Digital Education
The Digital Education blog covered personalized learning, artificial intelligence, adaptive testing, digital curricula, data privacy, future of work, and all things technology. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: classroom technology, personalized learning, future of work, and digital learning.
Ed-Tech Policy
Pending FCC Decision on Lifeline Program Could Impact 'Homework Gap'
The commissioners are expected to vote on a proposed expansion to the telephone subsidy program that would cover broadband Internet for America's lowest-income households.
Federal
U.S. Ed. Department Signs Up 13 States for #GoOpen Initiative
Thirteen states and 40 districts are joining the U.S. Department of Education's open education resource initiative, which includes a commitment to replace textbooks with free digital learning resources.
Personalized Learning
'Blockchain' Tech Pushed by Sony. Does It Have a Future in K-12?
Some say blockchain technology, a data transmission system currently used in the financial sector, could be a useful system for sharing student academic information digitally.
Standards & Accountability
Maryland PARCC Scores Higher on Paper; Students' Tech Readiness a Major Factor
Paper results on 2014-15 PARCC exams were better than online results in all grades for English/language arts and in upper-level math, reflecting a national pattern.
Ed-Tech Policy
CoSN Calls Broadband Access Outside School a 'Civil Right' for Students
The Consortium for School Networking issued a report intended to help districts gather information about off-school connectivity and then provide solutions for students lacking access.
Privacy & Security
Google Acknowledges Data Mining Student Users Outside Apps for Education
Recent details Google provided on its data policies provoked criticism from some privacy advocates, but industry observers say the company's practices are reasonable and sound.
School & District Management
K-12 Interoperability Groups Announce Collaboration on Ed. Data Sharing
The Ed-Fi Alliance and the IMS Global Learning Consortium will agree on a common technical standard for how schools and vendors can share class-rostering information.
Classroom Technology
Christensen Institute Offers Database to Compare School Blended Learning Models
A research and advocacy hub for blended learning has created an online "social network" so schools can learn from each other's blended experiences.
Assessment
Tenn. Online Test Crashes, Causing Delays and Return to Paper and Pencil
The window for administration of the Tennessee state assessment was delayed and extended as officials scrambled to replace the malfunctioning online test with paper versions.
Equity & Diversity
Rhode Island PARCC Scores Lower on Computer-Based Exams
A state-by-state breakdown shows that Colorado, Rhode Island and Illinois found some evidence that students' familiarity with technology impacted scores on 2014-15 PARCC exams. An analysis in Maryland is pending.
Standards & Accountability
Comparing Paper-Pencil and Computer Test Scores: 7 Key Research Studies
New evidence of a "mode effect" on 2014-15 PARCC exams prompts a fresh look at research on the comparability of computer- and paper-based assessments.
Classroom Technology
Mobile-Only Internet Access Presents Hurdles for Families, Survey Finds
Lower-income parents have "overwhelmingly positive" views about technology for their children, but significant digital inequities persist, according to the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.
Curriculum
'Growth Mindset' Touted by Companies, Ed. Groups in National Campaign
Amazon Education and TenMarks, another business division of the online retailer, have helped launch a website and promotional effort to encourage teachers, students, and parents to change student attitudes about math.
School & District Management
Can Technology Help Community Schools Go To Scale?
Proponents of community schools say better tools to facilitate the sharing of student data between schools and community partners can help the model take root.