District opts for iPads over updating PCs In Pittsburgh, educators say a move about one year ago to invest in iPads, rather than update old desktop computers, has paid off. Students are using the iPads and are enjoying learning, say teachers who use the devices in classroom lessons, to administer tests online and as rewards for students. About two dozen schools in the district now have iPads, and officials also expect to make all schools wireless by the end of the summer. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (4/8) How to conduct a research project with limited computer time Using the hooks of reality television and social media, middle-grades librarian Gwyneth Jones writes in this blog post about a research project on Greek Mythology she and her English teacher-partners created for standardized testing week. Preparing to have limited time and computer availability during the lessons, the teachers streamlined the research process by offering online "playlists" of sources and social media-inspired worksheets for students to present their findings. The Daring Librarian (4/3) Other News | Fla. bill would expand virtual learning to out-of-state providers Florida lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow students to take courses from online providers in other counties and states. These virtual companies then could seek funding from the state, rather than through contracts with local school districts. Supporters say these changes would place the state on the leading edge of 21st-century learning and expand student choice, but opponents counter that they serve to privatize public education. The Miami Herald (free registration) (4/6) | NYC comptroller seeks greater investment in school technology A new report by New York City Comptroller John Liu proposes how officials might close the "digital literacy divide" in part by spending roughly $40 million more a year on computers and technology programs. Liu, who is running for mayor, also suggests that businesses donate their unwanted computer equipment to schools and that the city develop partnerships with technology companies in which students would receive refurbished computers. GothamSchools.org (New York) (4/5)  | Webinar: RTI & Special Ed — How Are We Doing?
Join Dr. Weber, RTI expert, for a free webinar as he shares the current state of RTI & special ed in the US today. He'll share how schools have reduced special ed referrals and maximized instructional resources for all students. Click here to sign up! |
 | Why school leaders should use social media during budget season School leaders should look beyond school newsletters -- and even e-mail and websites -- to social media as a tool for promoting a two-way conversation and garnering public support for education and school budgets, Douglas W. Huntley, superintendent of Queensbury Union Free School District in New York, writes in this blog post. Huntley offers tips for prompting online discussions along with his reasons for using Facebook and Twitter. "School leaders must recognize that relying only on traditional communication tools will lead to frustration on the part of today's voting public," Huntley writes. Education Week/Leadership 360 blog (4/7)
| Pa. district combines robotics, language arts A Pennsylvania school district is finding ways to combine science, technology, engineering and math with the arts. In one school, students used a robotics kit to create interactive features to accompany audio recordings of a Robert Frost poem. Educators say these types of hands-on activities can help engage students in poetry who generally do not like the subject. KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog (4/4) |  | Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered -- either by themselves or by others." -- Mark Twain, American writer | | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions. | | Publisher, Education Group: Joe Riddle P: 202.407.7857 ext. 228 | | | | |
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