Bill would limit credit cards for college students
Legislation passed overwhelmingly in the Senate May 19 would make it tougher for college students to sign up for credit cards, which often put young people in debt and subject them to high interest rates before they graduate and start in the workforce. Key words: Sallie Mae, credit cards, Senate, University of Maryland, education, technology
Report: U.S. students lagging in biosciences
Middle and high school students across the country are generally falling behind in life sciences, and the nation is at risk of producing a dearth of qualified workers for the fast-growing bioscience industry, according to a report released May 18.
Key words: bioscience, life science, science curriculum, education, technology, Biotechnology Institute
Higher-ed IT costs continue to rise
Technology spending among colleges and universities has swelled in recent years, but experts project only minimal increases from 2009-13, according to a report documenting a wide range of trends in higher education. Key words: IT spending, Software & Information Industry Association, university trends, education, technology
Free webinar series for teachers tackles Shakespeare, marine science, and more
Social-networking site Classroom 2.0 has teamed up with PBS Teachers and Elluminate Inc. to provide a series of free monthly webinars designed to help K-12 educators learn new ways to integrate online instructional resources into their classrooms and engage students.
No guidance on how to rein in the flu
As schools continue to shut down in New York and elsewhere because of swine flu, health officials are asking a question for which there is little guidance, even in pandemic plans, reports the New York Times: What is the best way to stop an epidemic that spreads mostly in schools rather than in nursing homes?
SMART Ease of Use video
What does it take to transform teaching and learning in extraordinary ways? At SMART, we know it starts with simplicity — that’s why we build easy into everything we do. We know that this is the first step in helping you create something extraordinary. But what does ease of use look like in a real classroom?
Dell aims new netbook at younger students
Dell Inc., already the largest seller of PCs to schools worldwide, is trying to extend its lead with its first low-cost “netbook” designed for young students at a time when schools, businesses, and general consumers are cutting back on technology spending.
Key words: Dell Latitude 2100, handheld netbook, netbook, education, technology
Higher-ed IT costs continue to rise
Technology spending among colleges and universities has swelled in recent years, but experts project only minimal increases from 2009-13, according to a report documenting a wide range of trends in higher education. Key words: IT spending, Software & Information Industry Association, university trends, education, technology
Scribd opens new market for online texts
Hoping to do for the written word what iTunes did for music, the online document-sharing service Scribd is opening an internet store that will offer new sales opportunities for publishers and authors — including teachers, professors, and others who have written educational texts — and could spawn more bargains for students and other readers. Key words: Scribd, iTunes, digital publishing, education, technology
Inadequate support infrastructure: Adversely impacting students
After 42 years in education and 37 years as an educational technologist, I recently retired from my latest position, chief technology officer of an extremely large urban school district. Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about the various changes I have witnessed in educational technology over this span. People laugh when I tell them that I earned my doctorate in educational technology in 1977, before the advent of microcomputers, for they cannot comprehend the concept of educational technology without them.