• Vernier Offers Free Workshops on Integrating Data Collection Into Curricula

  Starting in February, science and math educators nationwide can take Vernier Software & Technology's free hands-on workshops in data-collection technology. The four-hour sessions will teach educators how to integrate data-collection technology into their chemistry, biology, physics, math, middle school science, physical science, and Earth science curricula. Participants will have an opportunity to collect data on computers, TI graphing calculators and Palm OS handhelds. The workshops will include lunch and a workshop training manual. Educators can also earn two (quarter) graduate science credit hours through the Portland State University (PSU) Center for Science Education (approximate cost: $70 per credit hour, payable to PSU). All spring workshops are free for training and the manual, or educators can choose a training and hardware/software package for $250.

  For full details on the workshops, including a list of dates and locations, and to register online, visit http://www.vernier.com/workshop/evaluation.html

• Ebrary, Kirtas Partner to Provide a One-Stop Solution for Digitizing Printed Materials

  Ebrary, an e-book technology and services provider, has partnered with Kirtas Technologies, a provider of digital scanning solutions, to bring the library industry a cost-effective, end-to-end solution for digitizing its bound documents. Under terms of the agreement, libraries that digitize their print materials into PDFs using Kirtas Technologies' software and hardware now have the option of seamlessly and effortlessly implementing it into ebrary's OnDemand platform, which turns static PDF files into dynamic, cross-searchable databases. For libraries, the partnership provides an easy, cost-effective way to digitize printed materials such as manuscripts, case studies, and historical books.

  For the full story, visit http://www.ebrary.com/corp/newspdf/ebrary_Kirtas.pdf

• SAS, LCTCS Target Education Initiatives for Post-Katrina Louisiana

  SAS, a leader in business intelligence, and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) have announced an agreement to lead a coalition of partners in the development and funding of regional educational impact grants that will encourage collaboration between local higher education institutions and K-12 school districts to educate families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In total, SAS will provide more than $3.5 million in software, services, employee time and direct donations to fund several programs and projects throughout Louisiana.

  For the full story, visit http://www.sas.com/news/preleases/011906/news1.html

• New Ohio High School Emphasizes Math, Science, Technology

  An unprecedented partnership of Battelle, Ohio State University, and the Educational Council has unveiled a new public high school that will emphasize math, science, and technology. The small, public high school, Metro High School (http://www.themetroschool.org), will open with as many as 100 ninth-graders this fall. The school, which will prepare 9-12 grade students for success in college, is unique in that its 11th- and 12th-graders will participate in hands-on, self-directed learning outside of the classroom with teachers and mentors from the community. This learning will include independent research projects, group projects with other students, and community internships at learning centers around the community.

  For the full story, visit http://www.osu.edu/news/lvl2_news_story.php?id=1292

• Verizon Helps Pennsylvania School for the Deaf Enhance Its Classrooms

  The Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (http://www.psd.org) has received a grant of $15,000 from the Verizon Foundation to purchase classroom technology in the form of six Tandberg document cameras. Use of these cameras greatly benefits deaf and hard-of-hearing students who are primarily visual learners because the cameras allow teachers to take documents—textbooks, graphs, diagrams, photographs, or maps—and display them directly on a SMART Board or TV monitor on the wall. This allows deaf students to study the materials being projected, while simultaneously being taught in sign language. The technology also eliminates an educator's need for transparencies or other reproduced materials.

  For the full story, visit http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060117/phtu036.html?.v=35

TechSmith Corp. (http://www.techsmith.com) has released Camtasia Studio 3.1, which enables education professionals with no programming or multimedia expertise to quickly create eLearning content for online classes, distance learning, and professional development courses. Camtasia Studio requires no specialized hardware or training, so educators can quickly incorporate the software into their teaching to administer quizzes without a Learning Management System, and have the results e-mailed to them from students. It also lets teachers easily record all activities on a computer screen as well as voice narration and real-world video to create compelling, life-like instruction. And the best part is that all content can be edited and shared with students on-demand via the Internet in all the popular streaming formats, as well as on CDs and DVDs. Pricing: $149 for qualified academic institutions.

Sibelius Software (http://www.sibelius.com/cgi-bin/home/home.pl) has released Groovy Music, a series of three exciting software programs for elementary and middle school students: Groovy Music-Shapes for ages 5-7, Groovy Music-Jungle for ages 7-9, and Groovy Music-City for ages 9-11. The programs teach students the basics of sound, rhythm, pitch, and composition by using captivating graphics and animation—progressing to simple notation, as well as major and minor scales. For music teachers, the program not only serves as a fast and easy springboard to integrate technology into their classrooms, but also provides simple assessment and progress-management tools. The programs are ideal for a single computer, a lab, a networked environment, or an interactive whiteboard. Pricing: $69 per title, but the company will be offering discounted bundled pricing, site licenses, and lab packs.