Educational Technology Ray Schroeder, editor, OTEL - University of Illinois at Springfield |
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Saturday, January 03, 2004
Educators Review Golden Retriever - Educational World
Golden Retriever, by N-LITER Inc., a toolbar that downloads to Internet Explorer, allows users to search for and collect online information and then add notes to or highlight the desired Web pages. The software then automatically copies the Web page contents to the user's hard drive. When the online researcher wants to retrieve the information, Golden Retriever "fetches" the saved page(s), complete with the personal annotations. Highlighted pages also can be e-mailed, allowing the user to share the results of the research or to forward the information to another computer. Included: Teacher comments about the Golden Retriever. Recently, Education World asked our reviewers, all teachers or educational technology specialists, to check out Golden Retriever, using it in their classrooms and in their professional and personal lives.
A Virtual Supervision Model - Anthony J. Amodeo and Andrew Taylor, techLearning
The perennial lament of every principal is not having enough time to fulfill what is perhaps his or her most important responsibility – teacher evaluation. In the on-going struggle to maintain a balance between the role of manager and instructional leader, building-level administrators often find the scale tipping towards managerial responsibilities. Following up on behavioral incidents on the bus, speaking with an angry parent, or following up on an immediate directive from the Central Office takes precedence over a scheduled teacher observation. In the absence of a human resource solution to this problem, technology offers an opportunity to tip the scale in the direction of instructional leadership through a medium we refer to as Virtual Supervision. Through the utilization of Internet Protocol or IP based video conferencing equipment, supervisors can be empowered with the ability to make observations in any room that has a network or Internet connection. IP refers to a network protocol that is used in the delivery of data. This is the foundational protocol used in delivering most Email and Web pages. Friday, January 02, 2004
Students Slowed by School Access, Time - Robyn Greenspan, CyberAtlas
More than three-quarters of high-speed kids are saying they are forced to slow down at school, as a Grunwald Associates report finds that students aged 6 to 17 believe their Internet access in the classroom is often slower than their home connections. Students Rate Their School Internet Connection Kids with Dial-Up - Kids with Broadband School is faster 38% - 7% Home is faster 35% - 76% About the same 27% - 17%
Students on suspension tune in to class online - FREDREKA SCHOUTEN, Chicago Sun times
Cameras record every minute of Beverly Pearson's day as a high school English teacher. When Pearson strides to the blackboard, a lens swivels to track her movements. A microphone captures each word. It's all piped electronically to a nearby building at Coffeeville High School where students stuck in suspension can follow Pearson's class or any other lesson at the school on the Internet. The Web-based approach at this Mississippi high school is the latest twist in school discipline Thursday, January 01, 2004
Fiber Optic Cable To Create High Speed School Network - Richard Dean Prudenti, NWA News
Siloam Springs schools should be able to share information at speeds near the speed of light through a computer system within four weeks. With the cost of fiber optic cable reduced by nearly half of what it was a few years ago, Siloam Springs School District officials -- with help from the city's electric department -- are realizing a long-standing dream of networking school computer systems into a fiber optic network. For about $54,150, the city is providing the personnel, material and equipment to install 3.4 miles of fiber cable to connect the district's five school buildings: Siloam Springs High School, Siloam Springs Middle School, Southside East and West Elementary schools, and Northside Elementary School.
The Alberta SuperNet is a model for the broadband future—everywhere - Steven M. Cherry, IEEE Spectrum
Nowadays, Pam Martin is facing challenges well beyond anything she was trained for in teachers' college, just a few years ago. Since September, she has been starring in a multimedia extravaganza. Besides the fresh, eager faces in front of her, there are ones she can only see in the two television monitors facing her. When a student leans forward to ask a question, he might be sitting at a desk a hundred kilometers away. When she turns to face him, she has to look at a camera high on the back wall of her own classroom. And when she asks him to come up to the board, it's really to an electronic whiteboard in his class that's connected to an identical one in her classroom by the same high-speed network that joins the cameras and television monitors. This pedagogical spectacle uses more than a million dollars in equipment for just six schools in the district—or division, as the Canadians call it—of Fort Vermilion, in the western province of Alberta. Wednesday, December 31, 2003
MDR: Schools that fail AYP are below average in tech use - Cara Branigan, eSchool News
Schools that have failed to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) are "slightly below average" when it comes to giving their students access to technologies such as multimedia computers, laptops, and high-speed internet service, a new report finds. Education research firm Market Data Retrieval (MDR) added a new focus area to its annual report that measures technology use in K-12 schools. This year "Technology in Education 2003" compares schools' technology penetration and use with student performance and whether the school is considered in need of improvement by NCLB standards.
Egypt enforces technology tools in elementary students - AME Info
Within the framework of activities for implementing the National Plan for communications and information technology, the Ministry signed yesterday an MOU with the Ministry of Education and Oracle to launch think.com in schools of Egypt. Implementing think.com, an educational environment new in Egypt for elementary students and teachers, is a reinforcement of the efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of CIT to boost ICT & learning aiming to create a future dependant on next generation learners and leaders. think.com is a free, web-based environment for primary and secondary students and teachers, designed to assist schools to incorporate state-of-the-art technology for educational purposes. Solutions are specifically designed to support and stimulate interactive collaboration and e-learning programs; bringing Internet resources into classrooms worldwide using Oracle technologies. think.com provides an innovative environment that allows students around the globe to develop technology skills necessary to communicate and prosper. Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Online learning - JEFF MILL , Middletown Press
The high school is ready to embark on a new online education program that could be a first step toward a revolution in learning. The Virtual High School program enables selected students to access some 150 online courses, including some taught by instructors overseas. It could herald the beginning of what one virtual learning provider calls "anytime, anywhere online learning." The Board of Education agreed to support the town’s participation in the VHS program after listening to an enthusiastic description of the program presented by curriculum coordinator Gina Gadue.
Niles expands online offerings, availability - JIM MEENAN, South Bend Tribune
Imagine going to school and dealing with a teacher you never see in person. Imagine interacting with them almost exclusively through written communication via a computer. Imagine having a question for your teacher and waiting days to get the answer. These are just part of the challenges facing 33 students at Niles Senior High School taking regular and advanced placement classes in a computer lab via the Michigan Virtual High School system. Monday, December 29, 2003
Your Personal Cyberlibrarian - Nelda Brangwin, Edutopia
Trying to find information about cultures and religions can be a daunting experience, particularly if you are from a region with limited library service. Filling the void is KidsConnect, which pairs 84 volunteer school librarians like me on the Internet with students from around the world who need answers to questions. We cyberlibrarians, all members of the American Association of School Librarians, help narrow students' areas of interest, and we suggest print and Internet resources that represent a variety of points of view. I field about 20 questions a month from elementary school students, and I always notice when it's spring: That's when teachers assign more research projects.
Online college essay services not the 'write' approach, educators say - eSchool News staff and wire service reports
High school seniors seeking help with their college applications now can find it online from among dozens of internet companies. But critics say receiving such assistance amounts to cheating. For about $80, a student can get a company such as With Honors Academic Editing Services, an internet company based in New York, to edit his or her college essay. Of the several companies offering this service, With Honors is unique in that all 50 of its editors graduated from Harvard University with honors. But some believe companies like With Honors aren't needed--or even honest. Sunday, December 28, 2003
Your school, your choice: Arizona parents have many options - Mel Meléndez, The Arizona Republic
When it comes to educating students in Arizona, parents have many choices. While most students attend public, private or charter facilities, more parents are opting for home schooling and online learning in virtual classrooms for their children. Still, parents need to do research because making the wrong choice could lead to disastrous academic results, said Bruce Ireland, chairman of Chandler High School's counseling department.
Portland students get expanded opportunity - Jeff Mill, Middletown Press
The high school is ready to embark on a new online education program that could be a first step toward a revolution in learning. The Virtual High School program enables selected students to access some 150 online courses, including some taught by instructors overseas. It could herald the beginning of what one virtual learning provider calls "anytime, anywhere online learning." The Board of Education agreed to support the town’s participation in the VHS program after listening to an enthusiastic description of the program presented by curriculum coordinator Gina Gadue. VHS is a Maynard, Mass.-based online education provider that functions as a cooperative. School systems essentially earn a seat at the table -- or in this case, seats in the classroom -- through their participation in the program. Educational Technology News Blog Archives OTEL - Ray's Home Page - Notebook - UIS Online - U of I Online - UIS Home Fair Use |
