District Administration - May 2012 - (Page 75)

cio Technology from The cIo perspecTIve District Pinterest: The Newest Social Media Phenomenon Pinterest, the social media platform that allows users to create digital bulletin boards and to post images of Web sites, books, fashion, receipes and more, now sits third behind Twitter and Facebook in popularity, garnering well over 100 million users in 2012 thus far. Although relatively new, Pinterest “is gravitating toward becoming a bonafide educational tool,” says Eric Sheninger, principal at New Milford (N.J.) High School and winner of the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Digital Principals Award for 2012. Sheninger and others feel it is a new medium for sharing, collaborating and expanding your personal learning network (PLN). Sheninger is one Pinterest pioneer who explored the site and found considerable benefits for administrators and teachers. To begin, Sheninger found that Pinterest’s visual appeal made it ideal for bookmarking together images, links and videos. Boards on Pinterest can be open to multiple users to allow for brainstorming Tech DisrupTion 4G Bridges the Digital Divide in Rural Areas President Obama hopes to bring high-speed wireless Internet to all rural areas in the next five years with the National Wireless Initiative he announced last year. Michigan already has a head start in offering this to its students. Northern Michigan University (NMU), located about 500 miles northwest of Detroit, has set up the largest educational WiMAX 4G network in the nation to provide high-speed Internet access to all K12 and college students in the area. A WiMAX network delivers wireless service to large geographical areas. In 2009, the NMU IT team added antennas to the top of a water tank that sits in the middle of Powell Township, which is near the university on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This project was funded by Intel, which donated wireless equipment, and Lenovo, which donated 4G- capable laptops. At 100 megabits per second, Connecting to the Internet—especially through the new wireless network is 100 times 4G—improves the one-to-one teaching experience faster than before. Since last school in the classroom and at home. year, students in the Powell Township School District have had access to the WiMAX network at school and home. David Maki, chief technical officer at NMU, says that Powell Township had P1 service, which operated at 1.5 megabits per second, making it impossible to use online resources efficiently. The WiMAX network has changed the way students learn in the K12 classroom and at NMU. It has allowed K12 students to download digital content and has made distance education a possibility, he adds. Lenovo is also working to extend 4G access in rural schools by making all of their tablets and laptops 4G capable. Michael Schmedlen, director of worldwide education and public health care at Lenovo, says universal access is a must, as more states are legislating that K12 students take at least two online courses to graduate from high school. 4G operates at up to 10 times the speed of 3G, making it much easier to stream and download educational content. “The transition from 3G to 4G will be very significant in the delivery of rich curricular resources. It will level the playing field for students who can’t afford broadband access and allow schools to feel secure to take the next steps toward digital textbooks and online assessments,” states Schmedlen. While Intel and Lenovo funded the initiative at NMU, federal funds may be available for other districts nationwide seeking 4G capabilities. “The best route for schools to finance this type of project is to review what is available through e-Rate, shop around for a quote, apply for a grant through the Department of Education, and work with a mobile virtual network operator,” says Schmedlen. —Courtney Williams www.DistrictAdministration.com among teachers or administrators and for student collaboration. The highly collaborative nature of the boards is an intriguing way to engage students. Sheninger has six boards for administrators on Pinterest: iPad Apps for Administrators, Personal Learning Network, Chrome Extensions, Educational Videos, Web 2.0 Tools for Educators, and Twitter Resources, Apps and Tools. With so many social media outlets available to share information, Sheninger says Pinterest is another platform worth exploring.—Marion Herbert May 2012 75 http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - May 2012

District Administration - May 2012
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Sustainability Update
Conversations
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Problem/Solution
Product Focus
Digital Reading Empowers Students
The Critical Task of Hiring a New Chief
Hard Acts to Follow
Leading the Way
Sally Reis & Joe Renzulli
CIO News
Not Your Mother’s Student Information System
Professional Opinion
Noteworthy Books
New Products
Going Mobile

District Administration - May 2012