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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Education News: June 27, 2010

June 24 | NY elementary schools adopt digital curricula in math and reading via a software platform intended to create interactive, one-to-one environments for its users -- T.H.E. Journal

June 23 | 30 social studies teachers, selected from applicants across the country, get a behind-the-scenes look at the Supreme Court and its operations in a week-long institute for teachers -- Google

June 22 | CA district puts summer school students in courses that teach academic content along with job skills . . . and in which students get paid minimum wage -- Bakersfield Californian

June 22 | NC adopt online video game software that helps students prepare for state assessment by playing games and taking practice tests that are tailored to the state's standards and benchmarks -- T.H.E. Journal

June 21 | CA middle school students participate in a project with NASA enabling them to utilize an imaging spacecraft orbiting Mars . . . and they discover a previously unknown cave -- Space.com

June 21 | Massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico provides "teachable moments" for lessons on science concepts, environmental issues, politics, international relations, and more -- ABC News

June 21 | Tech-savvy students are encouraged to pursue careers in "cybersecurity" or "information assurance," putting their technology knowledge and interest to use at keeping the Internet safe from hackers -- USA Today

June 20 | WA schools and Native American tribes collaborate to create new curricular materials so teachers can have reliable information from which to teach about the state's tribes' history and culture -- Seattle Times

June 19 | New television program for children is part sitcom, part cooking lesson in which children teach children (their viewers) about nutrition and healthy cooking in an effort to combat childhood obesity through entertainment -- Orlando Sentinel

June 18 | CA teacher engages his students during math lessons by performing raps to help them learn--and remember--algebraic equations, a technique that students find effective and for which he has won awards -- Google

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Education News: June 20, 2010

June 17 | Writer emphasizes importance of technology education (for both students and teachers) in this era of technology, condoning proper usage of emerging technology rather than condemning its use in schools -- eSchool News

June 17 | MA elementary students learn their science lessons outdoors, thanks to a partnership with an area nature preserve where children see science concepts in wetlands, woodlands, marsh, and meadow habitats -- Boston Globe

June 16 | TN program trains students to be envoys to teach peers how to be successful in school ("Smart is not just something you are but something you get") in an effort to improve the overall school culture -- Commercial Appeal

June 15 | Carol Ann Tomlinson, expert on differentiated instruction, adds her perspective to the conversation on learning styles: what different people mean by the term, whether they exist, and what they imply for schools and teachers -- ASCD

June 14 |
Research finds that middle school students improve their achievement in algebra (and subsequent math courses) if they study a musical instrument -- Miller-McCune

June 13 | Spurred by concerns over American students' skills for competitiveness in a global economy, some schools teach engineering skills and concepts to students as early as in kindergarten -- New York Times

June 13 | WA middle school science teacher adds iPads to his classroom, hoping students will find the use of technology a motivator for engagement in science and the features of the iPad useful during lessons -- Peninsula Daily News

June 13 |
Amidst pressure to graduate high-performing students, Tennessee district prepares kits for incoming kindergarten students to help them prepare for school in the fall by studying flashcards and filling in worksheets over the summer -- Leaf-Chronicle

June 13 | Alabama program puts Wii video games into schools to get students active as they play games requiring physical movements as part of the gaming experience . . . a first step toward participation in traditional games and sports -- Montgomery Advertiser

June 12 | California high chool's Sports Health Academy not only prepares students for careers in sports medicine and broadcasting but also teaches traditional subjects with a focus on sports (e.g., calculating baseball statistics in math) -- Sacramento Bee

June 12 | Science in Motion program sends state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and experts to schools across Pennsylvania so students get experience with tools that their schools cannot afford -- Philadelphia Inquirer

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Education News: June 13, 2010

June 11 | Food service directors across Colorado attend "boot camps" to learn how to prepare school food that is "made from scratch" to be healthier and tastier -- Denver Post

June 10 | U.S. graduation rate (counting the number of students who earn a standard diploma in four years) slipped to 68.8% in 2007 from a high of 77% in 1969 -- Christian Science Monitor

June 10 | Technology allows elementary students to view science experiments conducted by a NASA scientist and presented from a distance using Internet communication tools -- St. Petersburg Times

June 9 | Study reveals that, in school cafeteriaschildren choose fruits and vegetables over junk food when healthy options are well lit and placed in a prominent location near the cashier -- Washington Post

June 8 | More than one in five American children live in poverty and deal with related issues--such as hunger, illness, and emotional distress--that adversely affect their ability to learn in school -- USA Today

June 7 | Report by online safety task force discourages use of scare tactics when teaching children about Internet safety, recommending instead a focus on modeling positive online behavior -- eSchool News

June 7 | New math software monitors students' emotions and offers encouragement and hints accordingly in an effort to reduce math anxiety and improve learning -- Boston Globe

June 7 | Award-winning educators in Texas share their thoughts about whether effective teaching is an art, a science, or a combination of both -- The Examiner

June 7 | California district raises amount of time elementary students spend studying science with hands-on, inquiry-based learning to build on children's "natural interest in exploring the world" -- Oakland Tribune

June 5 | Some schools furnish classrooms with tall desks and stools so that students may stand to work rather than stay seated at a traditional desk, allowing them to be active and keeping them alert -- Google

June 4 | First Lady Obama encourages chefs nationwide to "adopt" local schools to teach about healthy cooking and proper nutrition in an effort to combat American childhood obesity -- Washington Post

June 2 | Classroom design guidelines evolve as teachers require space to use new technology and teaching practices, such as discussions and group work instead of lectures and presentations -- Campus Technology

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Focus on Technology: June 10, 2010

cell phones | Educator recommends using cell phones as teaching and learning tools, making use of technology that students already have instead of specialized technology only for the classroom -- read the article

Digital Divide | Teacher's frustrations stem from having educational technology ideas that are thwarted by some students' lack of a home computer or Internet access and by school's own restrictions RE: technology -- read the article

discussion boards | Teacher makes up for reduced classroom time by engaging math students in online discussions, during which students energetically share questions and collaborate on answers -- read the article

educational technology | Self-proclaimed "digital junkie" encourages other teachers to experiment with incorporating technology into their teaching and offers steps for getting started -- read the article

educational technology | Author recommends technology as an opportunity for teachers to shift learning so that it is student-focused and differentiated to suit The 'Net Generation -- view the video

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Education News: June 6, 2010

June 3 | New contract ratified by Washington, D.C. teachers could result in a $140,000 salary (merit pay) for teachers who agree to be paid based in part on their students' standardized test results -- Washington Post

June 3 | States participating in the Common Core State Standards Initiative release final version of national standards in mathematics and English language arts -- Washington Post

June 2 | Elementary teacher in Maine uses videoconferencing technology to take her students on a virtual field trip of all 50 states by the end of the school year -- Bangor Daily News

June 2 | Professors acknowledge usefulness of technology but bemoan a decline in "the art of teaching" by those who rely too heavily on technology in the classroom -- Inside Higher Ed

June 1 | Teachers allow students to sit on fitness balls instead of chairs, increasing their comfort and improving attention for students with ADHD, autism, or just excess energy -- Salt Lake Tribune

June 1 | Texas school district creates innovative physical education course specifically for obese students to combat life factors that promote poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle -- San Antonio Express-News

June 1 | New science-focused charter school in Texas will collaborate with nearby museum in creating curriculum, hosting presentations by museum staff, and planning field trips to the museum -- Dallas Morning News

May 31 | Texas program offers effective teachers bonuses to transfer to schools at which students have low standardized test scores; early results are promising -- Houston Chronicle

May 31 | Schools give low-income students free books to read over the summer in an effort inexpensively to prevent students' loss of reading skills gained during the school year -- USA Today

May 30 | Two million American high school students take on-line courses for a variety of reasons; by the end of the decade, 50% of students are predicted to take courses on-line -- Boston Globe

May 30 | Despite their controvery, violent video games may lead to improvement of vision and certain brain functions for children who play them -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette