Technology & Learning - April 2008 - (Page 10)

In its fifth annual survey of more than 367,000 educators and students, Project Tomorrow found a growing “digital disconnect” between what role technology should play in the classroom and how well schools are preparing students for the workplace. While 66 percent of school administrators think their schools are “doing a good job preparing students for the jobs and careers of the future,” more than 40 percent of middle and high school students said teachers actually limit their use of technology. In addition, 45 percent of middle and high school students indicated that tools meant to protect them, such as firewalls and filters, actually inhibit their learning. The Consortium for School Networking’s latest initiative is designed to help superintendents build their knowledge and skills to become more effective, visionary technology leaders. “Empowering the 21st Century Superintendent” will provide superintendents with the latest tools and resources to understand the transformative role of education technology and jumpstart an in-depth discussion about the common educational issues superintendents face and how technology can address those issues. To support the initiative, the Pearson Foundation and CoSN developed a four-minute video that presents superintendents’ personal thoughts about their own roles as catalysts for 21st -century learning. Virginia is the first state to mandate Internet safety classes at all grade levels. The concerns about the increased levels of threat children face as they surf the Net—from inappropriate contact via e-mail, phishing scams, and the potential dangers of social networking sites. While Virginia is the only state to require online safety education, Texas and Illinois have passed Internet safety education laws and several other states have passed anticyberbullying measures. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awarded more than $1.8 million to the Indiana University School of Education to expand the immersive learning environment Quest Atlantis. Quest Atlantis is a National Science Foundation-funded learning and teaching project that uses a 3-D multi-user environment to immerse children, ages 9 to 12, in educational tasks. Currently more than 4,500 registered users from five continents use Quest Atlantis in formal school environments as well as in after-school settings. 10 | www.techlearning.com The Software & Information Industry Association launched its Vision K–20 Initiative last month, which is designed to serve as a guide for educational institutions to implement technology district- and campus-wide. To achieve its vision for K–20 education, SIIA has laid out a number of goals for the education community to reach within 3–5 years, including wide use of 21st-century tools, mastering differentiated learning options and resources to close achievement gaps, employing technologybased assessment tools, and using technology to enable the enterprise. For more information, go to www.siia .net/visionk20/pages/achieve.html. techlearning.com For more information about these stories, go to www.techlearning.com/april http://www.siia.net/visionk20/pages/achieve.html http://www.siia.net/visionk20/pages/achieve.html http://www.siia.net/visionk20/pages/achieve.html http://www.techlearning.com http://www.techlearning.com http://www.techlearning.com/April http://www.techlearning.com

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Technology & Learning - April 2008 Contents New @ techlearning.com Editor's Desk News and Trends Digital Age Assessment: Part 2 Anytime, Anywhere Learning Caught on Video Cover Story: Plan and Deliver Cutting Edge in Carolina Product Guide Reviews Best of the Blogs What's New LOY Profile Series

Technology & Learning - April 2008

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