Minnesota wants all schools to combine purchasing power
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and state legislators in the House and Senate want to require all the state’s school districts to band together in a purchasing pool to lower the cost of technology, supplies, and other goods and services, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
One Laptop Per Child slashes workforce in half, cuts salaries
Citing the poor economy, the nonprofit One Laptop Per Child project announced Jan. 7 that it is slashing its workforce by 50 percent, reducing salaries for the remaining staff, and restructuring its operations, CNET reports.
Educators to Obama: Focus on 21C skills
As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office, his education reform plan has the potential to modernize library technologies, make school buildings more energy-efficient, and invest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and research. Yet, according to a recent survey, educators say addressing 21st-century (21C) skills should top the list of priorities in Obama’s plan, so students are prepared for the workplace of tomorrow.
Key concepts: education reform, 21st century skills, 21C, Obama and education, ASQ
Simulations help faculty ID at-risk students
Some students are cranky and irritable. Others are nervous and uneasy. College classrooms can include a variety of behaviors, and judging whether these behaviors could indicate something more troubling beneath the surface can be difficult. Now, a computer simulation is helping professors identify and approach so-called “at-risk” students and recommend a visit to a campus counselor. Key concepts: At risk youth, city university of new york, American College Health Association, Virginia tech, college counseling
Fair-use guide offers copyright protection for educators
Hoping to clear up the confusion over the “fair use” of digital materials in teaching and learning, a panel of university professors has developed a “Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education.” The document clarifies how fair use applies to the most common situations where media-literacy educators make use of copyrighted materials in their work, and it offers guidance for instructors so they can make more informed judgments about using these materials
Is virtual education the answer to school budget cuts?
Virtual instruction might provide school districts with a way to save money during the poor economy, reports Channel 10 News of Tampa Bay, Fla.
Tracking equipment leads to recovery of stolen school computer
Thieves had better think twice before stealing a computer from the Fort Worth, Texas, school district, reports the Dallas Morning News: Fort Worth school officials say police have recovered a laptop computer taken from one of their schools because a tracking device had been installed on it.
eMail intervention teaches internet safety
More than half of U.S. teenagers in a recent study mentioned risky behaviors such as sex and drug use on their MySpace pages, according to researchers. But the study also suggests that simply reaching out to teens via eMail can help them learn safe and responsible internet use. Key concepts: university of wisconsin madison, social networking sites, low-income families
FCC chief drops filters to save free broadband
Before he steps down as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Kevin Martin still hopes to win approval for his plan to auction off a slice of the airwaves for a free, nationwide wireless broadband network. To increase the chances that his proposal will win the support of his fellow commissioners, Martin said he has removed one especially contested element: a requirement that the provider of the wireless network filter internet content to block any material deemed inappropriate for children. Key concepts: kevin martin, internet filter, internet filtering, broadband internet wireless, t mobile usa
Teachers’ lessons go viral on education video web site
Just as YouTube gave regular people a stage to become famous, teachers are now sharing videos and gaining attention beyond the confines of their classrooms, reports the Dallas Morning News.