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

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

Old trends, new twist: recent focus on student technology use outside school shows how technology tools can impact the classroom.
September 1, 2005... Kids are different today, I hear ev'ry mother say --Rolling Stones, "Mother's Little Helper," Aftermath, 1966 I have called myself fan obnoxious optimist at different times. What I mean is that I can see the good in some events or...

Calendar.
September 1, 2005... September 2005 TASB/TASA Convention Sept. 23-25; Houston, TX www.tasa.tasb.org TechLearn 2005 Sept. 25-28; LasVegas, NV www.techlearn.com October 2005 2005 CEFPI Trade Show Oct. 1-2; San Antonio, TX ...

Indiana science teacher wins computer system from T.H.E.(Win a Laptop Computer System Contest)(T.H.E. Journal)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Troy Harris, an eighth-grade science teacher at Tri-West Middle School in Lizton, IN, was awarded a Dell Inspiron 6000 notebook computer and Photo All-in-On e 962 printer for winning T.H.E. Journal's "Win a Laptop Computer System Contest." ...

SIIA issues call for Codie nominations.
September 1, 2005... The Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) is accepting nominations for the 2006 Codie Awards now through Oct. 14. The 21st annual, peer reviewed awards program will recognize the software and information industry's premiere...

Conference corner.
September 1, 2005... T+[L.sup.2] Conference Oct. 26-28; Denver, CO www.nsba.org/t+l From the school board membertotheclassroom teacher, T+[L.sup.2] is the nation's only K-12 education technology conference designed for district leadership teams....

DoE's Patrick named president, CEO of NACOL.(North American Council for Online Learning)(Department of Education)(Susan D. Patrick)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL; www.nacol.org), an international nonprofit focused on enhancing and promoting K-12 eLearning, recently named Susan D. Patrick, the US Department of Education's director of educational...

Calgary BoE selects Desire2Learn to replace LMS.(Calgary Board of Education)(learning management system )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... This fall, the Calgary Board of Education(CBE) will replace its current learning management system with the Desire2Learn (www.desire2learn.com) Learning Platform, which is a complete Web-based suite of easy-to-use teaching and learning tools...

Cisco creates web portal for students to explore IT.(Cisco Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Cisco Systems has launched Packetville (www.cisco.com/go/ packetville), a free eLearning Web portal rich with interactive and educational resources that introduces students aged 8-14 to the wonders of the Internet as it relates to math,...

AOL@School collaboration launches virtual hate-crime program.(Virtual Experience Immersive Learning Simulations)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Through a partnership with WILL Interactive (www.willinteractive.com), AOL@School (www.aolatschoohcom) will now feature WILL's Virtual Experience Immersive Learning Simulations (VEILSTM), which are a cross between a feature film and video game,...

Polycom enhances grant assistance program.(www.polycom.com/pgap)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Polycom Inc. has enhanced its Grant Assistance Program (www.polycom.com/pgap) in order to help its customers purchase the video, voice, data, and Web communication solutions they need, while also taking advantage of the more than $83 billion in...

Interactive books to help districts reduce injury-related costs.(www.qube. com/elearning/ebooks.asp)(QBooks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In an effort to educate faculty members about how they can reduce injury related costs, QBInternational (www.qube. com/elearning/ebooks.asp) has created two interactive, online-game-based learning QBooks for two California school districts. The...

Microsoft releases four new academic products.
September 1, 2005... Microsoft Corp. (www. microsoft.com/education) has released four new academic-specific products, all available in time for the new school year: Learning Essentials for Microsoft Office, Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP,...

Ed tech awards & contests.
September 1, 2005... During its 2005 National Education Summit in October, the National Education Summit Committee will bestow the inaugural Inabeth Miller Learning and Technology Award to an individual who has made major contributions in instructional or...

Building a virtual high school ... click by click: South Dakota's Rapid City Academy finds out just what it takes to provide a diverse population of students the flexibility offered by online learning.
September 1, 2005... The Rapid City Academy is the alternative high school program for South Dakota's Rapid City Area Schools, which has an enrollment of about 13,000 K-12 students, with five middle schools feeding two large traditional high schools and the...

Dissecting a network-based education system: the methods used to design the Alabama Learning Exchange can be replicated to create your own efficient, cost-effective, network-based education systems.(Online Learning System)
September 1, 2005... The Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX; www.alex.state.al.us) is a network-based education system designed and implemented to help improve education in Alabama. It does this by providing a single location for the state's K-12 educators to find...

Promoting synchronous interaction in an eLearning Environment: cyber-instructors continually seek instructional tools that will hold students' attention, and make online communications more efficient and effective. Skype is the latest one to test.(Synchronous Interaction in eLearning)(Column)
September 1, 2005... Communication is always a top priority in an online learning environment. A course management system (CMS) will typically promote communication and interaction by using a discussion board, chat, and course e-mail. Such synchronous and...

The art of effective web searching: six advanced search techniques that will help you find the best results faster.
September 1, 2005... The ubiquitous Web search form (the "search command line") has had a profound and transformative effect on information retrieval. That simple little box at the top of every search engine has opened up a boundless new world for millions of...

The cornerstone of hard drive protection: Centurion Technologies VP Keith Rickman on the upside of relying on reboot/restore technology to guard against viruses and user sabotage.(Interview)
September 1, 2005... T.H.E.: How does reboot/ restore technology differ from antivirus/spyware protection? Rickman: Antivirus protection detects only known viruses, which are those that have been identified and a definition created. This means that unknown...

Panda launches online child safety campaign.(Panda Software S.L.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Panda Software has created the Children and the Internet: Don't Let Them Talk to Strangers campaign to make parents and teachers aware of the people and the risks that children may encounter when surfing the Web without adult supervision. The...

8e6 helps locate student responsible for teacher death threat.(San Diego City School District)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In late May, a high school teacher from the San Diego City School District (CA), which serves about 136,000 students, received an anonymous death threat from a student via his school e-mail account. Fortunately, district network and security...

Career guide reveals opportunities in information security.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... To spark interest among high school and college students about entering the information security profession, the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium Inc. has released a 35-page career guide, Decoding the...

K12 Alerts let schools send real-time emergency messages.
September 1, 2005... K12 Alerts is an emergency messaging platform from Message Logix (www.k12alerts.com) that enables school districts to send real-time emergency messaging (e.g., weather alerts, school closings, calendar of events, etc.) to parents and staff via...

Behavior-based PC protection bolsters net security solution.(Zone Labs Inc.'s ZoneAlarm 6.0)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Zone Labs' (www.zonelabs.com) ZoneAlarm 6.0 is a behavior-based, multilayered program that uses its Triple Defense Firewall to protect PCs against spyware, viruses, and other Internet security threats through inbound, outbound, and internal...

Blue Security builds 'Do Not Intrude Registry'.
September 1, 2005... Patterned after the Federal Do Not Call Registry, Blue Security (www.blue security.com) has created a free Do Not Intrude Registry, which forms a community of people to fight spam by registering via the Web and downloading its "Blue Frog" to...

eLearning that goes beyond text and graphics: Minnesota educators use lodeStar to bring Cyber Village Academy into the homes and hospitals of ill and injured home-schooled children.(Industry Perspective)
September 1, 2005... In Minnesota, the eLearning explosion translates into many new opportunities for students. High school students take both core and elective courses online, making up missing credits and advancing their studies; three charter schools provide...

Interactive learning environment keeps Modesto students engaged: the classroom performance system provides four district junior high math and science classes with a wireless, collaborative, instant-response learning solution.
September 1, 2005... With a growing and diverse enrollment of 34,000 students, Modesto City Schools (CA) invested its $500,000 Enhancing Education Through Technology grant in technology for maximum impact in math and science classes at four of its junior high...

Conquering NCLB with technology: Everett Public Schools taps Cognos to meet state reporting requirements.(No Child Left Behind Act)
September 1, 2005... Clearly, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has left schools grappling with how to better monitor student performance, and at Everett Public Schools, we were grappling, as well. Everett is a Washington state public school district comprising...

Flexible network infrastructure helps meet district's changing needs: IP telephony system improves student safety and staff productivity of northern Virginia district.
September 1, 2005... Student safety is a top priority for school administrators, now more than ever. In an emergency, schools must be able to communicate with students, parents, and local government, quickly and reliably. But ensuring student safety and keeping the...

Big dreams, small budget: Charleston Southern cuts its cords and costs by moving to a campuswide wireless solution.
September 1, 2005... Many colleges and universities are "cutting the cord"--implementing wireless networks that allow students and faculty to knock down traditional classroom walls and access the Internet from classrooms, libraries, eateries, and living areas. But...

Hoover Elementary turns to LeapFrog SchoolHouse: how do we teach students of widely varying abilities who are housed in the same classroom?
September 1, 2005... For the past 15 years, I have been principal at Hoover Elementary School, located in Calumet City, IL, a suburb of Chicago. At Hoover, we teach 630 students in grades preK-5, and like many schools in our area, we have been experiencing...

LearnStar empowers Texas Tech students: interactive instructional tool dramatically boosts tests scores and learning.
September 1, 2005... A recent research study funded by a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (www.nsf.gov) and led by Texas Tech University, focused on the use of instructional technology tools in designated math, chemistry, and psychology courses...

Excelsior Software's.
September 1, 2005... Providing the same assessment functionality as Pinnacle Plus, Excelsior Software's (www.excelsiorsoftware.com) Pinnacle Enterprise allows district administrators to manage, monitor, and implement system operations district-wide, from one...

Questionmark.(Assessment Software)
September 1, 2005... Available as a software program or server-based system, Questionmark Perception v4 from Questionmark (www.questionmark.com) boasts many new features: a simple drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to publish and manage assessment content;...

Jackson Software's.
September 1, 2005... Jackson Software's (www.jacksoncorp.com) GradeQuick 10 combines its gradebook and lesson planning capabilities with new features that let teachers link quantitative assignment grades with qualitative skills assessments. These new features...

Learning.com.
September 1, 2005... Covering the full range of technology tools used in modern classroom settings, TechLiteracy Assessment from Learning.com (www.learning.com) combines multiple-choice questions and performance-based items to measure and report a student's mastery...

Jackson Software's.
September 1, 2005... LearnStar Inc.'s (www.learnstar.com) SmartTRAX (Teaching, Reviewing and Assessing Across the Curriculum) program allows educators to introduce, instruct, and assess standards-based curricula, as well as analyze student progress on an individual...

Plato Learning.(Plato eduTest Assessment )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Plato eduTest Assessment from Plato Learning (www. plato.com) is a comprehensive, standards-based online assessment and reporting solution for grades K-8. eduTest Assessment helps educators guide instructional decisions by clearly identifying...

Scantron Corp.
September 1, 2005... Scantron Corp. (www.scantron.com) has recently integrated its Web-based Achievement and Performance Series products to form a complete solution that will help educators easily manage their bench mark tests, as well as their summative and...

Pearson School Systems.
September 1, 2005... Pearson Benchmark from Pearson School Systems (www.pearonschoolsystems.com) is a comprehensive and customizable Web-based testing and reporting solution that can collect student performance over time so teachers and administrators can measure...

CompassLearning.
September 1, 2005... CompassLearning Explorer from CompassLearning (www. compaasslearning.com) is an online assessment tool that diagnoses student strengths and weaknesses on tested objectives; assesses student learning against state and national standards; and...

LiveText Inc.(College LiveText-assessment solution for higher education)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... College LiveText edu solutions from LiveText Inc. (college.livetext.com) is a Web-based development, management, and assessment solution for higher education. The product gives program administrators and faculty the ability to create and share...

CrossTec Corp.
September 1, 2005... NetOp School v4.0 is an updated version of CrossTec Corp.'s (www.crossteccorp.com) classroom management program, which lets teachers in school labs, networked classrooms, and virtual classrooms monitor and control their students' computer...

GTCO CalComp Inc.( )
September 1, 2005... GTCO CalComp Inc. has just released InterWrite PRS Software 3.2 which, together with the InterWrite PRS Response System, enables educators to randomly test students' knowledge and receive immediate feedback at any time during class. This new...

KI.
September 1, 2005... Taking its name from the business school that helped develop it, the state-of-the-art Wharton Lectern from KI (www.ki.com) offers the latest in comfort and ingenuity with electronically adjustable height (from 37 inches to 47 inches), a...

Virco.
September 1, 2005... Virco's (www.virco.com) versatile Future Access desks offer a variety of options for technology-based classroom environments, including traditional and extended-size desks, as well as space-saving half-round tables. Each desk has legs that...

Chief Manufacturing Inc.
September 1, 2005... Chief Manufacturing Inc. (www.chiefmfg. com) offers a low-profile designed RPA Custom Projector Mount for LCD/DLP projectors. It features an all-points security system that locks the projector at all key connection points to protect against...

Nova Solutions Inc.
September 1, 2005... The Electronic Classroom desks from Nova Solutions Inc. (www.novasolutionsinc.com) are constructed so that computer equipment can be placed below the work surface, leaving desktops uncluttered, maintaining valuable student workspace, and, most...

Peerless Industries Inc.
September 1, 2005... Peerless Industries Inc. (www.peerlessindustries.com) offers an entire family of flat-panel display mounts, including the recently released SmartMount Universal Aluminum Pivot and Articulating Wall mounts. Designed to fit screens ranging in...

Bretford.
September 1, 2005... The Mobile Presentation Lectern from Bretford (www.bretford.com) features a large laminate platform top with retaining lip that can hold a laptop, with another shelf to place an overhead projector. This lectern platform can be positioned on the...

Spectrum Industries Inc.
September 1, 2005... Spectrum Industries Inc.'s (www.spectrumfurniture.com) storage and recharging H3 Laptop Cart holds up to 24 laptops horizontally on steel pull-out trays accessible from both the instructor and student sides of the unit. The instructor side of...

SMARTdesks.
September 1, 2005... Schools can configure computer stations in straight rows, curves, arcs, U-shapes, spirals, or clusters with the Train Computer Classroom Stations from SMARTdesks (www.smartdesks.com). This is made possible because of Train's unique shape that...

Lexmark.
September 1, 2005... In an attempt to make color printing more accessible around K- 12 campuses, Lexmark (www.lexmark.com) has created the Color Printing on a Cart solution, which puts its color or multifunction printers on a battery-powered printing cart that can...

PremierMounts.
September 1, 2005... PremierMounts (www.premiermounts.com) offers a unique Multi-Monitor Mount with table adapter that can hold three 10- to 20-inch LCD displays, side by side. The mounting arms provide smooth movement in any direction, as well as the ability to...

Web site provides discounts on classroom furniture.(Classroom Furniture & Equipment)
September 1, 2005... Today's Classroom has launched a Web site (www.todayvsclassroom.com) to help school administrators and educators find the best value on school furniture and classroom equipment. Loaded with more than 15,000 items, the site offers discounts of...

Giving Students a 21st Century Education: by extending multimedia literacy across all subjects and grades, schools can improve communication and enhance learning among students.(The Final Word)
September 1, 2005... Discussions about 21st century literacy abound. And while there are many interpretations of how 21st century literacy will look in our schools, its implications are clear: Students who can use technology to improve communication and enhance...