Podcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
Why E-rate expansion is a must for our schools
With some districts and schools still struggling to meet bandwidth needs, keeping E-rate strong is more vital than ever
As a former school superintendent, and as the current head of the School Superintendents Association (AASA), I know firsthand that staying ahead of the curve when it comes to high technology isn’t easy. The digital concept is so important for our schools today. That’s why especially pleased when, recently, the Federal Communications Commission and the Universal Service and Administrative Company extended a crucial filing deadline related to the high-speed internet program in schools and libraries, commonly known as E-Rate.
The extension provides school districts, particularly rural districts, time to submit applications to secure funding and ultimately increase connectivity in their communities (the new deadline is April 16). Since its inception, the AASA has advocated for the E-rate program and the critical role it plays when it comes to the rapid and dramatic expansion of school and library connectivity.
Currently, we are working with superintendents around the nation to ensure they have the proper planning and professional development in place to provide our students with digital learning.…Read More
3 tips for implementing a tech-based learning environment
To assist schools grappling with making the digital leap, three large, national professional education associations offer practical guidance, best practices and examples of model technology-enabled schools.
Ed. note: This article is republished with permission from the Center for Digital Education. The original version is available online.
Making a digital leap isn’t simply a technology initiative; it’s planning and implementing a technology-based learning environment for all students – a digitally-enabled ecosystem that is continuously improving, according to one organization. But when educators have a limited understanding of how to successfully integrate technology within education, it might seem as though they’re facing an abyss.
To assist schools grappling with these efforts, three large, national professional education associations combined forces, offering practical guidance, best practices and examples of model technology-enabled schools.…Read More
A one-to-one program done slowly—and right
Superintendent Steven Webb’s successful one-to-one rollout could serve as a roadmap for districts
Dr. Steven Webb’s rise as a visionary leader in K-12 education is as much a credit to his listening skills as it is to his leadership skills. Before the board of Vancouver Public Schools adopted the strategic plan for the district’s digital transformation in 2008, they did extensive public outreach to ensure that every community in the district had an opportunity to be heard. “What’s happening at our district isn’t my vision,” remarks Webb. “It isn’t the board’s vision. It’s the community’s vision for their children.”
It makes sense. If your district’s digital transformation supports a scalable personalized learning initiative, how personalized can it be if it’s a top-down, one-size-fits-all plan that doesn’t take into account the specific needs of the community?
The district collected more than 2,000 separate sets of input from a variety of different engagement strategies, including focus groups with targeted audiences, such as parents and students in unique populations they might not have heard from otherwise.…Read More