Google CEO to grads: ‘Turn off your computer’
The head of the world’s most popular search engine urged college graduates on May 18 to step away from the virtual world and make human connections. Key words: Eric Schmidt, Google, University of Pennsylvania, college commencement
North Carolina lawmakers want kids out of Google images
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and legislators from Charlotte and Raleigh on May 19 joined a child internet safety group as one of its leaders called for Google to remove photos from its popular “Street View” service if they include children, reports the Charlotte Observer.
New web site prepares Colorado students for life after school
The U.S. ranks 15th out of 29 developed countries in the percentage of college students who complete their degrees, and 10th in the world in the percentage of young adults who have college degrees. To help turn those statistics around and better prepare students for the 21st century workforce, legislation passed this year requires that every Colorado ninth-grader sign up for a state-run web site that helps them plan their post-secondary life both academically and financially, reports the Denver Post.
ACLU sues over blocked web sites
The American Civil Liberties Union and its Tennessee branch sued two Tennessee school districts in federal court May 19, claiming that the districts are unconstitutionally blocking students from accessing online information about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues.
Key words: ACLU, LGBT, Knox County Schools, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, first amendment, education, technology
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?