THE Journal (7/30) reports on how three school districts across America are using iPads in their districts to benefit professional development of their teachers. For example, Charleston County School District in South Carolina uses the iPads to provide flipped PD to its teachers to deliver blended learning for recertification courses. The article also looks at how a Colorado School district is using the technology to provide teacher support, and how a California school district is using it for webinar-based training and student instruction
NAGB Study Validates Computer-Based Writing Tests
The Wall Street Journal (7/25, Porter, Subscription Publication) reports that according to a new report from the National Assessment Governing Board, computer-based tests are effective in assessing the writing ability of fourth-grade students taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The piece notes that the report comes amid concerns about the availability and accessibility of computers to students across the co
Authors Urge Congress To Fund School Technology
Keith Krueger CEO of Consortium for School Networking and Kristen Amundson, executive director of the National Association of State Boards of Education writes in The Hill (6/20) “Congress Blog” calling on Congress to include “targeted investments in technology” in the budget for the US Department of Education. The authors argue that the need is great for schools to receive funding, especially as more and more locations transition to online assessments. The authors continue saying that with the scale implementation of the technology-powered assessments occurring in just a few month’s time, “the sense of urgency cannot be understated.” The authors close saying that Congress and the Obama Administration have an opportunity to invest in the future of students and “we cannot let another school year pass.”
Article Makes The Case For Teaching Basic Coding In School
An article in TIME (6/17, Bajarin) argues that students should take a mandatory computer coding class in schools. The author argues technology is an everyday part of life, and coding “would enhance kids’ experiences with digital devices and could become much more important to them later in life.” Also, he argues, coding helps students think logically and organize thoughts as well as sharpen common sense.
US, Singapore Take Alternate Approaches To Education Technology
NBC News (4/28) reports on the differences between how US schools and schools in Singapore approach education technology, noting that “in Singapore, digital devices are increasingly viewed as a means to bring students together in collaboration, rather than separate them further.” The article contrasts this with the US, where students often use laptops or tablets “in isolation, powering through interactive worksheets and online quizzes.”
New Technology Seen As Essential To Teaching Old Subjects
In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal (4/22, Subscription Publication), former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who serves as chairwoman of iCivics Inc., and Jeff Curley, its executive director, cite the College Board’s decision to have every student who takes the SAT read a passage from America’s founding documents or the world debate they inspired. They also note the announcement that the College Board and the nonprofit digital education platform Khan Academy will partner to provide “free, world-class test prep” for the new SAT. In discussing these developments, the authors note a paradox in education in which teaching the old subjects is as important as ever, but also in which new methods may be required to fully prepare students for the future. They argue that old methods of preparation such as flashcards and memorization are no longer sufficient, and digital technology is essential to providing students with the tools they need to understand the material.
New America Media On Technology’s Impact On Education
The New America Media (4/2, Florez) reports that technology is already having a huge impact on education in the United States in terms of the needs of the students and school curriculums. The New American Media reports technology has created a gap between high and low income schools. According to the New American Media, “students in” low-income “schools typically access the Internet less often than students in wealthier areas, while nearly two-thirds of teachers working in low-income schools said they wanted more technology in the classroom.” Meanwhile, those who have the resources are demanding more Internet bandwidth, “in part because more schools are using online resources.” The New American Media also reports that “by 2022, the Federal government expects 1 million more tech jobs than workers available to fill them,” which means that schools across the country will need to place a greater emphasis on STEM subjects.
Los Angeles Schools Preparing Students For iPad Safety
The Los Angeles Times (3/21, Blume) reports on a new initiative in Los Angeles schools to teach students how to use their iPad tablets safely. The piece notes that the move comes after students at three high schools quickly disabled security filters last year, resulting in the tablets being recalled. The Times notes that the Los Angeles iPad program has faced criticism that the district made “mistakes, squandering dollars and rushing ill-advisedly into the digital future” in its $1 billion iPad program.
Google Faces Lawsuit Alleging Student Data Abuses
Education Week (3/13, Herold) reports that Google is facing a lawsuit alleging that “the data-mining practices behind Google’s Gmail electronic-messaging service violate federal and state wiretap and privacy laws,” noting that the firm has “acknowledged scanning the contents of millions of email messages sent and received by student users of the company’s Apps for Education tool suite for schools.” Noting that Gmail is an integral part of the Apps for Education portal, Education Week reports that plaintiffs allege that the firm “went further, crossing a ‘creepy line’ by using information gleaned from the scans to build ‘surreptitious’ profiles of Apps for Education users that could be used for such purposes as targeted advertising.” The piece notes that ED’s recent student privacy guidance “appears to deem the alleged practices of Google Apps for Education as violating FERPA.”
Teacher Prep Programs Increasingly Focusing On Technology Literacy
Education Week (1/29, Flanigan) reports that the teacher training program at Clemson University is illustrative of a “shift underway at some teacher colleges that are working to revamp their programs to improve the technology literacy of future educators,” noting that given the rise of digital technology, some observers see teachers’ lack of proficiency as “a major shortcoming in the profession.” Moreover, observers have expressed concerns about “whether schools of education are providing future teachers with the skills they need to address blended learning, and whether they’re using digital tools to improve instruction.”
Many Schools Struggling With Insufficient Broadband Capacity
The Wall Street Journal (1/7, A3, Banchero, Subscription Publication) reports that a report from EducationSuperHighway finds that 72% of public schools have Internet connections that are too slow to take full advantage of new online education opportunities. It is increasingly a problem as teachers use the Internet to pull lesson plans and utilize demanding software. The Journal says that the states that have adopted the Common Core standards face an additional challenge dealing with new online assessments next year.
Los Angeles Teacher Argues Against Classroom Technology
In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times (10/25), Los Angeles USD teacher Jeff Lantos warns other districts not to follow LAUSD’s lead in spending “millions on high-tech gadgets” such as the iPads that the district is distributing to all students. Lantos cites his experience working in the district in 1986, “when Apple computers were first lugged into elementary classrooms.” Lantos writes that though the computers were (and still are) very useful for writing, and have other useful applications, such issues as cost and “disruption” issues make classroom technology more of an expensive distraction. Lantos specifically refutes Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s calls for electronic textbooks and for “a high-tech ‘disruption’” in classrooms.
Preliminary Study: “Flipping” Classrooms May Not Improve Education
USA Today (10/23, Atteberry) reports that the preliminary results of a study into the effects of “flipping” classrooms show little if any improvement to education. Flipping classrooms is a popular concept wherein students watch teacher lectures outside of class and devote class time to “real world” problems. Four professors from Harvey Mudd College found “no statistical difference” between student outcomes in traditional and flipped classrooms in a pilot study. The professors recently received funding for a much larger three-year study into the same concept and caution that their final results may be different from the pilot test.
California Schools Chief Backs $9 Billion Technology Infrastructure Bond Measure
The Santa Rosa (CA) Press Democrat (10/22) reports that California Superintendent Tom Torlakson “is backing a $9 billion bond measure in 2014 to build up the technology infrastructure at K-12 campuses,” noting that he said on Tuesday that schools must be prepared for Common Core-aligned online testing. The article notes that California “bucked” Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s resistance to plans to abandon the state’s STAR test in favor of Smarter Balanced field tests.
Common Core Transition May Bleed Market Share From Textbook Giants
The Hechinger Report (10/17, Garland) reports that the shift toward the Common Core Standards is hastening the adoption of digital alternatives to printed textbooks, and explores what this means for major “publishing behemoths like Pearson” that have long dominated the textbook business. The piece suggests that market share is being gained by “small nonprofits, education technology startups,” and newcomers to the education content sector.
Classroom Technology Complicates Teachers’ Classroom Management Mission
Education Week (10/14, Heitin) reports on the growing use of digital devices by students in classrooms, noting that many teachers struggle to “manage the tech-infused classroom” and “keep kids, who suddenly have the Internet at their fingertips, on task.” The article notes that often students are more “tech-savvy” than teachers, and explores the safety and classroom management issues involved.
California Educators Concerned Common Core Tests Favor Technologically Savvy
The Oakland (CA) Local (10/9) reports that some teachers and parents in Oakland, California, are concerned that computer-based Common Core assessments could “deepen the digital divide and the achievement gap” because students with less access to computers at home and at school “would be at a disadvantage” regardless of their mastery of subject matter.
Students May Be Challenged By Common Core Tests’ Technological Demands
The Hechinger Report (9/30, Carr, Dreilinger) reports that Common Core-aligned assessments from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers will require students to use computers, noting that this will “place new technology demands on schools,” but also “makes demands on students as well.” The piece notes that elementary school students will be required to type “at least two pages,” and notes that “asking students as young as eight and nine to type several paragraphs on a standardized test presents entirely new challenges.”
Blogger Explores Impact Of Classroom Technology
Matthew Lynch writes at the Education Week (9/23) “Education Futures” blog about the rapid advent of digital classroom technology, and explores whether “the inclusion of cutting-edge technology” makes “a difference in academic success.” The piece addresses the technology gap and other issues of access, but points out that “not enough time has passed” to determine the impact of classroom technology.
