Education IT News For VARs — January 29, 2015

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

In news this week, edtech providers are getting serious about data privacy, and AT&T launches an edtech accelerator. Also, researchers suggest that white hat hackers could prove useful, and some colleges are data mining social media to target donors.

Data-Privacy Pledge By EdTech Providers Includes Legal Responsibility
According to Education Week, more than 90 edtech companies have already signed onto a “student privacy pledge” that was recently supported by President Barack Obama. With that pledge, however, comes not just a symbolic commitment to protecting student privacy, but a legally enforceable one as well. Companies that join the pact could subsequently be sanctioned by the government if they are determined to be deceiving consumers.

AT&T Launches E-Tech Aspire Accelerator For EdTech Ventures
According to a press release, AT&T has launched a new accelerator to help fund edtech ventures across the United States. The Aspire Accelerator will support selected for- and non-profit companies with financial investment, access to expert services, and mentorship. The unique factor of this accelerator is that it will measure success in terms of societal impact rather than financial ROI.

Researchers Suggest That White Hat Hackers Can Provide Beneficial Information
Researchers from Penn State University are examining the role of the white hat hacker community to determine how the system could be improved by expanding and adding diversity, according to Campus Technology. Companies often use so-called “white hat hackers,” individuals with “great interests in network security, who were born with natural curiosities about how stuff works, who are willing to contribute their techniques to the common techniques, and who are pleased to give a helpful hand to others,” according to the WooYun site. The study concludes that the community as a whole, not just a few white hat experts, is critical for unveiling vulnerabilities, which could have serious implications for how other major Web companies handle their own white hat operations.

Colleges Are Data Mining Social Media To Peg Potential Donors
According to the New York Times, some colleges are turning to data mining of social media to determine which alums are most likely to become donors. The New York Times reports that a small number of new companies are now using tools that data mine the social media posts of alumni to determine which ones are most likely to make donations or contribute time and skills to their alma maters — and the trend seems to be growing.

Education IT Talking Points
Campus Technology reported that Amazon has launched a new e-textbook creation tool, called KDP EDU, targeting educators and textbook authors that allows them to “easily prepare, publish, and promote e-textbooks and other educational content for students to access on a broad range of devices,” according to the press release. The tool uses PDF files, and once created the finished e-books can be uploaded onto Kindle Fire Tables, iOS and Android devices, Macs, or PCs. Authors can earn royalties of up to 70% with the Kindle textbook tool but still keep their rights to the material and control over content, according to the Campus Technology article.

For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Education IT Resource Center.