It is time to reboot the social contract for public education in a digital age. At the same time, we must remain clear-eyed and recognize the ways in which technology also introduces new issues and potential threats. What we need are terms of service that provide every student and their family assurances that their interests remain at the fore.
Newly published, peer-reviewed research finds that one-to-one laptop programs improve student academic achievement in K-12 classrooms. Given the top line finding, I suspect the study will garner much attention and – at the same time – be subject to much spin. Here is my summary of the study, with accompanying analysis of what we can reasonably conclude from the findings.
Education Week has put together a real cracker of a series on the challenges of ensuring school broadband access in rural communities – and how the FCC’s E-rate is helping to address the situation. For me, it starkly reveals the shortcomings of the Obama Administration’s broadband strategy for rural schools and what’s still left to do.
According to an alarming new study, school districts are routinely sharing individual student data about discipline with colleges as part of the admissions process, and colleges are in turn using that data to deny admissions to students. With no empirical evidence to support the practice, a lack of written policy, and demonstrable harm to students, this practice must cease.
High school teachers are routinely assigning homework that requires the use of the Internet. Yet, not every student has easy access to computers and the internet outside of school. A new study sheds light on the scope and consequence of the issue.
