The Personal Approach

Audit: Wis. Virtual Schools Close to Capacity

The state's 15 virtual schools have been growing in popularity in Wisconsin and nationwide as an alternative for students. (February 9, 2010, AP)

Philadelphia's EduCon Promotes Innovative Teaching

EduCon's principles are that learning must be inquiry-driven and interactive, that technology is a means and not an end, and that collaboration is crucial. (February 8, 2010, AP)

Rulings Cloud Issue of School MySpace Suspensions

Courts have handed down dissenting rulings on whether school officials should be allowed to discipline students for behaving badly online when they're not at school.

Wash. Standardized Testing Is Going Digital

Statewide about 25 percent of schools will participate in the pilot program. The rest of the students will take the paper-and-pencil test. (February 4, 2010, Education Week)

Digital Innovation Outpaces E-Rate Policies

The federal program is seen as not keeping up with technological advancements that could help schools. (February 2, 2010, Education Week)

States Said to Lag in Using Data Systems Well

An advocacy group says states should focus on effectively analyzing and sharing education data, not just building information infrastructure. (January 29, 2010, Education Week)

Ga. Senate Votes to Change Definition of 'Textbook'

Georgia students could download books instead of loading down their backpacks under a new bill approved by state senators. (February 2, 2010, AP)

Some Say Texting, Lack of Instruction to Blame for Failing Students

Some Canadian colleges say students are failing grammar exams because of simple errors like the use of emoticons or common texting abbreviations like "cuz." (February 1, 2010, AP)

Court: Teacher Union E-mails Not Public Records

E-mail messages from union leaders don't become public records just because they're contained in a school district's computer system, the court ruled. (January 28, 2010, AP)

Schools Fuel Demand for High-Tech Language Labs

Educators say digital tools help students practice without an age-old barrier that can inhibit foreign-language learning: embarrassment. (January 11, 2010, Digital Directions)

ACLU Reviewing Pa. Teacher's Facebook Suspension

The ACLU is criticizing the unpaid 30-day suspension of a western Pennsylvania high school teacher for appearing next to a stripper in a picture someone else posted on Facebook. (January 28, 2010, AP)

Kindles Used to Boost 3rd Graders' Reading Skills

With the help of a grant, third-graders at Virginia's Burnley-Moran Elementary School are now using Kindles to read. (January 25, 2010, AP)

N.H. Districts Get Laptops with Stimulus Dollars

Schools in 22 towns will be flush with computers, digital cameras, and other technology. (January 25, 2010, AP)

More Students Turn to Web for Homework Assignments

Some students rely on the Internet to complete their homework assignments as much as, if not more than, their textbooks. (January 25, 2010, AP)

Whiteboards' Impact on Teaching Seen as Uneven

While experts see whiteboards as powerful tools for improving instruction, teachers vary widely in their ability to use them effectively.

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States Struggle to Stitch Together Pre-K-20 Data

More states are taking strides to connect K-12 data systems with postsecondary institutions, but challenges remain.