K12 News

Educational technology stakeholders favor Barack Obama over John McCain in the 2008 presidential race, 58 percent to 37 percent, according to an informal eSchool News survey. Though unscientific, our poll suggests a great deal about how the educators, administrators, and ed-tech vendors who read eSchool News view the topics that will shape this race ... and the issues that matter most for schools.

As winners of this year's Schools of Distinction Awards, the six schools chosen by Intel Corp. for their exemplary math and science instruction have one characteristic in common: They all integrate real-world experiences into the curriculum.

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Introducing the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC, a new notebook designed just for 1:1 computing programs. It's scaled down in size and weight, but it's huge in features--including one of the biggest keyboards in its class, an 8.9" diagonal screen and wireless capability. Learn more now.

With SAT scores at their lowest levels in years, two of the country's largest test-prep course providers are pairing with video game companies for the first time, to give students another way to practice for these oft-dreaded exams.

Creating a 21st-century education system that prepares students, workers, and citizens to triumph in the global skills race is the central economic competitiveness issue currently facing the United States, according to a new report from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). The report provides a sobering wake-up call for the nation's civic and education leaders.

Online textbooks have been touted in recent months as a way to bring relief to college students beleaguered by soaring textbook prices. Now, a study from the Student Public Interest Research Groups raises questions about whether online texts really are better than their printed counterparts--and publishers of online textbooks are firing back in turn.

Technology and telecommunications issues will be on Capitol Hill's radar in the months ahead as lawmakers attempt to influence regulators at the Federal Communications Commission and frame the debate for next year's Congress. Among the issues at the top of the agenda: subsidies for telephone service in underserved areas, 'net neutrality,' and online privacy.

U.S. colleges need to work quickly to upgrade their policies on emergency notification, response, and evacuation. The efforts are driven at least in part by the federal College Opportunity and Affordability Act, which was signed into law Aug. 14.

The results are in for eSchool News' Empowered Education Awards (EEA)--and three teams of talented students and their teachers are preparing for a trip to remember. With personal tours, catered cuisine, and the chance to speak with their congressional representatives, these award-winning teams will get a grand tour of Washington, D.C.--the place where ideas sometimes meet action.

PC Magazine, in consultation with the Princeton Review, has published a list of what it calls "America's top wired colleges," and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tops the list.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking public comment on a number of proposed changes to the list of eligible services for the e-Rate, the $2.25 billion-a-year program that provides discounts on telecommunications services to schools and libraries. The proposed changes would broaden the list of eligible services in some areas; comments are due Sept. 18.

For the past year and a half, students at Broad Creek Middle School in Newport, N.C., have used virtual reality technology to enhance their reading skills across the board--and the evidence suggests these efforts are paying off.

The decision by Comcast--the nation's second largest broadband-service provider (after AT&T)--to set an official limit on the amount of data that residential subscribers can download and upload each month could affect students who learn from home or live off campus, ed-tech observers say.

Administrators and IT chiefs at public universities nationwide say the recording industry's search for students accused of online piracy is cutting into their faculty's work day. In recent months, some universities have refused to forward "pre-litigation" letters to students offering them a settlement to avoid further legal action from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Two-thirds of American colleges and universities have gone or are going "green" by taking energy-saving and environmentally conscious steps, according to a recent survey.

Boosting education and ensuring America's success in the 21st-century economy were key themes espoused during day two of the Democratic National Convention in Denver Aug. 26.

For a second straight year, SAT scores for the most recent high school graduating class remained at their lowest levels in nearly a decade--a trend some attribute to a record number of students now taking the exam.

At the annual Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, hundreds witnessed the birth of a new generation of technologies and saw inspiring presentations. But what seemed to resonate most with the educators on hand was the keynote address delivered by Intel Board Chair Craig Barrett on Aug. 19. His central message: We must achieve global education reform and bring greater innovation to the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

As complaints about the new Apple iPhone 3G mount, an Alabama woman is suing Apple for what she describes as inconsistent service and false advertising.

The two major U.S. presidential contenders agree on much when it comes to technology, but they differ diametrically on "net neutrality." eSchool News in recent months has kept you up-to-date on where the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates stand on education issues. Now, Senators Barack Obama, D.-Ill., and John McCain, R.-Ariz., have issued policy statements specifically regarding technology.

Intel Corp. has unveiled the third generation of its low-cost laptop for students, which branches out from the standard clamshell design with a tablet-style option and includes a touch screen.