College and university library officials are largely disappointed with Google's decision to exclude non-English books from its digital library in a concession to critics of a proposed legal settlement, saying the move would cut Google's massive online collection in half and could hamper campus research. Key words: Google Book Search, digital library, digital books, educational technology, copyright lawsuit

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced a $2 million open competition for ideas to transform learning using digital media. Key words: MacArthur Foundation, educational technology, school technology, online courses, digital media

According to a new report, every state is on track to have a longitudinal data system that follows the progress of individual students from preschool through college by 2011, thanks in part to funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA). However, many states still lack key elements in their data systems that could inform critical policy discussions. Key words: longitudinal data, Data Quality Campaign, education data, education technology, state data

Amid alarming statistics about the number of teens who text or use cell phones while driving, school districts are starting to play a role in educating their students about the dangers of such behaviors. Key words: texting while driving, educational technology, cell phone texting, distracted driving, teen driving safety

Founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Jon Bischke, San Francisco-based startup eduFire offers low-cost live lessons via video conferences and text chats -- at $29 a month for unlimited access, reports CNNMoney.com.

Starting this month, Some Baltimore County teachers will give tests via handheld devices instead of the usual pencil and paper in a pilot program aiming to make their jobs easier and better engage students, reports the Baltimore Sun.

Hundreds of University of Minnesota students will find a surprise when they crack open their new copies for Charles Darwin's "On The Origins of Species," reports the Associated Press:

Already, the yearbook staff at Miami Palmetto Senior High had snapped more than 3,000 photographs, capturing key football games, pep rallies, and the Homecoming dance. But on Nov. 20, someone entered the second-story yearbook room through a window, stealing $18,000 in computers and accessories. Stored on those machines: all the staff's work for the 2010 yearbook, reports the Miami Herald.

New developments in supercomputing are pulling down the high walls around computing-intensive research and possibly democratizing the field, reports the New York Times.