THE Journal — Professional Development
Voyager Expands K-6 Teacher Professional Development Program
Voyager Expanded Learning recently announced an update to its VoyagerU Professional Development Program, which is aimed at K-6 teachers. The newly expanded program includes four additional courses, all focused on reading instruction.
(10/6/2008)
NSBA Names '20 To Watch' in Ed Tech, Lands Pew Grant for PreK Action Program
Who are the emerging role models for education technology leadership? The National School Boards Association released its annual list of 20 candidates this week, a list that recognizes teachers, technology directors, CIOs, librarians, and others who have demonstrated innovation in K-12 technology to make a positive impact on students and teachers. NSBA also announced that it's received a grant to support its efforts in preK education awareness.
(10/3/2008)
North Carolina Middle School Sees Academic Gains with 1:1 Laptop Program
Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School in North Carolina is claiming success for a 1:1 laptop program that it implemented about two years ago in a collaborative effort between industry and higher education.
(10/2/2008)
Online University Aims To Boost Rural Math and Science Teachers
In an effort to increase the number of graduates pursuing science and math teaching careers in rural areas, Western Governors University, an online university, is awarding 150 new scholarships through its new WGU Scholarships for Rural Mathematics and Science Educators program. A portion of a recent $3 million grant from the United States Department of Labor is funding the scholarships.
(10/1/2008)
NSF Awards $7 Million Grant for K-12 'College Ready in Math and Physics Partnership' Initiative
Researchers at the University of Arkansas have received a five-year, $7 million grant from the National Science Foundation to support an initiative aimed at improving preparation for K-12 teachers in science and math. The initiative, dubbed the "College Ready in Math and Physics Partnership," will pair faculty in the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith College of Education with teachers from 33 school districts in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
(10/1/2008)
PBS TeacherLine Releases New Peer Connection
PBS TeacherLine has upgraded its PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection in an effort to expand professional development resources for instructional coaches and teachers. The new version includes additional professional development modules and enhancements to the UI.
(9/30/2008)
Angel Launches Webinars Focused on LMS Adoption in K-12
Angel Learning has announced a series of free Webinars designed specifically for educators. The online series highlights the benefits of learning management systems for K-12 schools and districts.
(9/25/2008)
STEM Report Calls for Refocus in Education
A new report issued this week by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is calling for sweeping changes to bolster STEM education in the United States. Citing an impending shortfall in scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in this country, the report highlights the need to expose children to STEM early and to integrate these subjects throughout the curriculum, beginning as early as kindergarten.
(9/25/2008)
Expert Teachers: Building Knowledge Versus Conveying Information
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we discussed the problem of being a knowledge worker in an essentially task-based education system. Teachers who are pressured into transferring information to students at a rate that supports test taking rather than knowledge building face considerable challenges. Not only does the system itself not support this approach, there are others risks to face.
(9/17/2008)
NURFC Tackles Slavery Education Through K-12 Digital Media Program
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, an organization focused on historical and contemporary slavery issues, is expanding its reach through a new agreement to distribute educational videos electronically to K-12 schools. Through the Safari Montage video on demand platform, NURFC will make its standards-aligned educational content--digital media and supporting materials--available to students and teachers across the country.
(9/17/2008)
Teachers Domain Expands Content for Educators, Adds New Editions
Teachers Domain, a free online resource for educators, has announced expanded content in science, math, art, social studies, and language arts. The online library is also launching two new editions: Teachers' Domain College Edition, designed for higher education, and VITAL New York on Teachers' Domain, providing resources for New York teachers that are aligned with the state's core curriculum.
(9/9/2008)
Blackboard Debuts K-12 School Central
Learning management system developer Blackboard has formally launched its new Blackboard K-12 School Central, a hosted learning platform for Web-based course delivery, enhanced classroom instruction, and teacher professional development. The solution was previously available on a limited basis but is now in full rollout.
(9/8/2008)
Pearson Launches Teacher Education and Development Group
Pearson has announced the establishment of a new Teacher Education and Development Group, headed by Susan Badger, former CEO of Thompson Education.
(8/28/2008)
Virtual Academy Focuses Teachers on Reading Interventions
Scientific Learning has launched a new online teacher professional development service called Virtual Academy. The service provides Web-based training to instructors who use the company's Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant reading intervention programs.
(8/27/2008)
Michigan Nabs $60k Thinkfinity Grant
The Verizon Foundation has awarded a $60,000 grant to the Michigan Department of Education aimed at training teachers throughout the state to use Thinkfinity.org, a Web-based program that provides access to about 55,000 educational resources, including lesson plans and interactive tools and materials for K-12 students.
(8/21/2008)
SAS Adds New Features to Curriculum Pathways, Focuses on Core Skills
Analytics software and services provider SAS has announced new features for its SAS Curriculum Pathways platform, putting more of an emphasis on the skills necessary for students to excel in core classes such as math, science, English, social studies, and Spanish.
(8/12/2008)
Pennsylvania Expands 'Classrooms for the Future' to 543 High Schools
Pennsylvania is expanding its Classrooms for the Future program to 182 more high schools in 152 school districts for the 2008-2009 school year, bringing the total number of high schools in the program to 543 and the total number of participating districts to 453.
(8/5/2008)
Saugus USD To Launch Student Writing Collaboration Project
Saugus Union School District in Santa Clarita, CA is launching a new writing program for its fourth-grade students that couples writing and science using ultra-mobile devices and collaborative learning software, among other technologies. According to information supplied to us by the district, the initiative is being funded through a $1.4 million EETT competitive grant the district recently won.
(8/5/2008)
Utah Signs On for Technology-Based K-5 Reading Programs
The Utah State Board of Education has signed a five-year contract with Scientific Learning to deploy that company's Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant lines of technology-assisted reading programs.
(8/4/2008)
Atomic Debuts Training Modules for Assistive Technologies
Atomic Learning has launched a new series of online training materials for a range of assistive technologies used in education used by special ed instructors, parents, and other stakeholders.
(8/4/2008)
Green Survey: Are Schools Geared Up for Energy Reduction?
Information technology leaders in K-12 schools are more concerned about energy issues than their counterparts in every other sector--corporate, state/local, federal, and higher education. But they also feel least equipped to effect measures that would reduce energy consumption and energy costs, according to a new survey released Monday by CDW Government (CDW-G).
(8/4/2008)
Chicago District Rolls Out Differentiated Math Instruction to 44 Schools
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is ramping up its implementation of Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor, a research-based multimedia math curriculum. Through a deal announced this week, the district will provide the system to 25 high schools and 19 middle schools. Cognitive Tutor had previously been used in eight CPS schools.
(7/31/2008)
Learn.net Expands into Blended Learning
Training services provider Learn.net this week announced the acquisition of distance learning and collaboration software from Savant Technology Group. The acquisition is part of Learn.net's move into blended learning to provide training services for public and private sectors.
(7/17/2008)
PBS Launches Online Pre-K-12 Education Community
PBS launched a new online community for preK-12 educators that supports the advancement of digital media content and technology integration in education. PBS Teachers Connect allows teachers, school library media specialists, technology coordinators, early childhood educators, and others to share ideas, collaborate, and support the use of instructional technology and multimedia for student learning.
(7/16/2008)
Penn State Launches Teacher Training for Special Needs Students
Pennsylvania State University is launching a new teacher professional development program aimed at helping teachers address the needs of disabled students in general education classrooms. With Internet-delivered video lectures and online collaboration tools for participants, the program is open to current and prospective teachers around the country.
(7/14/2008)
