T.H.E. News Update :: February 25, 2009 -- THE Journal

Spotlight

Signs of a Significant Disruption in the Traditional Textbook Model
Indiana has redefined the meaning of word "textbook," opening the way for individual districts to adopt learning materials beyond state-approved, paper-bound books. And it's not alone in its quest to expand options for educators. Florida, Virginia, and Texas are also implementing or considering implementing their own changes to the traditional textbook model. Are we seeing significant encroachments on the old way of doing business? More

Google Apps for Education Coming to Moodle
Google Apps Education Edition is coming to an open source learning management system near you. Moodlerooms, a Moodle partner, is launching a new enhancement to the open source LMS in collaboration with search giant Google to provide access to the application suite using a single sign-on. More
Colorado District Deploys WiFi Across 50 Campuses
Poudre School District in Colorado has deployed WiFi arrays across all of its campuses as part of a larger technology-driven learning initiative. The deployment spanned 50 schools spread across nearly 2,000 square miles. More
Safari 4 Speeds JavaScript, Adds iTunes-Like Cover Flow
Apple has released a public beta of Safari 4, introducing several new end-user features, along with built in developer tools and a new JavaScript engine called Nitro. More
Blackboard Finds Mass Notification Encourages Parental Engagement
Education technology company Blackboard reported that its Connect-ED mass notification service is now able to send messages to one out of five student households, reaching parents of 11 million K-12 students in the United States. More

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Report Explores How AI Is Reshaping Foundational Workforce Skills

The Burning Glass Institute and the AI Education Project (aiEDU) have released a new analysis of how generative AI is transforming the skills students need to succeed in the workforce and beyond.
Blackboard Emerges as Stand-Alone Company Following Financial Restructuring

Having completed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process announced last fall, Anthology has rebranded as Blackboard, the company's core Teaching & Learning business.
SchoolOS Launches Operational Intelligence Platform for School Districts

SchoolOS has introduced a new agentic AI platform for managing district operations — school requests, help desk, district assets, and operational workflows — in a single system.
Shadow AI Is Quietly Becoming K–12's Biggest Cybersecurity Risk

As AI-powered tools flood the classrooms faster than school IT policies can adapt, a growing cybersecurity risk is emerging: shadow AI.