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[See Issue Online] [Whitelist Us] [Edit Your Account] [RSS] This Week's Top News, Grants, and Information Resources for Today's K-20 Educator July 21, 2008

Top News ...

NECC highlights tech's 'transformative' power
	Transformation and collaboration were the central ideas of the 2008 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in San Antonio, which kicked off June 29 with a call to fundamentally change education and continued with several other sessions that repeated this theme.   | Read More

 

eSN TechWatch: Education and the Presidential Race -- July 21, 2008
	Advisors to presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama discuss the candidates' views on education.   | Read More

 

Grant Alert ...

Increase Your Green
Up to $6,000 for environmental initiatives

Participants must make concrete efforts towards reducing the environmental impact of their school during the eight week competition. All initiatives must be youth designed and led. A representative from each group must submit an online report of the school or club's actions to save energy, reduce waste and raise awareness during the competition... | Full Story

Week's Top News ...

McCain, Obama float education plans
Presumptive presidential nominees Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R) have released more details about their education platforms in recent days, with both candidates making technology a focal point of their plans. | Full Story

New resource helps teach 21st-century skills
Social studies teachers now have a new resource to help them integrate 21st-century skills into their lessons: a free online document that maps various social studies projects, tasks, and outcomes to corresponding skills--such as problem solving and critical thinking--that are becoming increasingly important for 21st-century success. | Full Story

Patent fight a boon to open LMS software
As learning management system (LMS) provider Blackboard Inc. continues its protracted legal battle with rival Desire2Learn, educators say the ongoing dispute over patent infringement could make the growing list of open-source LMS competitors more attractive to school leaders. | Full Story

Getting a grasp on student hackers
School IT administrators know that some students will do anything to breach network security systems designed to block inappropriate web sites and keep students on task. When a group of school district IT chiefs met recently to discuss the challenges of reining in students armed with tech savvy and a determination to wreak network havoc, their tales were cautionary, but their advice could prove valuable as computers become more common in K-12 schools. | Full Story

Report: U.S. behind in doubling science grads
A high-profile push by business groups to double the number of U.S. bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States in science, math, and engineering by 2015 is falling way behind target, a new report says. | Full Story

Special Reports ...

eSN Special Report: Rating the E-rate
In today's schools, where 21st-century skills are essential to a student's ability to compete in an increasingly global economy, internet connections are often taken for granted. But for employees in the multitude of schools who rely on the federal E-rate program to fund those internet connections, simply applying for funding can lead to a confusing process... | Full Story

Virtual Desktops
A revolution is taking shape that will alter forever how educators and others view and use technology--most specifically their personal computers. Gone will be today's most stubborn IT challenges: conflicting operating systems bulging with fat applications, duplicate programs that must be installed and maintained on individual computers, user-instituted security breaches that threaten whole networks. All these challenges that have drained IT resources and kept hardware costs high could soon be just quaint memories. Reason: The era of the virtual desktop has dawned... | Full Story

DLP vs. LCD: New advancements in projector technology cast the market in a new light
For educators who buy or use projectors - those abbreviations (DLP = Digital Light Processing; LCD = Liquid Crystal Display) are of critical importance. Trouble is, conflicting claims and arcane technical terms can baffle even the savviest buyers. That's why the editors of eSchool News have turned a critical lens on the "Projector Wars" to give you with an objective assessment of what you need to know, all in plain English. With our compliments, get the lowdown in eSN's brand-new Special Report. It's free, and it will cast projector technology in a whole new light... | Full Story

Educator Resource Centers ...

Desktop Management Made Easy
As school systems become increasingly reliant on technology, district networks are growing exponentially. Supporting the various machines connected to these networks can be a daunting task that builds travel costs and overdraws resources. Utilizing a sound desktop-management strategy can give you complete control of your computers, saving valuable time and money.

Technology Without Breaking the Bank
These are tough times for school budgets. At least 23 states face budget gaps in 2009, according to a recent survey from the National Conference of State Legislatures--and school board members from across the country say they're bracing for a new round of budget cuts forced by the nation's weak economy.

Eco-Friendly Computing
With energy costs soaring to record levels, taking steps to reduce the amount of energy you use isn't just good for the environment--it's also essential for your schools' fiscal health. Fortunately, manufacturers of technology are responding to these needs by developing more eco-friendly products that can reduce power consumption and save schools money over the life of these systems.

Turning Student Data into Intelligence
No matter how many students a school or district has, one thing remains the same--the vital importance of tracking student attendance, grades, standardized test scores, school or district transfers, and more. Administrators, teachers, students, and parents all depend on a reliable Student Information System (SIS) to give accurate reports and updates.

Easy Email Archiving
Today's schools, much like businesses around the world, depend on technology to survive. As school and district employees' careers become increasingly mobile, eMail has become a quick, easy, and preferred method of communication.

 

GIS and Geographic Inquiry
"Geospatial" technologies--which include geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing (RS) tools--are becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives. These technologies use "smart" maps that can display, query, and analyze geographic databases; receivers that provide location and navigation; and global-to-local imagery and tools that provide context and analysis.

Minimizing Classroom Disruptions
Computers and the internet have become welcome instructional tools in most schools, ushering a wealth of additional resources into today's classrooms. Unfortunately, they also bring with them the potential for unwanted distractions--such as online content that ranges from off-target, to inappropriate, material.

Creating the 21st-Century Classroom
Skills in areas such as global literacy and critical thinking skills help prepare students to succeed in today's digital economy.

 

 

Collaboration & Storage
Today's employers want graduates who can communicate effectively, think critically, solve problems, and work as part of a team--in short, graduates who are well versed in collaborative learning environments. Whether you call it project-based or collaborative learning, it's a strategy that a growing number of educators are employing in their classrooms--and with growing success.