THE Journal — eLearning/Web
'Peer Connection' Targets Instructional Coaching
PBS TeacherLine this week rolled out (another) new service for educators at the 2007 NECC show in Atlanta. The latest one, dubbed PBS TeacherLine Peer Connection, is designed to help educators tasked with instructional coaching responsibilities.
(6/28/2007)
NetTrekker D.I. Adds Skills Channel to Online Tool
Thinkronize this week added a new "21st Century Skills Channel" to its netTrekker d.i. educational search engine. Thinkronize, a developer of K-12 education technologies, said the addition came as a response to the challenge that K-12 schools are perceived as failing to supply students with skills they need to be effective members of the United States workforce. The announcement was made at the 2007 NECC show in Atlanta.
(6/28/2007)
Northern California Schools Access Pokemon Learning League
Pokemon Learning League is coming to schools in Northern California thanks to a new partnership with the Northern California Media and Technology Consortia (NCMTC) and the Ed1Stop portal. News of the partnership was announced at the 2007 NECC convention, going on this week in Atlanta, where the company behind Pokemon Learning League, Pokemon USA, also introduced a new online assessment system for the program.
(6/27/2007)
18 Texas Districts Get Unitedstreaming
At the NECC show in Atlanta, Discovery Education announced that 18 Texas Regional Education Service Centers have signed on for the company's unitedstreaming service through the 2011/2012 school year. The agreement brings unitedstreaming to more than 3.8 million students, or 90 percent of the Education Service Center regions in the state.
(6/27/2007)
Interwrite Updates Bluetooth Classroom Pad
Interwrite Learning has announced an update to its Interwrite Pad, a wireless (Bluetooth) interactive pad designed for classroom use.
(6/26/2007)
Inspiration Launches Online Learning Community
At the 2007 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), Inspiration Software kicked off a new online community for educators. The site, dubbed Inspired Learning Community, is designed for educators as "a place to discover and share ideas and resources for effectively using Inspiration Software's visual learning products to develop students' critical thinking skills across the curriculum," according to the company.
(6/26/2007)
Discovery Adds Planet Earth Series to Unitedstreaming Plus
At the 2007 NECC convention taking place this week in Atlanta, Discovery Education announced that it's adding content from the BBC/Discovery Channel series Planet Earth to its unitedstreaming Plus and Science Connection services. Educators will be able to access video from the series, as well as teaching additional resources.
(6/26/2007)
Elluminate Releases Live! V8
Education technology developer Elluminate has released Elluminate Live! V8, an update to the company's flagship e-learning, conferencing, and online collaboration tool. The new version adds a variety of functional enhancements and is available now. The company's vRoom, a free conferencing tool based on Elluminate Live!, is also being updated to incorporate some of the functionality of Live! V8.
(6/26/2007)
Luidia Previews Classroom Technologies
At the InfoComm show in Anaheim, CA last week, Luidia previewed several upcoming enhancements to its line of classroom technologies, including new student response capabilities and various updates to eBeam-based systems.
(6/25/2007)
Forsyth To Roll Out Angel LMS
Forsyth County Schools in Georgia is switching its course management system district-wide over to Angel Learning's Angel LMS. District representatives said Forsyth was making the switch in order to add new online learning capabilities for its high schools ad middle schools.
(6/25/2007)
Scholastic Launches K-3 E-Book Resource
Children's book publisher Scholastic has announced Scholastic BookFlix, an online literary resource for children in grades K-3. Children's fiction and non-fiction titles will be paired in an e-book format. According to Scholastic, 80 pairings will be available for the launch with 20 Spanish language pairings.
(6/18/2007)
AEC Debuts A+VIP Bundle
K-12 curriculum courseware publisher American Education Corp. (AEC; Oklahoma City, OK) has unveiled A+ VIP Bundle, a four-in-one content and services plan.
(6/15/2007)
LAUSD Leverages Web To Personalize Learning
The Los Angeles Unified School District has implemented Web-based system in 185 schools that lets teachers personalize education based on students' strengths, abilities and interests.
(6/13/2007)
Online Phonics Courses Slated for September Launch
Synthetic Phonics (UK), led by educator and synthetic phonics proponent Debbie Hepplewhite, will launch an International Synthetic Phonics Teaching Program in September for use by teachers, schools, tutors and parents.
(6/13/2007)
Securexam 'Cheat-Proofs' Remote Test Taking
Software Secure (Cambridge, MA) has released its Securexam Remote Proctor system, which provides exam security for distance learning environments. Working with Troy University's (Troy, AL) distance learning program--which maintains an advanced distance learning program -- the system eliminates the need for remote students to take exams on-site or in the presence of a proctor.
(6/12/2007)
MathWorks Bundles Addons with MATLAB & Simulink Student Version
The MathWorks (Natick, MA) has upgraded its MATLAB & Simulink Student Version, which combines its MATLAB and Simulink offerings, by bundling it with various software addons.
(6/7/2007)
Travelocity Offers Free Online Environmental Awareness Lesson Plans
Southlake, TX-based Travelocity is offering free online lesson plans based on its animated Eco Bunnies campaign to show students nationwide how the can do their part to protect the environment.
(6/7/2007)
DyKnow Releases Vision and Monitor 5
Education technology developer DyKnow has released DyKnow Vision and Monitor 5.0. Both tools, designed for classroom environments, add enhancements in the areas of compatibility, user interface, and various productivity features.
(6/5/2007)
Kentucky Students to Participate in $6 Million Cognitive Tutor Study
Carnegie Learning, a developer of math curriculum textbooks and software, recently announced the participation of 33 Kentucky schools in a five-year study, conducted by RAND, to evaluate its Cognitive Tutor program. The Algebra I curriculum program will be tested on middle and high school students in a $6 million dollar study funded by the United States Department of Education.
(5/31/2007)
Missouri Virtual High School Partners with Kaplan, eCollege
Missouri Virtual Education program, in its plans to develop a virtual high school for fall 2007, has selected Kaplan to provide its online high school curriculum. Kaplan will partner with eCollege to provide a platform and software developer BocaVox to "provide course content, curriculum development, online instruction and administration tools," according to Kaplan. Northwest Missouri State University Center of Information Technology will serve as project manager.
(5/31/2007)
Carnegie Mellon, WPI Grants To Explore 'Intelligent Tutoring'
The United States Department of Education has awarded Worcester (MA) Polytechnic Institute and Carnegie Mellon University a four-year, $2 million grant to enhance a computerized program to help middle school students hone their math skills. The tool is designed to tie tutoring to the assessment of student performance under federal teaching and learning guidelines.
(5/30/2007)
Google Bans Ads from Essay-Writing Services
Google said it would ban advertisements for essay-writing services in an effort to help cut down on campus plagiarism. As part of the ban, Google will not accept ads from companies that sell essays, theses, and dissertations.
(5/30/2007)
Sakai Launches SCLE 2.4
The Sakai Foundation recently released version 2.4 of its Sakai Collaboration and Learning Environment (SCLE), an update six months in the making. SCLE is an open-source course management system targeted toward schools, colleges, and universities.
(5/30/2007)
iTunes U Debuts
Apple has launched a new iTunes feature called iTunes U, a new department in the iTunes Store that provides free education resources from American colleges and universities. The idea is to share resources from these campuses, such as lectures and research, free of charge. Some of the universities are also providing K-12 content.
(5/30/2007)
Ed Tech Groups Support ATTAIN Bill
The introduction this week of the Achievement Through Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) bill in the United States House of Representatives was met with enthusiasm by groups that support education technology. The bill seeks to revamp Part D of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to enhance professional development for teachers, improve technical proficiency in students, and otherwise support technology in various ways to advance student achievement.
(5/24/2007)
