Petition seeks to boost access to broadband Internet in schools The International Society for Technology in Education is seeking signatures for a petition that asks President Barack Obama's administration to boost schools' access to Internet broadband. If the group gathers 100,000 signatures through an online platform set up by the White House, the administration will review the petition. "Unfortunately, unlike the business and healthcare sectors, K-12 investment in school broadband infrastructure has lagged. Even the successful E-Rate program cannot meet rapidly escalating school needs for increased bandwidth," the petition states. Education Week/Digital Education blog (4/10)  | Complete, Online Writing and Grammar Curriculum New from Zaner-Bloser: Meet 100% of the Writing and writing-related Language Common Core State Standards with Strategies for Writers--now available in a completely digital format! Tour our virtual classroom today to view and interact with free samples and to learn about the all-digital program option, the Strategies for Writers Online Writing Center. | | Why schools should go for technology immersion There are varying degrees of educational technology adoption -- integration, infusion and immersion -- writes Mike Fisher, an educational consultant and instructional coach. In this blog post, he writes that technology integration -- in which technology is considered an "event" in schools -- is the norm, while infusion offers students limited choices. He suggests that schools work toward technology immersion, in which students have access to multiple technologies and use them at their own discretion. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (4/10)
How to launch successful one-to-one technology programs To successfully launch one-to-one technology programs, Monica Burns, an educator and blogger, suggests several practices she uses in her own classroom where students use iPads. In this blog post, she suggests teachers have a system in place to organize and manage the devices, set clear expectations, and start small -- perhaps by having some tech-savvy students try out an application before introducing it to the rest of the class. She also recommends beginning by introducing technology to a typical classroom activity, such as taking notes, rather than trying to launch new activities. Edutopia.org/Monica Burns' blog (4/10) Other News | N.H. district's servers attacked by "worm" A New Hampshire school district's website was shut down this week by a "worm" computer virus. As officials looked into the issue, they said staff at the middle and high schools could not access files, while it appeared that elementary schools and students' records were not affected. "A worm like this just weaves its way through the service," said Michael Delahanty, superintendent of School Administrative Unit 57. "It could have come from a number of different portals. But what it really comes down to is our need to take a closer look at our current level of protection." The Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.) (4/10) Other News | Obama's budget expands preschool, invests in STEM Under President Barack Obama's fiscal 2014 budget proposal, the Department of Education would receive $71.2 billion in discretionary spending -- about 4.5% more than in 2013. The proposal, released Wednesday, includes expanded preschool for all 4-year-olds from low-and moderate-income families, investments in high school, and the consolidation of programs that target science, technology, engineering and math. Obama's proposal also would establish a Race to the Top program that would award $1 billion in grants to states that work to make college more affordable to students. The Washington Post/The Answer Sheet blog (4/10), The Christian Science Monitor (4/10) | Can social media help curb students' abuse of social media? A Minnesota high school has established a Twitter account where students and others can report abuse, following what school principal Lon Jorgenson describes as a series of "very negative and offensive student-student and student-teacher usage of social media." In a message to stakeholders announcing the Twitter page, Jorgenson called the events "a teachable moment for appropriate digital citizenship." Crookston Daily Times (Minn.) (4/6) | W.Va. students aim for national rocket launch A team of students from John Adams Middle School in Kanawha County, W.Va., is working to build a rocket that can compete in the Team America Rocketry Challenge next month. The team is among the 100 that qualified for the national level of competition, a program aimed at inspiring students in math, engineering, technology and science. "Qualifying within the top 100 is an incredibly challenging and exciting achievement," said Marion Blakey, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, among the competition's sponsors. WCHS-TV (Charleston, W.Va.) (4/9), The Gazette (Charleston, W.Va.) (free registration) (4/5) |  | One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession." -- Sophocles, Greek playwright | | 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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