Digital Directions March 2009: Stimulus Package Gives Boost to School Technology

[Howard Hartman]

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	March 2009
>> edTech @ Work TOP + Stimulus Package Gives Boost to School Technology Though advocates are disappointed the final amount was less than projected, they plan to maximize ways to use the infusion of federal money. (Education Week) + Crafting a New Generation of Assessments An Education Sector paper calls for using technology to better determine how students think during assessments. (Digital Directions) >> Audio Q&A_Expert Perspective TOP + Maximizing the Power of Online Advanced Placement Trevor Packer, a College Board vice president in charge of its Advanced Placement program, talks about why the popularity of online AP courses continues to grow and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of online course taking. (Digital Directions) >> IT Management_Tracking Performance TOP + Online-Grading Systems Keep Parents Informed A number of Maryland schools in the D.C. suburbs and beyond are installing online grading systems so students and their parents know exactly what their test scores and grades are almost instantaneously. (AP) >> e-Curriculum_Digital Travels TOP + Virtual Field Trips Open Doors for Multimedia Lessons Electronic visits grow as schools cut back on off-campus excursions to save money during tough economic times. (Education Week) >> Click It_Go-To Sites TOP + Top Picks for March • Exploratorium: A Web site for the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco, which encourages education through curious exploration. • Wiggio: A site that tackles the communication challenges of group projects. Click here to check out past Go-To Sites including an interactive résumé builder for students, a one-stop-shop for audio and video materials in the classroom, and a Web-based curriculum that helps teach responsible, effective Internet-safety skills to students. >> Gadgets & Games_Microsoft Research TOP + Microsoft Explores Educational Link to Video Games Microsoft Corp., which publishes "Gears of War," is studying the reactions of avid gamers to see whether video gaming can promote learning skills that carry over to the classroom. (AP) >> Blog_Digital Education TOP Check out the Digital Education blog for solutions and analyses for the technological challenges you face today. • Stimulus Watch: Did Ed Tech Get a Good Deal? • Stay Tapped In to Stimulus News With EdWeek Widget >> Digital Directions is on Twitter! TOP Receive ed-tech updates in 140 characters or less! Follow @digidirections or click on DD’s feed URL. >> DD Webinar_Technology Counts 2009 TOP Register for free to watch a Webinar on March 31 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern time about Technology Counts 2009, to be released on March 26, which examines how online learning is disrupting traditional ways of delivering education and what this means for educators as they rethink the best ways to improve their schools and raise achievement. This Webinar is sponsored by SAS. Upcoming Webinar: Creating Effective Teacher Professional Development in Tough Economic Times, March 26, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, sponsored by Blackboard. >> Special Collection_Stimulus Coverage TOP Need to know what the federal economic stimulus means for the nation’s schools and for you? Education Week editors have hand-picked essential news stories, infographics, and Commentaries on the stimulus for a timely package that is available now in a downloadable PDF. “Spotlight on the Stimulus” provides crucial perspective on the multibillion-dollar federal stimulus legislation. Get it now.	Advertisement View All Top School Jobs + Principal, Orion Charter Academy -- National Heritage Academies, Cincinnati OH + Principal -- New School Opening, Quest Charter Academy -- National Heritage Academies, Taylor MI + Middle School Principal, University Preparatory Academy, Detroit MI + Principal -- High School, Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy, Washington, DC Advertisement >> TechTalk TOP Chat Transcript: Disruptive Innovation in Education Clayton M. Christensen and Michael B. Horn answered questions about their book, Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns. Check out all the technology-related chat transcripts. Advertisement >> Technology Grants TOP + ESA Foundation Grant + Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program + Find more grants here. >> EdTech Events TOP + 33rd Annual MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning) Conference + Spring 2009 Technology Conference Digital Media in the Classroom: Active Learning with New Technologies + To search for more technology-related events, visit our online calendar of events.
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