T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) articles from October 2005

T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education) archives from October 2005

From the publisher.
October 1, 2005... In our June issue, I wrote about how T.H.E. Journal had found a new home as a part of the 101 communications publishing family. We were excited at the opportunities then, and after a number of months working together with the incredibly capable...

Surviving the media's war on educational technology: Can we keep 'techno-skepticism' from the mainstream?(Commentary)
October 1, 2005... Ouch! The back-to-school press coverage has been less than complimentary of technology in education, at least according to my high-level scan of the news in early September. Numerous newspaper and magazine articles and editorials have taken...

Calendar.
October 1, 2005... November 2005 NOV 2-5 College Reading and Learning Association 2005 CRLA Conference Long Beach, CA www.crla.net/2005_Conference.htm NOV 3-5 The 16th Education Trust National Conference Washington, DC www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/...

ETS introduces comprehensive K-12 student achievement solution.
October 1, 2005... Educational Testing Service (ETS) has launched a customizable, comprehensive suite of K-12 products and services that helps schools improve student achievement and meet AYP targets more efficiently. Aptly named System 5, the suite is composed...

Ohio's virtual reference service receives $1.12M approval.(KnowItNow )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The State Library Board of Ohio has approved $1.12 million in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds for year two of the state's innovative KnowItNow 24x7 (www.knowitnow.org) virtual reference service. This free online reference...

Essaytech Inc. has updated its Web site (www.essaytech.com) and expanded its online essay evaluation services to include the ACT, GED, LSAT, SAT, PRAXIS, and TOEFL exams.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... ESSAYTECH INC. HAS UPDATED its Web site (www.essaytech.com) and expanded its online essay evaluation services to include the ACT, GED, LSAT, SAT, PRAXIS, and TOEFL exams. The company, which had previously offered test modules for the GRE and...

The library of Congress has launched a Web site (www.loc.gov/section 108) to cover the work of a special independent committee that is recommending changes to section 108 of the Copyright Act.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS has launched a Web site (www.loc.gov/section 108) to cover the work of a special independent committee that is recommending changes to section 108 of the Copyright Act. The committee's recommendations, which are due by...

JASON becomes a subsidiary of national geographic society.(JASON Foundation for Education )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The JASON Foundation for Education (JFE) has announced the completion of a reorganization that made it a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Geographic Society (www.nationalgeographic.com) Having been partners for more than 16 years, the two...

Princeton review brings statewide assessments to Tennessee.(Princeton Review Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Princeton Review's (www.review.com) K-12 services division has been awarded a contract from the Tennessee Department of Education that will enable it to deliver online formative math and reading assessments to students statewide at...

Lenovo Helps Sacred Heart University refine notebook program.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Sacred Heart University (CT), one of the first universities to institute a mobile computing program and wireless computer network, bas chosen Lenovo (www.lenovo.com) to refine its notebook program so that it will now replace students' notebook...

4GL acquires tranquility to expand special-ed solutions.(4GL School Solutions Inc. acquires Tranquility Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... 4GL School Solutions (www.4glschools.com), a provider of comprehensive management solutions for special populations in K-12 education, has acquired Tranquility Solutions Inc. www.tranquility.solutions.com), developer and marketer of the Clarity...

Inspiration software is currently accepting applications for its 2006 Inspired Teacher Scholarships for Visual Learning from K-12, college, and university educators worldwide.
October 1, 2005... INSPIRATION SOFTWARE IS CURRENTLY accepting applications for its 2006 Inspired Teacher Scholarships for Visual Learning from K-12, college, and university educators worldwide. Now in its eighth year, the program will award 30 scholarships, each...

Scholastic and the Intel Foundation are seeking nominees for their annual Schools of Distinction Awards program, which bestows $10,000 grants to one elementary and one secondary school in each of its 10 categories.
October 1, 2005... SCHOLASTIC AND THE INTEL Foundation are seeking nominees for their annual Schools of Distinction Awards program, which bestows $10,000 grants to one elementary and one secondary school in each of its 10 categories: academic achievement,...

'Scrubbing' Data for D3M: is your school or district planning to develop or purchase tools and technologies to better enable data-driven decision-making (D3M)? First, you'll need to make sure that your data is top-quality.(Data Management)
October 1, 2005... Data-driven decision-making (D3M) appears to be the new buzz phrase for this century, the information age. On the education front, teachers and administrators are engaging in data-centered dialog in grade-level meetings, lounges, hallways, and...

Technology + imagination = results: inspired technology initiatives driven by one university project are changing the way teachers instruct and assess, but most importantly, the way today's students learn.(Teaching, Learning, and Management)
October 1, 2005... Just when we think we've reached the bounds of creativity in developing technology applications for teaching, the advent of new software and hardware extends the horizon for new and innovative strategies to improve teaching and student...

The new student-teacher channel: if self-disclosure between teacher and student can boost learning outcomes, blogging may be its most effective mode.
October 1, 2005... The Web is no longer a novel ingredient in the learning experience; it is intrinsic and constant. In fact, a host of new technologies has sparked an age of inexpensive, effortless, and universal Web access in the classroom, while wireless...

Is technology changing how you teach? The Teachers Talk Tech survey exposes a growing problem: cash-strapped schools must choose between using computers as administrative or instructional tools.(SPECIAL REPORT: Teachers Talk Tech)
October 1, 2005... We all know that a gap exists between technology for teachers and technology for teaching--and it may be getting wider. K-12 teachers are using computers more than ever before to send e-mail, record attendance, and post information to their...

The evolution of student information systems: as PCs and the Internet have become a ubiquitous part of school districts, the education community's desire for anytime, anywhere access to data has burgeoned. Can vendors keep up with districts' changing needs?
October 1, 2005... Today's schools can purchase and implement administrative systems that provide easy and secure access to student records, enrollment, scheduling, and attendance; eliminate the need for duplicate data; easily integrate with other applications;...

Canadian school district expands, simplifies data center with KVM technology: with 24,000 students and 55 different sites, Richmond School District No. 38 needed the flexibility to manage its servers remotely from any location at any time--and ATEN's line of enterprise KVM solutions met the challenge.
October 1, 2005... Most people would not view Richmond, British Columbia, as a technology haven. However, with software behemoth Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) located only two hours away in Redmond, WA, some of that technology pixie dust has been sprinkled on a...

Teaching the fourth 'R' of science education: research: a partnership program between the Bronx High School of Science and Elsevier introduces students to the world of scientific research through ScienceDirect.(Applications)(Column)
October 1, 2005... Last year, Kathleen, then a freshman at the Bronx High School of Science (NY), decided to research sleep patterns of the platypus. Her classmate John chose to study heart disease, and sophomore Daniel elected to prepare a report on the Hubble...

University of Texas at Austin explores LIFE: the innovative laptop initiative engages the College of Education's pre-service teachers in a technology-rich learning environment that helps them prepare their students for a future in our high-tech world.(Applications)
October 1, 2005... In the fall of 2002, the University of Texas at Austin's (UT) College of Education (CoE) initiated a program that required all teacher-education students entering its professional development course sequence to acquire an Apple (www.apple.com)...

Taking control of your digital imaging content: a look at three products that will make every instructor's life easier when trying to create digital course content.(Educator Evaluation)(Column)
October 1, 2005... As more and more courses either move all or part of their content online, instructors are being called on to create an ever-increasing amount of digital imaging content for their courses. So, as a service to fellow educators, I put three tools...

Point-and-Shoot.(digital cameras)(Buyers Guide)
October 1, 2005... Point-and-Shoot Digital cameras have become one of the most sought-after classroom tools. The models below, all priced under $350, offer a glimpse at seven of the newest digital cameras that would be a perfect addition for any class. ...

Brother.
October 1, 2005... The Brother (www.brother.com) DCP-7020 is a flatbed digital copier, laser printer, and high-resolution color scanner rolled into one that features 16MB of memory, a copy and print output of 20 pages per minute, and a maximum print resolution of...

Epson.
October 1, 2005... Good things certainly do come in small packages these days. Weighing only a pound, the Epson (www.epson.com) P-2000 multimedia storage viewer offers a 40GB hard drive and 3.8-inch VGA-quality LCD that allows users to view, store, and play back...

Microsoft's.
October 1, 2005... Microsoft's (www.microsoft.com) Digital Image Suite 2006 features hierarchical keywords, "hover" thumbnails, and video support that makes it easier for users to organize and share their photos the way they like. The program has several new...

TechSmith Corp.
October 1, 2005... TechSmith Corp. (www.techsmith.com) has added digital-video capture and picture-in-picture functions to its Camtasia Studio 3 software, which allows educators and administrators to record, edit, and publish rich video presentations in a variety...

Hewlett-Packard's.
October 1, 2005... With a 4,800dpi optical resolution and 48-bit color, Hewlett-Packard's (www.hp.com) Scanjet 8250 digital flatbed scanner features two-sided scanning and an automatic document feeder that scans up to 15 pages per minute. The Scanjet8250's large...

Corel.
October 1, 2005... Corel (www.corel.com) has enhanced its Painter IX program by adding dual-monitor support for Windows, new pens and brushes, and more realistic painting capabilities to its already long list of innovative digital painting and illustration tools....

Lexmark's.
October 1, 2005... Delivering a print speed of up to 50 pages per minute. Lexmark's (www.lexmark.com) W840 monochrome laser printer features wide-format printing capabilities, a powerful 625MHz processor, and 256MB of standard RAM [expandable to 768MB). The...

APTE Inc.
October 1, 2005... Teachers and students can now create newsletters, stickers, certificates, calendars, banners, and flashcards using their own digital photos thanks to Classroom Photo Publisher from APTE Inc. (www.apte.com). The cross-platform program includes...

Macromedia's.
October 1, 2005... Macromedia's (www.macromedia.com) Studio 8 combines the latest versions of Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Fireworks, Contribute, and Flash Paper into one solution that enhances an educator's ability to create and deliver rich online content,...

The International Society for Technology in Education.
October 1, 2005... The International Society for Technology in Education (www.iste.org) has published Teaching With Digital Images: Acquire, Analyze, Create, Communicate, aimed at K-8 teachers and technology/curriculum coordinators. The book tackles digital...

Tech4Learning Inc.'s.
October 1, 2005... With a scaffolded approach that is ideal for young learners, Tech4Learning Inc.'s (www.tech41earning.com) Pixie provides templates and backgrounds, a drag-and-drop library of stickers, and an array of paint and easy-to-use image tools that...

Serious Magic Inc.
October 1, 2005... Vlog It! from Serious Magic Inc. (www.SeriousMagic.com) is a PC video-creation program that provides users with the ability to drag and drop pictures, video, and sound clips from a variety of sources, then combine them with personal narration...

Dell's.(Digital imaging products)
October 1, 2005... Ideal for digital camera users, Dell's (www.dell.com) Photo All-in-One Printer 942 offers advanced photo printing features such as memory card slots that make it simple to print sharp, borderless photos without being connected to a PC; a...

Determining 'Fair Use' Practices: use common sense and a few basic guidelines to protect yourself and your work.(The Final Word)(Column)
October 1, 2005... There is no all-encompassing test to determine what constitutes "fair use"; therefore, every case should be treated uniquely as particular circumstances and interpretations of the law can be quite diverse. While guidelines are not meant to be a...