Arkansas DOE To Offer netTrekker Access in Schools Statewide
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADOE) has entered in a two-year agreement to provide access to subscription-based educational search engine and content delivery system netTrekker to public schools throughout the state. Although several educators have already been using the system through district subscriptions, the agreement means that, at least through the 2010-2011 school year, an estimated 460,000 students and teachers will now have access to netTrekker's extensive array of content offerings, including digital video, games and activities, informational resources, and study aids.
"netTrekker has been the first stop for our student Internet research for the last three years," said Jim Yeager, director of instructional technology for Pottsville School District in Pottsville. "Not only has it saved our students countless hours of fruitless searching, but it has added a collection of valuable tools for our teachers. It has become one of the most important tools in our district."
The two-year statewide subscription also falls under the EAST Initiative, an ADOE-funded program that focuses on engaging students in their education and their communities through the use of technology. Matt Dozier, president and CEO of the EAST Initiative, said the system's tools are a valuable aid for students to explore and develop projects. "We believe that the work we are doing together will lead to a better educational experience for our students and ultimately to their contributions in improving communities around the world."
ADOE said that several of the state's education service cooperatives have sent representatives to be trained as netTrekker administrators, and they will in turn train educators throughout the state on the system's use.
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Scott Aronowitz is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas. He has covered the technology, advertising, and entertainment sectors for seven years. He can be reached here.