White Paper on Online Testing and Common Core Standards

T.H.E. Journal and VMware offer a White Paper targeting pending state mandates for online assessment in Kindergarten though Grade 12 schools by the 2014-2015 school year. Information will be available on how the Tyler Independent School District in Texas virtualized desktops in order to create a secure testing environment. According to the White Paper, using virtual desktops, the district was able to save money, better utilize resources, have increased security and reliability, and focus on teacher core competency. Download the report to learn more.

Call for Additional eRate Funding

CEO Brian Lewis of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is asking us to step forward to help improve the eRate program by calling for increased funding. Until September 16^th, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) will accept comments on eRate. At this time, according to Lewis, current funding does not meet applicant demand. ISTE members and all educators are asked to let the FCC know how important digital learning is for students. A form ready for your comments is available on the link above. In addition to a call for funding, perhaps a call for less complicated forms and quicker responses after form submission should be included?

State and District Virtual Schools: A good idea or not?

Instead of funding state virtual schools, states are finding that students can use the variety of non-State and non-district options that are available online. The Florida Virtual School, for example, has cut one-third of its staff because its budget was cut by twenty percent. With the availability of MOOCs and other online opportunities for students, states, like Florida and Louisiana, are beginning to question the need for state virtual schools.

It sounds like a sensible idea at first glance, but who will determine the quality of courses? School officials worry about accountability when students can select courses not offered by the State or a district.  In addition, there’s the problem of per-pupil allotment, for when students take courses from a source other than the State or district in Florida, for instance, the district and the provider split the allotment. If the course is taken from the State or district virtual school, both the district and the virtual school were given the allotment.

Target Field Trip Grants

Target Field Trip Grants for Grades K-12 offer up to $700 to support opportunities for children outside the classroom. The application window is August 1 to September 30^th. Applications for Field Trip grants will only be available during this time period.  

You’ll want to check the Target site for other grants (Early Childhood; Foundation; Arts, Culture & Design grants,) as well. Different grants are available for application at different times throughout the school year.

Technology in Innovation Report

The 2012 Report from The Center for Digital Education and Converge, Technology Innovation in Education, discusses how IT funds were spent in schools, K-12 key findings in areas such as digital content strategies and online courses, what digital technologies students would like to see in their classrooms, online and blended learning, cloud computing and virtualization, and data management. You can download the report to check other information available from The Center.

What to Do About Textbooks?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just order iPads or some other device with all the interactive texts and curricular materials we wanted for our students? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this was possible for schools and that they could afford whatever it cost? Even if the funding is there, most of the time schools can’t just call up a publisher’s rep, find out what’s available and order. Let’s say you want to change your elementary reading program, but most of what you’ll find online is meant to enhance your program, give additional practice to students who need it, and/or enrich the program for advanced students. The problem is: Where’s the core program? Do you have to use your old texts or have the teachers create their own online courses?

Although, some teachers are adept at creating outstanding courses using free online resources, many need the school system to supply a text, an online program, and/or materials for teaching. Because of funding difficulties, some schools have decided that the best path to follow is to continue to use old textbooks, even it they have to be rebound. This approach saves money while allowing teachers to branch out from the texts to online learning and apps that are free or very low cost. It also gives those extending the life of old texts more time to make decisions about directions for the future.

Having Trouble Understanding eRate?

Schools and Libraries offers a Training Site where you can learn more about correctly completing forms required for eRate funding. Training includes FCC Forms 470, 470 Interview, 471 with online Item 21 attachments, 471 Interview with online Item 21 attachments, 486, and 486 Interview. Remember that if you are interested in going through the training, you’ll need to, as with all eRate forms, use Internet Explorer 6 and above as your browser. According to Schools and Libraries, other browsers may result in errors. In addition to the Training Site, for problems, you can check Tips and Troubleshooting, find detailed instructions for each form, submit a question or call the service line (1-888-203-8100).

Trash Into Cash

The FundingFactory and Scholastic are working together on the “Go Green” sweepstakes initiative in which educators have the opportunity to win $5000 to go greener with eco-friendly programs on their school campuses. To participate, you’ll need to complete a short form with information about your school and its current “green” programs and tell what you’d like to do with the prize money. The deadline is March 1, 2013.

Even if you don’t win the sweepstakes, you can always be a winner by recycling ink jet and toner cartridges and small digital devices through the FundingFactory. Just register, recycle, and earn rewards such as digital cameras, eReaders, printers, interactive whiteboards and more. It’s completely free.

eRate Survival Guide

The eRate window for 2013 funding is just around the corner, and the folks at eSchool News want to help you take advantage of this funding opportunity without pulling out your hair. Using what’s covered in the current eRate training sessions, the eSchool News staff tackled such eRate myths as: you need a tech plan to apply (Answer: It depends); you can offer Internet access to students and staff at home (Answer: No); you should apply for Priority 1 services (Internet and telephone) on the same form that you apply for Priority 2 services (internal connections) (Answer: No); and if there is only one service provider in your region, you don’t need to worry about the competitive bidding process (Answer: No). See what eSchool News has to say about these and other myths and, while you are on the eSchool News site, learn about how to survive an eRate audit.

Do Teachers Have the Tech They Want?

We could have predicted the outcome of a PBS Learning Media survey conducted by VeraQuest Research. The survey, completed in December 2011, sampled 500 randomly selected teachers in the United States. Findings show that while most teachers (91%) have access to technology in their classrooms, only one-fifth of these teachers say they have the right level of technologies needed to accomplish what they want with their students. The problem, according to the teachers sampled, is lack of funding for classroom tech needs, not lack of knowledge or training, not slow Internet connections, not materials that don’t enhance the curriculum, or other possible difficulties.