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.

Will cybersecurity receive E-rate funding?

Key points:

Since 2016, more than 1,300 schools have been victims of cyberattacks, including student data breaches, ransomware attacks, email scams, and other incidents, according to a January 2023 report by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

A recent Sophos survey reveals that in 2022, 80 percent of schools were targeted for a cyberattack, up from 56 percent in 2021. Schools are now the leading target for cybergangs, according to The74. The education sector is particularly vulnerable compared to other industries. It reported one of the highest rates of ransom payment, with 47 percent of K-12 educational organizations paying the ransom requested. These organizations, on average, paid $2.18 million in recovery costs (when paying the ransom) vs. $1.37 million if they chose not to pay, Sophos reports.…Read More

As invisible threats to education loom, cybersecurity is paramount

Key points:

As COVID-19 swept the nation beginning in 2019, no one knew just how life-altering the pivot to remote work and education would be. Today, we see more and more students and employees alike who are relying on technology to engage with their work and peers than ever before. As with holidays and other unanticipated events, this pivot drew in some of the biggest minds in security who worked to eliminate cybersecurity challenges stemming from this change – but it also drew in hackers.

Shoring up cybersecurity practices in the education industry is quite the feat. User authorization is extremely challenging, as IT professionals must navigate through different levels of access for each user community. This creates even higher risks because networks must be open to employees, students, and others – an issue most businesses don’t need to manage.…Read More

If zero trust is good enough for the government, it’s good enough for your school

Key points:

  • Zero trust is akin to modern, agile defense systems that scrutinize every object seeking entry
  • Embracing zero trust is an investment in a school’s future–and also a commitment to safeguarding knowledge and innovation
  • See related article: Bolstering cybersecurity with zero trust

Educators and administrators are holding their breath at the dawn of another academic year. They are well aware that schools are increasingly targeted by hackers, with 1 in 4 falling victim to cyberattacks in the past 12 months.

These hallowed halls of knowledge store vast amounts of sensitive data, from student records to financial information. Consequently, this makes them attractive targets. To make matters worse, growing connected device networks and remote learning opportunities present even more vulnerabilities.…Read More

Why AI’s flaws won’t slow its adoption

Key points:

  • Educators need more information on AI-powered tools, and they need it yesterday
  • Administrators will be tasked with staying up to date on what’s happening in the world of AI–and with helping teachers become more comfortable with it
  • See related article: 5 things to know about ChatGPT in education

As the ‘23-’24 school year comes into focus, there is now little doubt we are on the brink of a major technological revolution that will affect our schools, our jobs, and our lives in ways we can’t yet fathom. By now, you’ve likely seen countless variations of “The Robots are Coming” headlines from clever copywriters hunting for clicks. But when is this tidal wave of innovation going to hit, and how can we be ready when it does?

There are legitimate concerns about early-stage AI, including:…Read More

District virtual schools need to innovate beyond flexibility and security

Key points:

  • It’s time to transform district virtual schools from pandemic stop-gaps into pioneering models of 21st-century learning
  • The sustainability of district virtual schools hinges on whether they can evolve beyond the current versions we see in most districts
  • See related article: 5 tips to keep online students motivated

Imagine a classroom where learning transcends physical boundaries, and where every student’s need is met with individualized attention. This isn’t a distant dream, but an emergent reality born in the wake of the global pandemic. 

Prior to the pandemic, approximately 375,000 students attended online schools—less than 1% of the total number of US K–12 students. But as the crisis unfolded in 2020, virtual schools became a preferred educational choice for a significant number of families. Our survey in August 2021 found that 43% of districts had introduced a full-time virtual school option during the pandemic. These were new schools that students and families could opt into, separate from the emergency remote instruction commonly provided during the pandemic though existing brick-and-mortar schools.…Read More

Key tips to help educators thwart cyberattacks

Key points:

  • There are simple and proven tactics to help schools avoid common cyberattacks
  • Remaining vigilant and knowledgeable helps educators form safe habits to dodge cybercriminals
  • See related article: Defending against the most common cyberattacks

It’s not a topic we’re unfamiliar with: Criminal hackers are increasing their activity and they’re targeting K–12 schools, threatening districts with damaging financial and learning-downtime costs. The K12 Security Information Exchange (K12 SIX) tracks publicly disclosed school cyber incidents and reports an average rate of more than one K–12 cyber incident per school day across U.S. public schools.

With increased cyberattacks, the idea of a potential threat to a school or district feels daunting to ward against, but, more often than not, these simple tactics outlined below can support educators thwart some of the most common attacks.…Read More

Top edtech at ISTELive 23

With more than 18,000 attendees, this year’s ISTELive 23 in Philadelphia had a little something for everyone, from AI and esports to security solutions and engaging visual displays.

Here’s a look at some of the top edtech the eSchool News editors saw at ISTELive 23:

Acer America and the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF) announced their alliance to help schools launch or expand their student esports program. Through this alliance, NASEF and Acer America will provide the training, coaching modules and course certification for schools to structure, implement and maintain an esports program. Plus, Acer America, the premier hardware provider for NASEF, is paying the $499 esports coaching certification fee for eligible K-12 schools and universities initiating programs in the 2023-24 school year. The coaching certification for the award-winning NASEF platform prepares teams to participate in the program; having Acer America pay this fee could potentially save a school district thousands of dollars.…Read More

Preparing for ransomware attacks begins with education

Key points:

  • Ransomware attacks can be devastating to a school or district, with costly ransoms and leaked sensitive information
  • The most effective security is layered; humans are only part of the equation

The biggest threat to K-12 schools’ cybersecurity is, ironically, education. It’s an expensive deficit. But there are funds and tools to help.

Ransomware – where hackers encrypt and lock victims’ data and try to sell the decryption key back to the victim for a ransom – delays education and hurts already-stretched budgets: A GAO report says a ransomware attack can cause K-12 students learning loss up to three weeks and cost from $50,000 to $1 million in expenses.…Read More

IBM grants $5 million for cybersecurity, enhanced skilling on AI

Key points:

  • With cyberattacks on the rise across schools, IBM Education Security Grants have already benefited more than 350,000 students globally
  • Now in its third year, grants are expanding to offer students and teachers access to cyber and AI skills through IBM SkillsBuild

In response to the growing threat of ransomware attacks against schools around the world, IBM will provide in-kind grants valued at $5 million to help address cybersecurity resiliency in schools.

Since its creation in 2021, the IBM Education Security Grants program has expanded globally, and this year will also include enhanced offerings from IBM SkillsBuild on topics including AI and cybersecurity. …Read More

Safeguarding K-12 school networks with proactive cybersecurity approaches

Key points:

  • School districts need bigger cybersecurity budgets and support mechanisms
  • Cybersecurity threats are not going away, and knowledge is a large factor in protecting networks
  • See related article: 4 steps to avoid a ransomware attack

Now more than ever, safeguarding students and staff from targeted cyberattacks is critical to the health of our U.S. education system. Local K-12 schools are a top target for cybercrime. Estimates from the nonprofit organization K12 Security Information Exchange reveal more than 1,300 publicly disclosed cyberattacks against U.S. schools since 2016.

The size and scope of these threats amplified during COVID-era hybrid learning, when schools were forced to rapidly adopt cloud-based collaboration technologies at scale. But even though students have returned to the classroom post-pandemic, just like every other industry, the K-12 threat landscape isn’t slowing down. …Read More