Expert Perspectives


Disaster Recovery: Personal and Up Close

As we move into what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts as an above normal Atlantic hurricane season, this month's column will focus on a little considered aspect of disaster recovery, personal business continuity. What does business continuity have to do with security? Both are based anticipating and planning for bad things. So don't be surprised when your boss wants you to be on the organization's disaster recovery team. You may be surprised at how much you can contribute.

12 Best Practices For Moving Young Learners Forward With Technology

News flash! Young children like technology! Early childhood programs can reinforce safe and appropriate usage by being intentional with their policies and instructional practices.

ATTAIN: The Means for a Mandate

Have you ever wondered what the "THE" in THE Journal means? Occasionally? Even fleetingly? No? Well, I'll tell you anyway. It stands for "Technological Horizons in Education." Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? Hence the acronym. But that aside, what it indicates is that we take as our premise that technology is inherently beneficial to education--that it can make the lives of educators easier, that it can facilitate learning, and that it can, when approached the right way, stimulate new ideas about learning and the teaching process. (And, as a side benefit, it happens to keep all of you IT folk off the streets.)

E-Textbooks: Points to Ponder on Pixels and Paper

Why bother with a printed textbook? Adopting an e-text seems like a no-brainer when you consider the potential advantages of learning in a multimedia environment that can be tailored to the needs of all learners.

Why Are We Still Using PowerPoint?

Sometimes I wonder if we (educators) will ever really use technology for what it should be used for. Yes, I know there are great examples of schools and teachers doing wonderful things. But I contend that when we take a broad view of how technology is being used, we see a lot of PowerPoint and electronic textbooks. Ouch!

Bridging the Gap Between Online and On-ground Teaching

Increasing numbers of studies are being done that seem to support the notion that blended course delivery or program delivery really captures the best of every possible world and, as such, is an effective way of learning for students.

Launching an iPad 1-to-1 Program: A Primer

Leaders from two schools that have implemented iPad programs share their insights, experiences, and recommendations for institutions looking to launch similar programs. They also reveal the six elements they consider "critical" to the success of an iPad 1-to-1 program.

Keep FETC Alive Year Round with Social Media

FETC can be an exhilarating, instructive, insightful, hectic experience that is hard to duplicate once you get home. However, thanks to social media, there are ways to keep in touch with peers you meet there and continue the professional development that has begun.

Expert Teachers: Building Knowledge Versus Conveying Information

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.

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?

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