012THE Journal: Designers of the Minnesota School of Environmental Studies (SES) were years ahead of the curve when it came to creating collaborative classrooms that would one day accommodate learning technologies that in 1995 had yet to be conceived... IBM Offers Free Internet Security Training Tools Wednesday, February 8th, 2012THE Journal: IBM has released free training tools designed to help students, teachers, and parents improve Internet security. The three kits include: Control Your Online Identity, Internet Safety Coaching, and Cyberbullying. Joplin Takes Digital Approach to Rebuilding Educat Wednesday, February 8th, 2012Education Week: An ambitious 1-to-1 laptop effort emerges in the wake of the tornado that devastated the Missouri district. Rethinking Testing in the Age of the iPad Wednesday, February 8th, 2012Education Week: In East Haven schools in CT, elementary teachers did their initial student reading assessments a bit differently this school year. Instead of using paper and pencil, each teacher used an iPad to collect the information... Battle for Whiteboard-Market Supremacy Heats Up Wednesday, February 8th, 2012Education Week: Competition gets intense as companies move to differentiate themselves from the pack and adjust to technological changes. BYOD Class Takes Their Learning to YouTube Tuesday, February 7th, 2012THE Journal: Even as YouTube is pushed out of most classrooms because it's deemed distracting, a CA high school algebra teacher is committed to the idea that having students create videos for the site can be a powerful means of engaging them Blended Learning Comes to Los Angeles Inner City S Tuesday, February 7th, 2012THE Journal: Twenty-two inner city schools in Los Angeles are implementing new digital learning programs to support differentiated instruction among as many as 17,000 students. CENIC, Pacific Northwest Gigapop, and Internet2 Tuesday, February 7th, 2012CENIC: CENIC, Pacific Northwest Gigapop, and Internet2 Announce Major, Long-Term Collaboration. Groups to Deploy 100G Networking Capabilities across West Coast, Share Infrastructure, and Work on Network Initiatives. Virtual Education Sees Shift to Accountability Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Education Week: Virtual schooling is in the era of a fundamental shift in its development that should be embraced, not feared, argue the authors and sponsors of the 2011 version of the 'Keeping Pace' annual report on virtual schooling. One district’s experience with iPads Monday, February 6th, 2012eSchool News: The sign in the hallway tells Renville County West fifth-grade students what they'll need in class: social studies book, pencil, folder, iPad.… National project aims to inspire the ‘model clas Monday, February 6th, 2012eSchool News: South Carolina is at risk of a water shortage. With $500,000 in grants available for innovative conservation projects, it's up to the students in Bryan Coburn's introduction to engineering course at Northwestern HS to devise solutions... The Best Education Apps at FETC Monday, February 6th, 2012THE Journal: Mobile learning was a cornerstone of the FETC conference last month, and the buzz culminated with the conference's closing session: An App Shootout where ed-tech pros shared some of their favorite apps for Apple devices. 2012 Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award winners Saturday, February 4th, 2012eSchool News: Project-based learning, "bring your own device" policies, blended learning opportunities, and creative approaches to staff development are among the many successful ed-tech programs being led by our 2012 Tech-Savvy Superintendent... Shift Away from 'Seat Time' on Display in States Saturday, February 4th, 2012Education Week: Thirty-six states have established policies that give districts and schools some degree of ability to award credits to students based on mastery of a subject, rather than 'seat time,' a new report says. New report examines international ed-tech policies Friday, February 3rd, 2012eSchool News: A new report comparing educational technology use of K-12 students in 21 countries found that, despite global economic uncertainty, many countries are still investing in technology to improve educational systems and boost student achievement  CUE 2012 Invitation from K12HSN and CaliQity Friday, February 3rd, 2012Please join the K12HSN & CaliQity Staff as we launch our User Group during CUE 2012 in Palm Springs! K12HSN Program Update -- Winter 2012 Friday, February 3rd, 2012K12HSN: We are glad to provide you with our first Program Update of the year. In this issue, you will get the latest updates on CaliQity, Brokers of Expertise, the network's refresh, etc. States Mulling Creativity Indexes for Schools Thursday, February 2nd, 2012Ed Week: At a time when many are raising concerns about the need to better nurture creativity and innovative thinking, several states are exploring the development of an index to gauge the extent to which schools provide opportunities to foster those qual Open Educational Resources: Textbooks Thursday, February 2nd, 2012OER Commons: A listing of all the open education textbooks, currently available through digital commons. Digital Textbook Playbook Thursday, February 2nd, 2012THE Journal: The FCC and the United States Department of Education (ED) released the new Digital Textbook Playbook, a guide designed to help schools overcome the challenges associated with the shift to e-textbooks. Digital Learning Day draws nearly 2 million studen Thursday, February 2nd, 2012eSchool news: Thirty-nine states, 15,000 teachers, and 1.7 million students participated in the first-ever Digital Learning Day on Feb. 1, which aimed to demonstrate how technology is improving teaching and and learning across the nation. Calif. lawmakers cheer Facebook IPO, see windfall Thursday, February 2nd, 2012U.S. News: Gov. Jerry Brown's administration and state lawmakers on Wednesday hailed Facebook's much-anticipated plans for a public stock offering as a potential windfall for California's cash-strapped treasury. FCC and ED unveil new Digital textbook Playbook Thursday, February 2nd, 2012At the Digital Learning Day Town Hall, FCC and ED unveiled the Digital Textbook Playbook, a plan to help schools transition to digital textbooks. ED also released a new version of its School 2.0 bandwidth planner to help schools plan for their connectivit 5 K-12 E-Learning Trends Thursday, February 2nd, 2012THE Journal: Over the last few years technology implementations in the K-12 sector reached record levels with tablets, laptops, social networking, and other e-learning technologies making their debut in classrooms around the nation. Challenge to schools: Embracing digital textbooks Wednesday, February 1st, 2012AP: Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski on Wednesday challenged schools and companies to get digital textbooks in students' hands within five years. Why University Leaders Are Collaborating on eTexts Wednesday, February 1st, 2012Converge Magazine: Textbooks continue to account for a large chunk of college expenses — an average of $1,168 per student annually. Some U.S. universities are searching for ways to make affordable digital textbooks readily available. CENIC Today Wednesday, February 1st, 2012CENIC's Monthly Newsletter is now available. In this newsletter, you'll find information about what's on the horizon for CENIC's Associates, CalREN, etc... Digital Learning: What Kids Really Want Wednesday, February 1st, 2012THE Journal: According to Project Tomorrow CEO Julie Evans, "Today's students have their own 'student vision' for how they want to use technology for learning. That vision, she said, is really a statement of how students want to learn in general. On Digital Learning Day, iNACOL Focuses on Top Pol Wednesday, February 1st, 2012Sacramento Bee: To mark Digital Learning Day, iNACOL highlighted the important education policy reforms needed to ensure K-12 students have access to world-class, transformative educational models that prepare them to become globally competitive.... Digital Literacy Campaign Statewide Launch Wednesday, February 1st, 2012State of California Technology Agency: The iCALIFORNIA Digital Literacy Campaign is a collaboration by the California Technology Agency, California Emerging Technology Fund and the LINK AMERICAS Foundation. Comcast Releases 'Essentials' Findings, Improvemen Tuesday, January 31st, 2012Education Week: Comcast will double the connection speed of its nascent Internet Essentials broadband program and make an estimated additional 300,000 families eligible for it (or about 2.3 million families in all), according to a report released Tuesday. Thinking Inside the Box Tuesday, January 31st, 2012THE Journal: Discover how New York City's iSchool transformed a 19th century space into a true 21st century learning environment. K-12 Marketplace Sees Major Flow of Venture Capita Tuesday, January 31st, 2012Education Week: The flow of venture capital into the K-12 education market has exploded over the past year. Industry observers attribute the rise to heightened interest in ed-tech initiatives, decreasing technology costs, and the move to Common Core stand The Devices of Change: What's To Come Monday, January 30th, 2012THE Journal: New technologies like iPads and cloud computing are driving changes in the way students learn and the way teachers educate. But change is about much more than the device, according to Rushton Hurley, executive director of Next Vista for Learn High-Density WiFi: Planning for the Future Monday, January 30th, 2012THE Journal: Wireless develpment didn't end with 802.11n. With new, higher-speed specifications looming, plus the ever-increasing demands of 1-to-1 and BYOD programs in schools, planning for the future in wireless implementations is just as crucial as eve Math and Biology Lessons - New MIT Project Monday, January 30th, 2012THE Journal: An MIT research team that explores the value of learning through games has just received a $3 million boost to create an MMOG--a massively multiplayer online game--specifically to teach math and biology to high schoolers. Virtual World of Learning Monday, January 30th, 2012Education week: The United States has many lessons it can learn from how other countries are deploying virtual education and how it might partner up with those countries in different ways to offer a wider range of educational and cultural experiences... Utah schools start adopting open source textbooks Monday, January 30th, 2012Associated Press: Utah classrooms may soon be making the switch to open-source online textbooks that can be cheaper and easier to update. Partnership for Los Angeles Schools Launches Digit Monday, January 30th, 2012THE Journal: The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools will mark the nation's first Digital Learning Day on February 1 with the launch of a digital learning strategy in its affiliated schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. Teachers: Budgets block classroom technology acces Saturday, January 28th, 2012eSchool News: Despite advances in digital learning tools and efforts to close the ed-tech access gap, school budgets remain one of the biggest barriers to classroom technology access, according to a national PBS LearningMedia survey of preK-12 teachers. 5 Challenges States Face with Common Core Assessme Saturday, January 28th, 2012Converge Magazine: As 45 states and the District of Columbia finished their second year of Common Core State Standards implementation, a number of them foresee technology challenges with online assessments, according to a new report released on Wednesday. Obama unveils plan to stem rising college tuition Friday, January 27th, 2012eSchool News: President Barack Obama is announcing a plan to shift some federal dollars away from colleges and universities that don’t control tuition costs and new competitions in higher education to encourage efficiency... District Administration - February 2012 Friday, January 27th, 2012District Administration: The digital edition of District Administration - January 2012 is available now. In this issue, you'll find articles about what U.S. schools can learn from their foreign counterparts, the legal impact of surveillance cameras, etc.. Mobile Learning's Impact on Math Achievement Friday, January 27th, 2012District Administration: In 2007, Onslow county (N.C.) Public Schools agreed to work with Digital Millennial Consulting (DMC), in pioneering Project K-Nect, a mobile learning initiative aimed to increase math proficiency. Mobile Devices Drive Creative Instruction Friday, January 27th, 2012District Administration: From New Jersey to San Diego, school districts across the country are participating in mobile learning pilot programs that bring 21st century technology into the classroom. The 4 Keys to a Successful Online School Friday, January 27th, 2012THE Journal: For Broward Virtual School's Evelyn Weaver, building a successful virtual learning environment begins with four key components. Report tracks states’ progress toward Common Cor Thursday, January 26th, 2012eSchool News: As the Common Core State Standards continue to gain momentum, states say they are more rigorous than previous standards, but many cite challenges in fully implementing the standards, particularly where funding is concerned. Students learn smart-phone app making Thursday, January 26th, 2012eSchool News: Students at North Carolina’s Apex High School will be among those at five schools nationally who will be learning how to design and market mobile apps as part of a test program launched by computer maker Lenovo and the National Academy Fou Digital Learning Day National Town Hall Thursday, January 26th, 2012Alliance for Excellent Education: The marquee event of the first-ever national Digital Learning Day, the National Town Hall will feature live interaction with school sites around the country, profile great teachers who effectively use technology, etc. Five practices of effective principals Thursday, January 26th, 2012eSchool News: Strong leadership is essential to a positive school culture and student success, and effective principals use five key practices to ensure that their schools are successful, according to a new report from the nonprofit Wallace Foundation. PBS TeacherLine To Launch Course on Virtual Teachi Wednesday, January 25th, 2012THE Journal: PBS TeacherLine next month will launch a six-week course designed to introduce teachers to the critical knowledge, strategies, and techniques to support student achievement in an online learning environment. Scaling Education with the Web Wednesday, January 25th, 2012THE Journal: This year's graduating class will be the first not to know a world without the Web. According to Google Chromebooks Group Product Manager Rajen Sheth, this has serious implications for how we educate. Creating an Active Learning Environment Wednesday, January 25th, 2012THE Journal: In the 1st of a new series of articles focused on classroom design, THE Journal takes a look at a private high school in Florida that's borrowed ideas from 2 major universities to create classrooms that support interactive, hands-on learning Redefining Instruction With Technology: 5 Steps Wednesday, January 25th, 2012Education Week: Just bringing new technology in your classroom and working it into day-to-day routines isn’t enough. Here are five lessons learned about redefining classroom instruction with technology—whether iPads or other tools. 3 Tips on Integrating Technology in the Classroom Wednesday, January 25th, 2012U.S. News: Integrating technology into a high school classroom isn't a one-step process. Digital learning starts with teachers, whose performance is enhanced by technology—not the other way around. That's also the idea of Digital Learning Day... Create Your Own Textbook — With or Without Apple Wednesday, January 25th, 2012KQED MindShift: pple’s announcement last week about its new iBooks2 and authoring app created big waves in education circles. But smart educators don’t necessarily need Apple’s slick devices and software to create their own books. States Anticipate Tech Challenges With Common Test Wednesday, January 25th, 2012Education Week: Most states that have adopted the common standards anticipate significant challenges in shifting to a computer-based assessment system designed for those standards, a new study tells us. Senate pushes for cheaper online textbook library Wednesday, January 25th, 2012The State Hornet: Proposed by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Calif, the project could save college students statewide hundreds of millions of dollars a year in education costs. Goals to help schools implement technology Tuesday, January 24th, 2012eSchool News: One of the nation’s major educational technology advocacy groups, CoSN has identified five key goals in a new three-year advocacy plan that will help advance new K-12 ed-tech learning opportunities. Wolfram Alpha launches free portal with math tools Monday, January 23rd, 2012eSchool News: Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of U.S. students’ math achievement, and now math teachers have a new resource, aligned with the Common Core standards and available free of charge, that might help them teach abstract math l After protest, Congress puts off internet piracy b Monday, January 23rd, 2012eSchool News: Caving to a massive campaign by internet services and their millions of users, which also included universities such as Syracuse and MIT, Congress on Jan. 20 indefinitely postponed legislation to stop the online piracy of movies and music...  Educator Excellence Task Force Monday, January 23rd, 2012CDE: Carrying out a central element of his Blueprint for Great Schools, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced the creation of an Educator Excellence Task Force to recommend ways to strengthen California's teacher corps. Sacramento COE designs app for teachers Monday, January 23rd, 2012The Sacramento Bee: The office has developed a smartphone app for teachers who want an easy reference to the new California Common Core standards, which outlines what students should learn and when. iPad a solid education tool, study reports Monday, January 23rd, 2012CNN: More and more schools are jumping on the digital bandwagon and adopting iPads for daily use in the classroom. Apple's education-related announcements last week will no doubt bolster the trend, making faculty tools and student textbooks more engaging The Right Level of Ed-Tech Access? Monday, January 23rd, 2012THE Journal: PBS LearningMedia released the findings of a national survey of grade preK-12 teachers about the role of technology and barriers to digital resources today at the Florida Education Technology Conference in Orlando. 2012 Update to the California IT Strategic Plan Monday, January 23rd, 2012State of California Technology Agency: The California Technology Agency today released its annual Information Technology Strategic Plan. The 2012 plan provides a vision to guide California’s acquisition, management and use of technology... Campus to adopt e-textbooks Sunday, January 22nd, 2012The Daily Californian: In an effort to cut down on the cost of textbooks for students, UC Berkeley will subsidize electronic textbooks for students in several courses next fall through an online pilot program. iPads in the classroom provide 20% jump in math sc Saturday, January 21st, 2012CNET: After a yearlong pilot program, initiated by publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in California, it was found that students' math scores jumped 20 percent compared with classrooms that used traditional paper texts. App Helps CA Teachers Stay Current With Standards Saturday, January 21st, 2012Government Technology: A new Web application is giving teachers and parents easier access to the math and language standards used in California K-12 schools. Apple Unveils E-Textbook Strategy for K-12 Friday, January 20th, 2012Education Week: Apple announced aggressive new efforts to move into the K-12 e-textbook market, though publishers said the biggest news from the move is how the normally disruptive company is likely to help the publishing industry rather than challenge it Pilot E-Textbook Program at Five Universities Friday, January 20th, 2012New York Times: Five universities are implementing a pilot program in the spring semester of 2012 for electronic textbooks to ease costs and modernize the way students obtain class content, by purchasing e-textbooks in bulk directly from publishers... Apple announces iBooks 2 Thursday, January 19th, 2012Mercury News: Apple introduced an entire suite of new, free applications aimed at enhancing education through its popular iPad tablet computers. High school textbooks will be sold for less than $15 in a partnership with 3 of the major textbook publishers. Report: 4 Keys to Educational Data Systems Thursday, January 19th, 2012THE Journal: While every state in the United States has built up the capacity to collect meaningful longitudinal data related to education, no states are doing all that's necessary to make sure data will be used effectively by stakeholders. Apple starts selling interactive iPad textbooks Thursday, January 19th, 2012U.S. News: Apple Inc. on Thursday launched its attempt to make the iPad a replacement for a satchel full of textbooks by starting to sell electronic versions of a handful of standard high-school books. Performance assessment making a comeback in school Thursday, January 19th, 2012eSchool News: Spurred by a federal directive to use “multiple measures” of student success, performance assessment is reemerging as a strategy to delve more deeply into students’ skills.... Tips for making the move to online assessments Wednesday, January 18th, 2012eSchool News: As states move toward implementing online assessments in 2014, a panel of experts agreed that school technology leaders must ensure that districts have the capacity, manpower, and foresight to see that the transition is a successful one. Colleges join Wikipedia in SOPA blackout protests Wednesday, January 18th, 2012eSchool News: Syracuse University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) joined several of the web’s most visited sites, including Wikipedia, in a partial blackout to speak out against pending anti-piracy legislation.... Designing the 21st Century K-12 Classroom Wednesday, January 18th, 2012THE Journal: It's not enough to take a traditional K-12 classroom and fill it with technology. The smart classroom requires a more methodic approach that factors in the design of the basic shell, the teacher's space, and the students' work areas... 4 Hot Spots for K-12 Security in 2012 Wednesday, January 18th, 2012THE Journal: The 2011 security trends will continue to have a wide seat at the table in 2012 too. But a few are approaching a tipping point that may just succeed in bringing them out of IT and into the offices of a broader set of district leaders... Smithsonian Launches Environmental Education Progr Wednesday, January 18th, 2012THE Journal: The Shout Environmental Exploration Program, a resource from the Smithsonian for teaching about the environment, is returning for its second year. Reaction to State of the State Address Wednesday, January 18th, 2012CDE: State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Comments on Governor’s State of the State Address. Flipped classrooms give every student a chance to Wednesday, January 18th, 2012CNN: Flipped instruction can offer solutions for improving education at impoverished schools. At one school in Michigan, the flipped model has been in place for 18 months and led to a rise in attendance and decreases in failure rates and discipline cases. Educational apps for early learners see huge jump Tuesday, January 17th, 2012eSchool News: As mobile learning devices crop up in classrooms from coast to coast, the market for educational apps appears to be thriving, with educational apps for pre-schoolers and toddlers experiencing a huge jump over the past two years. Teacher Collaboration with Digital Tools Tuesday, January 17th, 2012eSchool News: One of technology's most promising aspects is that it enables teachers to collaborate and share lessons plans, teaching tips, and other helpful information--both within and across districts, states, and even worldwide. National Online Teacher Certification Program Tuesday, January 17th, 2012Education Week: Online teachers, and eventually administrators, classroom teachers, librarians, and professional developers across the nation will be able to enroll in an educational technology national certification program: Leading Edge Certification The 5-by-5 Approach to Differentiation Success Tuesday, January 17th, 2012Education Week: Five strategies for differentiating instruction to meet students' diverse needs, along with five best practices for employing the strategies in the classroom. National Certification Program for Teachers and Ad Tuesday, January 17th, 2012Leading Edge: Leading Edge Certification (LEC), a national Alliance of nonprofits, universities and educational agencies, today announced the launch of its national educational technology certification program.  The Costs of Online Learning Monday, January 16th, 2012Thomas B. Fordham Institute: The latest installment of Fordham's Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning series investigates one of the more controversial aspects of digital learning: How much does it cost? U.S. Education Pressured by International Comparis Monday, January 16th, 2012Education Week: Concern over American students' middling scores on high-profile tests vies with caution about cultural and political factors that shape school improvement. Sweden debuts first classroom-less school Sunday, January 15th, 2012Smart Planet: Education scholars have long been experimenting with tactics to facilitate learning in the classroom. Now, a freethinking school in Stockholm, Sweden wants to take the classroom out of the picture altogether. Using QR Codes for School Communications Friday, January 13th, 2012eSchool News: Quick Response (QR) codes—those black-and-white squares that look like a cross between supermarket bar codes and postage stamps—have real potential for school communications. Brown Proposes to Scrap Transitional Kindergarten Friday, January 13th, 2012Mercury News: California educators and childcare advocates are protesting Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to scrap a new program for children who are no longer old enough for kindergarten. U.S. Education Pressured by International Comparis Thursday, January 12th, 2012Education Week: Concern over American students' middling scores on high-profile tests vies with caution about cultural and political factors that shape school improvement. Few States Cite Full Plans to Carry Out Standards Thursday, January 12th, 2012Education Week: Forty-six states and the District of Columbia have adopted a common set of academic standards, but only seven have fully developed plans to put the standards into practice in three key areas, according to a study released today. Apple to enter the digital textbook fray? Thursday, January 12th, 2012eSchool News: Technology giant causes stir with promising an ‘education announcement’ that experts believe could be related to eBooks. Some see Blended Learning as Future of Education Thursday, January 12th, 2012eSchool News: More and more school districts are embracing digital learning as the next step in improving education, and a number of stakeholder groups are hoping to guide policy makers in their efforts to implement state-level online learning policies. Yardsticks Vary by Nation in Calling Education Thursday, January 12th, 2012Education Week: Assessment looms large in countries other than the United States, while strategies range from high-stakes student exams to on-site school inspections. Education Week gives California Schools a 'C' Thursday, January 12th, 2012Sacramento Bee: California's 6 million-student public education system receives high marks for setting high academic standards but very low grades for meeting those standards and school finance in the latest national rankings by Education Week magazine. NYC mayor Offers Top Teachers $20,000 Raise Thursday, January 12th, 2012Chicago Tribune: New York City teachers who are rated "highly effective" for two years in a row would get a $20,000-a-year salary increase, as part of the mayor's renewed push to improve schools. How Will We Read: Textbooks? Wednesday, January 11th, 2012Huffington Post: How will the evolution of technology affect the way students use textbooks in school? Researchers debate gaming’s effects on the brain Wednesday, January 11th, 2012eSchool News: A U.K. study that compared the brains of teenage video gamers found that those who played video games frequently have more gray matter in the area of the brain known to be associated with rewards and decision-making, which raises the questio Apple to hold media event on education next week Wednesday, January 11th, 2012AP: Apple is scheduling a media event in New York next week. An email invitation to news organizations on Wednesday says the announcement is related to education. The Library as a Digital Learning Space Wednesday, January 11th, 2012The Journal: A high school in Connecticut is developing and honing a hybrid library that incorporates both traditional books and new digital technologies. School Improvement Network Opens Common Core Tool Wednesday, January 11th, 2012The Journal: School Improvement Network (SINET), a provider of professional development for educators, has launched a new tool designed to help teachers navigate the new Common Core State Standards. Some States Skeptical of NCLB Waivers Wednesday, January 11th, 2012Education Week: Just months after the Obama administration gave states the opportunity to escape from some of the most demanding provisions in the No Child Left Behind Act, a handful of them have either rejected that offer or voiced serious... Service offers new way to connect with parents Wednesday, January 11th, 2012eSchool News: A handful of teachers in Hawaii are using a new service that allows them to blast a text message to parents, who can then text back. Press Release: Study finds e-Readers Equal Print Wednesday, January 11th, 2012eSchool News: A recent study indicates that children who read books on digital e-readers such as the Kindle comprehend what they’ve read as well as children who read paper books. States face delays in implementing Race to the Top Tuesday, January 10th, 2012eSchool News: Several states that won a slice of the U.S. Department of Education’s $4.3 billion Race to the Top competition have had to delay plans to implement ambitious reforms and two could possibly lose money if they don’t get back on track. Dallas ISD to expand computer-based math program Tuesday, January 10th, 2012eSchool News: Trading flashcards for keyboards and notepads for computer screens, second-graders are learning math differently at Dallas Independent School District.… Emphasizing Responsibility in Mobile AUPs Tuesday, January 10th, 2012As more schools turn to mobile technology, policy around the technology is coming to the fore, and it's not all about Do's and Don'ts. 5 K-12 Ed Tech Trends for 2012 Tuesday, January 10th, 2012The Journal: As the new year begins, education technology experts look at what's ahead for learners and educators. "There are a few trends worth watching this next year," said Karen Cator, the United States Department of Education's (ED) director of tech. 6 Early Learning Apps Reviewed Tuesday, January 10th, 2012The Journal: Working with the premise that parents and teachers of young students don't have much time to scour Apple's app store to find the perfect memory match or counting game for kids, education startup KinderTown has taken on much of burden... California Community Colleges Approve Overhaul Tuesday, January 10th, 2012San Francisco Chronicle: Over the objections of angry college students and worried faculty members, California community college leaders voted Monday to support a systemwide overhaul that could end many free classes for older adults and squeeze out... Tips and success stories for effective mobile lear Monday, January 9th, 2012eSchool News: More and more schools are using mobile learning devices to help boost student engagement and achievement, and a new monograph from CoSN examines some of the best practices in mobile devices from schools across the nation. eLearning Strategies Symposium Call for Speakers Monday, January 9th, 2012CUE: CUE and the CLRN are pleased to announce our call for speakers for the inaugural, 2012 eLearning Strategies Symposium (eSS). The symposium will be held December 7th and 8th, 2012 at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa. The Tablets Are Coming Monday, January 9th, 2012THE Journal: Today’s next-generation tablets are small and light, they’re relatively inexpensive, they have a long battery life, and, with exponential growth in applications, they can do just about anything. Online textbooks could work for California Monday, January 9th, 2012Los Angeles Times: It's time for college textbooks to catch up with the 21st century. State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg is on the right track with his proposal to create an open-access digital library for college students. But the devil is in the deta Stressful AP Courses - A Push for a Cap Monday, January 9th, 2012San Francisco Chronicle: Perfect isn't good enough when it comes to getting into some of the country's top colleges. Last year, the average grade point average of an accepted freshman applicant at UCLA was 4.34 - well above the former gold-standard... Is it OK to be Facebook friends? Sunday, January 8th, 2012Sacramento Bee: Increasingly, school district officials across the region and throughout the country are coming up with their own guidelines for what kind of online and electronic communication is acceptable between teachers and students. Updated Teacher Observations Key to Improvement Saturday, January 7th, 2012Los Angeles Times: A Gates Foundation study lauds a new system in which instructors are watched in the classroom up to six times annually by certified evaluators. As Digital Learning Day approaches, states pledge Friday, January 6th, 2012eSchool News: A new report that comes in advance of the first-ever Digital Learning Day argues that digital learning can expand students' learning opportunities and help schools overcome tough budget situations and boost achievement. Virtual Charters Lag Behind Other Schools' Perform Friday, January 6th, 2012Education Week: A report by the National Education Policy Center says only 27 percent of for-profit companies operating virtual schools met adequate yearly progress under NCLB. CENIC 2012: Keynote Speakers Friday, January 6th, 2012CENIC: The Keynote Speaker for March 12 is UC San Diego's Amin Vahdat, Director of the Center for Networked Systems. The Keynote Speaker for March 13 is Gig.U Executive Director Blair Levin, formerly Executive Director of the National Broadband Planning Gov. Jerry Brown's new budget plan targets schools Friday, January 6th, 2012Los Angeles Times: Public education funds would be cut by $4.8 billion if voters reject a proposed tax hike the governor hopes to place on ballot. Tech Gets Tough on Bullies Thursday, January 5th, 2012THE Journal: Classroom behavior doesn’t seem to get much media attention until bullying results in serious injury, a student suicide, or the prosecution of a child as an adult on a murder charge. At that point, forces beyond the school district take ove Online Common Core PD Offered by ASCD Thursday, January 5th, 2012Education Week: The ASCD Thursday announced it will be offering seven online professional development courses geared around helping educators support the implementation of common core standards in mathematics and literacy. Schools will be cut $4.8 billion if taxes don't pa Thursday, January 5th, 2012Mercury News: Putting schools and voters squarely in the middle of what could be an explosive battle over taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday laid out a fiscal blueprint that heavily relies on cash the state doesn't yet have. Reaction to Proposed State Budget Thursday, January 5th, 2012CDE: State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Comments on Governor's Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2012-13. Experts share their ed-tech predictions for 2012 Wednesday, January 4th, 2012eSchool News: We recently asked a handful of education and ed-tech experts for their thoughts on what the future holds for 2012—and beyond. Diving Into the Cloud Wednesday, January 4th, 2012THE Journal: One of the most misunderstood concepts in educational technology at the moment is cloud computing. In a two-part series, T.H.E. Journal offers an in-depth guide to help you decide if cloud-based services are right for your school district. This Time It's Personal Wednesday, January 4th, 2012THE Journal: Truly student-centered learning has a lot of support in high places in education, but it can’t happen without the right technology infrastructure to drive it. Equipping Teachers to Infuse Technology Wednesday, January 4th, 2012District Administration: A PD expert offers options to meet the needs of your district. On a district-wide PD day, a consultant presents to an auditorium of 250 teachers and conducts follow-up sessions with smaller groups throughout the day. New Youth Laws for 2012 Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012CDE: State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Spotlights New Youth Laws for 2012. Online Learning Community on Mobile Learning Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012CoSN: edWeb.netand CoSN, the Consortium for School Networking, announce the launch of Mobile Learning Explorations, an online professional learning community that provides a forum to learn about and discuss the implementation of mobile technology in educa District Administration - January 2012 Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012District Administration: The digital edition of District Administration - January 2012 is available now. In this issue, you'll find articles about online identity management, eco-friendly schools, PD options for teachers, flipped classrooms and more... Setting the Pace for Digital Initiatives Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012THE Journal: Last year, Piedmont City School District, in Alabama, began a number of forward-thinking digital initiatives, including a 1-to-1 MacBook program, a remote-learning partnership with Stanford University, and a project that will eventually bring Online Identity Management Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012District Administration: The increasing incorporation of digital materials and resources into school and district portals and repositories has given rise in recent years to a new focus on the issue of identity management in K12 education. Flipped Class Method Gaining Ground Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012District Administration: Clintondale (Mich.) Community Schools’ high school has turned the traditional school day upside-down by asking teachers to assign short video lectures as homework and have students do activities, participate in discussions, etc. Report sets forth early learning recommendations Thursday, December 22nd, 2011eSchool News: A comprehensive alignment of preschool through third grade (P-3) education is critical in ensuring that children develop a solid foundation in literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, according to a new report. Nanotech creating big buzz among high school stude Thursday, December 22nd, 2011eSchool news: Minnesota's Dakota County Technical College is offering what is believed to be the only year-long nanotechnology program for high school students in the country.… Important Changes Coming for Thinkfinity in 2012 Thursday, December 22nd, 2011K12HSN: We recently learned that the Verizon Foundation will be changing strategy in 2012. 2011 Intermediate/Advanced E-rate Training Archive Thursday, December 22nd, 2011K12HSN: For those who couldn't attend the 2011 Intermediate/Advanced E-rate/CTF Training organized by K12HSN and the California Department of Education, the session is now available on the K12HSN website. The Beginner session is also available online. Transitioning to the CCSS in English Language Arts Thursday, December 22nd, 2011CDE: A Look at Kindergarten Through Grade Six in California Public Schools: Transitioning to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics is a resource for teachers, administrators, and parents during the first steps to incorpo WEBINAR January 6: Digital Learning Day Thursday, December 22nd, 2011Alliance for Excellent Education: On Friday, January 6, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (ET), the Alliance for Excellent Education will hold a webinar to highlight some successful schools and provide more information about getting involved.... Project aims for national standard in music educat Wednesday, December 21st, 2011eSchool news: For generations, music students have been getting gold stars, certificates, and other pats on the back from their teachers. But a budding musician with high marks in one state is not necessarily on the same level, judged by the same criteria Ed tech unfunded in $1 trillion spending bill Tuesday, December 20th, 2011eSchool News: Congress has passed a $1 trillion omnibus spending measure that continues funding for the Obama administration’s signature 'Race to the Top' competition and includes a very modest increase in Title Title I funding for disadvantaged student Petition calls for more eRate funding Tuesday, December 20th, 2011eSchool News: Schools, libraries encouraged to sign the petition, which argues eRate funding hasn't kept pace with schools' needs. California Student Bill of Rights Act Tuesday, December 20th, 2011Legislative Analyst's Office: The measure requires LEAs to provide students with unrestricted access to approved courses available to meet the A-G requirements, including college preparation and advance placement courses. Educators share views on SIS, LMS solutions Monday, December 19th, 2011eSchool News: State education leaders, district leaders, and teachers disagree on the effectiveness of student information systems (SIS) and learning management systems (LMS) they use to capture data to improve instruction, a new survey reveals. Virtual schools booming as states mull warnings Monday, December 19th, 2011eSchool News: More schoolchildren than ever are taking their classes online, using technology to avoid long commutes to school, add courses they wouldn't otherwise be able to take—and save their school districts money. Nine states win early education grants Monday, December 19th, 2011eSchool News: Nine states have won a collective $500 million from the federal government to help make pre-kindergarten and other early learning programs more accessible and better capable of narrowing the achievement gap... Online Classes Accelerate Math for Middle Schooler Monday, December 19th, 2011THE Journal: 8th-graders who take an online Algebra I course score higher on end-of-year algebra assessments than other students who take the standard instructor-led math program offered by their schools and are twice as likely to follow an advanced cours Transition to Common Core Publication Monday, December 19th, 2011CDE: State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Unveils New Publication to Help Schools Transition to Common Core State Standards. The Top 10 K-12 Stories of 2011 Monday, December 19th, 2011Converge Magazine: This year, both district and state-led tablet pilots popped up all over the United States. Bring your own device initiatives started to gain traction. And technology integration continued to be a priority for district administrators. Mobile Devices Prompt Districts to Consider Securi Monday, December 19th, 2011Converge Magazine: As students and staff bring more mobile devices on campus, IT administrators figure out ways to allow the devices on their network without compromising security. With iPads, Olympia students have world at their f Sunday, December 18th, 2011The Olympian: At nearly $20,000 – about $5,000 more than the cost of a new set of textbooks and supplemental materials for the teacher’s 150 students – it wasn’t a small investment, but it’s one that school officials think will pay off in a big Funds For Learning Seeks Rural Broadband Funds for Friday, December 16th, 2011THE Journal: A company that provides E-Rate compliance services is making a public plea to the FCC to divert funds set aside for the expanding rural broadband in order to expand deployment in schools and libraries, no matter where they're located. 9 States Awarded RTT-Early Learning Challenge Friday, December 16th, 2011U.S. Department of Ed: Today, the White House announced that 9 states—California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington—will receive grant awards from the $500 million RTT-Early Learning Challe California Wins RTT Early Learning Challenge Grant Friday, December 16th, 2011CDE: Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that California has been awarded a $52.6 million federal Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge Grant New CEO for CENIC Friday, December 16th, 2011CENIC: Louis Fox to Lead Non-profit Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) Serving Virtually All of the Golden State's Public Education System. 18-County Broadband Project Breaks Ground in Fresn Friday, December 16th, 2011The Business Journal: The Central Valley Independent Network has been given the green light to break ground Dec. 9 on a project that will expand broadband Internet access to 1,973 communities in an area that covers nearly 1/4 of the state. The 10 biggest ed-tech stories of 2011 Thursday, December 15th, 2011eSchool News: Teachers use video podcasts to turn learning “upside down” … New web-search formulas have important implications for students and society … 'Bring Your Own Device' emerges as a top strategy for integrating technology into instruction Report: Half of schools fail to meet federal stand Thursday, December 15th, 2011eSchool news: Nearly half of America's public schools didn't meet federal achievement standards this year, marking the largest failure rate since the much-criticized No Child Left Behind law took effect a decade ago, according to a national report... 7 key questions to ask about ed technology, online Thursday, December 15th, 2011Washington Post: The outcry against exploitative online for-profit education is growing at roughly the same rate as the clamor for increasing amounts of educational technology—laptops, tablets, smart boards—from preschool to life-long learning. States Committed to Celebrate Digital Learning Day Thursday, December 15th, 2011Alliance for Excellent Education: 27 States Pledge Support for National Awareness Campaign Highlighting Technology’s Role in School Reform and Strengthening Instructional Practices New CDE Directors Named Thursday, December 15th, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that two new directors have been chosen to head the California Department of Education's (CDE) Charter Schools Division and its After School Division. Class assignment: Reinvent the high school Wednesday, December 14th, 2011eSchool News: Philadelphia program empowers students with authentic, project-based curriculum. small groups of students are designing their own workshop space. Their teachers act as mentors, sounding boards, not lecturers. Steinberg seeks to offer free college eTextbooks Wednesday, December 14th, 2011Sacramento Bee: Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg announced Tuesday that he will push for legislation to create an online, open-source library to reduce the cost of course materials for college students across the state. Launching an iPad 1-to-1 Program: A Primer Wednesday, December 14th, 2011THE Journal: Many schools are interested in integrating the latest technological advancements into the school curriculum. there are lessons to be learned from schools that have already begun to venture into the world of 1-to-1 initiatives. Small Size, Big Potential: Mobile Learning Devices Wednesday, December 14th, 2011The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) today released the third and final monograph from its three-part 2011 Compendium, titled 'Small Size, Big Potential: Mobile Learning Devices in School.' Read Around the Planet Wednesday, December 14th, 2011TWICE invites you to participate in a celebration of reading using videoconference technology! Classes can participate in English, or a variety of other languages, or special education. Classes share skits, raps, original poetry/writing, songs, game shows Principals share secrets to positive school cultur Tuesday, December 13th, 2011eSchool News: Turning around low-performing schools and improving educator morale might seem daunting as school leaders are being asked to do more with less, but some leaders have made marked improvements in their schools with determination and dedication YouTube grants schools special access to 400,000 e Tuesday, December 13th, 2011Yahoo News: YouTube has an enormous collection of educational clips that could be used by teachers, but many schools choose to block the site so that kids won't be able to access unsavory videos. Schools largely spared from immediate state budget Tuesday, December 13th, 2011San Diego Union Tribune: School districts will largely be spared painful cuts early next year but higher education and programs that assist the poor, elderly and disabled will face reductions because of lagging state revenues, Gov. Jerry Brown announced T Educators Look for Resources, New Programs Tuesday, December 13th, 2011THE Journal: Districts, schools, and individual educators are struggling to keep up with new emphases on science, technology, engineering, and math education. Resources and partnerships are available to those who know where to look. Broadband, Social Networks, Mobility: New Kind of Tuesday, December 13th, 2011THE Journal: According the Pew Research Center, the combination of widespread access to broadband Internet connectivity, the popularity of social networking, and the near ubiquity of mobile computing is producing a fundamentally new kind of learner... $1B in midyear budget cuts for California Tuesday, December 13th, 2011Washington Post: Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday ordered $1 billion in midyear cuts to California’s budget that will result in pain for students who rely on school buses to get to class, mothers who depend on child care subsidies to keep working and support State Schools Chief Comments on Mid-Year Cuts Tuesday, December 13th, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the following statement regarding mid-year spending cuts announced today... How to start a successful virtual learning program Monday, December 12th, 2011eSchool News: Virtual learning can help districts address many needs, such as filling a gap between courses a school offers and courses students might want to take but aren’t currently offered—and a new report offers insights on starting a virtual lea Profits and Questions at Online Charter Schools Monday, December 12th, 2011New York Times: By almost every educational measure, the Agora Cyber Charter School is failing. By Wall Street standards, though, Agora is a remarkable success that has helped enrich K12 Inc., the publicly traded company that manages the school. Five tips for digital communication in the new yea Friday, December 9th, 2011eSchool News: With a new year approaching, it's a great opportunity to re-evaluate what’s working—and what’s not—in your classroom, school, or district communications program. Here are 5 tips to power better communications and community relations High Tech High Media Arts teachers take 1st place Friday, December 9th, 2011San Diego Union Tribune: Two local teachers won first place in an international competition that highlights the use of innovative technology in education.  Interview with Social Media Guru Jason Falls Friday, December 9th, 2011Thinkfinity: 5. Teachers, how do you use social media in the classroom? Jason Falls has ideas for you. Watch the interview in the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series. New guidelines for ed-tech research could help edu Thursday, December 8th, 2011eSchool News: Report explains how to evaluate educational technology programs and services properly and effectively. 2011 Beginner E-rate/CTF Training Video Available Thursday, December 8th, 2011K12HSN: For those who couldn't attend the 2011 E-rate/CTF Training for Beginners organized by K12HSN and the California Department of Education, the session is now available on the K12HSN website. Riverside schools point to power of technology in Thursday, December 8th, 2011Ed Source: As the effectiveness of technology in the classroom comes under increasing scrutiny, one California district encourages extensive use of iPads and other such digital readers, and says the benefits are clear and compelling. 1-to-1 Computing: Turning Around School Technology Wednesday, December 7th, 2011THE Journal: Early in the last decade, Piedmont City School District, a small school district in Eastern Alabama, laid claim to the worst computer-to-student ratio in the state. Since then, the Piedmont district, has successfully shaken off that title... CoSN Invites 13 Districts To Develop Best Practice Wednesday, December 7th, 2011THE Journal: The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a professional association for educators, district officials and technology professionals, has selected 13 school districts to take part in an effort to develop digital media best practices in K-12 Schools turn to free digital tools Tuesday, December 6th, 2011eSchool News: Think of it as a welcome demand meeting an urgent need: Even as public school funding plummets, it’s never been easier to find inexpensive or free high-quality education tools online. Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies Tuesday, December 6th, 2011The U.S. Department of Education released today Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies, a new report summarizing current approaches in the 46 states with anti-bullying laws and the 41 states that have created anti-bullying policies as models for sch Top 10+ TED Videos On Education & Learning Tuesday, December 6th, 2011Getting Smart Blog: TED offers great ideas through its videos. Today we’ve featured more than 10 of the best videos on education and learning from some of the greatest thinkers and innovators who have spoken at TED. CENIC Today Monday, December 5th, 2011CENIC's Monthly Newsletter is now available. In this newsletter, you'll find information about what's on the horizon for CENIC's Associates, CalREN, etc... A Path to Broadband for All in Northern California Monday, December 5th, 2011CENIC: CENIC and the CSU Chico Center for Economic Development were awarded 2 grants from the CA Public Utilities Commission, in order to develop plans to address the broadband deficit in 11 northern counties of the State. CalREN Update: Network Projects and Activities Monday, December 5th, 2011CENIC: To close out CENIC Today for the calendar year 2011, CENIC has been hard at work in other activities including preparations for new circuits that will come online in early 2012. The following is a summary of network activities across the segments.. High School Class Gives New Meaning to Learning Ap Monday, December 5th, 2011THE Journal: In Daniel Downs' new computer science class at Winchester High School in Massachusetts, students aren't using mobile apps to learn so much as they're learning to create them. 8 Top Apps for Autistic Learners Monday, December 5th, 2011THE Journal: Mobile technology and apps enable those who have special needs to function more freely and effectively in the classroom and out into the world. Overhauling Computer Science Education Monday, December 5th, 2011THE Journal :Students from elementary school through college are learning on laptops and have access to smartphone apps for virtually everything imaginable, but they are not learning the basic computer-related technology that makes all those gadgets work. Learning math the Khan Academy way: big hit at Los Monday, December 5th, 2011Mercury News: This year, Los Altos School District has incorporated the Khan Academy method into its math curriculum for all fifth- through eighth-grade students -- about 1,000 in all. Administration in the Clouds Friday, December 2nd, 2011The Journal: Access to cloud resources is an opportunity for cost savings, but the administration of thousands of e-mail accounts, managing varied levels of accessibility, and doing that for multiple cloud products can make savings disappear. Are the SAT and ACT Overrated? Friday, December 2nd, 2011eSchool News: Emily English was a bright and talented high school student with a dilemma: Her scores on the SAT exam were not exactly what she hoped for, and she worried that would keep her from getting into a competitive, nationally prestigious... States Make Strides in Collecting Education Data Friday, December 2nd, 2011eSchool News: Although states have made strong progress increasing their capacity to build and use longitudinal data systems, they aren't yet helping educators, parents, and other stakeholders use the data to inform decisions to improve student... NCLB Waiver Plans Offer Hodgepodge of Grading Friday, December 2nd, 2011Education Week: States seeking waivers under the No Child Left Behind Act are hoping to replace what is widely considered an outdated, but consistent, school accountability regime with a hodgepodge of complex school grading systems that are as diverse... Survey Shows Nearly All States Can Track Data Friday, December 2nd, 2011Education Week: Nearly all states now have comprehensive data systems that allow them to track students’ academic careers over time, and state officials are starting to dig into using the mountains of information, according to the sixth annual national. STEAM: Experts Make Case for Adding Arts to STEM Friday, December 2nd, 2011Education Week: The acronym STEM—shorthand for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—has quickly taken hold in education policy circles, but some experts in the arts community and beyond suggest it may be missing another initial to make... New App Lets Parents Track School Bus Routes Friday, December 2nd, 2011Education Week: A local mom is turning a scary situation into a positive outcome. Katherine Johnson went into a panic when her 10-year-old son's school bus from P.S. 51 was an half-hour late. She couldn't get in touch with school or bus company... Students, Teachers Urge Unrestricted Web Friday, December 2nd, 2011Albuqurque Journal: Lauren McDougall's students are too young to remember the civil rights movement, and many have trouble conceiving the era's turmoil. Georgia district launches all-digital learning pla Thursday, December 1st, 2011eSchool News: Georgia’s largest district has partnered with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to implement a single sign-on platform for delivering curriculum, assessment, analytics, professional development, parent information, and more. K-12 Cuts Loom as Deficit Deal Eludes Congress Thursday, December 1st, 2011Education Week: Education aid would fall by $3.5 billion in 2013 under one scenario requiring across-the-board cuts to government. 2010-11 CENIC Annual Report Thursday, December 1st, 2011CENIC: CENIC 2010-11 Annual Report is online More Than Half of U.S. Districts Have Students in Thursday, December 1st, 2011THE Journal: A majority of public school districts in the United States have students who participate in distance education courses at some level, according to data released by NCES. But most of those districts aren't delivering the education themselves. State Data Systems Progress, Key Challenges Remain Thursday, December 1st, 2011THE Journal: Education data coalition urges changes to certification and licensure to ensure competency in teachers' and administrators' understanding of data. Mobile Apps for Education Grab Attention at Compet Thursday, December 1st, 2011THE Journal: Two mobile applications took the top awards in the 2011 Software & Information Industry Association's latest education technology competition. California School Succeeds with Low-Tech Education Thursday, December 1st, 2011Huffington Post: The Waldorf School of the Peninsula sits in the midst of Silicon Valley, home to the nation's leading tech companies and startups. It educates the children of tech gurus and executives of the technological industry. An encyclopedia on your iPad Wednesday, November 30th, 2011eSchool News: Britannica releases a new mobile app to help it stay relevant in the age of Wikipedia Grant Spotlight: 2 Ways To Get Free Tech Wednesday, November 30th, 2011THE Journal: A District in Ohio is shoring up its classrooms through two technology grant programs open to all schools--one a corporate program providing free classroom amplification systems, the other a program that distributes used computers to schools Big Expansion, Big Question for Teach For America Wednesday, November 30th, 2011eSchool News: A new $50 million federal investment will help bring the program to more high-poverty schools—even as its results are mixed at best. Digital Learning Enrollment Triples: U.S. DoE Wednesday, November 30th, 2011Huffington Post: The digital revolution has officially hit America's classrooms. As school districts nationwide cut back on essentials, three quarters of them plan to expand their digital offerings over the next three years, according to a new survey... With online testing on the horizon, infrastructure Tuesday, November 29th, 2011eSchool News: With new online tests being designed to reflect the Common Core standards, school districts in at least 45 states will have to replace pencil-and-paper testing with the new exams as soon as the 2014-15 school year. CA School District Debuts iPhone App for Parents Tuesday, November 29th, 2011THE Journal: Hemet Unified School District (CA) is piloting a new app aimed at getting parents more involved in their child's education through instant mobile alerts sent right to their iPhone. The Rise Of Online High Schools Tuesday, November 29th, 2011On NPR's On Point Radio, Education Sector's Bill Tucker discusses the rise of online education, including Stanford's new Online High School. Louder Libraries for a Digital Age to Open in U.S. Tuesday, November 29th, 2011Education Week: Imagine walking into a public library filled with PlayStations, Wii game consoles, and electric keyboards pumped up to maximum volume. Teenagers are munching on snacks, checking out laptops and slouching on sofas or beanbags. California School Districts Prepare for New Grade Monday, November 28th, 2011Mercury News: Soon, many children in California will have two years to learn how to share, count and sound out words before they move on to first grade. Virtual schools are multiplying, but some question Saturday, November 26th, 2011The Washington Post: A Virginia company leading a national movement to replace classrooms with computers — in which children as young as 5 can learn at home at taxpayer expense — is facing a backlash from critics who are questioning its funding, quali High-tech education clicks but only for some schoo Thursday, November 24th, 2011eSchool News: When even the most innovative classrooms lag behind what’s possible, it’s almost unfair asking the school tech guy: What’s next? Online 'Bill Of Rights' to Expand Digital Learning Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011San Diego Union Tribune: David Haglund, principal of the Riverside Virtual School, introduced a statewide ballot initiative that would give students unrestricted access to publicly funded courses – wherever they are. Charter schools grow Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011Ed Source: Charter schools now enroll 7 percent of the states public school students, according to just-released figures. Charter schools grow while more than 9 out of 10 students stay in regular public schools. Deadline for 2012 eRate applications announced Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011eSchool News: The Universal Service Administrative Co., which runs the federal eRate program, has announced the opening and closing dates of the eRate filing window for Funding Year 2012.… Piedmont students to get citywide wireless Monday, November 21st, 2011eSchool News: The city of Piedmont, Ala., may be less than six months away from setting up a citywide wireless broadband service—a project that started with a push to provide wireless access for students. Education Roundup for Week Ending November 18 Monday, November 21st, 2011CDE: The California Department of Education (CDE) issued last week's Education Roundup featuring education-related announcements of public interest. 4 Ways to Prepare Teachers for Technology Integrat Sunday, November 20th, 2011Converge Magazine: On the East Coast, budget cuts force many school districts to eliminate technology facilitators that teachers rely on. Now teachers take on that role for their classroom. And they're not always prepared for it... Online High Schools Attracting Elite Names Saturday, November 19th, 2011New York Times: Students who attend the online Education Program for Gifted Youth will now receive diplomas from Stanford Online High School, after the university agreed to attach its name to the online institution. Oklahoma Board Rescinds Online-Course Requirement Friday, November 18th, 2011The Oklahoman: Following opposition from school administrators and concern from lawmakers, the Oklahoma Education Board rescinded emergency rules on Thursday that the board approved last month requiring school districts to provide online courses. Calif. Budget Cuts Could Shorten School Year Friday, November 18th, 2011Education Week: The prospect of fewer school days that would make CA's school year among the shortest in the nation and could worsen its already troubled school system. District Administration - November/December 2011 Friday, November 18th, 2011District Administration: The digital edition of District Administration - November/December 2011 is available now. In this issue, you'll find articles about updating your network on a budget, technology adoption, empowering parents, anti-bullying programs How to Update Your Network on a Budget Friday, November 18th, 2011District Administration: Districts learn shortcuts in building an infrastructure that keeps up with demands for new technology, but doesn't cost a fortune. Khan Academy Opens Its Virtual Doors — Carefully Friday, November 18th, 2011KQED: Over the course of a few short years, Khan has accumulated a vast library of education videos that are now used in schools and homes across the country. But no man is an island, as they say, and Khan is opening up his academy – at least in part Going Mobile: 10 Barriers to Technology Adoption Friday, November 18th, 2011District Administration: K-12 still relies on textbooks and pencil pouches. Why have computing technologies failed to transform K-12? Here are 10 barriers to technology adoption Last Chance for Beginners Erate Training Friday, November 18th, 2011CDE/K12HSN: This is your last chance for a beginners Erate training session this season. All training dates are available live in person, by videoconference, or by live streaming from your computer. More Intermediate/Advanced Sessions are available... School districts struggle with laptop repairs Thursday, November 17th, 2011eSchool news: Maine district’s $56,000 repair bill underscores the need to educate students about their responsibility—and hold them accountable for damages. Unleashing Locally Driven Innovation Thursday, November 17th, 2011Education Week: Stifled by state and federal education policies, districts face a tough road to becoming 21st-century leaders, writes Ken Kay. 9 States Can Apply For $200 M With focus on STEM Thursday, November 17th, 2011Huffington Post: The Department of Education announced Wednesday that Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and South Carolina can seek funding for part of their Race to the Top plan. Going the Distance: Online Education in the U.S. Thursday, November 17th, 2011The Sloan Consortium: The ninth annual survey, a collaborative effort between the Babson Survey Research Group and the College Board, is the leading barometer of online learning in the United States. Chris Dede Encourages teachers to embrace mobile d Wednesday, November 16th, 2011Thinkfinity: Dr. Chris Dede, Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is encouraging teachers to embrace mobile learning devices to effectively engage more students, especially those who struggle with conventional instruction. The key to doing more with less: Collaboration Wednesday, November 16th, 2011eSchool News: On Nov. 14, the American Association of School Administrators moved offices from our current location in Arlington, Va., to a building in nearby Alexandria now occupied by the by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Feds launch open-source ‘Learning Registry’ Wednesday, November 16th, 2011eSchool News: A new federal resource will help groups share learning materials and policy recommendations as they strive to improve the quality and availability of learning resources in education.… Maine district hosting national conference on iPad Wednesday, November 16th, 2011eSchool News: Educators from across the United States and as far away as Chile will be in Auburn, Maine, this week to learn how kindergarten students are using iPads for reading and math. CENIC 2012 Beyond the Network Registration is open Wednesday, November 16th, 2011CENIC Registration for CENIC 2012 Beyond the Network is open! Measuring 1:1 Results Wednesday, November 16th, 2011THE Journal: One CTO reveals how his district uses data-driven decision making to eke benefits from its 1:1 laptop implementation. State School Chief Tom Torlakson Comments Wednesday, November 16th, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the following statement today regarding the Legislative Analyst's fiscal assessment also released today. Mobile devices on tap for schools Wednesday, November 16th, 2011The Desert Sun: Every student in Coachella Valley Unified School District from kindergarten through high school will have a mobile device that he or she can use in school and at home within two years, Superintendent Darryl Adams said Wednesday. Analyst: Calif. faces $13B deficit next year Wednesday, November 16th, 2011Education Week: California's nonpartisan fiscal analyst on Wednesday said the state is projected to face a $13 billion budget shortfall over the next 18 months, suggesting that Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers will have to make another round of cuts. Beaumont Principal Wins National Award Tuesday, November 15th, 2011CDE: Sundance Elementary School Principal Lauren Kinney today in Washington, D.C., received the prestigious Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership from the U.S. Department of Education during the 2011 National Blue Ribbon Awards Ceremony. New Thinkfinity Webinars Monday, November 14th, 2011Thinkfinity is launching new webinars and another two week online course. We hope you'll register for a webinar and/or online course. If you are unable to attend a live webinar, we'll be posting more recorded versions in the very near future. 10 ways schools are teaching internet safety Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: Using third-party resources and having students act as investigators are some of the many ways educators are teaching about online safety and responsibility. Hosted VoIP: A better call? Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: As they upgrade their telecommunications systems, more schools are considering a move to cloud-based VoIP services. District-created app improves the home-school conn Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: Missouri’s Rockwood School District (RSD) aims to have all district parents as involved in their children’s education as possible. Toward that end, the district has developed a unique communications application that gives parents informa 2011 Keeping Pace with Online K-12 Learning Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: K-12 online and blended learning continued to grow rapidly across the country in 2011 as new consortia and single-district online education programs outstripped the continued expansion of more traditional eLearning programs. Online learning caucus coming to Congress Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: Two members of Congress formed an eLearning caucus last month–a much-needed Capitol Hill forum, educators said, after a recent survey showed Congressional representatives and their staffers lacked a basic understanding of online education. How to teach young children in the digital age Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: Tech-savvy younger students need equally tech-savvy teachers, says a new report that makes several recommendations for rebooting early learning FCC launching $4 billion program to narrow digital Monday, November 14th, 2011eSchool News: The Federal Communications Commission is launching a $4 billion program to narrow the digital divide by making high-speed internet access and computers more affordable for more than 25 million mainly low-income Americans.… Education Dept. Names 23 i3 Grant Recipients Thursday, November 10th, 2011THE Journal: Twenty-three school districts, colleges, and other organizations are one step closer to receiving a portion of $150 million to be awarded by the United States Department of Education through the Investing in Innovation (i3) program. NCLB Waiver Statement Wednesday, November 9th, 2011CDE: State Schools Chief Torlakson Issues Statement on NCLB Waiver. Mobile Technology Changes the Game Wednesday, November 9th, 2011THE Journal: As schools start to place mobile technologies in the hands of every student, the traditional use of the classroom PC is waning. A FETC 2012 speaker talks about the challenges ahead and why going mobile is in everyone's best interest. Teacher Training Should Start Before iPad Deployme Wednesday, November 9th, 2011THE Journal: ELL instructors, like those in other disciplines, are discovering the benefits of iPads in the classroom. With some advance planning and appropriate training for teachers, schools can avoid an awkward or stressful deployment. SARC Template Restored Tuesday, November 8th, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the California Department of Education (CDE) has restored a time-saving Web tool to make it easier for school districts to create state-mandated SARC report cards California Teachers of the Year for 2012 Monday, November 7th, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today officially announced the selection of California's five 2012 Teachers of the Year. Apps I Have Loved Monday, November 7th, 2011THE Journal: Ask district IT leaders which mobile apps they rely on and they’ll tell you. iPad helps give a voice to Marin's special ed stud Monday, November 7th, 2011Marin Independent Journal: Using augmentative and alternative communication tools to help children with autism— or a host of other conditions that affect speech — interact with the world is nothing new. Yet the evolution of tablet computers... Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series Friday, November 4th, 2011Thinkfinity: Exclusive Interview with Earvin 'Magic' Johnson Now Available. In this exclusive interview with Verizon Foundation President Rose Stuckey Kirk, 'Magic' Johnson tells teachers, students and parents how a part-time job cleaning a CEO’s o Wii remotes help students learn engineering, scien Friday, November 4th, 2011KQED: Sixth-grade students at the Nueva School in Hillsborough, Calif., are using Wii remotes to collect data and conduct scientific research involving concepts such as speed and acceleration. K12HSN Sessions and Booths at CETPA 2011! Friday, November 4th, 2011K12HSN: Visit Booth 313 and do not miss our sessions to learn more about the latest E-Rate news and all the K12HSN initiatives: CaliQity, K20Video, Calaxy, Brokers of Expertise and Verizon Thinkfinity. eRate applicants face important changes Thursday, November 3rd, 2011eSchool News: The two biggest changes to the program are new gift enforcement rules and updates to the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). How to make sense of the new eRate gift rules Thursday, November 3rd, 2011eSchool News: In its Sixth Report and Order, issued in September 2010, the FCC codified regulations regarding gifts from eRate service providers to align with the gift rules applicable to federal agencies. Five tips for eRate success Thursday, November 3rd, 2011eSchool News: With a new eRate application season about to dawn for schools and libraries, here are five tips that can help ensure success in getting your fair share of nearly $2.3 billion in telecommunications discounts. SBE Meeting Agenda for November 9-10, 2011 Thursday, November 3rd, 2011State Board of Education: Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting to be held on November 9 and 10, 2011 is now available online. A live webcast will be available. A Home for Netbooks at School Thursday, November 3rd, 2011THE Journal: A stable of affordable netbooks are winning over educators even in the age of tablet computing. After all, they can address basic computing needs and provide access to the web at a price that's hard to beat. Surveillance Jumps on the Network Thursday, November 3rd, 2011THE Journal: Educational institutions were among the early adopters of IP-based video surveillance solutions because their scalability is so attractive. What anybody involved with campus security needs to know about the analog-to-IP transition. The Pen That’s Smarter Than the…Pen Thursday, November 3rd, 2011THE Journal: You’ve heard of smartphones—now smartpens are taking a familiar classroom tool into the digital age. 3 Shots To Caffeinate Your Presentations Thursday, November 3rd, 2011THE Journal: Author and presentation expert Lynell Burmark offers three concrete tips for teachers to improve their PowerPoint presentations and better engage students. The Latest Updates to Online Copyright Law Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011CENIC: CENIC President and CEO shares the latest updates to the Online Copyright Law. CENIC Today Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011CENIC: CENIC's Monthly Newsletter is now available. In this newsletter, you'll find information about what's on the horizon for CENIC's Associates, CalREN, etc... CalREN Update: Network Projects and Activities Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011CENIC: California's K-12 system received 2 circuit upgrades during the month of October: one 10 Gigabit circuit from Contra Costa COE and the CalREN backbone node at Sunnyvale, and the other a second DS-3 between Bishop Union Elementary SD and Mono COE... Central Valley Broadband Project ready to launch c Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011CENIC: The Central Valley Independent Network and CENIC are excited to report all the progress the Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project has made during the first year of this three-year planned endeavor... More states look to online learning for students Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011eSchool News: As more students opt to enroll full-time or part-time in virtual learning programs, a growing number of states are considering proposals mandating that students take at least one online course... US school kids showing slight improvement in math Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011eSchool News: The nation's report card on math and reading shows fourth- and eighth-graders scoring their best ever in math and eighth graders making some progress in reading. But the results are a stark reminder of just how far the nation's kids are from Technology returning us to Stone Age-thinking? Tuesday, November 1st, 2011eSchool News: Children and adult minds are changing because of the internet and smart phones—putting more pressure on schools to teach deeper thinking School districts wait to see if state revenue shor Monday, October 31st, 2011Sacramento Bee: School officials will soon learn if they have to cut buses, shorten the school year, ask teachers to take furlough days, raid their reserves or cut programs. Administrators Go Online to Share Ideas, Learn New Friday, October 28th, 2011Education Week: Overbooked schedules and tight budgets are increasingly pushing administrators toward online professional development to save money on travel costs and gain immediate access to helpful resources. New and Improved Science NetLinks! Thursday, October 27th, 2011Thinkfinity: The new and improved Science NetLinks just launched with an updated look and expanded resources. Science NetLinks is still the place to find quality science and engineering resources for the classroom, including lesson plans, interactives... Social media savvy: The new digital divide? Thursday, October 27th, 2011eSchool news: The inclusion of social media data in the algorithms that search engines now use to help people find relevant information online could create a 'new digital divide,' 'those with a powerful network and those without.' FCC Creates 'Connect America Fund' Thursday, October 27th, 2011FCC Creates 'Connect America Fund' to Help Extend High-Speed Internet to 18 Million Unserved Americans. The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to comprehensively reform its Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation systems. Virtual learning acquisitions shake up marketplace Wednesday, October 26th, 2011eSchool News: As K-12 virtual learning expands across the nation, two of the nation’s largest ed-tech providers have jumped into the virtual learning market with significant acquisitions they hope will boost their offerings and help them appeal to a wid Zero to Eight: Children's Media Use in America Wednesday, October 26th, 2011eSchool News: Fifty-two percent of children ages 5-8 use smart phones, video iPods, iPads, or similar devices, and four in 10 2- to 4-year-olds use the same devices, according to a new national study on young children’s use of media. New E-Rate Webinar to Cover Best Practices for App Wednesday, October 26th, 2011THE Journal: E-rate compliance firm Funds For Learning will host a free best practices webinar for E-rate applicants, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011 at 9:00 am Pacific, with Brian Stephens, a technology and regulatory analyst with the company. The Best Free Web 2.0 Tools for Schools Wednesday, October 26th, 2011THE Journal: The term Web 2.0 has been around a while. Some may even consider it passé. Nevertheless, according to Steve Dembo, there's still something to say about the topic. Skype Learning Lab Puts Global Perspective on U.S. Wednesday, October 26th, 2011THE Journal: A private school in Miami uses is using free technology to bridge geographical gaps between faculty and students. CENIC Private Cloud Pilot Wednesday, October 26th, 2011CENIC has been working with Amazon for some time to put in place procedures through which CENIC member institutions can obtain reduced costs and improved performance for the use of Amazon’s compute and storage services: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Kindergartners Blend E-Learning, Face-to-Face Inst Wednesday, October 26th, 2011Education Week: Computer-based instruction in kindergarten classrooms can be controversial, but one Los Angeles charter school is showing promising results and plans to expand the hybrid approach. Virtual PD Creates Connections Wednesday, October 26th, 2011Education Week: This special report, another installment in Education Week's series on virtual education, examines how K-12 professional development is taking a more digital and freewheeling approach to educator training. Study: elementary school science education neglect Wednesday, October 26th, 2011The Daily Californian: Researchers found that only 10 percent of California’s public elementary schools receive high-quality science-based education, according to a study released Tuesday Online K-12 Schooling in the U.S. Tuesday, October 25th, 2011National Education Policy Center: Over just the past decade, online learning at the K-12 level has grown from a novelty to a movement. Often using the authority and mechanism of state charters, private companies and some state entities are now providing.. Zero to Eight: Children's Media Use in America Tuesday, October 25th, 2011Common Sense Media: A nationally representative survey of parents of U.S. kids ages zero to eight conducted to understand children's patterns of use for TV, reading, music, computers, video games, and mobile digital media. School fires up iPads to fine-tune phys-ed skills Tuesday, October 25th, 2011eSchool News: Ewa Makai Middle School in Honolulu, started using iPads in all of its phys-ed courses last week as part of a pilot project aimed at helping teachers figure out new ways to engage modern students who thrive on hands-on learning. iNACOL updates its online teaching standards Monday, October 24th, 2011eSchool news: As online learning becomes more ubiquitous in schools and districts across the nation, a leading online-learning organization has updated its national standards intended to help shape high-quality online teaching practices. Student progress can be tied to teacher education Monday, October 24th, 2011eSchool News: The academic progress of public school students can be traced, in part, to where their teachers went to college, according to new research by the University of Washington Center for Education Data & Research. Common Core Accelerates Interest in Online PD Monday, October 24th, 2011Education Week: Now that all but five states have adopted the common-core state standards, education leaders are working to create and distribute high-quality professional development to guide teachers through the transition. Virtual Schools Offer PD Programs for E-Teaching Monday, October 24th, 2011Education Week: Because schools of education, with a few exceptions, have been slow to offer programs to develop virtual instructors, many of the nation’s leading online schools have, for more than a decade, crafted homegrown online and blended PD. Professional Learning Networks Taking Off Monday, October 24th, 2011Education Week: Face-to-face interaction has its benefits, but busy educators who want to ask advice, offer opinions, and engage in deep discussions with colleagues are increasingly turning to professional learning networks, online communities that... Fingerprint Technology in Motion Monday, October 24th, 2011Education Week: Students in West Virginia's Cabell County district will soon be paying for their school lunches using their index fingers. Publishers Turn to the Cloud to Offer Digital cont Monday, October 24th, 2011Education Week: ishers are tapping into cloud computing to offer a wider array of digital resources, such as e-textbooks. Digital textbooks open a new chapter Monday, October 24th, 2011BBC: South Korea, one of the world's highest-rated education systems, aims to consolidate its position by digitising its entire curriculum. Creating a Digital Culture Sunday, October 23rd, 2011Education Week: Mooresville H.S. Principal Todd Wirt talks about maintaining the school's culture in the midst of new technology programs. States rewrite ed rules, with or without Race to Friday, October 21st, 2011eSchool News: Some of the states rejected for federal Race to the Top education grants are proceeding to revamp their school systems anyway—in some cases, more ambitiously than states that won. Free Online History and Social Sciences Lessons Friday, October 21st, 2011The Autry is offering FREE digitized downloads of our Community Outreach Kits, which provide object/project-based and personal-story teaching tools including artifact images, photographs, and lesson plans in both English and Spanish. Dr. Ben Carson Speaker Series Interview Friday, October 21st, 2011Thinkfinity: Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series – Exclusive Interview with Pediatric Neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin S. Carson FTC seeks comment on important online privacy chan Thursday, October 20th, 2011eSchool News: Possible changes to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) are on the horizon as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed updating the law to reflect how technology has changed web browsing and communication... Early Learning Challenge Grant Thursday, October 20th, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the following statement regarding California’s application for the federal Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant that was filed today Arts & Humanities - Lessons, Activities and More Thursday, October 20th, 2011Thinkfinity: National Arts and Humanities Month is celebrated each year during the month of October and highlights the painters, authors, musicians and historians that inspire us every day. Explore resources from Thinkfinity’s Partners to engage student Earth Science Week - Thinkfinity Resources Thursday, October 20th, 2011Thinkfinity: Earth science includes the study of geology, meteorology, and other areas focused on Earth's complex systems. Help students develop a deeper understanding of important Earth systems as they study how volcanoes form, how the water cycle is... Feds, companies work to close digital divide Wednesday, October 19th, 2011eSchool News: According to a recent residential broadband survey, 35 percent of all Americans and 17 million U.S. children live without access to broadband service—and while these statistics are alarming,… Oklahoma school district launches its own mobile a Wednesday, October 19th, 2011eSchool News: Oklahoma’s Norman Public Schools has become the first school district in the state—and one of the first in the nation—to launch its own full-service mobile app for both Apple and Android platforms. The All-Digital Library Wednesday, October 19th, 2011THE Journal: 2nd segment of a three-part series focused on the changing role of the K-12 library. Each article looks at a how schools are reinterpreting the role of the library and what's being done to reposition it to keep it relevant and fresh.... Stop the Upgrade Path; Time to 'Re-imagine IT' Wednesday, October 19th, 2011THE Journal: Today's IT leaders need to re-imagine the role played by information technology, and that requires being able to think beyond simply modernizing what's already in place. Achieving 'creative destruction' will help the organization move beyond New Laws Take Aim at Bullying Wednesday, October 19th, 2011Education Week: The issue of bullying rose on state legislative agendas this year, with 21 states passing anti-bullying laws—some of which expanded schools’ responsibilities to keep a check on any harassment that goes on among their students. Districts Tackle Questions Surrounding BYOT Policy Wednesday, October 19th, 2011Education Week: 'Bring-your-own-technology' efforts in schools raise questions about what works. For districts opening doors to student-owned mobile devices, there’s a lot riding on how effective the policy shift turns out to be in improving teaching... Curriculum & Technology Leaders Advancing Digital Wednesday, October 19th, 2011CoSN: The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) today released the second monograph from its 2011 Compendium, titled 'The Big Shift: Curriculum and Technology Leaders Advancing Digital Learning.' Education, technology groups collaborate to levera Tuesday, October 18th, 2011eSchool news: A new collaboration among three prominent education and technology groups will aim to help schools meet growing demands to leverage student data to boost achievement while highlighting best practices nationwide. How To Take Your School Solar Tuesday, October 18th, 2011THE Journal: The summer of 2011 proved to be the busiest of times for school construction of solar energy projects, a growing trend among the nation's school districts to reduce their electricity costs by switching to renewable energy. Texas School Districts Shift to All-Digital Educat Tuesday, October 18th, 2011THE Journal: More than a half-dozen school districts in Texas have approved an all-digital curricula for grades 5 through 12, which is delivered via the cloud and compatible with most devices, like tablets and PCs. Partnership exposes Sacramento students to art Tuesday, October 18th, 2011Sacramento Bee: More than 37,000 students in two local school districts have benefited so far from a partnership that trains teachers how to integrate the arts into everyday lessons, Mayor Kevin Johnson's office announced today. Clark County schools to track academic, operationa Monday, October 17th, 2011eSchool News: Nevada’s Clark County School District unveiled prototypes of websites to measure academic achievement and operational efficiency during a meeting with school board members on Oct 13.... AB 114 Transition Stakeholder Recorded Webinar Monday, October 17th, 2011CDE: An overview of changes in the provision of related services to students with disabilities resulting from the transition of responsibilities from mental health agencies to local educational agencies, pursuant to AB 114. States, Districts Move to Require Virtual Classes Monday, October 17th, 2011Education Week: More districts and a handful of states are requiring students to get some form of online learning on their résumés before leaving high school. Schools Seek the Right Mix of Digital Devices Monday, October 17th, 2011Education Week: Schools weigh cost, bandwidth, versatility, and other factors when determining the right mix of digital devices they need for teaching and learning. Students in the 1-to-1 computing program in California’s Saugus USD are using netbooks.. To balance budgets, schools allow ads Monday, October 17th, 2011eSchool News: Without ever cracking a book, students in Pennsylvania's Pennsbury School District are learning a new subject this year: marketing.… Most states to seek exception to education law Friday, October 14th, 2011eschool News:A majority of states intend to take President Barack Obama up on his offer to let them get around unpopular requirements in the No Child Left Behind law,… As ed-tech funding reaches Idaho schools, official Friday, October 14th, 2011eSchool news: Idaho schools recently received the first round of state funding to help improve classroom technology. Now, they have to come up with a plan by mid-December detailing how the money will be used. Bush, Wise Take to CNN; Protesters Take to Street Friday, October 14th, 2011Education Week: Former Governors Jeb Bush and Bob Wise used an appearance on CNN to announce the creation of a national 'Digital Learning Day' and gain some publicity for a 'Roadmap to Reform' document published by their joint effort, Digital Learning Now Bringing Broadband to All Americans Friday, October 14th, 2011Benton Foundation: Although new devices/phones, the economy, and jobs seem to dominate the headlines, the Federal Communications Commission remains focused on a key priority: making sure broadband Internet is available and adopted by all Americans. Digital Learning Day, February 1, 2012 Friday, October 14th, 2011Alliance for Excellent Education: First National Day Around Digital Learning to Be Focused on Personalized Learning and Effective Teaching Meeting the Goals of the National Ed Tech Plans Friday, October 14th, 2011ASCD/Policy Priorities: Don't miss the latest issue of ASCD's Policy Priorities newsletter that explores the divide and challenges to meeting the goals of the National Education Technology Plan in depth. Chicago to roll out high school-college hybrid Thursday, October 13th, 2011eSchool News: A new type of school will enter Chicago's public education system next fall, a kind of high school-community college hybrid that, if successful, could one day become a model for preparing students for professional STEM careers without a univ Getting Serious About Teacher Evaluation Thursday, October 13th, 2011Education Week: Good teacher evaluation is critical, and evaluation programs should be rigorous and comprehensive. Truly effective evaluation programs combine accountability and support. Study of 2 district programs of peer assistance and review in CA... Measuring the digital divide Thursday, October 13th, 2011ASCD Smartbrief: Did you know that nearly a third of U.S. households are not using the Internet at home, mainly because of the cost for service and the lack of a high-speed connection? Learn more about the digital divide... Districts share progress toward 21st-century learn Wednesday, October 12th, 2011eSchool News: Incorporating technology to enhance student learning and creating teams of stakeholders to drive innovation in all school endeavors are two of a handful of best practices that educators from across... New tack sought for teacher jobs, school moderniza Wednesday, October 12th, 2011eSchool News: Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked President Barack Obama's jobs plan on Oct. 11, prompting Democratic leaders to begin laying plans to divide the $447 billion package into pieces they hope will be too politically popular to oppose. Connect to Compete initiative Wednesday, October 12th, 2011FCC: FCC launched Connect to Compete, afirst-of-its-kind national effort to address the barriers to broadband adoption, digital literacy and the employment skills gap. Desert Biodiversity -- Virtual Field Trip Wednesday, October 12th, 2011THE Journal: The National Park Foundation, in conjunction with National Geographic, is hosting a live, Web-hosted virtual field trip open to students and teachers around the world. One-on-One Speech Therapy Goes Digital Wednesday, October 12th, 2011Education Week: Fall River Joint Unified School District changed the way it provides speech therapy. The California district joined other schools nationwide that are now employing sometimes hard-to-find therapists via live, interactive computer sessions. National Standards for Quality Online Courses Wednesday, October 12th, 2011THE Journal: A new report released today by iNACOL outlines new standards for online learning courses in K-12. The report gives K-12 schools, districts, a common benchmark for evaluating and implementing courses for their online programs. App promotes savvy Web use among kids Wednesday, October 12th, 2011Pittsburg Post-Gazette: A new mobile app developed by Carnegie Mellon University's Information Networking Institute and the nonprofit group Web Wise Kids aims to keep students safe while using social media in a school setting. The free app is 'BeSeen'... Inside a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ program Tuesday, October 11th, 2011eSchool News: In what has become a popular trend, Pennsylvania's Hanover High School just began a 'Bring Your Own Device' pilot program that allows students to use their laptops, cell… Digital badges could help measure 21st-century ski Tuesday, October 11th, 2011eSchool News: How can schools accurately measure and categorize a student’s 21st-century skills? The MacArthur Foundation hopes to solve this problem with a new competition that calls on participants to create what is known as a digital badge. Discovery Education Offers Free Tools for Teachers Tuesday, October 11th, 2011THE Journal: Discovery Education has partnered with a variety of organizations and companies to offer free educational technology tools for the classroom and several sweepstakes programs for teachers. Michael Wesch: It's a 'Pull, Pull' World Tuesday, October 11th, 2011THE Journal: Educators play a critical role in the development of the essential skills students need to navigate the blizzard of unfiltered information available to them via the Web. He believes they should also be fostering curiosity and imagination. Kaplan: Online Toolkit for Common Core Transition Tuesday, October 11th, 2011THE Journal: Kaplan K12 Learning Services has launched an online platform, Teach! Strategies and Resources, with professional development tools designed to help teachers transition to Common Core State Standards. Digital library aims to expand kids' media literac Monday, October 10th, 2011USA Today: On the ground floor of Chicago's main library, an odd experiment is taking place, one that could determine what your neighborhood library looks like in 10 years. Speak Up 2011 Monday, October 10th, 2011Project Tomorrow: Speak Up 2011 opened Monday, October 10, 2011. Join the local, state and national discussion about K-12 education through the Speak Up online survey. The survey closes on December 23, 2011. Schools experiment with letting students bring ipa Monday, October 10th, 2011KYpost: A School District in Ohio has launched a pilot program with four 7th grade classes to help determine if allowing students to bring their own laptops and iPads to school will save the district money and give students an edge on learning. BYOD as the Catalyst to Transform Classroom Monday, October 10th, 2011District Administration: After billions of dollars spent, the impact on student achievement of computer use in K12 has been essentially zero. The reason is: The same curriculum and the same pedagogy continue to be used... Gov. Jerry Brown blasts data-based school reform Sunday, October 9th, 2011Washington Post: California Gov. Jerry Brown wrote a tough indictment of data-based school reform in a message he wrote vetoing a bill that would have changed the state’s accountability system for public schools. Panel examines ed tech, personalized learning Saturday, October 8th, 2011eSchool News: Education policy in the United States should change and adapt to digital technologies that make personalized learning a reality, agreed a number of panelists during an Oct. 6 Brookings Institution... K12HSN Program Update -- Fall 2011 Friday, October 7th, 2011K12HSN is glad to provide you with our Fall 2011 Program Update. In this issue, you will learn more about our upcoming E-rate Trainings, the new collections of resources available on for Brokers of Expertise, Thinkfinity training opportunities, and more! HISD reform effort nets math gains, but reading fa Friday, October 7th, 2011eSchool News: A nationally watched experiment to improve nine struggling Houston Independent School District campuses improved students' math skills but had a minimal impact on reading achievement, a new study found.... Ed-tech firms take center stage at Minnesota forum Friday, October 7th, 2011eSchool News: Interactive digital textbooks and a formative assessment system that enables students to take exams on their laptops, tablets, or smart phones were among the many ed-tech products on display at an ed tech forum in Minnesota Oct 5. CALPADS goes to college Friday, October 7th, 2011Silicon Valley Education Foundation: California’s student data system has reached another milestone. By linking the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, known as CALPADS, with two other data systems... Building a Blended Learning Program Friday, October 7th, 2011District Administration: Combining face-to-face and virtual instruction addresses all learners in the pursuit of 21st century skills. IL 1st Statewide Cloud Consortium Pools Resources Friday, October 7th, 2011District Administration: Over 150 school districts in Illinois have teamed up to share software and technology through a one-of-its-kind nonprofit cloud-computing consortium. Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder, dies at 56 Thursday, October 6th, 2011eSchool news: Steven P. Jobs, the charismatic technology pioneer who co-founded Apple Inc. and transformed one industry after another, from computers and smart phones to music and movies, has died.… New database tracks CA foster students' records Thursday, October 6th, 2011Sacramento Bee: Foster students across the state are benefiting from a database called Foster Focus, developed by the Sacramento County Office of Education. Better Data Urged to Link K-12 and Postsecondary Thursday, October 6th, 2011Education Week: If high schools are going to better prepare students for college and careers, experts say they need to track graduates enrolling in higher education, whether they take remedial courses to get up to speed, and whether they earn a degree. College-Going Rates Released Thursday, October 6th, 2011CDE: State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Reports Nearly Three-Fourths of California High School Grads go on to College. Becoming a 21st Century School or District -Step 5 Thursday, October 6th, 2011Edutopia: Welcome back to the 7 Steps for Becoming a 21st Century School or District. In Step 5, use the Understanding by Design model as a guide, we can backwards-design 4Cs curriculum, and assess via specially-designed 4Cs rubrics, portfolio assessments Ed Tech Glossary Clarifies E-Learning Terms Thursday, October 6th, 2011THE Journal: iNACOL, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, has launched a publication called the Online Learning Definitions Project, a compendium of ed tech terms related to online and blended learning. Transition to IP-Based Video Surveillance Thursday, October 6th, 2011THE Journal: A hands-on approach to project management has helped one Missouri school district move its campus monitoring from a purely analog, proprietary CCTV system to a centrally managed IP-based system consisting of 480 individual digital cameras. Free tools help IT leaders check school network se Wednesday, October 5th, 2011eSchool News: A free resource aims to help K-12 school district leaders make sure they are adequately prepared to address threats to critical district technology systems and infrastructure—and it’s just in time... CENIC Today Wednesday, October 5th, 2011CENIC: CENIC's Monthly Newsletter is now available. In this newsletter, you'll find information about what's on the horizon for CENIC's Associates, CalREN, etc... The iCALIFORNIA Digital Literacy Campaign Wednesday, October 5th, 2011CENIC: The iCALIFORNIA Digital Literacy Campaign's goal is to promote and foster digital literacy for all Californians, thus giving them the opportunity to fully participate in the educational, civic, cultural, and economic sectors of California society CalREN Update: Network Projects and Activities Wednesday, October 5th, 2011CENIC: September saw a great deal of activity on behalf of California's K-12 System. The Bishop Unified School District received a new, lower-cost DS-3 connection to the CalREN Los Angeles backbone node to the Bishop Elementary School. CENIC 2012 Call for Proposals & Award Nominations Wednesday, October 5th, 2011CENIC: CENIC will hold its 16th annual conference, Beyond the Network, March 12-14, 2012, at the Sheraton hotel in Palo Alto, CA. Please submit proposals for presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions focused on network-enabled applications.... Blackboard Absorbs Edline, Keeps Product Line Inta Wednesday, October 5th, 2011THE Journal: A day after its acquisition of Blackboard was completed, Providence Equity Partners has begun leveraging its multiple investments in education technology. Two of its companies--Blackboard and Edline--have announced an immediate merging. iCommons: The Library Evolved Wednesday, October 5th, 2011THE Journal: This is the 1st in a 3-part series focused on the changing role of the K-12 library. Each article in the series will look at a how schools are reinterpreting the role of the library and what's being done to reposition it to remain relevant... School makes student achievement, tech access its Wednesday, October 5th, 2011Philadelphia’s Central High School focuses on making its technology initiatives student-centered, with an emphasis on boosting achievement—and this focus has paid off in a big way. Teachers use website to showcase student art Wednesday, October 5th, 2011eSchool News: Two Beaufort County, S.C., teachers have earned awards for their work to share students' art online.… India announces $35 tablet computer for rural poor Wednesday, October 5th, 2011eSchool News: Following through on a promise made last year, India introduced an inexpensive tablet computer on Oct. 5, saying the device would deliver modern technology to the countryside to… Next Generation Learning Challenges Announces $12M Wednesday, October 5th, 2011Education Week: Next Generation Learning Challenges has announced it will be giving away a third wave of grants to K-12 and postsecondary institutions totaling $12 million. Funding comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ED proposes teacher prep reforms Tuesday, October 4th, 2011eSchool News: To ensure that teachers are ready to enter the classroom, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is proposing a series of initiatives to reward the best teacher preparation… How to practice safe social networking Tuesday, October 4th, 2011eSchool News: The popularity of smart phones and social networking sites is keeping a growing number of students connected—to danger, deception, and a loss of academic or career opportunities if they aren’t careful. Pomona USD students use iPads Tuesday, October 4th, 2011Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: The Pomona Unified school has launched a tablet computer pilot program for about 50 of the school's pre-teen students that will put an iPad in their hands and endless educational possibilities into their minds. Visions of Mobile Learning Tuesday, October 4th, 2011It's been just a couple of years since the first mobile device hit the market. Yet, it is already a foregone conclusion that it will become an indispensable tool for learning in the future. Skyping Science Tuesday, October 4th, 2011THE Journal: Cloud video conferencing tools bring cutting edge science to rural schools. Rural schools might have a low student-teacher ratio that urban educators envy, but they usually have fewer resources backing the educational process. Google Apps Become Hot Ed-Tech Tool, but Privacy I Tuesday, October 4th, 2011The Oregonian: Oregon was the first state to sign up for Google Apps for Education in 2010 and make it available to K-12 school districts. The free program allows students to access their class work from home, the library or anywhere they have Internet... Mass. Schools Struggle With Technology Divide Tuesday, October 4th, 2011Boston Herald: The wired-for-all concept is not catching on in Boston, where officials are worried about creating disparity among students. Merit pay in the spotlight at Miami-Dade schools Tuesday, October 4th, 2011eSchool News: Miami-Dade is the first district in Florida to use money from the federal Race to the Top grant to finance a performance pay program for educators. Questioning Our Mania for Education Technology Tuesday, October 4th, 2011Education Week-Commentary: The solution to the nation’s education problems is as simple as binary code: a smartboard in every classroom, an iPad in every backpack, and wikis across the curriculum. That seems to be how the logic works these days... The Flipped Classroom Tuesday, October 4th, 2011Education Sector: While there is no one model, the core idea is to flip the common instructional approach: With teacher-created videos and interactive lessons, instruction that used to occur in class is now accessed at home, in advance of class. Six Habits of Highly Effective E-Rate Applicants Tuesday, October 4th, 2011THE Journal: In an atmosphere and economic era in which requests for E-Rate funding are more than double the amount available each year, applicants must be particularly persistent and vigilant when it comes to requesting money from the FCC. Keeping Rural Schools Up to Speed Tuesday, October 4th, 2011THE journal: Rural schools are long accustomed to meeting challenges in innovative ways. For them, the challenge is not so much a lack of technology as a lack of internet access, which affects both teachers and students. Driving Digital Change Tuesday, October 4th, 2011THE Journal: Several states have taken steps to make adopting digital content easier for schools. Not all have been entirely successful yet, but their early mistakes can be guideposts for others considering the same thing. Off the Beaten Path Tuesday, October 4th, 2011THE Journal: Making sure students in rural areas get the same quality of educational experience as their counterparts in urban and suburban neighborhoods can be enhanced by the right kind of technology implementation. Will Amazon’s $200 tablet spark interest among s Monday, October 3rd, 2011eSchool News: Amazon’s unveiling of the Kindle Fire, a tablet computer that costs a few hundred dollars less than Apple’s iPad, sends a bright-hot message: The online retailer is ready to rival Apple and be the world’s top provider of digital conten IT shows resilience after natural disasters Monday, October 3rd, 2011Health Care IT News: Some of the most devastating tornadoes and floods in U.S. history have occurred in just the last two years. IT professionals who survived the storms say their technology held up well. Directory of Online Schools and Programs Monday, October 3rd, 2011CDE: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today unveiled a new interactive California Directory of Online Schools and Programs. The Directory is designed to help people make more informed decisions about online K-12 options in Calif. Protect Your District from the Next Cyber Attack Monday, October 3rd, 2011CoSN: With October – Cyber Security Awareness Month – here, K-12 school district leaders across America are reminded of the importance of being adequately prepared to mitigate and manage threats to critical technology systems and infrastructure. Hispanic students vanish from Alabama schools Sunday, October 2nd, 2011eSchool News: Hispanic students have started vanishing from Alabama public schools in the wake of a Sept. 28 court ruling that upheld parts of the state’s tough new law cracking down on illegal immigration. Online textbooks moving into schools Sunday, October 2nd, 2011Washington Post: Electronic books, having changed the way many people read for pleasure, are now seeping into schools. Starting this fall, almost all Fairfax middle and high school students began using online books in social studies... Half of online students leave, funding stays Sunday, October 2nd, 2011Education News Colorado: Colorado taxpayers will spend $100 million this year on online schools that are largely failing their elementary and high school students, state education records and interviews with school officials show. New tech tools in classroom can be game changer Sunday, October 2nd, 2011The Miami Herald: In an age when we use technology to customize every other form of information delivery experts around the country believe we’re at a tipping point that could transform education. |