Open source doesn’t have to be an either/or decision 100@30 honoree David Thornburg on the state of Edtech VOLUME 30 NUMBER 9
techlearning.com
IDEAS AND TOOLS FOR ED TECH LEADERS
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PUT TO THE TEST: Study Island, Epson PowerLite Presenter, Novlet, and more BOARD REVIEW How schools really use IWBs
SMART Response XE
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HP EliteBook 2740p
Class Acts
New tools for reaching digital natives mimio Interactive
Promethean ACTIVBoard
Luidia eBeam
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PRODUCTS
SCHOOL CIO Open source or proprietary?
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Put to the Test: T&L editors take some new products for a test drive.
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When it comes to assessment solutions, it doesn’t have to be an either/or decision. By Pam Derringer
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FEATURES
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APRIL 2010
20 dataMetrics TestWiz
20 Epson PowerLite Presenter 22 Study Island 22 Novlet
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The Big Picture: A conversation with Jerry Weast
All Aboard
Nearly 750,000 interactive whiteboards were sold worldwide in 2009. The variety of options continues to grow, which makes your purchasing decision that much more complicated. Take notes on what these schools have done.
40 What’s New
While the superintendent of Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools has spent more than 40 years in education, he is not one to rely on the phrase “That’s how we’ve always done it.” Read about how technology is the cornerstone in building this distinguished school district.
Absolute Manage • Algebra I: A Function Approach Part 2 • Auralia 4 and Musition 4 • AutoRoster • BigUniverse.com • ClassLink Perkins Data Portal • ePath Knowledge • GradeSpeed SIS • Lexia Reading • Literacy Advantage • PeerMark • Surpass Safari 6 • Boxlight ProjectoWrite2/W • Bretford Intelligent Laptop Computer cart • Elmo CO-10 • NB Series Mobile Powered Workstations • Qwizdom Q6 Student Response System • REALiS SX6 Multimedia LCOS Projectors • SMART Response XE • The Torch • and more
DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS 6 Editor’s Desk Putting policy in perspective.
8 News & Trends • Next Big Thing: Windows • • • • •
MultiPoint Server 2010 National Education Technology Plan released in March Video game design grant Webcam spying case New center to develop and promote accessible images Secretary Duncan launches new education portal
• Poll says unified communications gaining ground
• Top 10 tools to create digital books • Five ways innovative educators can use texting to spice up teaching
• Student bloggers • Back-office business 50 They Said It 100@30 honoree David Thornburg on the state of edtech. Tech & Learning (ISSN-1053-6728) (USPS 695-590) is published monthly by NewBay Media, LLC 810 Seventh Ave., 27th Floor, New York, NY 10019; POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tech & Learning, PO Box 8746, Lowell, MA 01853 Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Copyright ©2010 NewBay Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
TECH & LEARNING
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[email protected] Professional development, funding, and free stuff: Check out our Web offerings from teachers, administrators, and tech coordinators.
CHECK OUT THE MOST-READ STORIES ON TECHLEARNING.COM Copy. Paste. Done. Bob Sprankle explores how to go “under the hood” and use Google’s advanced search, and other ways students can
ondemand Take a look at the following resources from our partner sites:
conduct smarter Web research.
A Skype Odyssey Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano offers some advice about making
RESOURCE Industry Leadership Showcase
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Ideas for Schools and Teachers to Use and Save Money
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David Andrande shares his favorite free resources for the
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classroom.
The Tech&Learning 100@30
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As part of our 30th-anniversary celebrations,
Tech&Learning is compiling a compendium of the most important people in edtech. We add to this list each week, so check back in regularly to see who else will be added.
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Check techlearning.com for updates
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editor’s desk
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Publisher: Allison Knapp
[email protected]; (510) 868-5074; Fax: (650) 238-0263 EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Kevin Hogan
[email protected] A LITTLE MORE ACTION
Managing Editor: Christine Weiser
[email protected] Editorial Interns: Amir Hardy, Clea Mahoney Senior Art Director: Nicole Cobban
[email protected] Art Director: Annmarie LaScala
This past month, three extremely important tomes were released that will have substantial impact on our nation’s schools. The DOE unveiled its National Educational Technology Plan, entitled “Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology.” Likewise, the administration’s much-anticipated NCLB tonic, entitled “Blueprint for Reform,” also made its debut. Last, but certainly not least, came the FCC’s National Broadband Plan.
Contributing Editors: Jeffrey Branzburg, Judy Salpeter, Gwen Solomon Custom Editorial Director: Gwen Solomon
[email protected] ADVISORS David Warlick, Ryan Bretag, Patrick Higgins, David Andrade, Dean Shareski, Scott Meech, Kim Cofino, Darren Draper, Terry Freedman, Cheryl Oakes, Bob Sprankle, Lisa Thumann, Jen Wagner, Lisa Nielsen TECHLEARNING.COM Web Production: Minnick Web Services Assistant Web Editor: Diana Restifo ADVERTISING SALES
I will admit to not reading them in their entirety. They’re not exactly page-turners. But from what I have scoured of them and their executive summaries and the bloggy analysis of said summaries, one thing is certain: a lot of people will continue to spend a lot of time, energy, ink, and pixels debating the finer points for a long time to come.
East Coast Sales Manager: Caliann Mitoulis
[email protected]; (215) 370-5813
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[email protected] CIRCULATION
And while I can be as wonky as the next guy, I have to say I am wearied by all the talking. After all, it’s been six years since I’ve been covering the ramifications of NCLB on the edtech space. Six years on, its actual effects, good or ill, are still unclear.
Group Circulation Director: Denise Robbins
[email protected] Circulation Director: Anne Drobish
[email protected] REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS Wright’s Reprints: (877) 652-5295 EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES
In the meantime, teachers and administrators around this country have moved forward with new initiatives and innovations to improve the way we educate our students, policies be damned. That’s what we’re focused on reporting here in the pages of T&L and online at techlearning.com. And it’s what we hope our federal, state, and local officials will take to heart. As Elvis was fond of singing, how about “A little less conversation, a little more action.”
810 Seventh Ave., 27th Floor, New York, NY 10019 Phone: (212) 378-0400; Fax: (650) 238-0263 For general editorial correspondence:
[email protected] NEWBAY MEDIA LLC—CORPORATE President & CEO: Steve Palm Chief Financial Officer: Paul Mastronardi NEWBAY MEDIA K-12 EDUCATION GROUP Vice President, Group Publishing Director: Adam Goldstein Publisher: Allison Knapp Editorial Director: Kevin Hogan Editorial/Creative Director: Anthony Savona Web Editor: Rob Granger Web Production Specialist: Ashley Vermillion SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION $29.95 per year in the U.S. $59.90 for two years. $39.95 in Canada and Mexico. $69.95 in all other countries. To subscribe: (888) 266-5828 or www.techlearning.com
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newstrends
by T&L editors
nextbigthing
denisbul Think Thin As budgets keep shrinking, schools keep hunting for low-cost-per-seat options. And while the concept of thin client computing has been around for some time, Microsoft’s recent announcement for “shared resource computing” keeps the solution viable. The new Windows MultiPoint Server 2010 operating system enables many people to connect to a single host computer with their own monitors, keyboards, and mice through USB or a video card. Each user individually controls his or her own station. Microsoft partners with a number of hardware companies including HP, with its MultiSeat Computing Solution, and with Ncomputing, whose desktop virtualization software is called vSpace, to provide virtual desktops to low-cost thin clients.
Windows MultiPoint Server 2010 (www.microsoft.com/windows/multipoint/default.aspx)
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newstrends WEBCAM SPYING CASE
TEXTBOOK DEATHWATCH Some people say the future of education in the digital age means that eventually we will not need traditional printed textbooks in the classroom any longer. They believe the textbook is going away. Other people say the future of education in the digital age means that although we will develop new ways to use technology, we will always need the printed textbook. They believe the textbook is not going away. Which opinion is closer to your own?
YES
NO
73% ADMINISTRATORS
65% TOTAL
53% 47%
TEACHERS
TEACHERS
35%
The story of one-to-one took an ugly turn in suburban Philadelphia this February when a Lower Merion School District student filed a federal lawsuit that accused school officials of using remotecontrol software to invade his privacy. According to news reports, an assistant principal confronted this student because she thought that a photo and screen image showed he might be dealing drugs. The district says it turned the student’s computer camera on because, as he had not paid a $55 insurance fee, he should not have been taking it home, the article reports. At press time, officials continue to investigate the case. Watch for Tech & Learning’s continued coverage of this story online and in print. What do you think? Share your opinions at www.techlearning.com.
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ADMINISTRATORS
SOURCE: ASCD PULSE POLL RESULTS/PREPARED FOR COMPASSLEARNING
T&L ASKS READERS 3D projectors and displays are all the rage at this year’s tech shows. Can you see it working in your classroom? See more polls at techlearning.com.
39%
Maybe. Sounds great but how effective will it be?
48%
Absolutely. Should be a great enhancement.
13%
No. Sounds like a fad to me.
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National Education Technology Plan Released in March The Office of Educational Technology released a draft of a National Education Technology Plan on March 5. The plan is designed to “provide the context and vision for how information and communication technologies can help transform American education. The plan provides a set of concrete goals to inform state and local educational technology plans, as well as recommendations to inspire research, development, and innovation.” Where does your state fit in? Visit http://nces.ed.gov/forum/ datamodel/ to find out.
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newstrends Poll says unified communications gaining ground CDW-G released its second annual Unified Communications Tracking Poll, based on a survey of 915 IT professionals who work on unified communications (UC) or component technologies in business, government, health care, and education. The poll concluded that members of organizations in all sectors, including K-12, believe that UC lowers costs and improves their effectiveness. Highlights include:
Top 10 Tools for Creating Digital Books
The percentage of organizations that have prepared a business case or strategic plan for UC adoption increased from 55% in 2009 to 67% in 2010.
71%
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percent of organizations that have fully implemented UC and track return on investment say that ROI has met or exceeded their expectations.
54% of IT executives said that reduced operating costs is the top bene-
fit of UC, followed by increased productivity (50 percent) and more reliable communication (44 percent). In higher education, public institutions are more likely than ones to have prepared a business case or strategic plan for UC.
private
K-12 institutions, new to the tracking poll in 2010, see emergency notification as a key benefit of UC technology and are likely to be planning to deploy a mass notification system within a year.
Sites We Like: www.brainpopjr.com/ reading/comprehension/ makeinferences In this movie, students learn how to infer, or use what they know or see to come up with ideas. They’ll explore ways to observe and find clues that can help reveal the message of a book, essay, or paragraph.
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1. Mixbook: The best site for creating a book to either share with others digitally or order in the form of hard copy. Also, educators can create student accounts for better management. 2. BookRix: One of the best sites for advertising your digital book; very user-friendly, and a nice social environment. 3. Panraven: A nice site for creating, sharing, and purchasing your digital book. 4. Book Builder: Site for creating digital books. 5. PDF Flash: Upload a PDF to create a professional-looking Flash-based digital book. 6. MyPublisher: Free software that allows users to create colorful photo or digital books. 7. Tabblo: Create a user account to make digital books with photos. 8. SmileBooks: Create beautiful storybooks online or download their software to store on your hard drive. 9. Blurb: Site for making photo books to order. 10. Lulu: Create print or ebooks with this user-friendly site. David Kapuler is the media and technology specialist at the Greendale (WI) School District. Read his blog at http://cyberkap.blogspot.com.
TECH & LEARNING
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FIVE WAYS INNOVATIVE EDUCATORS CAN USE TEXTING TO SPICE UP TEACHING Texting as an Efficient and Effective Communication Tool: Texting has become a dominant communication tool for educators because it has proven more efficient and effective than other forms of communication among colleagues.
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Enhancing the Home-School Connection with Notification Services: For educators in schools, texting has become more important as SMS notification tools increase parents’ involvement in their children’s school lives. Texting and email alert systems
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increase communication between home and school. Free Audience Response System: Poll Everywhere provides educators with a simple method for sharing their voices and ideas right from their phones. No equipment needed or software to download. Within seconds, educators have their audience’s responses. SMS Tweeting from Your Phone to Gain Collective Intelligence on Topics of Importance: Twitter is a great tool for schools to use to share interesting
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and relevant information with the student body, staff, their parents, and their families. Google SMS as an Educational Tool That Can Be Used Directly from Your Phone: Once you have Google in your address book, you have tapped into an unlimited trove of knowledge and information. —Lisa Nielsen blogs for Tech & Learning and at http://TheInnovativeEducator. blogspot.com
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VIDEO GAME DESIGN GRANT The AMD Foundation has awarded a $65,000 grant to the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers’ new video-game-design category for the 2010 and 2011 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. During its 87-year history, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has recognized more than nine million creative teenagers, including Andy Warhol, Robert Redford, and Sylvia
Plath. For the 2011 program year, the alliance anticipates receiving 700 student submissions in the video-game-design category. The AMD Foundation grant also will help the alliance host gamedesign workshops and will help fund cash awards and summer-program scholarships for students.
Sites We Like: http://coolhub.wordpress.com/
Visit www.artandwriting.org for more details.
Making images accessible The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, awarded $5 million to Benetech to create a research and development center that will make images more accessible to students with disabilities. The Digital Image and Graphic Resources for Accessible Materials Center (DIAGRAM) will develop tools and best practices that make it easier and more cost-effective to create and use accessible images across a range of educational content. DIAGRAM will help producers of accessible instructional materials expand the field of image description and interactive exploration of graphical content.
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Information from IMSA, the Illinois Math and Science Academy, about collaborative innovation in STEM teaching and learning.
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BACK-OFFICE BUSINESS: HOW SCHOOLS GET IT DONE Washington high school trains students for IT careers—without college CHALLENGE: Nearly 73 percent of the vocational students in Walla Walla, Washington, may never complete college. The high school needed to provide these students with a vocational program so they could gain employable skills and find a starting point for careers when they graduated. SOLUTION: The school implemented online lab simulations from TestOut to help students prepare for careers in information technology and networking. The LabSim lab simulations are cheaper than in-house computer labs but still provide hands-on learning along with videos, practice exams, and other instructional content. Courses relate to certifications such as A+, Network+, Security+, CCNA, and MCSA.
High school students learn principles of personal finance CHALLENGE: The Idaho Department of Education wanted students to graduate with a basic knowledge of economics and personal finance before entering college or the workforce. SOLUTION: The department implemented a one-semester personal finance course and adopted the TimeMAPS Money Management & Life Skills Program from Realityworks as its courseware. The TimeMAPS software program features 13 themes with 54 lessons and more than 140 interactive exercises on concepts of personal finance. The software culminates in a Life Simulator, which demonstrates how students’ financial decisions can affect them in the future.
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Data tracking and analysis supports Indiana district goals
SPEAK UP
CHALLENGE: Carmel (IN) Clay Schools wanted to provide educators with immediate access to reliable student data. The district’s past data warehousing and reporting system allowed only power users, those with the necessary background knowledge, to extract needed data. SOLUTION: The district chose GlobalScholar’s Pinnacle Insight to give administrators the ability to review and share reports about class trends and predictive indexes for the district’s more than 15,000 K-12 students. It allows data to be used to plan instructional programs and identify individual students’ needs. These extracted data also serve as the foundation of the district’s approach to Response to Intervention programming.
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Secretary Arne Duncan launches education portal Want to tell the feds what you think? Share your ideas on the new Open Innovation Portal on ED.gov. Portal users register for the site and create online profiles containing their background and basic contact information. All registered users are invited to be “innovators” and post their solutions on the portal to categories of educational “challenges” of interest to the community, the Department of Education, and potential funders. Users can upload supporting materials including videos and Web links. Then members of the community collaborate and respond to the proposed solutions. For more information, visit https://innovation.ed.gov.
TECH & LEARNING
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newstrends How It’s Done
No Yes,
Blogs Allowed The keystroke is mightier than the sword, was the message that social studies teacher Gideon Sanders of Washington, D.C.’s McKinley Technology High School helped send last October. While 200 angry McKinley Tech students took to the streets to protest the layoff of 229 D.C. public-school teachers—and a scuffle with police resulted in the arrest of one student and one adult—11th graders Aaron Kitt and D’Angelo Anderson took to their screens. Sanders uses the it’s learning individualized-learning-platform blogging forum as a regular outlet for his students’ thoughts and insights about their daily work. The platform is accessible via devices such as Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation, and cell phones and acts as a tool to handle matters affecting students’ lives outside the classroom. “We ask students to express themselves via the blogs as part of the learning cycle. I’ve noticed that the students’ work is now more complete, robust, and thorough, and more often on time,” says Sanders.
Create blog policy guidelines within the classroom. By doing so, teachers can also jump-start critical thinking about the responsibilities of publishing online content and what might cause problems within the classroom environment. Determine the goal of writing the blogs as well as their intended audience, Sanders explains blog formatting to a student and maintain appropriate security measures toward that aim. Some schools may want students To offer personal security, many to get a taste of the real world by schools opt to use first names only and allowing public access; others may presuggest using an avatar rather than an fer a private setting that protects stuactual student profile photo. dents and offers a haven in which they Connect with other teachers to can express their thoughts without create interdisciplinary projects, fearing that their words will live forever. or use the blogs as teaching lessons in
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HOW IT WORKS Make accommodations available for all students to ensure access. “Most students have cell phones with Internet access,” says Sanders.
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it’s learning blog tool
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collaboration and constructive criticism. Offer meaningful discussion starters tied into the day’s lesson, but reward out-ofthe-box thinkers with incentives to discover related topics that speak to their interests. An Apple (or PC) a day keeps the loss of interest away. Create good blogging habits by encouraging daily interaction to promote an active community. The best posts can be cached to add flavor to student e-portfolios.
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—Sascha Zuger
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PRODUCTREVIEWS
Put to the Test T&L editors take some new products for a test drive PRODUCT: DATAMETRICS TESTWIZ www.testwiz.comPrice: Pricing starts at $3 per student per year with a minimum district purchase of $1,500. Tiered pricing based on the number of students in the district is also available. TestWiz.Net is a Web-based test-processing and -analysis tool that supports a variety of assessments. Test data are stored in a SQL server database, so results can be tracked over several years and across many assessments. The reports are numerous and can be customized. PROS: Data are easily imported from various sources to update student records and teacher assignments. Educators can easily and quickly create custom reports from more than 40 templates. Data can be disaggregated by subtest, strands, cut scores, demographics, and more. TestWiz.Net accommodates state, local, and norm-referenced assessments. Because it includes numerous student-to-
teacher associations, report results can be viewed by various subject-level teachers, past years’ teachers, and current teachers. The program’s consistent look and feel across various assessments make it easy to learn and use. CONS: Creating a hand-scanned form for a local assessment can be tedious. Like all data analytics tools, TestWiz.Net takes considerable training; and as with others, entering all the data is time-consuming. This program is more intuitive than most, however, so the learning curve is not as steep. OVERALL EVALUATION: The customizable templates make this a very good value. This is by far one of the easiest data analytics tools I have used. —Joe Huber
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PRODUCT: EPSON POWERLITE PRESENTER www.epsonbrighterfutures.comPrice: $808 through the Brighter Futures program The Epson PowerLite Presenter portable projector and DVD player combo includes two 10-watt speakers with virtual surround sound, microphone support, and built-in closed-captioning capabilities. WXGA resolution displays content from wide-screen notebooks, and the unit supports a host of input devices, such as a camcorder, a digital camera, and an iPod.
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PROS: The USB plug-and-play connectivity makes for easy setup and eliminates toggling between projector and display. The controls are easy to use and well defined. The PowerLite Presenter projects in native 16:10 (WXGA) aspect ratio as well as 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios and offers USB connectivity for viewing JPG images without a computer. The built-in microphone is a nice feature. CONS: Cannot be mounted on a stationary mount. The 10-watt speakers may not be powerful enough for all locations. OVERALL EVALUATION: The variety of inputs and the clarity of the controls make this projector an excellent choice for anyone looking for a mobile projector in the mid-price range. The HD projection at an aspect ratio of 16:10 makes wide-screen viewing a real pleasure. Every school needs a couple of mobile projectors, and this one is designed for mobility. —Joe Huber
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PRODUCTREVIEWS PRODUCT: STUDY ISLAND www.studyisland.comRetail price: Varies according to product selected and school size; see Web site for further details. Study Island is a Web-based system for assessing students’ progress according to state standards. The service automatically addresses students’ deficiencies, provides a variety of reports, and works with several student-response systems without requiring that additional software be installed. Students are given electronic assignments to complete to state standards; if they are proficient enough, they can move on to another standard. Students who do not show proficiency receive a remediation assignment; if they do not pass it, they are given a second, easier assignment. Along the way, the system generates reports on students’ progress that can be emailed to teachers and parents. PROS: Study Island is a very good product and easy to use and has excellent reporting capabilities. The fact that there is no additional software to install is a bonus. CONS: Since the system can be accessed outside of school, a student could get help from a parent or a peer and an incor-
rect report on the student’s proficiency could be generated. To use the system effectively in the classroom, schools must ensure that there are enough computers for all students and that students who need remediation are given enough time to receive it within the normal school day. OVERALL EVALUATION: Study Island is an excellent way to ensure that students work to state-standard proficiency. —Joe Huber
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PRODUCT: WWW.NOVLET.COM www.novlet.comRetail price: free Novlet.com is a Web application that supports what the site describes as collaborative nonlinear story writing. Using Novlet.com, reader-writers add passages to the narrative anywhere they want. If the user doesn’t like any of the continuations that have already been written, he or she can start a new story line. The stories can be written in a variety of languages, including some obscure ones, such as Bislama. PROS: Novlet.com gives students a chance to practice writing skills on a Web site and to feel that they’re “publishing” something online. Students can write alternative endings to classics or create their own stories. CONS: It’s tough to go back and edit your own passage; since other users have already added pas-
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sages and hidden drafts, you wind up altering the plot of the story. Talented student writers may feel that this limits their creativity. Also, writers are discouraged from editing one another’s passages. If a writer thinks another’s passages are poorly written, she is encouraged to post a comment or send a message. OVERALL EVALUATION: The application is designed for collaboration, which means that writers of all abilities are invited to participate. That can be positive or negative, depending on your point of view. If you have an active inner journalist or inner English teacher, resisting the temptation to edit may be difficult. —Carol Azizian, student in the University of Michigan’s Master of Arts with Certification Program
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Strategies for K-12 Technology Leaders
Strategies for K-12 Leaders
OPEN SOURCE or
PROPRIETARY? When it comes to assessment solutions, it doesn’t have to be an either/or decision.
By Pam Derringer
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Packaged assessment solutions are much like a prix fixe meal—satisfying but limiting. Open source software is like homemade chicken soup—delicious but a pain to make. “A proprietary product is like buying content with technology,” says Caroline Meeks of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Technology. Meeks thinks the commercial-versus-open-source debate is, at its heart, a curriculum issue because
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software packages targeted to standardized tests won’t align with alternative content: “If you want that, great. If not, consider open source and figure out how to create content yourself.” Scott Floyd, instructional technologist with White Oak (Texas) ISD, says open source assessment products would generally be considered a software tool as differentiated from an all-
encompassing commercial solution. “I don’t know anyone who could afford the time to create a comprehensive knowledge test and give it away for free,” Floyd says. Meeks concurs, saying that open source/free assessment tools “are not yet ready for prime time” but are “closing the gap” with proprietary assessment applications.
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www.schoolcio.com Strategies for K-12 Leaders
Students use a combination of open-source and commercial software for assessments and lessons.
The best decision? Most school districts quizzes, exercises, skill practices, and use a mix of proprietary and open prod- vocabulary. However, there are other ucts. Rochester (N.Y.) School District, for open source or free tools and resources example, uses McGraw Hill’s Acuity com- that are less commonly known. mercial assessment tool, and adds its own Foremost is Texas’ TRACKS practice questions to Acuity’s nationally normed tests in four subjects, designed to predatabase. This generates and distributes pare high school juniors for the TEKS Rochester’s customized tests and tallies (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) the results, according to Dr. Tim Cliby, coor- tests required for graduation. Although dinating director of instructional technolbased on Texas’ state tests, they cover ogy. “It has no flash or photos,” Cliby says. core curricula in English, science, math, “But I like the way it’s worded. And we can and social sciences that are taught use it different ways and ask it to assign nationwide. Anyone can access the questions based on student weaknesses.” Web-based tests free and retrieve the Although Floyd leads Texas teacher’s Strategic Open Source Software Special Interest Group, White Oak ISD, too, uses a mixture of proprietary and open source assessment products. The district uses commercial products such as Kamico, Study Island, and Renaissance Learning DO: ■ Create pilot groups when first trying out to assess reading levels and language a new Open Source project skills and Accelerated Reader for moni■ Make sure that you have your support toring. But the district also encourages options clearly outlined Strategies for K-12 Leaders teachers to use Moodle to create tests in ■ Spend time testing as every type of user specific subjects. “It’s more work in the beginning (to put questions into DON’T: Moodle), but it’s less work in the end,” ■ Rush into an open source solution and Floyd says, "and the tests can be modiimplement school-wide right away fied later for an individual student or a ■ Assume because it is free there are no different class. The kids love it.” costs Moodle is a gold mine of open source —“From New York Tech Forum presentation by assessment tools, having more than 62 Aaron Grill, director of technology at The Browning pages of modules, including assessment School, NYC (read more at techlearning.com)
results on each subtopic instantly. In addition, each TRACKS subtopic links back to a library of study materials so students can increase their understanding of sections they missed, according to Erich Pelletier, program coordinator. Two other free/open source software applications are Hot Potato, a tool for creating interactive worksheets, and LAMS (Learning Activity Management System), a framework and visual tool for combining sequences of activities into online lessons, Meeks says. While Hot Potato is intuitive, LAMS requires more time to create and manage, she says. Other resources include Curriwiki and Merlot, ATutor, Claroline, ILIAS, and the Manhattan Virtual Classroom, she says. Ken Task, a retired teacher who taught in Victoria, Texas, is helping others create Moodle-based assessments using the Texas Technology Assessments Moodle. “This module is an example of what can be done collaboratively with little or no money,” he says. However, despite Moodle’s potential for helping districts benefit from each other’s work, numerous obstacles to collaboration persist, including district policies, data access and ownership, internal power plays in support of one particular Moodle model over another, and intellectual property issues, he says. “There’s lots of growth in free and open educational content,” adds Meeks. “But is it reasonable to expect every teacher to create everything from scratch? Probably not.” The debate about commercial versus open content seems to mirror that about professional development: One size just doesn’t fit all. The challenge to districts is to find a blend of commercial and open source tools that fits their budgets as well as their learning curves.
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Strategies for K-12 Leaders
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For more information, visit techlearning.com.
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www.schoolcio.com Strategies for K-12 Leaders
The Big
PICTURE A conversation with Jerry Weast
Dr. Jerry Weast, superintendent of Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools, has spent more than 40 years in education. Although he says he’s “just a farm boy,” his successes are noteworthy and his understanding of technology as the cornerstone in building this distinguished school district is evident.
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In Montgomery County, Maryland, technology. It [the district] needed to ten years ago, technology was seen build teaching capacity, provide time only as assistive devices. It wasn’t used for human interaction, take over munor infused in everything, as it is today. dane chores that teachers abhor, and One of the first programs was SIS (stupermit the central office to be more dent information systems), which used integrated. It could save money and every possible bell and whistle. increase productivity while spurring Then, in the days of Y2K, lots of innovation and communication. money was spent preparing for some“We started our journey in thing that never happened. Montgomery County 11 years ago,” he There was no vision of how technolsays, “when we needed to build relaogy would help people work smarter tional databases, like in the public secinstead of harder. “There were a lot of tor, to keep track of and sustain all stand-alones,” Dr. Jerry Weast says, aspects of our school system. We “bunches of software, computers, began with student information sysphones—really not much, and not intetems, human resources, cost accountgrated with a set of plans. Pieces were ing, professional growth systems, and bought here and there.” electronic grade books.” That’s what went on. Weast likens it Now the county has a fully inteto the old Johnny Cash song “One Piece grated platform: myMCPS, with fireat a Time,” in which the narrator “worked walls and security access to different Strategies for K-12 Leadersgroups with limitations based on need on an assembly line” and sneaked components out in his lunch box “one piece to know. It created dashboards on at a time,” building a Cadillac at home which teachers, board members and that was an unidentifiable mix of parts. students could provide data profiles; Many school systems got caught up in and it decided to change direction in that, creating problems and giving tech- order to come to decisions that make a nology a bad name. difference in human lives. “It needed to be efficient,” Weast “Technology improves our monthly says of the district in earlier days. “A expenditures and our overall quality,” No. 2 lead pencil was the antithesis of Weast adds, “to balance out with higher-
Time is such a precious commodity. Technology helps us capture it back. —Dr. Jerry Weast quality teachers and a highly integrated curriculum.” Montgomery County is the 16thlargest school system in the United States (according to number of students). Poverty in the district has increased 44 percent over the last decade, and there has also been a huge rise (103 percent) in the number of students whose first language is not English. “Because of our technology, we utilize our time,” Weast says, “and even with changing demographics, 72 percent of our students take AP tests, three times the national average, with 72 percent of the exams taken in 2009 being scored a 3 or higher, indicating
Strategies for K-12 Leaders
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www.schoolcio.com Strategies for K-12 Leaders
college readiness. Our African American and Latino students score higher [than African American and Latino students in the country as a whole]—we track students through college—and they take AP courses at a much higher rate than the nation, and they perform better than the nation.” Tech is totally integrated into the district. “We spend time working with our kids,” Weast says. “We can project our budgets four to six years in advance to manage huge crises that will come. We can monitor a vast geographical area and its poverty and mobility. “So I would say technology is the cornerstone of our system,” he continues. “We’re careful with the teacherselection process. We support them [teachers] with professional-growth systems and onboarding systems to help them be successful with all those children who very much need our help. Yes, we have a very good system.” Technology is used as an accelerant
for these processes: webinars, videos, podcasts, all kinds of day-to-day communications, as well as the production of TV programs in four or five languages, even sign language. Principals can call up profiles at their desks when a parent calls and gather information with a keystroke. Everything is more instantaneous. The goal is to have 80 percent of students college-ready and to have 100 percent graduate high school. “We use technology tools to see if processes are aligned and to look for the blind spots that are always there,” Weast says. “We found small programs and processes that were not aligned to our goals and had to build new systems. We need technology to build systems and structures and new cultures. We have high expectations,” he continues. “Race and socioeconomics don’t have to be predictors. The culture involves new ways to put technology to better use; it’s just common sense.” There is a value chain from pre-kinder-
garten to postsecondary education, according to Weast. Kids learn much earlier than was previously thought, and at the back end, it’s hard to get a job without a college degree. “Time is such a precious commodity,” he says. “Technology helps us capture it back. Variables can be bridged, and we can go to scale through better utilization. You have to be able to execute a plan with quality and fidelity— get the outcome right. “If you’re leading any organization,” Weast concludes, “you want to not waste the precious time for a child to be engaged with an adult. I think with my tech hat on. And kids are digital natives. It’s a way of thinking; that’s what expectations are, a way of thinking. As we go into the future with large groups of children, a solid technology infusion provides access to the world.” —Barb Axelson
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For more information, visit techlearning.com.
The Lifelong Learning Toolbelt Schools need to refocus professional development on learning how to learn with technolo-
■ REFLECTING: Write or record your thoughts on your learning experiences.
gy. The vast majority of professional develop-
■ PARTICIPATE: Join the conversation.
ment focuses on instead creating a product,
Start slowly by listening and then jump
i.e. movies, podcasts, documents, etc. Until
into the discussion.
education seriously believes in technology as
■ CREATIVITY/CREATION: worry about what
more than a tool, we will continue to imple-
you think you should be creating or differ-
ment weak initiatives and see vast amounts of
ent creative uses of technology. We focus
professional development money wasted.
too much on what we want to do with
Educators can start this process by creating a “Lifelong Learning Tool Belt.” This is a
technology and we don’t focus enough on how that technology can help us learn.?
set of tools you need to do the best job you can as a tech-using educator. This toolbelt is
■ LEADING TOOLS: These happen to be the current top tools, but they are
IMAGE AND COLOR SCHEME
replaceable:
Strategies for K-12 LeadersPrimary colors are chosen to represent the illustrated in the accompanying diagram. core skills of the learning tool belt. Each of
■ SEARCH: Google ■ READER: RSS Feed Reader—Google
HERE ARE THE MEANING OF THE AREAS:
the areas overlaps and is not independent of
■ ARCHIVING: Save and share the best
each other. You archive along with reading
■ ARCHIVING: Delicious
resources for your work. Archiving is
and you gain new resources through use of
■ REFLECTING: Blogger.com
also a research tool.
your reading, archiving and participation.
PARTICIPATING: Strategies for■K-12 Leaders Twitter and NING
■ RESEARCHING: Learn how to find good
Where the primary colors blend into brown,
resources, judge their merit, and reflect
that is where you mix your core skills with
on their value as you continue to use the
the learning community at large. The outer
resource.
ring is a rainbow because your level of cre-
■ READING: Continually follow the quality work from those that teach you well.
30 | School CIO Special Section
Reader
ativity and thought can grow exponentially when you utilize the entire tool belt.
Scott Meech will present more on the Lifelong Learning Tool Belt at Chicago Tech Forum, Friday, April 23, 2010. Read more at http://smeech-presos.wikispaces.com/ Lifelong+Learning+Approach
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PRODUCTGUIDE
ALL ABOARD By T&L Editors
This is the year of whiteboards 2.0. Nearly 750,000 interactive whiteboards were sold worldwide in 2009, according to Futuresource Consulting, and one million are on track to be sold in 2010. If your district hasn’t yet seen how these machines let teachers transform lessons, perhaps one of the people in this chart will convince you. SAUGATUCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
GLACIER HIGH SCHOOL KALISPELL, MT
DOUGLAS, MI
WHICH WHITEBOARD? HOW MANY?
70; one in every classroom.
EINSTRUCTION’S INTERWRITEMOBI WWW.EINSTRUCTION.COM 7 in chemistry and math teacher Todd Morstein's classroom
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“The interactive whiteboard is the next logical step for teaching; it’s the next tool, just as blackboards once were,” says Paul Gust, technology director.
“I can capture what I’m doing and save it for students to reference later,” says Morstein. “A lot of times, if students don’t capture what I write, it goes away. Now I can post it to PDF and put it on my Web site, and they can download it.”
“We chose eBeam over the others because of the ease of implementation.”
Morstein has worked on other whiteboards but likes how the MOBI allows him to move around the class. “I can sit with the kids, talk from the back of the class, or walk to a student and hand them the MOBI and say, ‘Show us how you did this.’ ”
Mobility. “You can be anywhere in your class; students can take it and use it.”
PROS
“The eBeam software is so intuitive; there’s no training involved,” says Gust. “Other pros are that it’s portable and virtually indestructible. Some of the other boards can be scratched. If kids hit our whiteboards with a hammer, there’s only a dent.” Teachers like the software, he says, and have integrated the whiteboards much quicker than he thought they would.
CONS
“Ease of moving it is also a negative,” Gust says. “It is held on by magnetic feet, so it falls once in a while. It has to be recalibrated when you put it back up.” [ED NOTE: Mr. Gust uses an older eBeam model; the newer eBeam Edge uses a stronger magnetic mounting strip that keeps the system attached and helps to eliminate the need for recalibration.]
You have to learn how to write on it, Morstein says. “At the beginning, you struggle a little bit, but once you, and the students, get the hang of it, it’s fine.”
“We already had regular, noninteractive whiteboards. We just needed to buy whiteboards to put over our green boards and we were good to go. We saved a tremendous amount of money.”
“With the 7 MOBIs, I can break the class into groups and they can solve problems together. Then I give them the chair, and they explain what they did. With other interactive whiteboards, I couldn’t do that with six groups simultaneously. I catch problems as they interact with each other.”
WHY WHITEBOARDS?
WHY THIS VENDOR?
WHICH APPROACH AND WHY?
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LUIDIA EBEAM WWW.E-BEAM.COM
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TECH & LEARNING
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PRODUCTGUIDE
WHICH WHITEBOARD?
WATERLOO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF NEW ROCHELLE
WATERLOO, IA
NEW ROCHELLE, NY
PROMETHEAN ACTIVBOARD WWW.PROMETHEANWORLD.COM
SMART BOARDS SMARTTECH.COM
840; one in every class as well as in libraries and conference rooms.
More than 1,000.
WHY WHITEBOARDS?
Superintendent Gary Norris, who came to Waterloo from Florida, liked the way the technology had inspired teachers and engaged students in his former district. “Students want to come up and write on the board and interact with it and the input devices,” he says.
“We were looking to take instruction to another level and to make content digital so students and teachers could access it via the Web and email as well as re-create lessons for review,” says Christine L. Coleman, director of technology.
WHY THIS VENDOR?
Quality of product and service are two things that drew Norris to Promethean. When his former teachers evaluated boards in 2005, they told him that some were not good for education. He also liked that Promethean didn’t require him to buy a lot of peripherals from different manufacturers and count on them all to work. “The Promethean solution represented a total solution,” he says.
Coleman looked at every vendor when she bought her first whiteboard six years ago. “Everyone I talked with said, ‘It’s [our product is] just like SMART,’” she recalls. “When I looked, it wasn’t. At the time, lots of vendors used pens with batteries, and the corners weren’t rounded or safe. SMART was more durable.”
PROS
Promethean’s professional development (PD) tops Norris’s list. It’s also important that the company keeps improving its product. In addition, when he had a couple of problems (including a board that arrived warped), they were resolved quickly.
“You can integrate technology into the curriculum. It’s easy to learn, and the Notebook software is great. There are lots of resources and tutorials. We rolled it out with discovery streaming, and teachers could immediately integrate video.”
CONS
“If you decide to implement whiteboards across the district, you’ll have to commit to different levels of training; it can’t just be drive-by training. You must invest in PD.”
“The biggest is projector bulbs. They are a little expensive. You have to dust and maintain the projectors.”
Clip-ons and other products didn’t look like a comprehensive solution, Norris says. “Promethean has the projector, it’s solid, and it’s easily adjustable, so that first or ninth graders can use it. Our schools are old; when we renovate, we can just move these out and back in.”
Coleman wanted teachers to be able to integrate technology into the core-content areas. “Once we gave them SMART boards, it became transparent. Now it’s the way they teach and students learn. They capture video, put stuff on the board, and email lessons to kids who are absent.”
HOW MANY?
WHICH APPROACH AND WHY?
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TECH & LEARNING
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PRODUCTGUIDE
PORT NECHESGROVES ISD PORT NECHES, TX
MOSES LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT MOSES LAKE, WA
WHICH WHITEBOARD?
MIMIO WWW.MIMIO.COM
HITACHI STARBOARD WWW.HITACHI-SOFT.COM/STARBOARD
Will have 310 (one in every classroom) by the end of this school year.
200 now; 300 by the end of next year.
WHY WHITEBOARDS?
“Kids today need interactive classrooms so they can be involved in learning, and we want to meet their needs,” says Brenda Duhon, director of instructional technology, staff development, and student assessment. “Whiteboards are one way of doing that.”
People saw them at conferences and wanted them, says Rick Rose, director of technology. He asked three teachers to pilot whiteboards; those teachers “evangelized well and did lots of demos for their colleagues.”
WHY THIS VENDOR?
A technology committee started shopping for whiteboards. “We wanted one that wasn’t mobile,” says Dell Fontenot, director of informational services. “Mimio had one in our price range.” Fontenot liked it that if something broke, the company would let him exchange the part without shipping the whole board. He also wanted a product he could maintain.
“Two kids at a time can go up and use it,” says Rose. What convinced him, however, was the board’s lack of electronics. “We looked at it in terms of maintenance as well as curriculum. When we piloted another vendor’s board, it developed dead spots and we had to move the whole board out. With Hitachi, if there’s a problem you just pull off a small part and exchange it.”
Mimio’s training and resources are phenomenal, Duhon says. “I’m very pleased with the company’s instructional support. We run on very short staff,
Ease of setup, which also saves money. “It’s easy to maintain the filters, and there’s a quick turnaround if you have any problems. We also
so any additional support is a tremendous help.”
like working with one vendor who handles everything.”
Since it’s modular, all the parts have to stay together for the whiteboard to work properly. Fontenot is concerned about making sure everything stays together over the summer.
“Cameras get dusty. We have to remind teachers to wipe the tray. Also, the software is still fairly new. We are dual platform, and the Mac software was behind. There isn’t as much curriculum stuff developed just for Hitachi yet.”
The K-5 classrooms are old and small and have no room to add big boards on wheels that take up space. The district had mobile whiteboards in the past, Duhon says, but teachers didn’t like having to set them up, reconnect, and recalibrate every time they were moved.
The district’s former projectors had cords all over, and it was hard to change filters in the ones in the ceiling. “We wanted to be able to maintain the projectors more easily. We liked that you can walk up and change the filter by reaching up and pulling it.”
HOW MANY?
PROS
CONS
WHICH APPROACH AND WHY?
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TECH & LEARNING
Advertorial
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PRODUCTGUIDE
NEW BRIGHTON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
FULLERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
NEW BRIGHTON, PA
FULLERTON, CA
WHICH WHITEBOARD?
HOW MANY?
WHY WHITEBOARDS?
WHY THIS VENDOR?
PROS
CONS
WHICH APPROACH AND WHY?
POLYVISION ENO WWW.POLYVISION.COM
85 by the end of this school year; one in every core middle and high school classroom, plus a couple in art classrooms.
2 BrightLinks are being piloted.
“As a former teacher, I felt this was the most effective way to change instruction and make learning interactive and to get students involved in instruction,” says Rob Lee, director of technology. “We wanted to meet the needs of 21st-century students.”
“When used correctly and interactively, a whiteboard can transcend having the teacher at the front of the class and give kids the ability to go to the board, interact, and have ready-made boards and templates,” says Ted Lai, director of technology and media services. “The tech helps everything become transparent so we can focus on the curriculum.”
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“PolyVision is a tremendous organization; we have a true partnership,” says Lee, who researched the company and spoke with colleagues who told him that the support was good and the product easy to use.
“The BrightLink is an LCD projector, which Epson is known for. It’s much clearer, sharper, and brighter, and the colors are spot-on. If we expect kids and teachers to communicate effectively, everything needs to be sharp, with accurate colors.”
Ease of use is the top one, Lee says. “We did one or two informal training sessions before the teachers got PD, and many were using it.” Sustainability is another pro; the board is guaranteed for life. “From a tech standpoint, it’s every tech’s dream: It uses Bluetooth, so there aren’t a lot of wires.”
“The biggest pro is image quality. It looks better, period.” Price is another positive, and the boards have not given Lai any problems.
The only potential con is if a staffer loses the stylus; it’s the only one. “But it’s a minimal cost if we have to replace it. I told staff to guard them with their lives, but I’m sure we’ll have to replace some.”
“The only one I can say for sure is that the third-party software that can be purchased with the BrightLink 450Wi is not at the same sophistication as that from other vendors. However, [the third-party software vendor, RM Easiteach] is releasing a new version of their software and we have high hopes for that.”
It looks like a traditional whiteboard. Lee had them all mounted onto walls except for the 12 in the elementary school, which has an open class/pod environment without walls. For that school he bought two mobile boards and an overheard projector.
“With a typical ceiling-mounted whiteboard, if there is any type of building shake, like from the air conditioning, you have to recalibrate. The BrightLink is close to the wall and has no problem with shaking; it stays calibrated. Teachers use it more if they don’t have to calibrate.”
OTHER WHITEBOARD OPTIONS
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EPSON’S BRIGHTLINK WWW.EPSON.COM
■ The ProjectoWrite2/W (www.boxlight.com) emulates an interactive-whiteboard experience in a stand-alone and portable unit. ■ Dukane’s 77S LeaderBoard (www.dukane.com) is an advanced digital board that creates a large interactive projection screen when connected to a PC and data video projector.
TECH & LEARNING
■ When connected to a computer and a data projector, the Intelliboard interactive whiteboard from Numonics (www.numonics.com) becomes a large interactive projection screen. ■ Panasonic (www.panasonic.com) now offers three Interactive whiteboards with RM Easiteach Educational Software to create lessons.
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WHATSNEW
For more of the latest product releases, visit us online at Techlearning.com.
Hardware/AV Black Box Corporation (www.blackbox.com) announced an enhanced version of its popular VGA Wireless Video Presentation System (VPS) that supports PDA connectivity and 4:1 split-screen projection. It also features a “plug and show” token for fast setup. The new, Plus version is an 802.11b/g receiver that plugs into any display device with a VGA port, enabling a roomful of laptop users to access a projector or other device from hundreds of feet away. The Plus works with both PC and Mac computers, supports communications with mobile PDA devices, and has features that enhance meeting productivity.
The ProjectoWrite2/W (www.boxlight.com) emulates an interactive-whiteboard experience in a stand-alone and portable unit. It features a short-throw lens that allows for a 60-inch surface from 48 inches back and an 80-inch surface from only 64 inches back. In addition to having the built-in interactive-whiteboard technology, the ProjectoWrite2/W is a fully functional LCD projector featuring 3,000 lumens with XGA resolution. Users can write on the screen with a “light pen” or stylus. A keyboard can be pulled up for normal keyboard functions; pen color and line thickness can be selected, and any notes taken can be saved as image files for future use.
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Samsung Electronics America (www.samsung.com) launched the Samsung 650TS (shown), a 65-inch LCD touchscreen, and the Samsung 650FP, a 65-inch LCD screen. The Samsung 650TS and 650FP are Samsung’s first 65-inch large-format displays. The 650TS is an interactive whiteboard with a high-definition LCD touchscreen and communication features such as screen synchronization. It is compatible with widely used applications like Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe PDF.
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WHATSNEW
The Intelligent Laptop Computer cart (www.bretford.com) decreases heat and electrical stress while proportionally distributing power to the laptops, so batteries last longer. A special Cable Clutter Closet in the back portion of each unit stores all power cords and wires. The “brain” in each Intelligent Laptop Computer cart redistributes power not only to ensure consistent charging but also to keep the laptops cool and prevent them from overheating. The brain also senses when the laptop batteries are almost charged, then automatically decreases power, extending battery life and saving energy. The Intelligent Laptop Computer carts require only a single circuit—one plug to the wall outlet for each cart—to minimize circuit tripping and reduce electricity consumption.
The CO-10 (www.elmousa.com), nicknamed the i-Pochette, is the smallest and lightest document camera ELMO has ever created. The CO-10 folds into a compact rectangular unit measuring 5 x 10 x 1.5 inches and weighs only 2.9 pounds. When fully expanded, the CO-10 captures a shooting area of 13.5 x 10 inches. While extremely small, the CO-10 boasts an 8x digital zoom and a twomegapixel CMOS sensor chip that enables users to select among XGA, SXGA, and WXGA resolutions. As an added advantage, up to 16 images can be captured and stored by means of the CO-10’s internal memory.
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The Torch (www.ignitelearning.com) delivers digital content and assessments configured entirely by grade level, subject, and state. The device, as small as a Wii controller, allows administrators to select customized curriculum for purchase and immediate use. Ignite!’s plug-and-play platform is fully functional on both Mac and PC, requires no installation, and is ideal for interactive-whiteboard-equipped schools, though it also works with a simple projector-computer setup in any classroom. Teachers build and save state-standards-based lessons while administrators, through usage-tracking features, can assess how investments in digital content are being leveraged for academic progress.
The Qwizdom Q6 Student Response System (www.qwizdom.com) offers more opportunity for collaboration than any previous system; it includes an easy-to-use keypad similar to that of a cell phone, text input, and a larger LCD screen for viewing full responses. The small, ergonomic radio-frequency remotes allow each student to communicate with the teacher from up to 328 feet away and are durability tested to withstand the rigors of the classroom. Software used with Q6 remotes is both PC- and Mac-friendly, integrating easily with PowerPoint and Keynote. Additionally, Qwizdom Connect software works with hundreds of thousands of premade curriculum resource slides. The Q6 allows the student to enter scientific, mathematic, superscript and subscript expressions, along with punctuation symbols found on a cell phone.
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W W W.T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M
REALiS SX6 Multimedia LCOS Projectors (www.usa.canon.com) feature crisp SXGA+ (1,400 x 1,050) native resolution display, 3,500 lumens of brightness, a contrast ratio of 1,000:1, and an Adobe RGB color-match system. Further enhancing the display quality of the projector is the Genuine Canon 1.7x Wide Powered Zoom Lens. Featuring the widest zoom range of any of Canon’s projector lenses, the 1.7x Wide Powered Zoom Lens provides a diagonal screen size range from 40 inches (at a very short projection distance of 3.6 feet) to 300 inches.
SMART Response XE (www.smarttech.com) is a new addition to the growing SMART Response product line. SMART Response XE includes keyboard-style handheld wireless remotes (or clickers), a receiver, and powerful assessment software that enables teachers to easily conduct assessments and gauge understanding quickly and efficiently. The product allows teachers to ask as many as 100 questions in a single lesson file. The full QWERTY keyboard gives them the flexibility to ask more types of questions and enables students to submit advanced math and science equations as well as text answers. As with all SMART Response interactive response systems, SMART Response XE lets teachers create quizzes and tests for formative and summative assessment or ask spontaneous questions to gain ongoing insight into student comprehension.
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WHATSNEW
Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (www.laptops.toshiba.com) has announced the availability of the new Portégé M780 (right) Tablet PC and Satellite Pro U500 (left) laptop with multi-touch display. The new laptops feature Windows 7 Professional and take advantage of the built-in touch capabilities of the operating system. Instead of pointing and clicking, users can quickly tap to launch programs and open files. The laptops also include Toshiba’s touch-enabled ReelTime and Bulletin Board applications, which help users more easily find and organize information.
NB Series Mobile Powered Workstations (www.newcastlesys.com) are patented ergonomic carts that can carry computers (desktops, towers, or laptops), printers, scales, bar-code scanners, and most other small electronic equipment to wherever it is needed. An onboard battery can power up to four devices simultaneously for eight to 10 hours of normal use. Adjustable shelves hold up to 75 pounds each. For maximum convenience and efficiency, every model in the NB Series has a slotted mast that allows the user to adjust the height of each shelf to the most comfortable position. The workstations are compact (42 inches high, with a footprint of 24 x 26 inches) and easily maneuvered on 5-inch casters (front fixed, rear locking swivel).
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NEC Display Solutions of America (www.necdisplay.com) announces the latest in the NP Portable Series with the fully featured NP216 DLP projector. Dual VGA inputs provide multiple computer inputs and eliminate the time-consuming process of alternating between computer sources from one input. The latest TI DLP Link technology offers users the ability to project 3D images. Additionally, the variable audio-out feature enables users to connect self-powered external speakers to the projector, adjustable by the projector remote control. Lamp life is extended up to 5,000 hours with the use of its Eco Mode technology and lowers power consumption to 217W (0.49W in standby mode).
HP (www.hp.com) has introduced its first multitouch-enabled tablet. The HP EliteBook 2740p tablet PC combines the power and reliability of an HP business notebook PC with the flexibility of a tablet, making it ideal for users on the go. The 2740p starts at 3.8 pounds and includes a 12.1-inch diagonal LED display or optional outdoor-view display with less reflection and a higher contrast for easier viewing in natural light. Multitouch gestures, finger taps, and swipes across the screen allow users to navigate through applications and menus, as well provide access to information and Web sites.
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Calypso Systems (www.calypso systems.com) has unveiled the CB-2000 networked buttonpanel controller. The powerful CB-2000 wall-mounted controller integrates classroom A/V technology, such as projectors, document cameras, and audio amplifiers. The CB-2000 can control all networked and nonnetworked devices in the classroom, eliminating the hassle of separate controls and many steps for each device. Teachers can also use Calypso’s Encore! desktop control software with the CB-2000, thus gaining easy access to A/V controls from their classrooms’ PCs, laptops, wireless slates, interactive whiteboards, and similar networked devices.
W W W.T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M
Online & Software
ABSOLUTE MANAGE (WWW.ABSOLUTE.COM)
This computer life-cycle management offering allows users to manage the PC and Mac devices in their deployment from a single interface. Track installed applications and licenses on all the devices in your deployment. Collect data from each machine so you can intelligently manage application licenses to prevent over-install penalties. Monitor and enforce your configuration policies, and use the data you collect to remotely monitor and control the devices in your deployment. Use the Security Content Automation Protocol reports to manage corporate and government regulations, including FDCC compliance. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: asset management
ALGEBRA I: A FUNCTION APPROACH PART 2 (WWW.AMERED.COM)
A continuation of Algebra I: A Function Approach Part 1, these two courses provide a comprehensive and complete yearlong course of study that is appropriate for grades 9 and 10. Algebra I: A Function Approach Part 2 is designed to provide students with varied interactive
approaches to solving algebra problems using real-world examples and scenarios. Each of the 37 lessons contains a study guide, practice exercises, and a mastery test. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: math
AURALIA 4 AND MUSITION 4
(WWW.SIBELIUS.COM/AURALIA; WWW.SIBELIUS.COM/PRODUCTS/MUSITION/INDEX.HTML) These programs provide musicians, students, and educators with powerful, flexible tools for ear training and music theory education. Designed for musicians of all levels, Auralia and Musition offer drill-based, interactive instruction through versatile but structured exercises and give users instant feedback on their performance. Both programs also offer Solfège support and include customizable syllabi from AP Music Theory and Trinity Guildhall. And for the first time, Auralia and Musition are available for both Windows and Mac OS platforms with the same feature set. Price: $149, separately; $249, bundle Category: music
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WHATSNEW
AUTOROSTER
(WWW.TESTWIZ.COM) The AutoRoster application allows districts to easily link educators to student information within their TestWiz system. The software satisfies the specific need for moving correct student roster information from a student information system into TestWiz. Once set up, the process runs automatically on a prearranged schedule to ensure that data are as accurate as possible. AutoRoster can work with other software programs as well. TestWiz processes, scans, scores, and reports on all student assessment data in one system. The system allows users all the way down to the classroom level to view, sort, and filter results from national, state, local, and standardized assessments. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: assessment
BIGUNIVERSE.COM
This software allows users to read, create, and share children’s picture books online. BigUniverse.com currently has more than 1,200 books from publishers and includes quizzes and leveled reading. Products include Big Universe Reader (hundreds of children’s fiction and nonfiction books); Big Universe Author (create, print, and publish animated e-books), and Big Universe Community (safely share your bookshelf, recommendations, and published books with your peers only or with other members). Price: Lite account with three day trial of home, Free; home monthly subscription, $8.95; home 12-month subscription, $79.95 Category: reading
ClassLink Perkins Data Portal provides easy report generation that meets the most recent federal and state mandates; a clear snapshot of consortiums, districts, and schools on postsecondary placement data; and data-driven analysis of student performance criteria using customized charts and graphs. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: data management
DELL DIGITAL CONTENT ADOPTION SERVICES
(WWW.DELLCONNECTEDCLASSROOM.COM) These services integrate digital content into daily teaching practice. Dell teamed up with BrainHoney to provide educators with open-source, customized content. BrainHoney’s platform allows teachers to align content development to state standards using a simple drag-and-drop interface to develop curriculum maps. BrainHoney also generates daily reports on student progress against state standards. Professional Learning Services supports the integration of digital content and Connected Classroom technologies into daily teaching practice. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: content management
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BLACKBOARD CONNECT FOR TEACHERS (WWW.BLACKBOARD.COM)
Blackboard Connect for Teachers is used as a platform for outreach to parents concerning urgent situations and academic issues regarding their children. Now teachers can harness that same capability to better involve parents in their child’s classroom performance. Using the service, teachers can reach parents wherever they are with phone messages, and parents no longer have to wait for a quarterly report card to discover that they need to intervene in their child’s academic performance or behavior. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: teaching tools
CLASSLINK PERKINS DATA PORTAL (WWW.CLASSLINK.COM)
The ClassLink Perkins Data Portal simplifies the process of collecting and reporting the data required for federal Carl Perkins Title II grants. Any school that receives Carl Perkins Title II funding will find that
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EPATH KNOWLEDGE (WWW.EPATHKNOWLEDGE.COM)
This system complements Peoples Education’s print and online educational products. The ePath Knowledge series consists of three distinct offerings: ePath Assess provides focused progress-monitoring assessments customized to state standards; ePath Discovery supplies targeted, standards-based intervention delivered online; and Practice Path provides studentguided skill building and test practice with motivational games to promote student success. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: assessment
EPD
(WWW.MATHSOLUTIONS.COM/EPD) With ePD, educators at all levels have timely access to the experts in mathematics instruction and learning. ePD products and services include: webinars that cover research-based strategies; support for teachers in continuous learning; and Ask Me Now, virtual office hours ensuring access to expert help when it is needed. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: math
Math Solutions
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GRADESPEED SIS (WWW.SCHOOLNET.COM)
The GradeSpeed SIS allows districts to easily manage and track all their school data, including schedules, student data, and parent communications. GradeSpeed SIS lets administrators submit state reports and design school schedules while it allows teachers to manage grades and provide progress reports to parents. In addition, parents and students have real-time access to assignments, grades, and teacher communication tools. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: student information system
HELP MATH FOR ELL AND SPECIAL NEEDS (WWW.HELPPROGRAM.NET)
Digital Directions International has significantly enhanced their HELP Math for ELL and Special Needs program by integrating a diagnostic-prescriptive tool. This comprehensive and adaptive tool allows the teacher to pretest students to better individualize instruction. The grade-level and
adaptive pretests save teachers time by auto-generating custom learning pathways to provide a seamless link between diagnostic assessments and prescriptive interventions. The new assessments not only target grade-level deficiencies, but also identify and help remediate gaps in students’ foundational/prerequisite skills. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: assessment
THE IDEA OF AMERICA
(WWW.PEARSONSCHOOL.COM/IDEAOFAMERICA) Through The Idea of America, a new interactive, fully digital, Web-based curriculum, students will learn lessons from history and the principles of U.S. citizenship by exploring 65 individual case studies of the nation’s most important historical events, debating issues that changed the United States, listening to the perspectives of contemporary historians, and accessing primary-source documents of enduring significance. Price: The Idea of America: Survey, 6-year online license, $73.97; The Idea of America: Survey, 1-year online license, $36.97; The Idea of America: Modern, 6 years, $71.97; The Idea of America: Modern, 1 year, $34.97 Category: history
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WHATSNEW
LITERACY ADVANTAGE (WWW.APEXLEARNING.COM)
IMPULSE SAFE•CONNECT NAC (WWW.IMPULSE.COM)
The Impulse Safe•Connect NAC system, powered by Dell Enterprise Servers or VMware virtual appliances, provides a network-access-control solution that easily integrates into diverse network environments. The Safe•Connect Policy Management Console provides real-time and historical status reporting for insight into group or individual policy compliance. The health of the system is continuously monitored from the Impulse Support Center. Price: Tier-based according to the number of end user devices, starting at 500. Category: network access control
LEXIA READING
(WWW.LEXIALEARNING.COM) Lexia Learning Systems has expanded its offering of the popular Lexia Lessons and Lexia Skill Builders as a part of its Lexia Reading program. The program includes targeted practice, embedded assessment, scripted lesson plans, and offline practice to help students at all reading levels achieve proficiency. Using Lexia’s reports, teachers can easily identify students’ areas of weakness and use the targeted instructional strategies of Lexia Lessons to help them master concepts. Recently expanded to include support for Early Reading as well as Primary Reading, Lexia Reading now has 21 sets of Lexia Lessons available to support students in key skill development areas. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: reading
Apex Learning introduced six new standards-based courses into its Literacy Advantage pathway. The courses, available this summer for the 2010-2011 school year, are Geometry, Biology, English II, U.S. History, U.S. History to the Civil War, and U.S. History Since the Civil War. Literacy Advantage courses help educators take advantage of online learning to provide individualized instruction, which is more and more a point of emphasis, as struggles in literacy have been found to contribute to the decision to drop out of high school. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: courseware
THE PAR ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT (WWW.3.PARINC.COM/IPHONE)
PAR released the PAR Assessment Toolkit for the iPhone. The PAR Assessment Toolkit provides mental health and education professionals with a comprehensive collection of clinical shortcuts on their mobile phones. The application includes a date calculator, which can quickly calculate the deadline for a referral set-up; a score conversion chart, which converts between T scores, z scores, percentiles, and standard scores; an age calculator, which enables the clinician to obtain a patient’s exact age in years, months, and days; and a stopwatch, which counts down from a specified amount of time or counts up from zero. A mental age determiner and a bell curve are also provided. Price: free through June 1, 2010 Category: health
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THE LIGHTSPEED HIGH-CAPACITY NETWORK SOLUTIONS (WWW.LIGHTSPEEDSYSTEMS.COM)
PEERMARK
(WWW.TURNITIN.COM)
The Lightspeed High-Capacity Network Solutions enhance user safety and productivity and strengthen network security. The integrated hardware-software packages feature two new network appliances: Lightspeed Rocket, Web Access Manager; and Lightspeed Rocket, Email Manager. Using Lightspeed Rocket, Web Access Manager’s monitoring and reporting tools, district administrators can review all user activity to enforce acceptable use policies, troubleshoot problems, and make adjustments as needed. Lightspeed Rocket, Email Manager provides districts with efficient and effective spam blocking and email archiving for high-capacity networks. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: internet security
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This Web-based collaborative tool enables high school and college instructors to quickly create and manage peer-review assignments, in which students read and comment on each other’s work. PeerMark offers integration with major course management systems, like Moodle and Blackboard, and features markup and editing tools. Currently PeerMark is available in both English and Spanish. Prompted by instructor-supplied questions and guidelines, students can easily upload, review, and comment on each other’s papers. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: writing
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PREPARING FOR STANDARDIZED TESTS SURPASS SAFARI 6 (WWW.PROMETHEANPLANET.COM)
(WWW.SURPASSSOFTWARE.COM)
The Preparing for Standardized Tests program is designed to improve student performance on the reading and math sections of the PSAT, ACT, and SAT exams. The program is a collection of interactivewhiteboard lessons that engages students in mastering essential college readiness and provides them with advanced test preparation. Students can practice answering questions with standardized tests and the guided practice lessons and learning tools of Promethean’s ActivClassroom. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: test prep
Surpass Software releases version 6 of its suite of library automation products, bringing a brand-new interface to the company’s publicaccess catalog for desktop and Web. Surpass Safari 6 is available in both a Windows desktop version and a Web-based version that runs on the latest generation of Web browsers. Drag-and-drop features make organizing the page easy. A few of the available widgets are library news and bulletins, a library calendar and events list, a list of links to Web sites, lists of recommended reading lists, and lists of new materials or popular titles that can be configured to scroll the book-jacket images of the selected materials. Surpass Safari 6’s appearance can be customized. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: library automation
REMOTE-LEARNER.NET AND KALTURA PARTNERSHIP (WWW.REMOTE-LEARNER.NET; WWW.KALTURA.COM)
Remote-Learner.net and Kaltura announced their partnership to offer educational institutions advanced video capabilities integrated with the Moodle Learning Management System. Using the Kaltura module for Moodle, teachers can upload and manage rich-media content, including lectures, demonstrations, photos, and audio recordings. Students can then post video comments, ask questions and create a face-to-face discussion recorded directly from their webcam or other sources. The module also includes Kaltura’s Video-PowerPoint Widget, which presents a video and a slideshow in full synchronization. Price: Contact company for pricing. Category: videoconferencing
TEACHING SYSTEMS VIDEOS (WWW.CEREBELLUM.COM)
Cerebellum Corporation has released a line of Advanced Placement video tutorials covering four subjects: Chemistry, U.S. History, U.S. Government & Politics, and English Composition & Language. Each tutorial reviews 30 of the most essential topics, provides test-taking strategies, and analyzes the writing sections of the AP exam. All the AP topics have been extensively researched and reviewed by experts in the subject matter. Price: $49.98 each Category: AP
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AD INDEX COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE
COMPANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE
American Education Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
LG Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
AVerMedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Luidia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Azden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Lumens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Bretford Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Microsoft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
CDW-G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
NEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Crestron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
NetSupport School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
eInstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Pasco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Epson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
PolyVision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Faronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Tech Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
HP DLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Turning Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
ISTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Vernier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Kramer Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Vertex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
For more information about the advertisers in this issue, please visit www.techlearning.com and click on the Advertiser Index.
TECH & LEARNING
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THEY SAID IT
THE TECH&LEARNING 100@30:
An Interview with
David Thornburg As part of our 30th-anniversary celebration, Tech&Learning is compiling a compendium of the people most important to the creation and advancement of the use of technology in education. Our readers chose David Thornburg, founder and director of global operations at the Thornburg Center, as one of these leaders. Mr. Thornburg recently spoke with T&L contributing editor Matt Bolch on his take on edtech: MB: How has technology shaped how students learn in the past 10 years? One of the major transformations in the past decade has been the growth of broadband into more than 50 percent of U.S. homes, plus the nearly universal access to children of home-based computers. This combination suggests that homes are now richer sources of information than most classrooms—something that was clearly not the case a generation ago. The opportunity for education is to have teachers continue to provide their unique and critical roles as those who help students learn to think and foster student creativity while taking advantage of technology in the home and in the classroom. Of course, with the advent of netbooks, 2009 will be remembered as the year when it became cheaper for schools to provide a laptop computer for every child than to provide expensive textbooks. The textbook is not only expensive, it encourages a mode of teaching devoid of creativity and discovery.
for several reasons. First, it is amazingly reliable and boots quickly—both important features for classroom computing. Second, most distributions provide automatic updates not only for the OS, but for the applications as well, so your computer is always fresh and finely tuned. My experience has been that a three-year-old laptop running Linux outperforms a brand-new computer running any version of Windows.
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MB: What role does open source software play in education? The beauty of open source software is multifold. First, it offers extremely high-quality applications at no cost. While cost is not the most important factor, it is relevant because, with wide use of open source tools, students can use the identical applications at home they use in the classroom—without having to purchase them. Another role of open source software is that it frees school budgets to purchase those proprietary titles for which there are no open source equivalents. Beyond the domain of the software itself, the open source operating system, Linux, is of great importance in education
MB: What is the biggest learning challenge students face today? A generation or so ago, it was common to think of a core body of knowledge that would prepare people for life—a core that was fairly static. Those days are gone (with the exception of literacy and numeracy). We live in a world of tremendous dynamic change, a world in which creativity becomes a nonexportable resource. One of the challenges students face today is understanding how much the world has changed. Some parents and teachers preserve a misty-eyed view of the past that they feel remains relevant today, even though we clearly live in a very different world. The task of helping students move from a “thing”-based curriculum to one based on processes—verbs—is challenging, for students, parents, and teachers alike; but it is a transformation that is absolutely required if today’s youth are going to invent the future in which we all will live.
Want to read more or nominate someone for this list? Visit www.techlearning.com/ 30thanniversary.
One of the challenges students face today is understanding how much the world has changed. Some parents and teachers preserve a misty-eyed view of the past that they feel remains relevant today, even though we clearly live in a very different world. 50
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