ARCHIVE
October 27, 2011
Mark your calendars: Digital Learning Day is February 1, 2012. http://www.digitallearningday.org/
October 4, 2011
T.H.E. Journal: Driving Digital Change by Geoff Fletcher
Several states have taken steps to make adopting digital content easier for schools. Not all have been entirely successful yet, but their early mistakes can be guideposts for others considering the same thing.
September 16, 2011
USA Today: White House Details Plans for More Digital Learning by Greg Toppo
Plans are released for the National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies, also known as Digital Promise.
September 13, 2011
Education Next: How Digital Learning Can (and Must) Help Excellent Teachers Reach More Children by Bryan Hassel
Bryan Hassel proposes various strategies enabling digital tools to help the top 25% of teachers reach more students.
September 8, 2011
World of Learning - Knowledge Works: Making School Innovation Work: Why Are We Still Arguing Over the Merits of Digital Learning? by Lillian Pace
September 6, 2011
Mind Shift: In Classroom of Future, Outdated Testing Can't Keep Up by Tina Barseghian
In this response to the New York Times article of September 3, Tina Barseghian makes the case that standardized tests are not the appropriate measure for the success or detriment of technology use in the classroom.
September 3, 2011
The New York Times: In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores by Matt Richtel
Read both sides of the "conundrum" of schools investing millions in technology without the rise in test scores.
September 3, 2011
Official Wire: Many U.S. Schools Adding iPads, Trimming Textbooks by Stephanie Reitz
School-issued iPads are the latest back to school tool--examine the impact on students and the textbook industry.
September 1, 2011
Principal Leadership: Digital Content: Making Learning Relevant by Doug Levin. State examples are provided demonstrating changes at the state and district level in acquiring content. As well, cultural and policy issues are discussed.
August 31, 2011
SOETALK from the Hechinger Report: What Will the Digital School Look Like in 15 Years?
In this interview with Bob Wise, co-chair of the Digital Learning Council, he defines and forecasts digital learning.
August 30, 2011
High School Soup: Alliance for Excellent Education blog: Going Digital in Alabama by Mariana Haynes
Mariana Haynes learned first hand about Alabama's ACCESS program by spending a few days with Melinda Maddox, SETDA members, administrators, and teachers.
August 2011
Digital Learning Environment Blogs: Students Getting Social at School by Art Titzel
Art Titzel shares his plans for his students in the upcoming school year, including opening the school's filtering system and allowing the use of social learning.
August 23, 2011
Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education: School is OPEN! by Letha Kay Goger
This articles include seven tips on using OER in the classroom setting.
August 1, 2011
Heartlander: Utah Passes First 'High-Quality' Digital Learning Law; Districts Seek Guidance by Ben Degrow
Utah's new digital learning law is the first in the country to all ten elements of high-quality learning as outlined by the Digital Learning Council; however, the law presents some challenges in how students register and take online courses and how the courses are financed.
July 29, 2011
Achieve Releases OER Quality Rubrics
Open Educational Resources (OER) offer opportunities for increasing equity and access to high-quality K–12 education. Many state education agencies now have offices devoted to identifying and using OERs and other digital resources in their states. To help states, districts, teachers, and other users determine the degree of alignment of OERs to the Common Core State Standards, and to determine aspects of quality of OERs, Achieve has developed eight rubrics in collaboration with leaders from the OER community. Be sure to take a look: http://www.achieve.org/oer-rubrics.
Creating Sound Policy for Digital Learning
Will the move toward virtual and “hybrid” schools in American education repeat the mistakes of the charter-school movement, or will it learn from them? Frederick M. Hess of the American Enterprise Institute weighs in by exploring the pros and cons of input regulation, outcome-based accountability, and market signals as solutions to the quality challenge. In the end, he recommends demanding transparent financial information from providers, holding them to account for student achievement gains whenever possible, and developing “crowd-sourcing” reporting systems to help educators, parents, and students identify the most effective purveyors of online learning. Read this important paper published by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute here.
July 24, 2011
AL.com: Baldwin County Schools Set to Test All-digital Transformation by Connie Baggett, Press-Register
Baldwin County High School is about to experience a "Digital Renaissance". This fall, each student will receive a laptop, and digital resources will replace traditional textbooks. This is a pilot program for Baldwin County, Alabama modeled after a similar program in Mooresville, NC.
Webinar on Thursday, July 28: Digital Learning and Technology sponsored by The Alliance for Excellent Education. Guest speakers are Karen Cator, U.S. Department of Education and Bob Wise, President of Alliance for Excellent Education
July 20, 2011
The Future of Education blog: Thoughts on Digital Learning by Josse Moyer
Mr. Moyer, in his blog entry, refutes arguments made against digital learning.
July 14, 2011
The New York Egotist: NY Board of Regents Promotes Digital Learning by Amanda Walgrove
A new policy changing the seat-time requirements for high school students opens the door for more virtual learning opportunities.
July 13, 2011
Education Week: New Florida Law Enables Direct Full-Time Online Enrollment by Ian Quillen
More explanation and outcomes of Florida's Digital Learning Now Act are explored, including the enrollment of students in the Florida Virtual School without previous enrollment in a brick and mortar school, high school online course requirement, and statewide assessments online by 2014-2015.
July 11, 2011
Time Magazine: Bookless Library Trend: Designing Space for Digital Learning by Tim Newcomb
The exploration of new 'bookless' college libraries spark the exploration and contemplation of the definition of a library.
June 29, 2011
Digital Education: Unpacking Personal Learning Environments by Katie Ash
The 2011 K-12 Horizon Report listed personal learning environments (PLEs) as a technology to watch in the coming year. In this article, Katie Ash defines PLEs and shares information she learned from ISTE 2011 on the topic. PLEs represent more of a process then a technology in helping students organize, gather, and research resources.
June 29, 2011
Chicago Tribune: Teen Media Center Branching Out by Tom Mullaney
Chicago libraries are providing teens technology and digital media in their "YouMedia Centers"; the popularity of this program has inspired the city to open three more.
June 14, 2011
Kidscreen: The Top-five Things on our Radar this Month.
Number one on the list is "gamification", though, as noted, that word may already be out of date to be replaced with "neo-media". Whatever the title, the concept of digital-based learning tools and games draws attention with the endorsement of Bill Gates and the pledge of $20 million for upcoming development.
June 14, 2011
Northwest Cable News: Former Governors Talk Education Reform by Natalie Podgorski.
The Spokesman-Review: Eye on Boise: Bush, Wise Say Digital Learning is Future of Education
Former governors Jeb Bush and Bob Wise were in Boise sharing their experience with digital learning and education reform.
June 14, 2011
Tampa Bay Online: Schools Weigh Benefits of Digital Textbooks.
Part of the new Florida education law, schools will be required to adopt digital textbooks by the 2015-16 school year and spend 50% of their textbook budgets on digital materials. Clearwater High School has already made steps in switching to digital materials, including the use of Kindles.
June 13, 2011
Education Week: A Special Report on Multimedia in Schools.
This report "examines the many ways multimedia tools are transforming teaching and learning as schools work to raise achievement and prepare students for careers that require increasingly sophisticated uses of technology." The full pdf is available to download from this webpage as well as related articles.
June 8, 2011
The New York Times: Digital Textbooks Slow to Catch On by Natalia Rachlin.
A recent study conducted by Pearson shows students prefer print textbooks to digital. However, “There’s really no telling where the market will go, or how this will play out — none of us know the answer, but the tablet is creating some really exciting opportunities,” said Jeff Shelstad, chief executive of Flat World Knowledge, a publisher of college textbooks.
June 6, 2011
edReformer: Florida's Digital Learning Bill Becomes Law by Katherine VanderArk.
Read more about Florida's new law and their efforts of providing students with customized educational opportunities utlizing technology.
June 2, 2011
Digital Learning Now: How Blended Learning Can Help Turn Around Struggling Schools
View video of the Alliance for Excellent Education showcase event featuring four school districts that use digital learning and technology to improve student performance.
June 2, 2011
Going to ISTE? Join the Birds of a Feature session, "Open Education and Open Educational Resources" on Tuesday, June 28 from 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm. This will be an informal discussion to explore the potential of OER. Help strategize the future of OER in K-12. Also, check out other OER and open source-related sessions at ISTE this year.
June 2011
Maine Teachers Use of Technology: Technology and Open Educational Resources 2010 Survey Results. Maine shares the results of survey conducted to better understand the use of technology and Open Educational Resources.
May 30, 2011
GeekWire: Practical Nerd: Three 'Secrets' of the Digital Classroom by Frank Catalano.
Fresh from the Ed Tech Industry Summit recently held in San Francisco, Frank Catalano discusses trends, aside from the more obvious of one-to-one computing and digital textbooks, that will be playing a large part in K-12 classrooms this decade: Interactive white boards, open educational resources (OER), and adaptive instruction.
May 27, 2011
Education Week, Curriculum Matters blog: Common-Standards Supports Eyed for Teachers by guest blogger Stephen Sawchuk.
Five states have adopted the Common Core State Standards and are working to develop a resource repository resources in a free, open-access format.
May 27, 2011
Tampa Bay Online - Highlands Today: Who Needs a Bulky Textbook?
Online textbooks and testing making changes in the classroom and budgets in Pinellas County, Florida.
May 26, 2011
MindShift: It’s Here: A Science Book That’s Always Up-to-Date by Audrey Watters
This article notes changes in the publishing industry in creating and updating e-books for the classroom.
May 2011
Digital Learning Environment Blogs: From Cave Paintings to Google Earth by Tonia Lovejoy
Read Tonia Lovejoy's viewpoint of the implications of digtial learning, from the tools to the way we think.
May 24, 2011
Senate Press: Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers Named Digital Leader by Foundation for Excellence in Education
May 26, 2011
The Stanford Press: U.S. Tech Chief Enlightens Farm
“On the education front, Chopra described a need to move from print to digital learning. For example, he spoke about the development of digital tutors, a machine learning system that determines student’s needs and then presents materials in a way that best matches individual’s level and learning style.”
May 19, 2011
Converge: Maybelle the Cockroach Sparks Digital Learning Adventures by Tanya Roscorla
Read about the adventures of this cockroach and the excitement of students as they digitally read and document their learning adventures.
May 19, 2011
Times- News Magic Valley: Foundation Donates $21M to Luna Plan. The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation is donating $21 million to the Idaho State Department of Education to assist in equipping classrooms with new technology, including the implementation of SchoolNet software.
March 3, 2011 - Sharing Open Educational Resources, State Projects
SETDA, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and EducationCounsel hosted a webinar on February 22. 2011 showcasing state Open Educational Resources (OER) initiatives across the country. The discussion featured state projects and discussions with nationally recognized experts about sharing high-quality open educational resources. Presenters included: Cable Green (Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges), Gary Lopez (Monterey Institute for Technology and Education) and SETDA's own Jeff Mao (Maine Learning Policy Technology Director). Access the webinar archive.
March 7, 2011
T.H.E. Journal, Digital Learning and School Reform Now! A new bipartisan initiative seeks to leverage technology to challenge some long-held assumptions about education in the United States by Geoffrey H. Fletcher.
