T.H.E. News Update :: February 4, 2009 -- THE Journal

Spotlight

Top 10 Web 2.0 Tools for Young Learners
Gail Lovely is adamant about the nature and potential of Web-based learning tools. "Web 2.0 is about trust," she said at a recent talk. "It's about sharing and collaborating." And, she insisted, it's about putting the power to learn and create in the hands of the students. More
Good News for Ed Tech in the Economic Stimulus Bills
The House has passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the economic stimulus plan, and a bill has been introduced into the Senate. Congress intends to pass the bill by the middle of February, and Speaker Pelosi has said the House members will not have their Presidents' Day recess until they pass a bill. More

Google Earth 5 Goes Underwater, Travels to Mars
Google has released the Google Earth 5 beta, a major update to its geographical exploration software. The new release adds features for exploring below the oceans and also incorporates features for exploring the surface of Mars. More
Texas District Deploys SIF Integration Tools
Frisco Independent School District in northeast Texas has chosen Mizuni SIF Integration Tools for its growing technology and data processing needs. The district, which enrolls about 31,000 K-12 students, has experienced annual growth of between 12 percent and 30 percent over the last decade, and its demands for more efficient and reliable data management have subsequently skyrocketed. More
Chicago Parochial School Deploys WLAN To Support Classroom Technologies
Frances Xavier Warde School in Chicago has deployed Aruba Networks' 802.11n Access Points WiFi network at its Holy Name Cathedral and Old St. Patrick campuses. More
Pennsylvania Ed Tech Initiative Shifts Students to Project-based Learning
Pennsylvania's three-year Classroom for the Future (CFF) initiative has borne fruit, according to a recent study conducted jointly by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and education IT provider CDW Government. More

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CrowdStrike Report: Attackers Increasingly Targeting Cloud, AI Systems

According to the 2025 Threat Hunting Report from CrowdStrike, adversaries are not just using AI to supercharge attacks — they are actively targeting the AI systems organizations deploy in production. Combined with a surge in cloud exploitation, this shift marks a significant change in the threat landscape for enterprises.
Report Explores Link Between Student Engagement and Learning

Over 90% of teachers, principals, and superintendents agree that student engagement is a critical metric for understanding overall achievement, according to a new survey report from Discovery Education.
New AI Detector Identifies AI-Generated Multimedia Content

Amazon Web Services and DeepBrain AI have launched AI Detector, an enterprise-grade solution designed to identify and manage AI-generated content across multiple media types. The collaboration targets organizations in government, finance, media, law, and education sectors that need to validate content authenticity at scale.
The Hidden Cyber Risk in Schools

Printers may not be glamorous, but they are an often-overlooked attack vector that should be part of every district's cybersecurity strategy.