Education IT News — April 14, 2014
By Amy Taylor, contributing writer
Following the Pennsylvania school stabbings, schools continues to seek better safety procedures and technology to protect students. Additionally, government and entrepreneurs receive a boost in funding to further the presence of technology in classrooms.
School Safety At Forefront Across the Country In Wake Of Pennsylvania Stabbing
In the wake of the Pennsylvania school stabbing, schools are reevaluating security. For example, WBNS reports that more Ohio schools are turning to technology to keep students safe. The security measures include a $12 million school security grant program that helps schools install video cameras and intercom systems.
Technology Evolves Traditional Education To Address Student Needs
Huffington Post reports there are major factors driving the future of higher education in America and ever-evolving technologies are at the center. New technology breaks down the traditional boundaries and regionalism, while also reducing the need for physical facilities.
Toolkit To Encourage More Innovative Technology In Education
According to Politico, more technology is the key to education as innovation slowly reaches classrooms across America. To encourage more private-sector development, the Education Department is creating a “developer’s toolkit” as a handbook for entrepreneurs interested in creating technology for the education market.
Education Technology Startups Hit Record Boom In Boston
BostonInno said that ed-tech investments hit a record high in the first quarter of 2014 in Boston. Investors spent more than $559 millionon the ed-tech industry over the last three months targeting the K-12 classroom, technologies or services focused on secondary education, continuing education and professional learning, and consumer-facing education products and services.
Wireless Upgrade Proposed to Modernize Schools
Government Technology reports a new way for schools to pay for technology to improve the federal” e-rate program” that provides discounts of up to 90 percent to help eligible schools and libraries obtain telecommunications and information services. The FCC wants to overhaul funding to focus on broadband connectivity, specifically wireless service inside schools.
Education IT Talking Points
Ideastream reports on a new program, Diplomas Now, which uses student data to identify 150 to 200 struggling students a year at Carol City in “Putting Student Data To The Test To Identify Struggling Kids.”
Matthew Lynch, professor and editor of The Edvocate, wrote “Wasted Data: Student Information Should Be Shared,” making the case for data and technology in the classroom.
For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Education IT Resource Center.