Technology + Online + Industry + Partnerships
Sending the Right Message
An online game uses real-life scenarios to teach teens the
ins and outs of safe, responsible cell phone use.
EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF KIDS under age
17 in the US have cell phones, according to statistics
from Web Wise Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to
helping kids stay safe online. But while those
kids are using cell phones to gather information
on the go and stay connected with family and
friends, they're also using the devices for irresponsible
and potentially dangerous activities.
According to Web Wise Kids, 53 percent of
teens admit to sending hurtful messages over
the internet or cell phones, and 51 percent of
teens ages 16 and 17 use their cell phones
while driving. The organization's statistics also
indicate a large number of teen cell phone users
participating in what's known as "sexting,"
with 20 percent of them revealing they have
sent nude or seminude pictures of themselves
to others, and 40 percent copping to sending
sexually explicit messages.
Those alarming numbers led Web Wise Kids
to partner with the philanthropic division
of the Entertainment Software Association,
called the ESA Foundation, virtual technology provider
Will Interactive,
and communications company Verizon to create It's Your Call,
a new web-based game that's part of an onlinesafety
education program aimed at giving middle
school students the tools to make appropriate
decisions about cell phone use.
It's Your Call is based on true stories, and
allows teens to practice playing out difficult reallife
scenarios in a safe, virtual environment. The
game turns students into live-action characters in
interactive movies, during which they are asked
to make decisions involving cell phone use and
view the consequences of their actions.
Throughout the game, students receive
guidance on proper cell phone behavior and
advice on how to use the devices to enhance
personal safety. Among the issues players
confront are academic cheating, sexting,
and cyberbullying. Web Wise Kids also
offers tips to educators on ways to use It's
Your Call to enhance school curriculum, as
well as providing cell phone safety tips for
parents and teens, and teacher resources.
It's Your Call was launched on March
23, when Los Angeles Unified School
District introduced it to Sepulveda Middle
School in North Hills, CA, to promote responsible
cell phone use. "As we all increasingly
rely on mobile technology in our lives, it is
critical that young people understand how to
use cell phones to interact responsibly with
others, whether that is with their peers or
adults," said Mónica García, LAUSD board
president, in a statement. "I applaud Web Wise
Kids, Will Interactive, Verizon, and the ESA
Foundation for taking this step to educate
young people on how to safely utilize the many
benefits of mobile communications."
It's Your Call is available through the Web
Wise Kids and Will Interactive websites for a
small fee, and through Web Wise Kid's training
programs offered via schools, law enforcement
agencies, and community organizations.
Green Spot
DEPARTMENT OF ED
TO 'FUEL' KIDS WITH
STEM TEACHING
The US Department of Energy, along with
Discovery Education and
the X Prize Foundation, has created a new
online knowledge center called
Fuel Our Future Now. The
center is designed to teach
K-12 students the science,
technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) skills necessary for
creating energy-efficient vehicles.
Lesson plans on the website
complement STEM curriculum,
and feature content in areas such
as advanced vehicle technologies,
energy efficiency, climate change,
and alternative fuels. The website
also offers videos, virtual labs,
and other interactive tools for
K-12 classrooms.
The project was inspired by
insurance company Progressive's Automotive X Prize, a
$10 million contest that calls on
teams to design and build new
types of super-fuel-efficient cars
to stimulate breakthroughs in
automotive technology.
:: Industry News
DREAMBOX OFFERS FREE ACCESS
TO MATH GAME. Through June 30,
e-learning company DreamBox
Learning is offering K-2 classrooms
throughout the US and Canada free
access to its classroom math game.
The online game combines standardsbased
math and an adventure-style
backdrop to provide a fun, engaging
learning experience for students.
Teachers can sign up for the free trial
by visiting here.
LEXMARK IMPROVES MFP
ACCESSIBILITY. Lexmark has created
a new interface for its multifunction
printers (MFPs), called the Accessibility
Solution. The new application is
designed to make it easier for people
with visual impairments to access
Lexmark MFP technology. With the
Lexmark Accessibility Solution, users
can set up copy, fax, e-mail, FTP, and
scan jobs directly from their workstations
through compatible assistive
technology software instead of using
the touchscreen displays on MFPs.
Visit here for complete details and purchasing
information.
NEW INITIATIVE EXPLORES WEB 2.0
IN SCHOOLS. Thinkronize, creator of
the NetTrekker educational search tool,
and Lightspeed Systems, a provider of
network security and management
software for schools, have formed an
ongoing initiative, called Safe Schools
in a Web 2.0 World, to help schools
safely and effectively implement Web
2.0 technologies to improve teaching
and learning. The initiative's first step
was to call on an independent research
firm to conduct a survey titled "National
Online Survey of District Technology
Directors Exploring District Use of
Web 2.0 Technologies." The survey
examined the current status, future
plans, and ongoing challenges of Web
2.0 implementation in K-12 education.
Key survey findings revealed that
although many districts are using or
planning to use several types of Web
2.0 technologies, there is still resistance
to using online social networking for
instructional purposes. For more on the
initiative and survey results, visit
here or here.
VKERNEL TOOL SIMULATES DATA
CENTER SCENARIOS. VKernel, a provider of
virtual server management solutions,
has created Modeler 1.0, a VMware ESX data center
modeling tool. The tool lets users simulate
hundreds of data center scenarios
to understand their impact on performance,
which then allows IT staff to
plan ahead and make informed decisions
on which changes should be made
to a VMware ESX infrastructure. A
14-day free trial of a fully functional
Modeler 1.0 appliance is available on
the VKernel website.
MARSHAL8E6 ACQUIRES AVINTI.
Marshal8e6, a
company formed last November by the
merger of IT security providers Marshal
and 8e6 Technologies, has acquired
Avinti, a provider of
advanced, behavior-based malwaredetection
technology. Avinti's team
was merged into Marshal8e6 in April,
and its behavior observation tool was
integrated into the Marshal8e6 portfolio
of e-mail and web security solutions.
The acquisition will strengthen
Marshal8e6's ability to stop security
threats that involve both e-mail and the
web, known as blended threats.
PEARSON ED OFFERS FUNDING HELP.
Pearson Education has created a new website, called Pearson
Resources for Grants and Funding, to help
educators sort through the provisions
of the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA). The website
contains tools such as webinars, informational
videos, and an e-mail hotline
to help districts figure out how to
access and use stimulus money, and
will be updated regularly with the
latest ARRA information.
:: People
GEORGE APPOINTED TO MOM
CONGRESS BOARD. Melinda George,
senior director of PBS TeacherLine, a provider of
online professional development for
educators, has been appointed to the
advisory board of the Mom Congress on
Education and Learning. Recently launched
by Parenting
magazine in
cooperation with
Georgetown University's
School
of Continuing
Studies, the Mom
Congress is an
online initiative that connects mothers of
K-12 students and helps them advocate
for education reform. In her role on the
board, George, who also is senior
director of PBS' National Educational
Partnerships, will share her expertise
with Mom Congress participants.
SAVOIE NAMED NSBA PRESIDENT.
C.H. "Sonny" Savoie was recently
named the 62nd president of the
National School Boards Association, a nonprofit organization
dedicated to
fostering excellence
and equity
in public K-12
schools through
school board leadership.
Savoie
has served on the
Louisiana School
Boards Association's board of directors
since 1995, and has been a member
of the board of St. Charles Parish
Public Schools in Louisiana for
23 years.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2009 issue of THE Journal.