Resources

Educator Resource Centers

The editors of eSchool News have assembled a variety of resource centers on the hottest topics in education technology. The resource centers listed below are a collection of news and resources aimed at helping you sort out the complex challenges facing educators every day. Just click on the titles below to access these invaluable collections and start solving your most difficult challenges today!

GIS and Geographic Inquiry
"Geospatial" technologies--which include geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), and remote sensing (RS) tools--are becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives. These technologies use "smart" maps that can display, query, and analyze geographic databases; receivers that provide location and navigation; and global-to-local imagery and tools that provide context and analysis.

Stimulating Achievement: Your Guide to Ed Funding
The $787 billion stimulus package that Congress passed in February provides an unprecedented $106 billion for education--and a historic chance to make short-term investments that will have far-reaching results. With the influx of federal cash, however, will come close scrutiny. School leaders will need to spend their stimulus funds wisely or risk a public backlash that could hinder educational progress for years to come.

Placing Reading Power in Students' Hands
All students deserve an equal education, but sometimes language barriers or learning disabilities leave some students lagging behind and struggling to understand words or concepts. Fortunately, technology can help level the reading comprehension playing field. Innovative new advances give students tools such as reading pens with built-in dictionaries, translators, and pronunciation applications to help them read on the fly.

Online Learning
Thousands of K-12 schools across the nation are turning to online-learning providers for help with credit recovery, enrichment opportunities for gifted students, and for providing core curriculum classes in areas where there isn't enough demand to justify keeping a teacher on staff.

Successful Video Production
Now more than ever, technology plays a crucial role in the way that students learn and prepare for careers in a global economy. Armed with tech know-how and 21st-century skills, U.S. students will be able to successfully compete with students from other globally-aware countries.

Anytime, Anywhere Professional Development
When teachers are confident in the curriculum they teach, students will become more engaged in lessons and will learn more. But busy teachers, administrators, and other school staff often have a tough time coordinating their schedules for sit-down or face-to-face professional development training.

Online Tutoring To Boost Student Success
Thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools cannot afford to have their students failing to succeed ... and many are turning to online tutoring providers to ensure this doesn't happen. Online tutoring can supplement the instruction a child receives during school, extending the learning day beyond the limits of the traditional classroom. And, it can help provide personalized learning services that meet the needs of every student.

Preparing for a pandemic
With fears about the H1N1 virus, commonly known as "swine flu," putting school leaders on high alert, we've compiled this collection of news stories and additional resources to keep you up to date on the latest developments in this critical story--and to help you deal with the crisis in your own schools.

Meeting the Needs of Students with Autism
It's estimated that one out of every 150 children in the United States has some form of autism, and that number is escalating at a frightening pace. The federal government says autism is increasing at a rate of 10 percent to 17 percent each year and could affect some 4 million Americans in the next decade, placing an enormous strain on school systems charged with educating students diagnosed with the disorder.

Igniting and Sustaining STEM Education
As the workplace changes and becomes increasingly global, today's students must be educated with a 21st-century mindset. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills are no longer just "good skills" to have; they are increasingly vital to a 21st-century education--and students should begin cultivating these skills as early as possible.

Measuring 21st-century skills
To remain competitive in an increasingly global, knowledge-based economy, today's employers need graduates who are adept at so-called "21st-century skills" such as using information and communications technology (ICT) to gather and assess information, collaborate, innovate, think critically, and solve problems.

Securing Student Laptops for Safe Learning
Technology is an essential part of a 21st-century education for both teachers and students, and district 1-to-1 computing initiatives and laptop lending programs are on the rise. Most of the focus falls on how these mobile computers and handheld devices will help enhance teaching and learning. However, how a district manages its technology can have a significant impact on its budget.