Ransomware attacks targeting K–12 schools worldwide last year grew at an “absolutely massive” rate of 827% over 2021, according to SonicWall’s 2023 Cyber Threat Report, and the data shows that education customers — those whose data is compromised during ransomware attacks — had the highest percentage reporting ransomware attempts of all sectors studied.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 04/13/23
In the past week, CISA has published alerts on seven known exploited vulnerabilities — two of which put a long list of Apple devices at risk — ordering federal agencies to remediate the identified vulnerabilities immediately and encouraging all organizations to do the same.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 04/10/23
Worldwide IT spending is projected to increase 5.5% this year to a total of $4.6 trillion by the close of 2023, according to the latest forecast by market researchers at Gartner, while IDC analysts detailed a decline in spending on non-cloud infrastructure and devices but project significant growth in cloud infrastructure spending.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 04/06/23
Digital learning platform Seesaw has launched standards-aligned elementary computer science curriculum for grades K–5, offering interactive tools for students including audio, photos, video, text, and drawings in lessons that cover a wide range of disciplines and subjects, the company said.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 04/06/23
Starting today, plagiarism detection software Turnitin includes new live AI-writing detection features that “identify the use of AI writing tools including ChatGPT, with 98% confidence,” the company said.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 04/04/23
A French generative AI ed tech startup called Nolej (pronounced “knowledge”) has quietly launched a new OpenAI-based instructional content generator for educators, called Nolej AI, ahead of its official introduction at BETT in London on March 30 and a planned commercial debut at the ASU+GSV Summit on April 19, the company's chairman told THE Journal.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 03/29/23
Two former classroom teachers who have been working on Turnitin’s AI writing detection tool and related features to help educators better understand ChatGPT — and show them teachers how to use AI to save themselves time and how to tweak assignments so that ChatGPT cannot earn a good grade on writing homework — both believe that ChatGPT has presented a growth opportunity — or perhaps more of a growth demand — for writing instruction, which they explained in the March episode of THE Journal Insider podcast.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 03/27/23
A Funds For Learning E-rate expert shares what K–12 procurement officers and IT leaders need to know so they can be prepared to apply for the expanded funds if and when the FCC decides to expand the E-rate eligible services list — particularly if the expansion plan of choice means that the amount of E-rate funds to cover modern cybersecurity services is limited, at least for the first few years.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 03/23/23
A technology educator shares how her nonprofit is using ChatGPT to help students participating in Technovation programs go further in their brainstorming and ideation as they aim to develop AI-based solutions to real-world problems. Here’s a concrete example from our program: Students in one group were interested in developing technology-based solutions to food wastage and conservation, encouraging more students to read, exercise, and be more inclusive.
- By Tara Chklovski
- 03/22/23
Depending on who’s speaking, ChatGPT is projected to either further erode K-12 learning outcomes or it will boost writing instruction and overall learning outcomes when used with appropriate guardrails. Several education technology leaders explained to THE Journal why they fall in the second category and how K-12 education should and can embrace ChatGPT in classrooms.
- By Kristal Kuykendall
- 03/22/23