K-12 Tech Trends :: May 30, 2007

Focus

Review: Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium

Some of the most common applications IT professionals have to administer (besides the usual, ubiquitous office and productivity tools) are to be found in the Adobe's design software portfolio--Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, Illustrator, and InDesign, among others. And, no doubt, those of you who have not yet upgraded to Creative Suite 3 are feeling the pressure to do so. And, beyond that, you're probably also feeling the pressure to upgrade to the Premium Editions of the design suite. Is it worth it?...

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News Briefs

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....

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Chicago Schools Manage Special Ed with Maximus

Chicago Public Schools will manage its special education program using TieNet from Maximus. TieNet is a case management system used, among other things, to develop individual education programs and analyze student achievement....

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Virginia School Reinforces Learning with Support Site

High school students at a vocational school in Virginia that prepares students for careers as IT technicians are reinforcing their classroom learning by sharing information, encouragement, and their own quizzes and flash cards at a wiki-style website that offers a wealth of online tutorials and resources, all free. The site, ProProfs, combines some of the factors of a social networking site, with member blogs and chats, with elements of a wiki, in which users create and edit the content themselves....

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Missouri To Launch Virtual Schools

Connections Academy, a virtual education company, recently announced that it has been selected by Missouri's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide Missouri's Virtual Instruction Program's (MoVIP) first K-5 virtual school, expected to open in 2007. The secondary education (grades 6-12) virtual school will be provided by Northwest Missouri State University. Both virtual campuses are intended to provide tuition-free education for more than 4,000 students in the state....

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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....

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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....

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Share Your Best Practices

T.H.E. Journal is currently looking for the following types of articles for future issues and for our eNewsletter, T.H.E. SmartClassroom:

  • School Perspectives - discuss a specific topic, trend, or concern about education technology.
  • Case Studies - have you implemented technology and learned a lot from the experience? If so, share your efforts about what worked -- and what didn't.

If you have a potential article, or questions about the above topics, please e-mail [email protected]

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Featured

  • students using digital devices, surrounded by abstract AI motifs and soft geometric design

    Ed Tech Startup Kira Launches AI-Native Learning Platform

    A new K-12 learning platform aims to bring personalized education to every student. Kira, one of the latest ed tech ventures from Andrew Ng, former director of Stanford's AI Lab and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning.AI, "integrates artificial intelligence directly into every educational workflow — from lesson planning and instruction to grading, intervention, and reporting," according to a news announcement.

  • toolbox featuring a circuit-like AI symbol and containing a screwdriver, wrench, and hammer

    Microsoft Launches AI Tools for Educators

    Microsoft has introduced a variety of AI tools aimed at helping educators develop personalized learning experiences for their students, create content more efficiently, and increase student engagement.

  • laptop displaying a red padlock icon sits on a wooden desk with a digital network interface background

    Reports Point to Domain Controllers as Prime Ransomware Targets

    A recent report from Microsoft reinforces warns of the critical role Active Directory (AD) domain controllers play in large-scale ransomware attacks, aligning with U.S. government advisories on the persistent threat of AD compromise.

  • Two hands shaking in the center with subtle technology icons, graphs, binary code, and a padlock in the dark blue background

    Two Areas for K-12 Schools to Assess for When to Work with a Managed Services Provider

    The complexity of today’s IT network infrastructure and increased cybersecurity risk are quickly moving beyond many school districts’ ability to manage on their own. But a new technology model, a partnership with a managed services provider, offers a way forward for schools to overcome these challenges.