Most districts in Maine opt to stick with Apple devices The majority of school districts in Maine have opted to continue purchasing and using Apple devices, rather than switch to Hewlett-Packard -- the preferred vendor determined by a coalition of states, including Maine, Vermont and Hawaii that are working together to secure lower prices on education technology. However, some districts did switch vendors, saying the Windows-enabled devices cost less and were more widely used in the business world. Morning Sentinel (Waterville, Maine)/The Associated Press (6/14)  | With AVI-SPL and Cisco, the Rialto Unified School District improved their ability to share information and provide immersive distance learning. With Cisco T3 TelePresence, AVI-SPL and Cisco allowed students to take virtual field trips and interact with teachers from remote locations across the globe. Learn More | | How technology has changed education The education-technology revolution is changing the way teachers teach and students learn -- allowing for more dynamic lessons that will pay off, researchers and experts say. More educators are using applications and platforms, such as Top Hat Monocle, to offer more individualized lessons. Experts also say they have found that education technology has had a dramatic effect on teaching a second language. TheNextWeb.com (6/16) Other News  | Empower Better Blended Learning Schoology's CODiE-award-winning learning management solution empowers educators to provide blended learning experiences like never before. Take it from Jennifer Symington—an Australian teacher using Schoology to increase comprehension by connecting her students with others across 20 countries for collaborative project-based learning. Watch her video on empowering blended learning with Schoology | | Va. district opens virtual school in shopping mall As part of a strategy to help struggling students receive their high-school diplomas, Alexandria City Public Schools in Virginia has opened a campus at a local mall because the location offers late-evening and weekend hours and is easily accessible by public transportation. Besides offering flexible schedules, the school has six full-time teachers, social workers, counselors, a psychologist and a nurse to support students and keep them focused on coursework. Forty-nine of 51 students are scheduled to graduate. Two students moved before completion of the program. The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (6/14) Other News  | Organizations Consider Different Paths To Affordable Care Act Compliance
Download this Mercer Survey Report to read how different organizations are approaching new regulations governing employee health benefits and where most of the concerns are centered. |
 | Mich. education financing limits some students' school choices Students in Michigan cannot enroll in public schools' virtual courses and continue to participate in elective courses at their home campus because the state does not have clear rules that allow two public schools to share the per-pupil state funding for one student. However, students who are home-schooled or attend private schools can take elective courses at these same campuses because of clearly written financing policies. A draft bill commissioned last year by Gov. Rick Snyder aims to address the discrepancy and make sharing students between public schools feasible. Battle Creek Enquirer (Mich.) (6/16)  |
When Writing with Technology Matters shows how to take advantage of students' affinity for technology to change and improve the writing process. Includes detailed descriptions of elementary and middle school literacy projects that teachers can follow step-by-step or use as a guide when planning their own technology-based projects. Preview the entire book! |
 | Social media site allows for anonymous bullying posts A new social media outlet, known as a Spotted Facebook page, allows for anonymous posting -- making it an increasingly popular way to bully and insult students, school officials say. Tania Avrith, educational technology and digital citizenship lead teacher at the Lester B. Pearson School Board in Canada, said it is important for educators to take a primary role in teaching students about the effects of such online behavior. CJAD-AM (Montreal) (6/16)  | Get 1-on-1 Expert Help for Your School
Common Core, teacher evaluations, student achievement—education experts are finding new ways to solve today's big challenges. Learn firsthand how they're doing it at SIIS 2013, July 8-11. Hear from Heidi Hayes Jacobs (Common Core implementation), Janice Poda of CCSSO (InTASC implementation), Alan November (technology in the classroom), and more. |
 | Do you support Pres. Barack Obama's goal of expanding high-speed Internet access to public schools across the country over the next five years?  | Yes, the sooner the better | | It is a valid goal, but it may be unattainable | | No, there are more pressing priorities in education | | Why teachers should see their value beyond test scores Less-experienced teachers are touting the improved test scores of their students when looking for a job, writes Tony Baldasaro, chief human resource officer of Virtual Learning Academy Charter School in New Hampshire. In this blog post, Baldasaro writes that this is a "non-starter" for him as a recruiter because technology may play a large role in test scores, plus this mindset lends itself to "chasing data" and a less-inspired educator. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (6/14)
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