K-12 Tech Trends :: November 1, 2006
Opinion
Are Our Schools on the Verge of a Broadband Crisis?
By Jeanne Hayes
In conducting research on America’s digital schools this past year, I found a major shortfall between budgeted bandwidth and the estimated need for bandwidth. In fact, I believe the shortfall may be as much as four times the budgeted amount by 2011. So here is the question: Is there a broadband crisis in public schools today?
- Tom Greaves, a thought leader in educational technology who is also my partner in creating the research report America’s Digital Schools 2006 (http://www.ads2006.org), says yes, and wrote a detailed explanation of the issue in our new report.
- Many district leaders at the Florida Association of Educational Data Systems (FAEDS; http://www.faeds.org) conference in Florida agreed in September.
- Many software and print publishers agreed at the AAP/SIIA (Association of American Publishers/Software Information Industries Association) Ed Tech Summit in October.
- The North Carolina State Department of Education has a number of online articles related to this issue at http://tps.dpi.state.nc.us/tech/TechMENU.html.
What are they saying? That the increased demand for internet access in the classroom will require more bandwidth than has been budgeted. The 475 K-12 technology directors who responded to America’s Digital Schools 2006 survey estimate their current bandwidth is 2.90 kilobits per second (Kbps) per student and report their expected bandwidth need for 2011 is 9.57 Kbps per student...
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News Briefs
Scantron Names New President
Tim Loomer has been named president of Scantron Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of John H. Harland Co...
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KANA Donates Computers to Oakland Community
KANA Software Inc., a leader in multichannel customer service, has donated more than 150 computer systems to the Eastmont Computing Center (ECC) in Oakland, CA...
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Hotmath.com Resources Made Available to netTrekker d.i. Subscribers
Thinkronize Inc. , developer of the netTrekker suite of award-winning educational search products, has partnered with Hotmath.com to provide educators and students with new, valuable online content and resource options...
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Louisiana Parishes Among First to Adopt New PLATO Learning Environment
Lafourche Parish Public Schools and St. James Parish Schools in Louisiana have selected the new PLATO Learning Environment for their computer-based assessment and instruction...
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By the Numbers
Survey Finds Teachers Utilizing Online Resources to Meet Testing Requirements
Squaring national testing requirements with individualized student needs and classroom time pressures poses the biggest challenge for K-12 educators, according to the results of a new national survey sponsored by TeachAde, the first Web 2.0 resource to enable online teacher communities and resource sharing. The survey revealed that most teachers, particularly younger ones and those new to the profession, are actively engaged with online resources, viewing them as an important tool for lesson development, project ideas, and professional development. The survey found that teachers almost evenly ranked meeting national standardized testing requirements (65 percent), fulfilling individual student needs (65 percent), and time pressure (61 percent) as the biggest challenges that impact their ability to teach. On average, teachers said about 28 percent of classroom time is spent preparing students for national testing requirements, including those mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act, although a fourth of teachers, particularly at the K-6 level, spend half or more classroom time on such preparations...
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Show Me the Money
U.S. Bank Offers College Scholarships to High School Seniors
High school seniors have until Feb. 28, 2007, to fill out an application for U.S. Bank’s 11th Annual Internet Scholarship Program online. The scholarship program, available only through the internet, will award up to 30 college scholarships valued at $1,000 each to graduates of the high school class of 2007. Scholarship award recipients are selected through a random drawing process. Students who plan to attend an accredited two- or four-year college in the fall of 2007 in a full-time course of study are eligible to apply. Students must also be US citizens or permanent resident aliens, and graduate from high school during the 2006-07 academic year. See the website for additional scholarship information. Recipients of a U.S. Bank Internet Scholarship will be notified of their selection during the spring of 2007...
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Products & Services
Lexmark Introduces Powerful Monochrome Laser Printer Series
Lexmark International Inc. has introduced its first monochrome laser printer series that combines breakthrough print-head technology and two-sided printing on every model to help customers increase productivity and reduce costs and waste...
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Wyse Debuts Comprehensive Thin-Computing Software Suite
Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing, has announced the general availability of Wyse Streaming Manager (WSM) 1.2 and Wyse Device Manager (WDM) 4.5...
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Coming Up
THE Journal Opportunities
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T.H.E. Journal is currently looking for the following types of articles for future issues and for our eNewsletter, T.H.E. SmartClassroom:
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