School shooting internet post was likely a fake
German police say they’ve made great strides toward developing a profile of the gunman in the March 11 school shooting spree that killed 15 people, but one key piece of evidence — a posting in an internet chat room — has turned out to be fake, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel reports.
Teens honored for their science prowess
The Washington, D.C.-based Society for Science and the Public honored the 2009 winners of the Intel Science Talent Search on March 10, recognizing 40 high school seniors for their original research projects–all of which make a profound contribution to society’s understanding of science.
Key words: Intel STS, research project, Science Talent Search
New campus safety issue: Cell phone stalking
The college student had endured months of online and cell-phone harassment from her ex-boyfriend. She ignored the barrage of eMails, changed her phone number, and dismantled online profiles to cut him off. Key words: stalking, cyber stalking, harrassment, U.S. Justice Department
School scraps cell phone jammer program
Just days after testing a cell phone jammer designed to block students from calling and texting during class, a Spokane, Wash., area school has scrapped the program, MSNBC reports.
School shooter warned of attack, in chat room
The 17-year-old gunman who went on a rampage at his former school and killed 15 people before taking his own life gave a warning in an Internet chatroom only hours earlier and said he was “sick of this life,” the AP reports.
New fed funding for ed tech nears $1 billion
New federal funding for education technology approaches $1 billion. The federal Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program will receive nearly $270 million for fiscal year 2009, thanks to the $410 billion omnibus spending measure signed by President Obama on March 11. This latest appropriation is on top of the $650 million designated in February under EETT.
Key words: EETT, education technology funding
Forum calls for better data use in education
Speakers at a forum about the use of longitudinal data in education stressed the importance of comprehensive data systems that follow students throughout their educational careers–from kindergarten to college–while also protecting students’ privacy.
Key words: longitudinal data, data systems, Data Quality Campaign
Schools should see stimulus funds next month
School districts should begin receiving billions of dollars in stimulus funding within a few weeks, and administrators are advised to “spend carefully” and keep detailed records of their expenditures, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) said on March 10.
Key words: AASA, stimulus package, education and stimulus
Police shoot gunman who killed 15 in Germany
A 17-year-old gunman dressed in black opened fire at his former high school in southwestern Germany on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people before police shot him to death, state officials said.
Schools try separating boys from girls
Single-sex classes are being tried as an experiment to address sagging test scores and behavioral problems in a growing number of schools nationwide, reports the New York Times.