EDTECH
Schools, Tech: Still Struggling
Bridging the Tech-Education Gap
Establishing An Education Technology Initiative In Ghana
INTERNET
Killing the College Radio Star
American Wireless Web Usage Nears 10 Million, Survey Says
EDTECH
SCHOOLS, TECH: STILL STRUGGLING
Thanks to the e-rate, the vast majority of students and schools in America
have Internet access. But what, realistically, can be done with the
technology? There is no universal formula for how to use new technologies to
raise achievement or test scores. Every school is different. But there are
some critical factors that must be in place for successful use of
technology. At the top are teacher training and support, adequate equipment
and solid infrastructures. "What a lot of people out there arguing don't
realize is that it takes time to get equipment in place, to provide staff
with training and to change the way they are operating in the classroom,"
said Crystal Priest, a school technology coordinator in rural Maine.
"Technology is a tool," added Priest, "It's not an answer for every problem,
and it's not the answer for every kid. But just like any other tool, if you
use it well, you're going to see a good return."
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Katie Dean]
http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,54682,00.html)
BRIDGING THE TECH-EDUCATION GAP
According to a recent study by Grunwald Associates, many parents and kids
believe that technology can help provide a better education. "Across all
income levels there's a whole lot of faith and hope that technology is going
to help parents achieve their aspirations for their kids," said Peter
Grunwald, president of Grunwald Associates. But often, parents' hi-tech
hopes put pressure on schools to have technology before the school can
legitimately use it. Some parents focus on the student-to-computer ratio
rather than on what the school is doing with the computers. For computers to
have any beneficial effect, say educators, the technology has to be
integrated into the curriculum.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Katie Dean]
(http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,54791,00.html)
ESTABLISHING AN EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE IN GHANA
Dr. Pharra DeWindt, an American teacher from Buffalo, New York, partnered
with Ghanaian educators to establish an online cultural exchange between her
students and theirs. Dr. De Windt established a pen-pal exchange between her
11-to-15 year-old American students and a group of students at the Agona
Duakwa Islamic Secondary School in Ghana. After a year of paper and pen
correspondence, Dr. De Windt traveled to Ghana to set up a real time chat
between the students using NetMeeting software. It was first time the
Ghanaian youth had used computer technology.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Dr. Pharra DeWindt]
(http://www.digitalopportunity.org/fulltext/dewindt20020827.shtml)
INTERNET
KILLING THE COLLEGE RADIO STAR
College radio isn't about numbers - it's about fun. For student radio
stations across the country, that fun may be short-lived. Thousands of
college radio stations that broadcast over the Internet are wondering how
they will pay for upgrades required to comply with new webcasting licensing
rules. The Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel (CARP) ruled in June that
webcasters would have to pay record companies for the right to broadcast
music. But this requires tracking every song streamed - perfectly possible
with computer hardware and software, but also an added expense. Part of the
problem is that CARP is unlikely to allow a long enough transition period
for small volunteer-run college stations to acquire equipment and change
their record keeping procedures.
[SOURCE: Wired News, AUTHOR: Brad King]
(http://www.wired.com/news/school/0,1383,54726,00.html)
AMERICAN WIRELESS WEB USAGE NEARS 10 MILLION, SURVEY SAYS
While wireless Internet usage is still at an early stage, there is already a
significant audience for it, according to a survey by comScore Networks. The
survey, released Wednesday, said the number of people in the U.S. who use
personal digital assistants or mobile phones to go online is nearing 10
million. The majority of wireless Internet users are men, and they also tend
to have higher incomes. While men make up only 48% of the overall Internet
population, they are 72% of those who use PDAs or mobile phones to go
online. Nearly 60% of those using mobile phones and PDAs to go online have
an annual household income of more than $60,000.
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal, AUTHOR: Ross Snel (Dow Jones Newswires)]
(http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1030569945976766875,00.html?mod=technolo
gy_main_whats_news)
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