Education Week Digital Directions: Trends and Advice for K-12 Technology Leaders

Education Department says testing to resume Monday

2013-05-03T08:20:54-04:00

Virtual Courses Feature Gaming to Raise Interactivity

2013-02-07T09:31:04-05:00

Creators of online courses are finding new ways to incorporate interactive, game-based learning in online curriculum.

Multimedia Journalism Programs Emphasize Real-World Skills

2013-02-07T07:52:15-05:00

Students are learning how to research and write scripts, hone interviewing techniques, and edit video footage, and some teenagers are even earning certifications in media technology.

Common-Core Tech Requirements Outlined

2013-02-06T17:25:16-05:00

Two groups developing specifications for common-core online testing have released guidelines showing what technologies schools will need.

New Tools Seek to Evaluate Ed-Tech Products

2013-02-06T17:18:11-05:00

A number of services have cropped up over the years to help schools answer the question: What works?

Digital Media's Impact Is Uneven, Teachers Say

2013-02-06T17:19:12-05:00

Educators say digital tools used both inside the classroom and outside it in students' personal lives are having positive and negative effects on academic and social development.

Project Envisions Teaching Fractions by Touch, Movement

2013-02-06T17:27:36-05:00

A federally funded project will test students' ability to learn fractions on mobile apps through "embodied cognition," essentially moving images and information on screens with their fingers.

State, Federal Ed-Tech Leadership Seen as Key to Innovation

2013-02-06T17:40:30-05:00

State and federal policymakers have the power to highlight successful initiatives and change outdated policies to improve the use of technology in schools.

Districts Move to the Cloud to Power Up, Save Money

2013-02-06T17:48:45-05:00

Cloud-computing programs run the gamut in terms of services, offering everything from math tutorials and virtual science labs to classroom management and administrative tools.

Data-Mining Faces New Privacy Rules

2013-02-06T17:52:06-05:00

The new policies aim to close loopholes that the Federal Trade Commission says too often allow websites and online services to gather personal information improperly from students.

Tablets, Smartphones Influence Reading Instruction

2013-02-07T09:27:32-05:00

The number of games, apps, and software to help students learn to read and increase their literacy skills is growing fast, and the tools themselves are becoming more interactive and animated.

'Big Three' Publishers Rethink K-12 Strategies

2013-02-06T17:44:11-05:00

The shift to more digital offerings is occurring as districts in nearly every state are considering their textbook needs in light of the Common Core State Standards.

Schools Set Boundaries for Use of Students' Digital Devices

2013-02-07T09:25:32-05:00

Crafting smart policies that outline privileges and restrictions will help keep schools on track for responsible yet dynamic use of student-owned tech tools.

Companies Aim to Leverage Open-Source Opportunities

2013-02-06T17:49:31-05:00

But some companies are using the term "open" very loosely in the promotion of certain products to capitalize on the popularity of the concept.

The New Ed-Tech Leader Models by Digital Example

2013-02-06T17:35:29-05:00

Superintendents and chief technology officers are modeling their commitment to use technology to improve schools by blogging and tweeting regularly about what works and what doesn't work.

S.C. Teacher Certification Extends to Those Online

2013-01-14T11:39:44-05:00

The South Carolina education department is beginning to apply the state's certification regulations to teachers of online courses.

Ready or Not, Here Come the Digital Demands of Common Core!

2012-10-15T08:10:26-04:00

Digital Directions Executive Editor Kevin Bushweller writes about the technology demands of the standards and how schools are likely to cope with them.

Tactics for Securing Common Core Tests

2012-10-15T08:07:20-04:00

Educational technology experts identify common management and security problems associated with online testing and what schools can do to fix them.

Competency-Based Schools Embrace Digital Learning

2012-10-15T08:07:01-04:00

Educators using competency-based education coupled with technology will have a head start in preparing for common-core assessments, experts say.

Common Core Drives Interest in Open Education Resources

2012-10-15T08:06:26-04:00

Spurred by the adoption of common standards in nearly every state, educators are turning to open digital resources as they re-evaluate and realign curricula.

Bandwidth Demands Rise as Schools Move to Common Core

2012-10-15T07:59:32-04:00

Putting online testing in place in 46 states and the District of Columbia will require technology capacity not currently available in many school districts.

Common Core Tech. Demands Raise Budget Worries

2012-10-15T07:59:08-04:00

Experts say paying for the digital upgrades necessary to run common-core online testing will take a creative redistribution of resources.

Choosing Computing Devices for Common Assessments

2012-10-15T07:58:24-04:00

Desktops, laptops, netbooks, smartphones, and tablets are all being considered by states and districts, but there are important questions to ask before making a decision.

Common Adaptive Tests to Address Special Needs

2012-10-15T07:57:21-04:00

Advocates for students with learning disabilities see benefits in adaptive approach, but are watching closely to make sure the assessments are structured appropriately.

Adaptive Testing Evolves to Assess Common-Core Skills

2012-10-15T08:10:42-04:00

As many states move to put in place online testing by the 2014-15 school year, at least 20 have indicated they plan to use new computer-adaptive versions of the tests.

Common Core Raises Profile of Virtual PD

2012-10-15T07:56:14-04:00

Ongoing and effective professional development is critical, experts say, and technology holds the key to providing deep learning experiences for teachers that can be scaled across state borders.

Virtual Ed. Advocates See Potential in Common Core

2012-10-15T07:55:25-04:00

Perhaps no segment of educators is more enthusiastic about the transition to the standards than those who work in virtual schools or blended learning environments.

Are You Tech-Ready for the Common Core?

2012-10-15T08:10:02-04:00

Many school districts are worried that the standards' requirement for online testing is pushing them over the brink of their technological capacity.

FBI, IRS Search Offices of Pa. Cyber School

2012-07-13T15:25:57-04:00

The school is the largest cyber school in the state and enrolled more than 11,300 students in 2011-12.

Students Tackle Video-Game Design

2012-06-13T07:38:08-04:00

As more schools integrate digital games into learning, programs are evolving to turn students into video-game designers.

App Creation Inspires Student Entrepreneurs

2012-06-13T07:38:22-04:00

Programs geared toward mobile-app development engage students through technology, business, and marketing.

'Digital Badges' Would Represent Students' Skill Acquisition

2012-06-13T07:38:44-04:00

Initiatives seek to give students permanent online records for skills they have developed that they could then use when applying to college or for jobs.

Q&A: All Students Can Be Successful Online

2012-06-13T07:43:24-04:00

The 2012 online teacher of the year says her virtual connection with students is stronger than it was in the traditional classroom.

Making the Case for Mobile Tech. Expansion

2012-06-13T07:43:36-04:00

Schools around the world often ban the use of mobile devices on campus, but the writers argue for taking the complete opposite approach by integrating them into classroom learning.

New Tool to Provide Tech Inventory for Common Core

2012-06-13T07:43:59-04:00

Readiness tool to pinpoint tech deficits as schools prepare for common core online assessments.

Providing Credit for Teacher Online PD Efforts

2012-06-13T07:44:27-04:00

New forms of online professional development are challenging traditional methods used to acknowledge teacher efforts.

Mich. House OKs Bill to Boost Number of Cyber Charters

2012-04-27T10:10:07-04:00

The number of cyber charter schools could expand from two to as many as 15 under controversial legislation narrowly passed by the state House.

Q and A: Imagining a Virtual Education Oasis

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Fiction writer and techie Ernest Cline, who has a particular passion for education and how it might look in the future, answers some key questions from Education Week Digital Directions.

Picking and Choosing Digital Content

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Technology is changing the way schools go about crafting curricula and purchasing content, prompting publishers to rethink how they do business.

Necessity Drives Innovation

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Editor Kevin C. Bushweller says necessity is the fuel that motivates most of us to innovate, try a different approach, or learn a new skill.

Battle for Whiteboard-Market Supremacy Heats Up

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Companies are making moves to differentiate themselves from the pack and reinvent their products in the age of tablet computing.

Joplin Takes Digital Approach to Rebuilding Education

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Ambitious 1-to-1 laptop effort emerges in the wake of the tornado that devastated the Missouri district.

Data Tools Aim to Predict Student Performance

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Some district and state data systems are finally mature enough to look into the future, by using complex analytics to predict which indicators mean students may go off track down the line.

Virtual Education Seen as Understudied

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Educators, policymakers, and researchers see a need for more and better research as the popularity of e-learning continues to rise.

Rethinking Testing in the Age of the iPad

2012-02-08T00:01:00-05:00

Moving assessments onto mobile devices may open the door to quicker feedback for students and teachers as well as richer data, but integrating them into classrooms can be a challenge.

As Oklahoma Schools Move Grades Online, Conversations Change

2011-11-28T12:13:17-05:00

The days of students skipping class without their parents finding out or hiding grades may be in the past as school districts embrace technology and instant notifications.

Special Ed. Apps

2011-10-17T07:46:05-04:00

A collection of apps available for students with disabilities.

Districts Tackle Questions Surrounding BYOT Policy

2011-10-17T07:47:09-04:00

"Bring-your-own-technology" to school efforts are prompting schools to determine how to set rules for using student-owned computing devices for learning.

Schools Seek the Right Mix of Digital Computing Devices

2011-10-17T07:13:45-04:00

Educators weigh cost and effectiveness when determining the different types of digital devices they need for their 1-to-1 computing initiatives.

Publishers Turn to Cloud Computing to Offer Digital Content

2011-10-17T07:47:16-04:00

But schools are just beginning to tap into the cloud because most lack the technological resources or knowledge for how to do it.

Building the Digital District

2011-10-17T07:47:23-04:00

The 1-to-1 laptop program in Mooresville, N.C., is producing results and helping other districts develop a strategy to link technology to achievement.

'Capturing Kids' Hearts' Initiative Focuses on Relationship Building

2011-10-17T07:47:49-04:00

Educators in Mooresville, N.C., say the initiative has been just as integral to improved achievement as its heavy emphasis on digital learning.

Moving Digital Learning Beyond the 'Wow' Factor

2011-10-17T07:48:07-04:00

Students in Mooresville, N.C., have come to expect regular access to digital learning tools, which have become as commonplace as pencils and paper.

ACLU Puts Pressure on Districts to Ease Internet Filtering

2011-10-17T07:48:22-04:00

Access to online information related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues and resources is being blocked by some district Internet filtering systems.

States, Districts Move to Require Virtual Classes

2011-10-17T07:48:39-04:00

But the new graduation requirements raise concerns about the equity of access to online learning tools and the technological costs of supporting such measures.

Professional Development

2011-10-17T07:48:55-04:00

Teachers report the number of hours they spent in professional-development activities for educational technology.

Experts Wary of New Tablet for Babies, Toddlers

2011-09-20T10:49:47-04:00

Rullingnet Corp. launches Vinci, a 7-inch touch-screen tablet that sells for $389 to $479 and is marketed exclusively for children 4 and younger.

After Hacking, Texas District Offers ID-Security Help

2011-09-14T10:13:29-04:00

After a hacking into the El Paso Independent School District's intranet network, the district has reached an agreement with a company to provide discounted protection, but some say the price is still to high.