Technology & Learning - January 2008 - (Page 17)

Greaves Group conducts the ADS survey, predict that as students increasingly become producers of media through social networking and multimedia, schools will find themselves more and more at the “tipping point” in bandwidth. That is, they’ll be at the point where just one more simulation or videoconference could top out the connection, resulting in timed-out sessions, dropped connections, and lost data. ADS2007 reports on a surprising twist on the bandwidth crisis. The ADS research team shows that there is a direct correlation between low income, rural districts, and an uncommonly high percentage of bandwidth per pupil. QED’s Jeanne Hayes says credit for that goes to E-rate, for its high level of funding to the country’s neediest districts. For all others, we suggest getting on board now to build in as much bandwidth capacity as you can afford. Michael Huffman says, truly “affordable, repeatable, and sustainable.” Another sure sign this budget-conscious solution has a future is that Dell and HP will soon offer affordable Linux-based desktops at dramatically reduced rates. Stay tuned for a future that mixes and matches commercial solutions with often-free offerings that allow schools and businesses to customize, innovate, and get out from under the weight of crippling annual fees. The par i t cipator Web. y If we were TIME magazine, we might name Web 2.0 (if it were a person, that is) TIME’s Person of the Year. Its impact has certainly been undeniable. Blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and organizational tools such as the Moodle learning management system, social calendars, and other document-sharing applica- The penguin is snowballing. The open source software solution Linux has been around since 1991, but it has reached a new level of friendliness, reliability, and interoperability that makes it more viable than ever for schools. Paired with one of the new low-cost computers such as the Eee PC from ASUS Technology ($299) and with open source software such as OpenOffice, the Linux solution is, as Indiana’s special assistant for technology tions have given voice to the silent, have invited input from the previously unsolicited, and have created communities of the like-minded. In fact, we’re so impressed by the power of the participatory Web, we’re beginning a whole new column in T&L on that topic (see “News & Trends,” page 4). However, as with TIME’s Person of the Year, sometimes the news is not all good. While we love the whole Gold Rush feel of it, the wild and wooly frontier of unvetted information can be dangerous for students—and for the world. Ed tech guru and trained librarian Kathy Schrock lauds the wiki for its collaboration, peer editing, note taking, and other uses but takes a more cautious view of public tools such as Wikipedia, which claims to be a “free encyclopedia” but offers no author names that students might investigate to determine authority and no information on the volunteer “editors” who monitor pages and create content. In this age of overflowing information, critical evaluation and savvy consumption of data is more important than ever. Let’s not forget those crucial library skills. Susan McLester is editor in chief of T&L. Trends We’d Like to See We’re closing our eyes and clicking our heels three times but we just can’t seem to get there (in any big way). Teacher Personal Microphones Critical Thinking Assessment Tools Videogames in School Real Innovation The Perfect Ubiquitous Tool Green Computing Technology & Learning January 2008 | 17

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Technology & Learning - January 2008 Contents Editor's Desk News & Trends Product Guide Reviews Cover Story: Ten Top Tech Trends ERP Makes a Comeback Tossing Out Textbooks LOY Profile Series Higher Ed How To Bottom Line What's New Emerging Tech

Technology & Learning - January 2008

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