Week of: June 2, 2008
- Teens Talk Tech
"Teens Plugged In," the second annual Teens in Technology conference held by Silicon Valley non-profit SDForum, brought together more than 180 students, teachers, developers and investors for a day this May at the Hewlett-Packard Auditorium in Palo Alto, California. The conference gave talented young techies a chance to connect with businesses seeking to understand them both as customers and as future employees. "Teens are developing software and creating companies. They are the next generation of professionals in technology," says Susan Lucas-Conwell, CEO of SDForum. - What you have and how you use it
A new study from research firm Quality Education Data (QED), surveys educators about the types of digital media they use, the barriers and they barriers they face using them. "The findings from the new State of Digital Content report underscore the importance of schools across America making a commitment to providing access to up-to-date, relevant technology for both students and teachers," says Andy Lacy, President, QED. "Teachers are telling us that they recognize the importance of technology as both a motivator and an instructional tool and as an essential part of a 21st century classroom." Highlights of the results are after the jump. - Making it safe
Results are in from CDW-G's 2008 School Safety Index and are decidedly mixed. According to the report, school districts improved their physical safety score by 39 percent over 2007, while their cyber safety score declined by 25 percent in the same time period. "School districts both large and small are embracing advanced technology tools and techniques to make school a safer place for our children," says Bob Kirby, senior director K-12, CDW-G. "Cyber- and physical-security tools - from network access control to security cameras - are allowing administrators to see into and lock down their networks and school buildings, but schools continue to be frustrated by budget and staff constraints, particularly in their IT security programs." - Making it safe
Results are in from CDW-G's 2008 School Safety Index and are decidedly mixed. According to the report, school districts improved their physical safety score by 39 percent over 2007, while their cyber safety score declined by 25 percent in the same time period. "School districts both large and small are embracing advanced technology tools and techniques to make school a safer place for our children," says Bob Kirby, senior director K-12, CDW-G. "Cyber- and physical-security tools - from network access control to security cameras - are allowing administrators to see into and lock down their networks and school buildings, but schools continue to be frustrated by budget and staff constraints, particularly in their IT security programs." - What's NewThe new LanSchool v7.1 classroom management system still monitors student activities while limiting students' access to the Internet, IM, and games, but the latest version includes thumbnails that can be arranged to look like the classroom. Extra small thumbnail sizes allow teachers to see up to 80 screens without scrolling. Teachers can now also limit the use of student USB thumb drives. www.lanschool.com
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