The EDGE: Common core tips for tech leaders

Survey: Students seek educational content via digital devices | Can video games help students establish long-term exercise habits? | Interactive videos aimed at helping math, science come alive for high-school students

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July 25, 2013

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Head of the Class

Common core tips for tech leaders
Technology leaders in school districts nationwide should consider more than just devices and networks as they transition to the Common Core State Standards, asserts Geoffrey H. Fletcher, deputy executive director of the State Educational Technology Directors Association. In this commentary, Fletcher writes about the Technology Readiness Tool -- a database of devices and infrastructure that can help school districts determine whether they are prepared for the common core. He also writes about the need for technology directors to be involved in training during the transition. T.H.E. Journal magazine (exclusive preview for SmartBrief subscribers) (7/2013)

eLearning

Survey: Students seek educational content via digital devices
Most students own digital and mobile devices and would prefer that educational content be delivered using the technology, according to a recent survey of college students conducted by CourseSmart. The survey also found a rise in the number of students using tablet computers and e-textbooks. eCampus News (free registration) (7/23)

Can video games help students establish long-term exercise habits?
While active video games -- also known as "e-games" -- can help students meet recommended physical-education guidelines, a recent study shows that students' use of such games may not affect "habitual physical activity." Researchers found that while students do expend energy playing e-games, there was no evidence that playing the games is effective in helping youth establish long-term exercise habits. Education Week/Schooled in Sports blog (7/24)

Other News

Interactive videos aimed at helping math, science come alive for high-school students
McClatchy Washington Bureau (7/23)
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Systems Management

Legal problems likely during transition to online testing
The switch to online assessments under the Common Core State Standards brings with it a number of potential legal problems, writes Justin Bathon, legal columnist for T.H.E. Journal. Already, high-profile testing failures have led to potential legal action against testing companies, and Bathon writes that he expects the problem to only get worse. To help avoid some problems, he suggests establishing legal language in contracts with Internet providers that spells out the needs to administer common-core-aligned online tests. T.H.E. Journal magazine (exclusive preview for SmartBrief subscribers) (7/2013)

Managing Budgets

How one Calif. district uses old technology to buy new devices

The Waugh Elementary School District in Petaluma, Calif., has been able to purchase new technology by recycling its old devices, according to Diana Utroske, the district's technology specialist. In this blog post, she writes that the district has raised more than $25,000 since 2002 by using FundingFactory's recycling program. During one year, she writes, the program helped her schools purchase color printers, a digital camera, plus ink and toner cartridges. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (7/24)

Schools and Social Media

Social network aims to help users celebrate the little things
A social network called Happier wants to give its users a place to celebrate the small things that make them happy, but that might be too trivial to share on Facebook or Twitter. You might still post on Facebook if you have "the best latte in your life," CEO Nataly Kogan says, but you'd turn to Happier if you simply want to share that you "took five minutes to have a cup of coffee." The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Bits blog (7/23)

Last Byte

Teen app developer was funded by PayPal founder's fellowship
Nightingale is a new medication-reminder application that collects a lot of data in the background so that users get more information per moments of interaction. The application development effort by 19-year-old MIT student Delian Asparouhov was funded by a fellowship provided by PayPal founder Peter Thiel. Now Asparouhov wants to improve electronic health records, Alex Kane Rudansky writes. InformationWeek (7/23)