Higher-education leaders are learning that starting a virtual program is a wholly different venture than opening a traditional campus, and the recipe for success requires a different approach. Among the chief mistakes many schools make: Not investing heavily enough in marketing and recruiting, and not getting faculty buy-in and support. Key concepts: umass online, regents university, university of illinois urbana, university of illinois champaign, virtual campus

School leaders soon could have another ally in Congress: Michael Bennet, superintendent of the Denver Public Schools, was named Jan. 3 by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter as his choice to fill the remaining two years of the Senate term of Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, who is awaiting confirmation as interior secretary for President-elect Barack Obama. Key concepts: denver public schools, ken salazar, colorado senator, michael bennet

Recently, we posted a look back at the 10 most significant educational technology stories of 2008. Now, here's a look ahead at five stories that could have a huge impact on educational technology in the new year. (You can follow the latest developments regarding these and other stories at eSchoolNews.com.) Key Concepts: online distance learning, internet safety, digital tv transition

For her college interview, Avery Cullinan put on her best outfit but didn't bother with shoes. She sat in her living room, smiled into her computer's webcam, and told an admissions officer more than 800 miles away that Wake Forest University was right for her.

Ever since Google began scanning printed books four years ago, scholars and others with specialized interests have been able to tap a trove of information that had been locked away on the dusty shelves of libraries and in antiquarian bookstores.

Just as YouTube gave regular people a stage to become famous, teachers are now sharing videos and gaining attention beyond the confines of their classrooms, reports the Dallas Morning News.

Eleven Michigan school districts and one charter school now can allow students to take more courses online and off-campus, reports the Detroit Free Press--a move that could further cement the state's reputation as a leader in online education.

When college students are urged to put down their phones and do their homework, they might soon answer: "We can't. Our homework is on our cell phones," reports the Orange County Register of California.

As President-elect Obama and the new Congress develop a recovery package, they should leverage the pervasive power of technology and invest in education--specifically educational technology--as a proven way to generate significant, widespread economic benefits by preparing the workforce for tomorrow's challenges, write Jim Goodnight and Keith Krueger in a BusinessWeek opinion piece.