T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) articles from November 2008

T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) archives from November 2008

AYP 'balloon payment' coming due, say researchers.(RESEARCH)
November 1, 2008... According to researchers, virtually every elementary school in California will fail to meet NCLB adequate yearly progress goals by 2014. And the same fate may await other states that have adopted a similar approach to AYP: setting low initial...

NSBA names '20 to watch' in ed tech.(NEWS)
November 1, 2008... Who are the emerging role models of education technology leadership? The National School Boards Association released its annual list of 20 teachers, technology directors, CIOs, librarians, and others who have demonstrated innovation in K-12...

Avoiding the five most common mistakes in using blogs with students.(OPINION)
November 1, 2008... Blogging can be an effective tool for learning, but its benefits shouldn't be taken for granted. It takes careful planning and skillful management to make it work in an educational setting. Here are five of the most common mistakes instructors...

Where does access control fit in the K-12 security mix?(what's ONLINE)
November 1, 2008... As a part of overall security initiatives in schools, electronic access control is little used, according to a recent survey of school resource officers and administrators in K-12. Sponsored by Wren Solutions, a developer of IP-based...

Malware disguised as social networking tops emerging security threats.(HOT TOPICS)
November 1, 2008... What's the top threat to data security going to be in 2009? According to the "Emerging Cyber Threats Report" out of Georgia Tech's Information Security Center, the answer is malware specifically disguised as "benign social networking links."...

Online resource targets FCAT writing improvement.(HOT TOPICS)
November 1, 2008... Educational technology developer LearningExpress is launching a new program tailored specifically to the writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The FCAT eFolio program is an online tool designed to help improve student...

Middle school supports eLearning with cutting-edge WiFi.(HOT TOPICS)
November 1, 2008... The latest in wireless is 802.11n, a fast, multifaceted proposed standard that is so new it hasn't garnered final approval as a standard. But at Borel Middle School in San Mateo, CA, a cutting-edge 802.11n network is providing fast, pervasive...

North Carolina school takes to the clouds with virtual desktops.(CASE STUDY)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Frank Porter Graham Elementary School (NC) is piloting a cloud computing initiative to bring virtual desktops to about 600 students and teachers. The initiative is part of the SIMtone Education Thunder Program, whose goal is to bring technology...

The politics of feedback: readers' response to my presidential endorsement reveals much about the rift our disagreements can cause.(commentary)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... WE RECEIVED A NUMBER of responses (see Your Letters, page 10) opposing my endorsement of Barack Obama for president ("President Ed Tech," October; www.thejournal.com/articles/23387). We expected that not everyone would agree, but we hoped to...

Your letters.(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2008... I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED that T.H.E. Journal endorsed a political candidate ("President Ed Tech," October; www.thejournal.com/articles/23387). My question is: Will T.H.E. be willing to criticize Barack Obama's policies if he is elected? I am...

Tech watch: this issues ups and downs.
November 1, 2008... [up arrow] STUDENT E-MAIL: To facilitate virtual pen-palling, UK and US teachers provide translations for students' slang. British kids now asking age-old question: Why does bad mean good? [up arrow] BLOGGING: Educators show it can improve...

Putting their game faces on: Microsoft Research and NYU set out to find hard proof of the efficacy of gaming in education.
November 1, 2008... CAN GAMING TRULY IMPROVE EDUCATION? Microsoft Research (http://research.microsoft.com) and New York University have teamed up to find the answer to that question, announced Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer for Microsoft,...

Free courses promote data quality in schools.(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... THE US DEPARTMENT of Education's National Forum on Education Statistics (www.nces.ed.gov/forum) recently released the second of its two online courses aimed at improving the quality and management of data in K-12 schools. The new course,...

Young scientist winners announced.(Awards and Contests)
November 1, 2008... Discovery Education (www.discoveryeducation.com) and 3M (www.3m.com) recently announced the winners of their Young Scientist Challenge (http://youngscientist.discoveryeducation.com), one of the country's leading science competitions for middle...

MA district honored for cost and energy savings.(Awards and Contests)(Massachusetts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Energy Education (www.energyeducation.com), a national energy conservation company, has awarded Taunton Public Schools (MA) with its Energy Excellence Award. The district earned the honor by achieving more than $1 million in cost savings in...

Free E-Rate calendar available.(Industry News)
November 1, 2008... To help schools keep up with fluctuating E-Rate deadlines, Funds for Learning (www.fundsforlearning.com), an E-Rate compliance services firm, is offering a free online E-Rate calendar. The calendar notes events and deadlines related to the...

Scientific Learning joins Literacy Project.(Industry News)(Google Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Scientific Learning (www.scilearn.com), an educational software company, announced it has joined Google's Literacy Project (www.google.com/literacy), an academic resource for teachers and literacy organizations. The project's website includes...

Thinkronize releases safe search index.(Industry News)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Thinkronize (www.thinkronize.com) has released its annual Top 100 Educational Safe Search Index to recognize school districts that kept student internet searches safe during the 2007-2008 school year. The districts were ranked according to the...

Lodestar partners with eFolioWorld.(Industry News)(LodeStar Learning )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... LodeStar Learning (www.lodestarlearning.com) has announced a new deal with eFolioWorld (http://efolioworld.com). The company will integrate its electronic-learning authoring suite, LodeStar, with the eFolioWofld electronic portfolio system, a...

FETC 2009 registration open.(Industry News)
November 1, 2008... Educators can now register to attend FETC 2009 (www.fetc.org). The ed tech conference, one of the nation's largest, will run Jan. 21-24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, and will feature workshops and exhibits from leaders...

E-palling around: a student-only e-mail service is providing academic benefits and opportunities for cultural exchange for kids from all over the world.(networking)
November 1, 2008... JIM MORRISON OF THE DOORS SANG, "People are strange when you're a stranger." If the logic of Morrison's lyric is true, then it could also be said that once people are no longer strangers--once a personal connection is made--that initial...

The prose of blogging (and a few cons, too): can the technology often derided as the favored tool of lowbrow cyber rogues actually be used to improve student writing? Educators are beginning to demonstrate it can.(blogs)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, Principal Chris Lehmann champions integration of technology into all aspects of the curriculum. But he emphasizes that the educational purpose comes first. And that...

Is VoIP worth it? The reasons can be as much qualitative as quantitative, but once you add them all up, school districts are finding the answer is yes.(VoIP)
November 1, 2008... JIM SCHUL SAYS EXPERIENCE has taught him one key to optimizing the return on investment (ROI) for a newly installed voice over IP system: Turn off your old phone line! "I don't know if I should say this, but phone companies will keep...

Working hand in hand: alliances between school districts and community-based organizations are serving students in ways that neither group can do alone.(community partnerships)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TO FIND OUT HOW WELL the Get Healthy Harlem program is working with her middle school students, Rafiah Mustafa needs only to walk down to the lunchroom. That's where she can observe firsthand how the lessons of...

Cableorganizer.com.(product FOCUS: The latest releases, services, and new product versions)(CABLEORGANIZER.COM )(Website overview)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CABLEORGANIZER.COM offers the P3 Kill A Watt PS power strip to help track the efficiency of electronic equipment while protecting it from power surges and spikes. The power-monitoring device on the strip displays...

Numonics.(product FOCUS: The latest releases, services, and new product versions)(PI-1900 LCD tablet monitor)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... NUMONICS has improved upon its PI-1500 model to bring you the PI-1900 LCD tablet monitor. When connected to a computer, the 19-inch monitor becomes the desktop and the electronic pen functions as a mouse, allowing the user to navigate any...

Mindplay.(product FOCUS: The latest releases, services, and new product versions)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MINDPLAY introduces Reading Analysis & Prescription System 360, a tool for diagnosing a full spectrum of reading difficulties faced by students in grades 1 to 10 and targeting appropriate interventions. Besides...

Is a bandwidth crisis approaching?(extracurricular: For technologists who do their homework)(Survey)(Statistical data)
November 1, 2008... * ABOUT 54 PERCENT OF SURVEYED TECH DIRECTORS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OBTAINING FUNDING FOR BANDWIDTH, REGARDLESS OF THE SOURCE * ROUGHLY ONE-THIRD OF RESPONDENTS REPORT CONCERNS ABOUT OBTAINING SUFFICIENT BANDWIDTH, REGARDLESS OF THEIR...

Conference overview.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
November 1, 2008... WHAT IS FETC? FETC, a division of 1105 Media Inc., is one of the largest, most successful conferences in the United States devoted to educational technology. The conference program is carefully shaped to provide educators and...

Conference information.(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... CONFERENCE REGISTRATION Conference registrations are currently being accepted online, by fax, or mail. Your conference registration fee includes access to the Opening and Closing Sessions, Eye-Opener Keynote Sessions, Featured Speaker...

Conference schedule.(Calendar)
November 1, 2008... WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009 Ticketed Workshop Registration 7:00 am--4:30 pm Ticketed Workshops (Full-day) 8:00 am--3:00 pm Morning 8:00 am--11:00 am Afternoon 12:00...

Conference program (as of 10/20/08).(Conference notes)
November 1, 2008... SIF in Action: Interoperable Solutions for Teaching and Learning Jill Abbott Using Technology to Write a New Chapter in a Title I School Kathy Adkisson Taking the Deep Dive into Technology in Hernando Wayne Alexander Florida...

Ticketed workshop information.(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... FETC 2009's full--and half-day workshops offer participants a chance to delve deeply into topics, learn new skills and strategies, and create new materials, without the time constraints of Concurrent Sessions. These information-packed workshops...

FETC 2009 exhibitors (as of 10/20/08).(3Com Corp.)(Images Inc.)(Adobe Systems Inc.)
November 1, 2008... 2Know! Classroom Response System 3 LCD 3Com Corporation 3M Visual Systems 3MRT 8e6 Technologies A+ Images, Inc. AAL Absolute Software Academic Superstore AccuCut AccuWeather Educational...

Travel/housing information.
November 1, 2008... HOTELS Hotel reservations can be made through the FETC Housing Bureau. Please do not call the hotel, as you will be redirected to the FETC Housing Bureau. THREE WAYS TO RESERVE YOUR HOUSING * Online: If you are securing your...

Participating conference hotels.(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Crowne Plaza Orlando Universal $159 single/$179 double 7800 Universal Blvd. (1.5 miles) (b) (d) Double Tree Castle $149 single/double 8629 International Dr. (1.5 miles) (b) (d) (c) Embassy Suites...