When defense meets education
Thanks to a new direction at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the phrase “always 10 years behind” no longer might apply to education: The agency that…
Month: August 2010
UC campuses mitigate risk–and save millions in the process
The University of California’s Office of Risk Services worked with IBM to design and build an Enterprise Risk Management System ... Read more
Helping schools forecast future trends
In the last few years, IBM has acquired two companies to help it improve its offerings to the education industry ... Read more
HISD sees 151-percent ROI in 10 years from analytics project
The Houston Independent School District faced the same management challenges encountered by many large urban school districts: a wide variety ... Read more
Tennessee district improves student performance, reduces dropout rates
The Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE) oversees nine K-12 school districts in and around Chattanooga, Tenn. Evaluating and improving school performance became a critical task for the…
Leading design software AutoCAD returns to Mac
Autodesk announced Aug. 30 that its AutoCAD software used by professionals to design everything from skyscrapers to pocket knives is reuniting with the Macintosh computer platform, AFP reports.
Google tool tries to cut through eMail clutter
Google Inc. can sift through more than a trillion web links in a matter of seconds, but can the internet search leader help people wade through their overflowing…
Advances offer path to shrink computer chips again
Scientists at Rice University and Hewlett-Packard are reporting this week that they can overcome a fundamental barrier to the continued rapid miniaturization of computer memory that has been…
ACLU says Washington schools can’t seize student phones
The American Civil Liberties Union has objected to a proposed new policy in a Washington state school system that would let school officials seize students’ cell phones if…
Ed tech is one focus of Maryland’s Race to the Top funds
Maryland recently became one of 10 winners of the second round of federal Race to the Top grants, and Charles County officials are ready to get the ball…
More schools take security seriously
As we enter a new school year, I'm happy to see several districts spent the summer making investments in keeping their students, faculty and staff safer. One New…
Universities use tool to battle student ID theft
College students have to know which data are most vulnerable before they can protect their Social Security numbers, passwords, and online banking personal identification numbers. The creators of…
PC industry’s woes could mean bargains this fall
If you're looking for bargains on computers, bad news from the tech industry could be good for your pocketbook, reports the Associated Press.
Survey suggests nearly half of teens text in class
A new study by textPlus found that 43 percent of teens ages 13-17 say they text in class, and of that group, 17 percent of them say they…
Newspaper’s teacher ratings stir up controversy
In a move that has many local educators seething, the Los Angeles Times has published an online database comparing more than 6,000 elementary school teachers based on a…
New Jersey schools chief fired after Race to the Top gaffe
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie fired his education commissioner on Aug. 27, days after it was revealed that a simple mistake on an application form might have cost…
Deep-sea images reveal colorful life off Indonesia
Scientists using cutting-edge technology to explore waters off Indonesia were wowed by colorful and diverse images of marine life on the ocean floor, reports the Associated Press—including plate-sized…
CSU must reveal Sarah Palin speech contract, judge rules
California State University, Stanislaus, and its private foundation violated the state’s public-records law when they withheld a speaking contract for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin earlier this year,…
That’s so Shark Dog!
My fourth grade students coined a new phrase: “That’s so Shark Dog!” This phrase refers to an art piece that was transformed from a mistake into something brilliant.…
Fate of Early Learning Challenge Fund remains in doubt
Advocates of early childhood education continue to fight for a federal initiative that was intended to challenge states to develop effective, innovative models that promote early childhood programs.
GAO report: Too little competition in wireless market
According to a government report released Aug. 26, consolidation over the past decade has left just four big carriers in control of 90 percent of the wireless market,…
Indiana lawmakers still grappling with ‘sexting’
Indiana lawmakers are moving cautiously in trying to curb the practice of teens sending racy photos or videos of minors by cell phones, reports the Associated Press.
Supporters of eBooks say they make readers less isolated, more social
Volumes have been written about technology's ability to connect people. But burying one's nose in a book has always been somewhat isolating, reports the Seattle Times—so what about…
Wired youth forget how to write in China and Japan
Like every Chinese child, Li Hanwei spent her school days memorizing thousands of the intricate characters that make up the Chinese writing system. Yet, at 21 and now…
How schools are putting the iPad to work
When Apple’s iPad tablet went on sale to the public last spring, David Woodbury ordered 30 for the libraries at North Carolina State University to be available for…
Can online flashcards help students ‘Crush That Test’?
Sundar Nathan was a college student prepping for an exam, cramming hundreds of pieces of information into his overfilled memory bank when he resorted to flashcards—a strategy he’s…
Are qualified teachers always effective teachers?
Amid a growing consensus that “highly qualified” doesn’t necessarily mean “highly effective,” a movement is under way to reshape how the nation views successful teaching.
Facebook pokes start-up Teachbook with lawsuit
Facebook is concerned that a start-up social network for teachers with the word "book" in its title is infringing on its own trademarks, CNET reports.
Social networking your way to a new job
The job-search process has undergone a revolution since the advent of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networking sites, reports the New York Times.
Duncan: Schools should disclose more teacher data
Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Aug. 25 urged schools across the country to disclose more data on student achievement and teacher effectiveness, saying too much information that would…
Missouri schools take on cyber bullying with new law
In recent years, school districts across the country have zeroed in on bullying. Now, a new Missouri law is pushing that effort off campus, placing schools in the…
Sony working on 3D TVs that don’t need glasses
Sony Corp. is working on 3D televisions that don't need special glasses, joining a race with rival Toshiba Corp., reports the Associated Press.
New software turns paper into an inexpensive digital tablet
New software will enable Livescribe's digital "smart" pens to stream all notes taken live, in real time, to a computer—turning special dotted paper into an inexpensive digital tablet,…
Train and maintain
One of the more confusing stories I’ve read lately comes from East St. Louis, Ill., where burglars have taken more than $1 million in...
New Site Tracks Billions in Stimulus Spending on Education
EdMoney.org, a project of the Education Writers Association with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, lets users track spending on K-12 education from the federal economic…
Formative assessment that ‘clicks’ with students
Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School, a member of Uncommon Schools, is the only school in New York City where every student in grades 5-8 passes the state exams. In…
Bill Gates is wrong: College campuses will not fade away
Earlier this month, billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates predicted that place-based colleges soon will be significantly less important as online learning continues to grow. Writing for the Huffington…
Did Race to the Top help or hurt the push for a common curriculum?
States were working on a common set of education standards before the Obama administration decided to make adoption of them part of its Race to the Top competition.…
Researchers: Digital devices deprive brain of needed downtime
Cell phones, which in the last few years have become full-fledged computers with high-speed internet connections, can make the tiniest windows of time entertaining, and potentially productive. But…
Public opinion turning against Obama education plans
A new Gallup Poll has found fewer Americans approve of the job President Barack Obama is doing in support of public education, but they continue to have a…
