THE Insider
Critical Insights for K-12 Education Technology Pros
7/7/2023
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Editor's Choice

The Role of AI in Assisting Teachers and in Formative Assessments of Students

How can AI be developed to help advance teaching? For beginners, it needs to put teachers front and center, according to a new report from the United States Department of Education.

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Top 10 Articles of the Last Month

Report: AI R&D Should Align with ED Recommendations and Focus on Context, Partnership, and Public Policy

As far back as 2010, the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) set a research and development (R&D) challenge for ed tech developers to “create personalized learning systems that continuously improve as they are used.” Now a new report suggests further R&D goals and makes recommendations for AI ed tech developers, keeping in mind a focus on “context sensitivity” for success in educational goals.

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5 Long-Term Benefits of Using Online Literacy Programs

When we started using a new literacy program 10 years ago, our reading scores were mediocre. Within a few years we had moved up to being a Level 1+ school, which is one of the highest rankings for Chicago Public Schools’ rating system (which is currently being replaced with a new system). We’re using the literacy program as a main component for grades K–5 and then another program for fifth graders.

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Data from 60K Incidents in Spring 2023 Shows Usage Trends for School Incident Reporting

A new School Safety Trends: 2023 Spring Term report from incident response technology provider Centegix illustrates how schools are using the company’s mobile panic button solution on campuses nationwide.

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K–12 Institutions Struggling to Manage More Digital Tools

K–12 teachers and students may have engaged with fewer ed tech products for learning last year, but the diversity of new digital tools has challenged school IT departments to manage them to comply with education needs, as well as cybersecurity mandates.

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Zero-Day Exploits Dominate Malware from Web Traffic in Q1

In the first quarter of 2023, a massive 93% of detected malware from encrypted web traffic and 70% of malware from unencrypted web traffic came from zero day malware, according to a new report. And 51 new ransomware variants were detected.

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Enterprise Adoption of Wi-Fi 6E Sees Momentum as 6 GHz Band Gains Acceptance

Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E helped propel the enterprise market for wireless LAN devices 67.4% year over year in the United States in the first quarter of 2023, according to a new market analysis.

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FTC Suit Against Edmodo is a Warning Shot for Ed Tech, Data Privacy Attorneys Say

Edmodo, an online learning platform founded in 2008 that was widely used by teachers around the globe until it shuttered last September, has been ordered to pay $6 million by the Federal Trade Commission for collecting personal data from children without parents’ consent and using that data for advertising, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule, and for unlawfully outsourcing its COPPA compliance responsibilities to schools, the agency said.

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K–12 Ransomware Attacks Rose 43% in 2022, Encryption Used More Often, Survey Shows

Eight out of 10 K–12 school districts surveyed for Sophos’ 2023 State of Ransomware Report said they were hit by ransomware last year — a 43% increase from the previous year’s results — making the K–12 education sector the most-popular ransomware target in the world in 2022.

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Key Concepts in Designing AI-Based Learning Strategies

A key insight for AI-based learning is that it enables adaptivity, with technology's "ability to meet students where they are, build on their strengths, and grow their knowledge and skills." But the caveat is that adaptivity can sometimes be too specific and limited, and important parts of learning can be left out or insufficiently developed. An important goal is to work "toward AI models that fit the fullness of the visions for learning — and avoid limiting learning to what AI can currently model well."

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The Need for Powerful Identity and Access Management Throughout Districts

Districts seeking to optimize their IT, and specifically, their cybersecurity efforts, must focus on deploying common sense tools and operational resilience plans that will help defend against cyber attacks as well as respond in the wake of a successful hack.

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Data and Information Security Take the Spotlight at the Tech Tactics in Education Conference

The agenda for the 2023 Tech Tactics in Education conference has been revealed. The inaugural event will offer five tracks — two for K–12, two for higher education, and one for both — spotlighting data and IT security in the "new now."

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New & Upcoming K–12 Grants

Ongoing K–12 Grants

  • Inventionland Grants for K–12 Schools

    Sponsor: Inventionland Education
    Award: Funds for Innovation Labs, professional development, and Innovation curriculum (varies by request)
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline: Ongoing (rolling)
  • NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grants

    Sponsor: National Education Association Foundation
    Award: $2,000 or $5,000
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline: Feb. 1, June 1 and Oct. 15 of each year
  • Association of American Educators Foundation Classroom Grant

    Sponsor: Association of American Educators Foundation
    Award: $500
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline: March 1 and October 1 of each year
  • Toshiba STEM Project-Based Learning Grants for Teachers Grades 6–12

    Sponsor: Toshiba America Foundation
    Award: Two categories: Up to $5,000 and Over $5,000 
    Number of Awards: Varies
    Application Deadline: For grants up to $5,000, deadline is March 1, 2023, and every three months thereafter; for grants over $5,000, deadline is May 1, 2023, and Nov. 1, 2023
  • Association of American Educators Foundation Teacher Scholarship

    Sponsor: Association of American Educators Foundation
    Award: $500
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline: March 1 and October 1 of each year
  • Calm Room Grants for Schools

    Sponsor: Cook Center for Human Connection
    Award: $5,000 matching grant
    Number of Awards: 20 for 2022–23 school year
    Application Deadline: Ongoing
  • CDA Funding for Maryland Early Educators

    Sponsor: The Council for Professional Recognition, Maryland State Department of Education, and Maryland Family Network
    Award: $425 initial online assessment fee; $125 renewal online application fee; $33 for the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program and CDA Competency Standards book
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline: Ongoing
  • Edthena Innovation Fund

    Sponsor: Edthena
    Award: Varies based on district size; matching grant
    Number of Awards: Not specified
    Application Deadline: Ongoing (monthly reviews on the 30th of each month)
  • Connect For Success Grants

    Sponsor: Mobile Beacon
    Award: Up to 25 laptops with one year of free 4G LTE high-speed internet each
    Number of Awards: Varies
    Application Deadline: Accepted year-round; awards granted on rolling basis
  • Naiku Innovative Teacher Grant

    Deadline: Ongoing (30 total awards in 2021, with applications accepted until Nov. 1)
  • Sony Grants for Education

    Deadline: Ongoing (grants awarded on a rolling basis)

Upcoming K–12 Events 

  • Tech Tactics in Education: Data and IT Security in the New Now

    Brought to you by the producers of Campus Technology and THE Journal, the 2023 Tech Tactics in Education conference offers hands-on learning, practical tips, and strategic discussions on critical cybersecurity issues and key data infrastructure and practices across K–12 and higher education. Access the latest thinking on current and emerging technology, data, and security trends impacting education institutions, as well as models for implementation, best practices, and strategies for effective technology leadership. If you are a technology leader in K–12 or higher education, data specialist, cybersecurity pro, or other individual charged with technology decision-making on campus, you’ll find valuable information for any experience level, team size, or institution type.
    Nov. 7–9, 2023
    Orlando, Florida

Call for Papers & Proposals

Submit calls for papers/proposals to [email protected].

Webinars On Demand

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