Duncan impresses during Senate hearing
At his Senate confirmation hearing Jan. 13, Education Secretary-designate Arne Duncan said he hopes to be able to continue the “Obama effect” with children by improving access to early childhood programs, raising standards and increasing teacher quality in K-12 schools, and boosting access to higher education.
Key concepts: Arne Duncan, education secretary, president-elect, senate hearing
Obama eyes tech-savvy insider for FCC chief
President-elect Barack Obama plans to nominate Julius Genachowski, one of his key technology advisors, to be the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to a Democratic official.
Key concept: Julius Genachowski, FCC, Obama and FCC, net neutrality, broadband access
Hard times cut state cyber-school enrollments
Pennsylvania’s 11 cyber charter schools are the latest victims of the recession, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Intel shows off tablet Classmate PC design
Intel has unveiled the design for a tablet version of its Classmate PC, a low-powered netbook designed for use in primary schools, ZDNet reports.
Phony Facebook pages teach students a lesson
After a college resource company created a legion of phony Class of 2013 Facebook groups–a scheme that could have harvested personal information from thousands of students–some higher-education officials say it might be time for colleges to step in and manage online social-networking sites for their campuses themselves. Key concepts: social networking sites, butler university, suny oswego
Netbooks’ popularity set to rise in 2009
Last year, so-called “netbooks”–smaller, cheaper versions of laptop computers–made their way into the hands of countless students and educators. Now, concerns about the economy are driving a further increase in the number of netbooks available to schools.
Key concepts: netbooks, CES, Asus, Dell, HP
25 schools set for shakeup
In his last major act before heading to Washington as President-elect Barack Obama’s pick for education secretary, outgoing Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan wants to close or consolidate 25 “underperforming” or under-enrolled schools, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
Immigrants see charter schools as a haven
Charter schools, which are publicly financed but independently run, were conceived as a way to improve academic performance. But for immigrant families, they have also become havens where their children are shielded from the American youth culture that pervades large district schools, reports the New York Times.
MPC’s collapse leaves schools in the lurch
Computer supplier MPC Corp., which acquired Gateway’s education business in 2007, is going out of business–leaving countless schools and students with machines in need of repair and/or thousands of dollars in lost warranties.
Key concepts: MPC computers, John Yeros, computer repairs, MPC bankruptcy
Updated privacy law addresses student safety
New student-privacy rules that take effect this month address two burgeoning challenges in higher education: shielding students from computer-related identity theft and keeping them safe from peers who might have emotional problems. Key concepts: FERPA, student safety, student privacy, student ID numbers, identification theft.