IT Leadership: Key Facts to Advance Ed Tech in America

Earlier this spring, CoSN unveiled the new findings from our 2018 National K-12 IT Leadership Survey Report. Conducted in partnership with Dude Solutions and MDR, the annual survey provides the education community with insights from school system technology leaders on their challenges and priorities.

Feds Tackle Student Privacy for Pre-Test Surveys in SAT and ACT

Teachers and students are often confused about the "voluntary nature" of pre-tests, in which the questions require responses, including those queries that a student may not wish to answer. Therein lies the problem. Because the data generated in those surveys is part of school-required activities, it falls under the purview of multiple laws that protect the privacy of student data.

Mobile Devices See Upswing in K–12

Competition for the under-$300 market in the U.S. is heating up, with Microsoft and Apple focusing more on lower-cost devices in an effort to compete with Google's Chromebooks.

Study: It's Time to Regulate Brokers of Student Data

Information about students has become fair game for data brokers, which don't adhere to any protective measures currently in place, according to a new study by Fordham University's Center on Law and Information Policy. As "Transparency and the Marketplace for Student Data" reported, lists of student information are widely available for purchase "on the basis of ethnicity, affluence, religion, lifestyle, awkwardness and even a perceived or predicted need for family planning services." Those who trade in student information are governed under no federal privacy law.

Survey: Funding for Ed Tech Still Encumbers 21st Century Learning

Among the findings from a new ed tech tech survey: funding for is the biggest issue for most schools; augmented and virtual realities are hot really only with pundits, not classrooms; and Google is a top choice.

Digital Shift in Education Escalating Rapidly

Currently, 29 states have defined instructional materials to include digital versions; 30 allow the implementation; and six have required the use of digital curriculum.

People with More Education Have a More Positive View of the Internet

Among those who view the internet as a "bad" thing for society, the most common issue that stood out (cited by 25 percent) was how it isolates people or pushes them to spend too much time on devices. Sixteen percent talked about the spread of fake news; 14 percent were concerned about its impact on children; and 13 percent suggested that it "encourages illegal activity."

Report: Smartphones Swing Up Following Recent Decline

Worldwide shipments of smartphones grew 1.3 percent, year over year, in the first quarter of 2018 following a decline in sales the previous quarter, according to a new report from Gartner.

Research: People Remember Information Better Through VR

A new study from the University of Maryland found that people recall information better when it is presented to them in a virtual environment, as opposed to a desktop computer.

Teens Less Concerned Than Adults About Fake Accounts and Bots on Social Sites

Most parents believe that social networking sites and apps do a crummy job of explaining how they'll use the data they collect, and both parents and teens think those sites should ask for permission before they share or sell personal information they've compiled, according to the results of recent survey.

New Playbook Profiles D.C.'s Messy Journey to Education Reform

While the public schools in the District of Columbia have generated ample headlines for outright malfeasance and publicly displayed poor judgment, it has also been held up as a "national model for education reformers," as the Washington Post once expressed it. Now an education think tank has issued a report about District of Columbia Public Schools to profile its work and to draw important lessons for both educators and policymakers.

ISTE Reveals New Resources and Events for Ed Tech Leaders

Finding the right ed tech tool for your needs among the thousands of apps and software programs available can be challenging. During its annual conference, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) unveiled a new platform that can help with this task.

LA Unified Promotes CS Education; Conflicted on 1-to-1 Devices

At the same time that Los Angeles Unified School District voted to promote computer science education and reduce the "digital divide," the country's largest school system also is trying to bring back 1-to-1 computing devices in a big way almost four years after it canceled its last major attempt. However, the latest effort has hit a funding obstacle.

Microsoft Launches Mixed Reality Grant Program

Microsoft today formally launched a new grant program aimed at bringing mixed reality to schools and libraries. Applications are due in two weeks.

Google Adds College Data to Search Results

Google is expediting access to details about college when somebody looks up a specific institution in the search engine. When a user enters a college name, he or she will receive the usual capsule description from Wikipedia, as well as a menu with quick links to information about admissions, cost, majors, outcomes and other aspects and other stats.

PikMyKid Offers Free School Licenses for Panic Button App

School safety technology provider PikMyKid is offering 1,000 schools free licenses to its Panic Button App, part of its school security platform. The app lets school staff initiate an alarm from any device.

Flipgrid Now Free in Wake of Microsoft Acquisition

Microsoft has acquired the social learning platform Flipgrid and is making it free to schools. As an added bonus, those institutions that purchased a license will receive a prorated refund.

Upcoming K–12 Grants

Call for Papers & Proposals

Upcoming Events

Editorial Webinars