5 ways to create a community of learners
Remote learning makes relationship-building more challenging--here are some ideas that can help
Contest lets students try to ‘change the world’
A handheld medical diagnostic laboratory created by two Stanford University graduate students took home the top prize in the first annual Presidents' "Change the World" Competition from the…
NECC 2009: Video highlights
The rise in mobile technologies, how to lobby Congress successfully for more ed-tech support, and how Baby Boomers can help meet the need for 21st-century teachers: These were…
Budget cuts devastate California higher ed
When California college students return to campus this fall, they'll find crowded classrooms, less access to faculty and counselors, fewer technology-related perks and other campus services, and more…
Students help program science computer game
Middle and high school students spent a little more than four weeks this summer at McKinley Technical High School in Washington, D.C., developing the programming and modeling for…
CMU software streamlines 3D programming
Carnegie Mellon University is getting set to release an updated version of its popular animation-based software program "Alice," developed by the late "last lecture" professor Randy Pausch to…
Royalty rates settled for college internet radio
Campus-based internet radio broadcasters have an established royalty rate after an agreement was reached with SoundExchange, a nonprofit organization created to collect and dole out music royalties to…
ED accelerates $11.37 billion stimulus schedule
The second round of stimulus funding for Title I, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program, totaling $11.37 billion in all, will…
Program opens high-tech world to deaf students
An innovative summer academy at the University of Washington--thought to be the only one of its kind in the United States--introduces deaf and hard-of-hearing students to careers in…
Digital library saves vital web documents
Web pages have an average lifespan of 77 days, meaning documentation of historical events can vanish with a single click. Critically important documents are moving exclusively to the…
Coach sued for requesting Facebook logins
In a case that could set a precedent for whether school officials can legally peek into students' private social-networking accounts without justifiable cause, a high school cheerleader is…
Funding tops campus IT concerns
Slashed campus budgets and dwindling endowments have spurred university IT officials toward cost-saving technologies, and a new survey shows that saving IT dollars has vaulted to the No.…
Funding tops campus IT concerns
Slashed campus budgets and dwindling endowments have spurred university IT officials toward cost-saving technologies, and a new survey shows that saving IT dollars has vaulted to the No.…
Jury awards $675K in music downloading case
A federal jury on July 31 ordered a Boston University graduate student who admitted illegally downloading and sharing music online to pay $675,000 to four record labels. Key…
Tests reveal dangers of texting while driving
Two recent studies highlight the dangers of texting while driving in no uncertain terms, and they could influence how school-based driver's education programs approach the topic. Key words:…
Librarians: Bing has to find niche
School and campus librarians say Google likely will remain the preferred option for student and faculty research even after the much-ballyhooed deal between Microsoft and Yahoo, but they…
Field sees first draft of common standards
As the idea of common educational standards gains traction across the United States, the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) has released the first draft of its proposed…
Court rules against Blackboard in patent fight
A federal appeals court ruling this week voided part of a Blackboard Inc. patent that competitor Desire2Learn was accused of violating, and technology experts say the end of…
Emergency backup helps keep lessons going
Hurricane-force winds and pelting rain can wreak havoc on a campus's IT infrastructure. At Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., where tropical storms are common, acting IT director…
ED issues rules on ed-tech stimulus funds
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has issued new guidance to help states and school systems use ed-tech stimulus funding to drive lasting education reforms and improve student…
BU student’s song-swapping trial begins
A Boston University graduate student was "a kid who did what kids do" when he swapped songs through file-sharing networks like Kazaa, his lawyer said July 28 as…
Ten tips for boosting eCommunication
Award-winning eSchool News columnist Nora Carr offers 10 tips for boosting your eCQ (eCommunications Quotient) during the new school year. Key words: ecommunication, ecommunications quotient, tips, education, technology
Web program a winner for college athletes
A new web-based information system, called myPlaybook, aims to demystify the NCAA's drug policy for college athletes and help them make good choices. Key words: myPlaybook, NCAA, college…
$5 billion carrot for schools overhaul
Dangling the promise of $5 billion in grants, President Barack Obama on July 24 pressured states to embrace his ideas for overhauling the nation's schools -- ideas that…
The rise of digital textbooks
As schools shift to 21st century learning in a time of budget crunches, digital textbooks in classrooms are on the rise. To help educators and administrators efficiently implement…
Scholars try tuition-free online colleges
Online universities are charging little or no tuition for access to a wealth of college curriculum, and advocates say the free web-based classrooms may expand higher education to…
Experts split on ‘Kindle in Every Backpack’
Education experts are split after a recent proposal published by some influential members of the Democratic Party suggested the government provide electronic reading devices to every student in…
Kindle pilot is discriminatory, advocates charge
Some legal experts say groups advocating on behalf of blind students have a strong case with their lawsuit against Arizona State University (ASU). The suit claims using the…
Gates: U.S. ed has no choice but to improve
The U.S. must improve its educational standing in the world by rewarding effective teaching and by developing better, universal measures of performance for students and teachers, Microsoft co-founder…
A ‘singular’ approach to higher education
Singularity University students catch on quick, a fact proven this month when one student secured a domain name, launched a web site, and turned a profit all during…
Campuses adjust to enrollment spikes
One of the largest U.S. community colleges has expanded course offerings and operating hours to accommodate a flood of new students, but cash-strapped state governments have forced other…
Let retiring ‘Boomers’ transform schools
An innovative and potentially ground-breaking approach to 21st century education is placing baby boomer retirees from STEM fields into "learning teams" with educators in an attempt to give…
ISTE urges tech training for future teachers
Educational technology advocates are hoping that Congress amends the fiscal 2010 budget to include funding for a grant program that focuses on improving new teachers' abilities to use…
Microsoft offers Moodle to Live@edu users
In an effort to provide integrated access to its Live@edu services, Microsoft Corp. has released a free plug-in for Moodle, an open-source software program for managing courses online.…
What educators can learn from brain research
As technology advances, new discoveries based on brain mapping are helping researchers understand how students learn. And those discoveries, in turn, are enriching and informing classroom practices in…
Editorial: Different animals
In the July issue of eSchool News, we published the text of the final speech given by Craig Barrett as chairman of Intel Corp. In his speech, Barrett--who…
American education reform: Stranded on islands of excellence
(Editor's note: What follows is the edited text of a speech given at an Arizona charter schools event on May 17 by Craig Barrett, who retired as chairman…
Report: University was overcharged for IT work
Four employees of a consulting firm billed more than $200,000 apiece in five months for work on a University of Wisconsin System information technology project, according to a…
Layoffs prompt teachers to move online
In what could be a result of widespread teacher layoffs, some virtual schools and online learning providers are reporting huge increases in teaching applications for the coming school…
November: Drastically change ed-tech role
Author and longtime education technology advocate Alan November told educators and IT administrators last month that schools and colleges should reassess how they fund their ed-tech initiatives. Asking…
Resource Library:
The Complete Guide to Computer Science Education for Elementary Classrooms
Introducing computer science at the elementary level gives young learners a strong foundation for the future. By learning tech skills early, students are set up for success in school and…
Take measure of your mathematics practices
DNA Mathematics professional development empowers educators to master the mathematics being taught in classrooms. To exemplify the benefits of DNA Mathematics, download our FREE white paper now to learn a…
Enhance PreK-5 STEAM and CS Instruction with playful, screen-free robotics!
Research shows that young students learn STEAM and Computer Science best with hands-on, playful experiences. Meet KIBO, the screen-free robot, where students problem solve, engineer, collaborate, and develop their computational…