Loyal readers may notice that the weekly round-up of news stories and commentary – A Thinking Person’s Guide to EdTech News – has been on a hiatus for a few weeks. I have been working on a new and eye-opening research project.
Posts in category Blog
In the News: On Cybercriminals Making Direct Threats Against Students
Designed as they are to target children and families and generate fear, this series of attacks represents a significant evolution of the types of online threats facing schools.
In the News: When Twitter Goes Bad
What recourse do schools have when their Twitter accounts get compromised?
It turns out, maybe not much…
Scant Details, Fuzzy Math in $500 Million Public-Private Computer Science Education Push
Over the last two days, the Trump Administration and the Internet Association have coordinated to announce over $500 million in public and private support for K-12 computer science education. What do we know about the nature of these commitments and how schools and students will benefit? As of the time of announcement, scant details are available.
In the News: On the Nevada Ready 21 1:1 Laptop Program
Nevada doubles down on its (modest) statewide 1:1 program. What will this mean for Nevada students?
In the News: On School Surveillance Threats
These days, fingerprint scanners and cameras are regular parts of school life—on the ceilings watching students walk, and on their laptops analyzing their facial expressions. While surveillance tools could yield benefits for safety, performance development and security, they also raise thorny security and privacy issues.
This is fine.
In the News: On Conflicts of Interest in EdTech
The increasingly common practice of public school teachers affiliating with edtech companies deserves greater scrutiny. On social media many educators proudly tout their corporate affiliations as proof of their digital learning expertise, much like NASCAR drivers wear corporate patches on their uniforms. I don’t know where we should draw the line on conflict of interest policies here, but I am convinced it is past due time to revisit those policies for a digital age.
EdTech Strategies Joins 500+ Small Businesses in Support of Preserving Net Neutrality
EdTech Strategies joins over 500 small businesses in an open letter to FCC and Congress urging them to preserve net neutrality.
K-12 Cyber Incident Map: 8 School Districts Have Experienced Multiple Cyber Incidents Since 2016
One interesting and potentially concerning trend that has emerged in compiling data for the K-12 Cyber Incident Map is that the number of schools and/or districts that have experienced multiple cyber incidents is increasing. This may be due to an increased reliance on technology for teaching, learning and school operations as compared to other districts and hence a greater exposure to cyber risks. It could be due to bad luck. Or, it could be a sign of a lack of expertise, resources, and/or attention to cyber security issues. To aid policymakers, researchers, administrators, and others in understanding this trend, I have decided to compile and begin to report more detailed information about these schools and districts.
