THE Journal — Accountability/Assessment
AYP 'Balloon Payment' Coming Due, Say Researchers
California may be in for a(nother) shock to its education system: According researchers, virtually every elementary school in the state will fail to meet NCLB adequate yearly progress goals by 2014. And the same fate may await other states that have adopted similar approaches to AYP: setting low initial goals and ramping them up steeply to meet full proficiency by 2014.
(10/2/2008)
Califone Promotes Class Participation with New Student Response System
Califone International unveiled its Got It! student response system last week. Designed for the K-12 market, the new platform provides a way for students to participate in classroom discussions anonymously, using infrared technology.
(10/1/2008)
Pitney Bowes Unveils K-12 Exam Tracking System
Pitney Bowes has announced a new exam tracking system, designed specifically for K-12 schools and districts. The Arrival Exam Tracking System is designed to help institutions track and manage state-mandated test booklets through the automation of several tasks.
(9/30/2008)
Sam Learning Adds Science, Audio Content to Online Test Prep Platform
Sam Learning has added science content to its Web-based, High School Exit Exam prep curriculum. The company has also added "improvement lessons" to some objectives, with an audio component intended to give students an alternative way to learn core concepts.
(9/29/2008)
Turnitin Integrates Plagiarism Tool into New Online Writing Service
iParadigms, creator of the Turnitin plagiarism detection service, has released a set of tools designed to help students improve their writing skills through enhanced teacher-student communication and peer collaboration. The Web-based WriteCycle suite of services combines the company's Turnitin service with its new GradeMark Digital Grading service and a peer review collaboration and feedback tool.
(9/24/2008)
ExamWeb, Wiley Launch AP/SAT Prep Site
ExamWeb has announced the launch of CliffsNotes TestSuccess in partnership with Wiley Publishing. The new online tool is designed to help students prepare for the Advanced Placement and Scholastic Assessment Test exams.
(9/19/2008)
Expert Teachers: Building Knowledge Versus Conveying Information
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we discussed the problem of being a knowledge worker in an essentially task-based education system. Teachers who are pressured into transferring information to students at a rate that supports test taking rather than knowledge building face considerable challenges. Not only does the system itself not support this approach, there are others risks to face.
(9/17/2008)
Mobile County Public Schools Looks To Boost AYP with Notification System
The Mobile County Public School System is getting ready to implement a district-wide parent notification system that will help reach the families of more than 63,000 students at 98 schools throughout the county. The district plans to use the system, SchoolMessenger, to increase annual yearly progress (AYP) funding, streamline emergency contact, and enhance general home-school communication.
(9/16/2008)
Hawaii Schools Expand EdisonLearning Partnerships
EdisonLearning has announced an expanded partnership with Hawaii schools, nearly tripling the total number of schools served throughout the state.
(9/15/2008)
Scantron Releases Desktop Scanner with Optical Mark Recognition
Scantron has started shipping its iNSIGHT 30, a new desktop scanner sporting fast speeds, high-resolution, and full color imaging, as well as optical mark recognition (OMR) for accurate data collection.
(9/10/2008)
California SchoolCharts 2008 Available Free Through December
California-based K-12 technology company SchoolCity has announced the availability of the '08 version of California SchoolCharts, a state accountability reporting tool first released by the company in 2006. The new version is being made available to all educators in the state free of charge through December 2008.
(9/10/2008)
Report: Sweeping Education Reform Needed To Bolster American Competitiveness
A revamped 21st century education system is central to American economic competitiveness. Domestic and international economies have shifted. New skills are needed for the workforce. And there are significant achievement gaps to be overcome in order for the United States to be able to compete with the rest of the world. This according to a new report released today that calls on federal, state, and local policymakers to make a concerted effort to refocus K-12 education on 21st century skills.
(9/10/2008)
TurningPoint Launches Web-based Response Service for Smartphones and Laptops
TurningPoint, which sells classroom response systems, has launched a Web-based service that works on AT&T-powered wireless smartphones, including the iPhone, BlackBerry, and laptops.
(9/2/2008)
Education Decisions: Looking for Strong Research and Better Implementations
What is strong research? How do you know if research warrants policy changes or adopting a technology intervention in your setting? Significant outcomes from research are not necessarily of practical significance. Where do you turn, if research is sparse or non-existent? How should a technology solution be implemented?
(8/28/2008)
Online Math Tutoring System Gives Access to Parents
Apangea Learning, an ed tech developer that focuses on supplemental instruction and tutoring software, has updated its Apangea Learning Math (formerly SmartHelp). ALM is an online tutoring system that provides differentiated math instruction through both live teachers and software-based animated learning coaches.
(8/27/2008)
Certica Expands Data Certification in Texas
Data certification software provider Certica Solutions is expanding its data certification services in Texas with the aim of helping the school districts manage data in accordance with state and federal education mandates.
(8/26/2008)
Student, Teacher Data Exposed Online at Princeton Review Site
Test preparation company The Princeton Review exposed personal information on tens of thousands of students for about seven weeks on its Web site. According to coverage in The New York Times, an unnamed Princeton competitor "stumbled on the files" while doing competitive research and contacted the newspaper, which informed the firm of the data breach. Princeton closed off access to that part of the Web site.
(8/26/2008)
Scottsdale Unified Works with GE Security on District Security Assessment
Scottsdale Unified School District in Arizona has completed the first phase of a district-wide strategic security master planning process designed to boost safety and support student achievement. The district recently received results of the security assessment from GE Security, including recommendations on ways security might be further improved throughout the district's schools.
(8/26/2008)
Utah Expands Online Writing Program
Utah districts are expanding their use of MY Access!, an online writing program from Vantage Learning. According to Vantage, more than 400,000 essays were submitted to MY Access! by Utah students within one school year.
(8/22/2008)
Education Decisions: Where's the Evidence and Research Base?
Remember the old Monty Hall program Let's Make a Deal? In that game show, you could win the prize behind one of three doors. If you started by choosing door 1, should you have changed your mind and selected door 2, if Monty showed you what's behind door 3? What has this to do with research? Well ... people are convinced what they know is the right thing and forge ahead with decisions based on their rationalizations, no matter what research indicates.
(8/21/2008)
Maryland Adopts TechLiteracy for Statewide Assessments
Maryland is implementing Learning.com's TechLiteracy Assessment to gauge its seventh-grade students' knowledge of 21st century technology skills. The assessments are being funded under the Measuring Student Technology Literacy grant program and will measure the skills of about 62,000 students during the 2008-2009 school year.
(8/18/2008)
Lawson Inks Multi-Suite Deal with Greenville Schools
Lawson Software announced last week a multi-suite deal with Greenville County Schools that includes the company's financial and human capital management software, as well as their business intelligence suite. The new solution is intended to help the South Carolina district manage its financial information though a centralized, digital system.
(8/14/2008)
Free 'Quiz School' Resource Adds Analytics, Integrates with Flickr and Google Maps
ProProfs has upgraded Quiz School, a free online resource that allows educators generate custom assessments. The new version, launched this week, adds integration with popular social media services and includes new analytics and reporting features.
(8/14/2008)
Microsoft, BearingPoint Team Up To Provide Risk-Based Compliance Solution
Microsoft has teamed up with BearingPoint to create the BearingPoint Enterprise Governance, Risk, and Compliance (EGRC) solution. The platform is built on Microsoft technology and capitalizes on the companies' long-standing relationship.
(8/13/2008)
4 Texas Districts Implement Encore Special Ed Software
Four school districts in Texas are adopting special education management software called Encore from Spectrum K12 School Solutions, according to information released this week by the company.
(8/6/2008)
