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May 8, 2008

This morning BoardBuzz read about the scoop from TechCrunch:

The Attorney General of Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, is about to make an announcement at noon ET that he and the attorneys general from 48 other states have negotiated a deal with Facebook to implement new safety and privacy rules, according to sources with knowledge of the deal. Facebook will be making its own announcement later on today.

And lo’ and behold, the world's 2nd largest social networking site did announce their commitment to working with the attorneys general of 49 states and the District of Columbia to improve the safety of underage users. This development mirrors an agreement those same 49 states made with MySpace last January. Texas alone has not endorsed these agreements. Texas officials want to set even higher standards and see faster response times to identity verification.

Facebook officials also announced that many safety improvements have already been enacted and others are in the works. In the deal, the social network agreed to develop age verification technology, protect minors from inappropriate contact and content, restrict the ability for people to change their ages on the site, monitor the site for harassment, and remove inappropriate content as stated in its Terms of Service.

"Building a safe and trusted online experience has been part of Facebook from its outset," said Facebook chief privacy officer Chris Kelly in a statement. "We are proud to join 49 states and the District of Columbia in affirming our commitment to these principles and to continue improving our technology and policy solutions to keep kids safer on Facebook. The Attorneys General have shown great leadership in helping to address the critical issue of Internet safety and we commend them for continuing to set high standards for all players in the online arena."

Facebook even reaffirmed its participation in the Internet Safety Task Force, which came about through MySpace's earlier agreement and focuses on identifying effective online safety tools and technologies. Moreover, Facebook has agreed to make third-party developers and advertisers adhere to its safety and privacy rules.

"Social networks that encourage kids to come to their sites have a responsibility to keep those kids safe," said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper in a statement. "We've now gotten the two largest social networking sites to agree to take significant steps to protect children from predators and pornography."

BoardBuzz applauds Facebook for recognizing their responsibility to keep kids safe online. We expect the platform will become more secure as a whole, and all users will benefit from these new standards. For more about online social networking, be sure to check out NSBA's Creating and Connecting report.

Posted at 6:47 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

BoardBuzz was intrigued by this story from Sherwood, Arkansas. When his school had an opening for computer network administrator, Jon Penn applied, interviewed and was offered the job.

The catch? He's eleven years old.

Once the school board heard his presentation on modernizing the computer system, the position was his!

"He calls it geek speak and he talks like that. I have to remind him to say it in English," explains Jon’s mom Paula Penn.

She’s the school librarian and says Jon's been a computer guru since age 3.

He does the job for free because he enjoys working on computers. And Penn said that so far his work has not affected his social life. He still enjoys recess with his friends. BoardBuzz is glad to see he has an appropriate work-life balance.

In addition to his plan for modernizing the system, Penn has installed a program to protect students from unsafe websites and helped to teach a class. Well-spoken and articulate, Penn has certainly demonstrated that he was the right person for the job!

As his mom points out, "Parenting is not always about giving information to your children. Sometimes it is about learning from them." BoardBuzz certainly agrees! What can you learn from the students in your district?

For more technology innovations, why not check out NSBA's T+L Conference -- registration opened this week for what promises to be one hot conference!

Posted at 2:22 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

May 7, 2008

This year’s "Webby Person of the Year" goes to the "Greatest Living American," Stephen Colbert. He will be honored for his innovative and successful use of the internet to interact with fans of "The Colbert Report". The Webbys are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (yes, this is the online equivalent of the Oscars, and no, BoardBuzz was not nominated this year.) to honor excellence in over 100+ website, interactive advertising, online film & video, and mobile categories, but let's get back to Stephen Colbert. Why him?

Truthiness, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Truthiness is a word that U.S. television comedian Stephen Colbert popularized in 2005 as a satirical term to describe things that a person claims to know intuitively or "from the gut" without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts. Colbert popularized this definition of the word during the inaugural (pilot) episode (October 17, 2005) of his satirical television program The Colbert Report, as the subject of a segment called "The Wørd". It was named Word of the Year for 2005 by the American Dialect Society and for 2006 by Merriam-Webster.

Colbert later challenged the "truthiness" of Wikipedia. On July 31, 2006, Colbert defined "Wikiality" (a portmanteau of "Wikipedia" and "reality") as "truth by consensus" (rather than fact), modeled after the approval-by-consensus format of Wikipedia. He ironically praised Wikipedia for following his philosophy of "truthiness," that intuition and consensus is a better reflection of reality than fact, while editing two articles on Wikipedia to his liking (Oregon and George Washington). As he stated, "if enough people believe something," it must be true.

Google bombing, courtesy of News.com:

Google bombing, in case you're unfamiliar, is a method of directing mass links that contain a particular line of text to a certain site, which then bolsters that site's ranking on Google when that line of text is used as a search query. The most famous Google bomb was probably "miserable failure," which directed to George W. Bush's presidential biography for quite some time before Google switched a few algorithms around in order to eliminate the verbal pranks.

Not to be upstaged by Bush, Colbert announced on his show last year his desire to be first in Google's search results for a phrase that is probably better left off BoardBuzz (Let's just say,it's a bit of Colbert's). Colbert fans, however, took it upon themselves to place him at the top of Google's hierarchy for the phrase "Greatest Living American" instead. They did so by posting comments all over the Web that contained his name and "Greatest Living American." Despite Google's professions that such antics no longer work, "Greatest Living American" now directs searchers to the official Colbert Report website.

And last but certainly not least, DonorsChoose.org:

DonorsChoose.org is dedicated to addressing the scarcity and inequitable distribution of learning materials and experiences in our public schools. We believe this inequity is rooted in the following factors:

1. Shortages of learning materials prevent thorough, engaging instruction;
2. Top-down distribution of materials stifles our best teachers and discourages them from developing targeted solutions for their students; and
3. Small, directed contributions have gone un-tapped as a source of funding. DonorsChoose.org will improve public education by engaging citizens in an online marketplace where teachers describe and individuals can fund specific student projects. We envision a nation where students in every community have the resources they need to learn.

Stephen Colbert was credited with raising more than $250,000 online for this charity. In the fall of 2007, Stephen Colbert filed for the Democratic primary in his native state, South Carolina. On "The Colbert Report," he asked his viewers to show their support for his presidential bid by donating to South Carolina classroom projects via DonorsChoose.org and raised over $66,000 for students in low-income communities! Colbert announced his presidential candidacy on his show, which prompted the "One Million Strong for Stephen T. Colbert" Facebook group to attract more than 78 members per minute in its first week. He later initiated a DonorsChoose Challenge which states, "do Senators Clinton and Obama have the keystones to do for the Keystone State what the Colbert Nation did for the Palmetto State? Let's find out." He challenged his viewers to participate in a "straw poll that makes a difference" by giving to projects in public school classrooms in Pennsylvania. Donors can choose to fund a classroom project "in honor of Hillary Clinton" or "in honor of Barack Obama." Colbert later appeared on NBC's Today to talk about the Challenge:

BoardBuzz congratulates Colbert for his philanthropic efforts, comedic antics, and community engagement—not necessarily in that order. And, yes, satire sells to young adults. For a full list of Webby winners click here and to vote for BoardBuzz in the only award for which we're nominated, click here.

Posted at 4:01 PM | Link to this story | Comments (2)

May 6, 2008

October will be here before you know it and along with that comes NSBA's T+L Conference. Registration opened today for what promises to be a conference chock full of great learning opportunities.

Held in Seattle from October 28-30, this year's conference boasts an impressive lineup, including keynote addresses from Stanford University professor and futurist Paul Saffo; education “revolutionary” Joe Caruso; and educator David Warlick.

You can read all about it on the T+L web site and in NSBA's press release.

We're also looking for leaders in education technology to be recognized as the latest group of "20 to Watch". You can learn more about it and submit an application here. Check out last year's group here.

Posted at 1:05 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

BoardBuzz is all for continuous improvement. That's why we've signed up to attend the Ed in '08 Blogging Summit next week in Washington, D.C. The summit (which is free--so there, you CAN get something for nothing) will offer panelists and speakers and will examine "how the Internet is changing the discourse of education reform, and how those changes are affecting the 2008 presidential election." We can't wait!

Additionally, in the name of shameless self promotion, BoardBuzz is up for the Blogger's Choice Award, and since we may never be nominated for an Oscar, a Pulitzer, or a Nobel Prize, we'd love it if you'd cast your ballot for us!

What's really cool about "our competition" is that the list includes links to each of their blogs so you can check out what's going on all over the blogosphere (and you really should, too -- just remember to vote for us first).

Posted at 10:39 AM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

May 5, 2008

This from Wired's Epicenter:

Old-school encyclopedia Britannica is giving bloggers free subscriptions to Britannica Online, the internet version of its multivolume masterpiece.

What this means is that bloggers no longer have to rely on Wikipedia's crowdsourced and sometimes questionably factual encyclopedia entries when they want to insert a quick link to background info on, say, Bosnia, or circular polarized light, or the grammatical structure of Klingon.

Here's the scoop. Britannica Webshare is a program started by Encyclopaedia Britannica that allows online publishers—bloggers included—to use premium information in Britannica Online for their own research or to share with their readers by providing them with access to individual articles. The program is free, but eligibilty is limited. In short, you sign up, provide them with the requisite information about your site, and they review your submission and decide whether or not you qualify. For more details see Britannica's FAQs.

BoardBuzz sees this as an attempt to remain competitive with the free Wikipedia. TechCrunch states that according to Comscore, for every page viewed on Brittanica.com, 184 pages are viewed on Wikipedia (3.8 billion v. 21 million page views per month). If this pilot project isn't successful, Brittanica might have to open up their content to the public. As TechCrunch also states, their differentiating factor from Wikipedia will be that they have experts guiding articles, so they’ll have a claim to be more authoritative. Until that day, BoardBuzz thinks this Webshare is interesting and has potential. And yes, we've just signed up!

Posted at 1:03 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

April 23, 2008

BoardBuzz doesn't mean to suggest that the world is facing a paper shortage, but rather a new e-ink device has come to our attention (and wouldn't that be eco-friendly?). The group of innovators at The Greener Grass have presented Papyrus, an inexpensive, student oriented e-reader specially designed with collaboration in mind. This is a concept that BoardBuzz could wholeheartedly get behind. Our inner geek is a-twittering. And for a brief summary of why, let's turn to Engadget:

You don't have to look very far to find e-book concepts these days, but this so-called Papyrus device from the folks at Greener Grass aims a bit higher than most, with it promising to be nothing short of an inexpensive replacement for students' textbooks. If the designers have their way, the device would cost less than $100, while still packing an E Ink-based touchscreen (with handwriting recognition, it seems), and a battery that lasts for a full 30 hours -- not to mention some sort of networking functionality, as the device is apparently also designed to let teachers and students interact with one another.

BoardBuzz believes e-ink devices are very much the way of the future. The pros: low battery consumption, superior readability (compared to laptop screens), and a thin form. All these factors combined bring us one step closer to a fully-digital world. Amazon's Kindle alone is making remarkable inroads to the public's hearts and minds.

What really sets the Papyrus apart is the idea of combining an e-ink device with collaborative tools for the classroom. Students would be placed in an interactive environment with which they're already familiar— similar to Facebook and MySpace where fears of classroom participation diminish. It makes the case for interaction between students and teachers. Imagine students afraid to ask questions in front of peers who could just type out a quick private message to their teacher. Papyrus would provide a direct line of communication between student and teacher. Students can also work collaboratively to tag, highlight, and take notes—helping each other understand their classwork.

BoardBuzz would have greatly enjoyed a device such as this back in our day. Imagine being able to replace all your large, heavy textbooks with a device such as Papyrus. Textbook publishers (and chiropractors) beware! E-ink, e-readers, e-books (however you label them) are very much in our future. We'll admit, there's still something to be said about curling up with a good book, but that feeling generally doesn't extend to your average textbook. With yesterday being Earth Day we even wonder if all those new editions that publishers seem to love are really necessary.

Investing today, millions? Delivering updates and corrections without printing a new edition, priceless.

Posted at 10:30 AM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

April 16, 2008

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a school board member? Or perhaps how other school board members' experiences compare with your own? Wonder no more. NSBA's National Affiliate program's new series, Life on the School Board explores these age old questions.

The first in the series features Willis (Tony) Brunson, board president of Rich Township High School District 227 and Paul Jasinevicius, board member of Park Forest-Chicago Heights 163, (both in Illinois) and their experiences as school board members. You should definitely take a listen--you'll be glad you did, and you'll probably learn a thing or two.

For more information about this series click here. To share your own story of Life on the School Board, click here.

Posted at 3:40 PM | Link to this story | Comments (1)

April 9, 2008

It does BoardBuzz's heart good when we see things like this recent opinion piece in the Post-Bulletin (Minn.). School board member Diane Hermann Blakley discusses the importance of community engagement and 21st century skills in her editorial.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the National School Board Association Conference in Orlando. This conference helped to assure me that our schools need to teach the core subjects, but must also address the 21st Century Skills.

These skills include problem solving, critical thinking, media literacy, global awareness, collaboration skills and civic leadership. The skills students need today are fundamentally different from what was needed 20 years ago.

Teaching our students 21st Century Skills is essential to our nation's economic success. Our nation cannot afford to have ANY of our students not reach their full potential. The demand on our workforce in upcoming years will require all our students to be well taught. This Rochester School Board, along with Superintendent Romain Dallemand, is committed to closing the opportunity gap.

And it sounds like not only are they committed to their students, but to their community too.

We need to engage all of our youth in their communities and engage adults in the lives of our youth. We as a school board are working to engage students into becoming productive citizens within our community and our country.

Parental and community involvement is the key to this process. Parents need to find the time to spend quality time with their children. Positive adult-child interaction increases student achievement, reduces substance abuse, creates responsibility, and respect.

Engaging the community in the public schools is not a new idea, but it certainly a critical one. And BoardBuzz thinks that Blakley sums it up best when she says, "Every child is a gift to our community. ALL children can learn, and with the leadership of our schools, parents, and community, we can make this happen." We couldn't agree more!

Posted at 12:00 PM | Link to this story | Comments (1)

House of Lords, the final frontier. (Cue Star Trek theme song . . . )

These are the bloggings of Britain's upper chamber of Parliament. Its continuing mission: to help educate, to raise awareness and engage with the public on a range of issues, to boldly blog where no one has blogged before.

BoardBuzz pokes fun, but we also strongly support the use of blogs for such public outreach—especially amongst our own school board members. Not everyone is brave enough to express their views so openly in an omnipresent forum. As ABC News reports, the House of Lords has taken a brave step into the 21st Century.

Lords of the Blog describes their work as thus:

Lords of the Blog is an experimental project to encourage direct dialogue between web users across the world and Members of the House of Lords. Commissioned by the House of Lords, the pilot project is conducted by the Hansard Society who are working directly with Members of the Lords to bring their blogs to the wider online audience.

The peers taking part are: Lord Soley, Lord Norton, Lord Tyler, Lord Lipsey, Lord Dholakia, Baroness D'Souza, Lord Teverson, Baroness Young of Hornsey and Baroness Murphy. Perhaps the efforts of these nine "peers" will encourage more of their peers (couldn't resist) to blog. Dozens of members of Parliament already have their own blogs according to the BBC.

Lords of the Blog manager Barry Griffiths says, "This is a fascinating pilot to be involved in as the House of Lords is packed full of expertise on a whole range of topical subjects."

BoardBuzz believes their efforts will certainly help dispel the image of men and women in red robes and wigs and replace it with one of public servants doing a real service for their country. But we couldn't help but wonder--will the House and Senate follow suit?

Posted at 11:43 AM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

March 27, 2008

BoardBuzz loves our blogging school board member friends. And as we prepare to head off to NSBA's Annual Conference in Orlando, there are a few of them that are taking their shows on the road.

Our old friend Andrew Mizsak, from Ohio, who blogged his way through the FRN Conference in February, is back and blogging the NSBA Conference start to finish. He'll also appear as a guest blogger on our Annual Conference Blog.

This post is all about blogging school board members, and promises some attention at the conference as well. And this school board member from Oregon pledges to "make sure the information comes back to the district."

In the past we've offered tips for sharing your Conference experience once you get back to your school district (and be sure to LISTEN to a message from Anne Bryant, NSBA's executive director with more on the subject), and it seems that now it's time to add blogging to the list. What better way to share what's happening as it happens than through the magic of the Internet?

And for more blogging school board members and all the conference happenings, do check out the Annual Conference Blog, because after today, that's where we'll be.

Posted at 11:33 AM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

March 25, 2008

Back in December, Google joined a coalition of technology companies, public interest and consumer groups, civil rights organizations, think tanks, and higher education groups to launch the Wireless Innovation Alliance to promote the benefits that "white spaces" can bring to consumers. Other members of the Alliance include Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft. Today their vision takes another step closer to becoming reality.

What are white spaces, you ask? Google's Public Policy blog describes it nicely:

Remember how, before cable and satellite TV became ubiquitous in our homes, we would have to turn the VHF dial on our old televisions to watch local channels? NBC might have been on channel 3, CBS on 10, and ABC on 17. And between those channels...was static.

Those spaces still remain largely unused. However, an idea was raised to take portions of that TV spectrum--the "white spaces"--and use them to expand internet access. Think WiFi 2.0 or WiFi on steroids as Google has begun to call it. Google submitted a proposal to the FCC on Friday, saying that by freeing the white spaces spectrum, "consumers will be able to enjoy robust access to the Internet, including the ability to download and utilize any lawful applications or content that is desired." Google claims to have a plan--one that will result in Americans across the country surfing the web on handheld gadgets at gigabits-per-second speeds by the 2009 holiday season.

Broadcasters strongly oppose this move with claims that operating mobile devices in the TV spectrum is bound to cause interference. Google counters these claims and even offered up working prototype devices for the FCC to test.

Ars Technica has this to say on the issue:

Since its inception last year, the white spaces project has seen its fair share of controversy. Prototype devices submitted to the FCC have not performed as hoped, with some of the blame due to broken hardware. The FCC is currently testing prototype devices capable of sensing the presence of digital TV and other transmissions, including those of wireless microphones. Testing is scheduled to continue throughout this week.

This is what will happen to your digital TV picture if white space broadband becomes a reality, according to the NAB Broadcasters have seized upon every testing hiccup to argue that the white spaces should be left alone. The National Association of Broadcasters, in particular, is bitterly opposed to allowing unlicensed broadband service in the white spaces. Last month, the group said that the hardware problems experienced by the White Space Coalition's devices "vindicates beyond doubt the interference concerns expressed by broadcasters, sports leagues, wireless microphone companies, and theater operators."

Nevertheless, Google and the Alliance are moving forward with their plans. "The future is now," Google concludes. "The value of the TV white space to all Americans simply is too great to allow this unique opportunity to be blocked by unfounded fear, uncertainty, and doubt."

BoardBuzz looks forward to a more open wireless world where wireless access is not limited to hotspots, cell networks, and expensive contracts (can you say iPhone?). However, we can only imagine the impact this will have on schools--both positive and negative. What do you think? Will this be the birth of high-bandwidth, affordable, ubiquitous wireless internet services? It could be welcoming news in the face of the waning hopes for wireless cities as the New York Times reports.

Posted at 3:28 PM | Link to this story | Comments (1)

March 24, 2008

Classroom 2.0 is the social networking site for those interested in Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in education. It won the 2008 Edublog Award for educational use of a social networking site. Home to almost 7,000 educators interested in using Web 2.0 in the classroom, this network offers valuable resources from the get-go:

• Discussion Forums
• Resources Wiki
• Join Groups
• Share Photos and Videos

Members share advice, technical know-how, and encouragement in a community where even newbies are welcome. BoardBuzz would like to give a nod to this network of teachers who are interested in the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom and use the site for personal professional development.

Posted at 1:00 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

March 20, 2008

Google recently launched Google For Non-Profits, "a one-stop shop for tools to help advance your organization's mission in a smart, cost-efficient way." BoardBuzz thinks some associations might find this newest Google offering interesting. Highlights include:

• When you're writing a grant application, don't get stuck emailing drafts back and forth. Try Google Docs to collaborate on documents with your colleagues.
• Cut costs and save time with Google-hosted email at your own domain. Access your e-mail from any computer with an Internet connection.
• Accept online donations without hassle and with no transaction fees until 2009 with Google Checkout.
• Apply for free online advertising through our Google Grants program to raise awareness and drive traffic to your website.
• Start a blog to keep your supporters informed and engaged.

Excellent tools for associations large and small!

Posted at 3:44 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

March 14, 2008

BoardBuzz isn't sure where to begin. Let's start with the facts. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates paid a visit to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to testify before the House Committee on Science and Technology. He presented a wish list that you may recognize from last year. Gates wants more money for math and science education, more funds for research, and more visas for skilled foreign workers. His testimony focused much on global competitiveness and the need for the U.S. to drastically reform its immigration program. As the Washingont Post reports:

In his last scheduled testimony to Congress before he retires, Gates said those provisions are necessary for the United States to maintain a competitive edge in technology innovation. He said some of the most talented graduates in math, science and engineering are temporary residents and cannot get the visas they need to take jobs with U.S. companies.

This perspective has incited much debate about immigration and the "offshoring" of jobs. However, Gates brings up an interesting point. "U.S. innovation has always been based in part on foreign-born scientists and researchers," he said. "The fact that their smartest people have wanted to come here has been a huge advantage to us, and in a sense, we're kind of throwing that away."

BoardBuzz is reminded that some of "America's" greatest minds were in fact foreign nationals at one time. Albert Einstein probably being the most prominent. However, there certainly is a difference between seeking to incorporate great minds into our workforce and simply sending jobs overseas.

The debate over this issue surrounds Gates's demand to increase the number of H-1B visas issued annually. Currently, only 65,000 visas may be issued, and that number is generally filled within the first day the visa process opens. H-1B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers with specific skills. Last year, Microsoft was not able to get visas for about one-third of its prospective foreign employees, claims Gates. Microsoft even went so far as to establish a Canadian outpost for these workers just across the border.

Critics have said the H1-B program takes jobs from Americans and pushes down wages. They are strictly opposed to any growth of the program. The Post illustrates some of the contention within Congress over this issue:

Rep. Steven R. Rothman (D-N.J.) asked Gates if he thought there should be any limit on the number of visas issued, and facetiously asked if IQ tests should be administered to determine who is worthy of earning permanent-resident status.

As Ars Technica summarizes:

It remains to be seen whether Gates will get the increase he has requested. Proposals to increase skilled immigration have been debated before, but the limit of 65,000 H-1B visas has not changed in recent years.

Education reform was also a major component of Gates's speech. Science and math education must be improved, says Microsoft. Gates praises Congress for passing the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act of 2007 (America COMPETES Act). The America COMPETES Act contains provisions for training new teachers in STEM subjects and to provide additional resources to science, technology, and engineering research through the National Science Foundation. Now Congress must follow through by fully funding the legislation’s educational initiatives because only the government has the resources needed "to effect change on a broad scale," said Gates.

But Bill Gates has a less than optimistic view of our education system:

"Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate from high school with the basic skills they will need to succeed in the 21st Century economy, much less prepared for the rigors of college and career. Although our top universities continue to rank among the best in the world, too few American students are pursuing degrees in science and technology. Compounding this problem is our failure to provide sufficient training for those already in the workforce."

Gates cited low graduation rates and a lack of college preparedness as two troubling factors impacting students. Fewer than 40 percent of graduating high school students are prepared to enter college without taking remedial courses in material "they should have learned in high school," claims Gates. BoardBuzz suggests that you look to the Center for Public Education for the straight story on high school graduation rates.

Education reform was the final component of Gates's speech. To improve the competitiveness of our workforce, Gates advocated changes to public schools and colleges. He touted a number of initiatives undertaken by his foundation. Working with several nonprofit organizations, the Gates Foundation has funded programs to measure student achievement, improve graduation requirements, and recruit and retain effective teachers. He also highlighted three cases in which the Gates Foundation has directly supported the creation of new math- and science-focused schools:

• Texas: Beginning in 2005, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partnered with the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Governor of Texas, the Texas Education Agency, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation to support the creation of 35 STEM schools and six regional resource centers across the state. Already, these efforts have helped attract technology businesses to the Austin area.
  
• Ohio: The Ohio STEM Learning Network has launched efforts to create a state-wide network of five STEM hubs and schools. Designed from a systems engineering approach, this network will scale to a state-wide system of innovative STEM schools with a $12 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and with support from a public-private partnership that includes the Battelle Memorial Institute, the Ohio Business Roundtable, the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Business Alliance for Higher Education and the Economy, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and many other local partners. This project has already attracted over $210 million in public funding and represents unprecedented multi-sector partnerships.
  
• North Carolina: Governor Easley, the Department of Public Instruction and the New Schools Project launched the Learn and Earn program, designed to improve high schools, better prepare students for college and career, create a seamless curriculum between high school and college, and provide work-based learning experiences for students. The schools, located on two- and four-year college campuses, seek to have all students graduate with two years of college credit or an associate's degree. The goal is to have 75 of these schools in operation statewide by 2008. Forty-two schools have already opened and 30 are scheduled to open in the fall.

Finally, Gates emphasized the importance of basic research:

Federally funded research supports the education of the next generation of scientists and engineers, those who will largely determine whether the United States remains innovative and globally competitive, said Gates. Therefore, he asked Congress to increase federal funding, and to renew and make permanent the research and development tax credit, which allows private companies to write off research-related expenses. According to his written testimony, in inflation-adjusted dollars, federal funding for physical sciences research has been flat for two decades. This stagnation in spending comes at a time when other governments, such as in China and the EU, are increasing their public investments in R&D.

BoardBuzz thinks Gates is a great visionary and philanthropist, but we aren't sure what to make of his stance on immigration or his seemingly dim view of public education. Leave us a comment and tell us your opinion.

Microsoft offers a transcript of his oral testimony if you'd like to read it in full.

Posted at 2:21 PM | Link to this story | Comments (1)

March 13, 2008

The Internet has done it again! According to this article in today's edition of USA Today, "Youth volunteerism is surging as high school and college students use the Internet to mobilize quickly and nationally." BoardBuzz loves to see young people getting involved for the greater good.

And they're doing it through social networking sites like MySpace. (And you thought social networking was just a way for students to keep in touch. Not so says NSBA's Creating and Connecting report.)

More than 22,000 non-profit groups have signed up to rally supporters on the teen-and-young-adult site MySpace since it began in 2004, says Jeff Berman, the site's executive vice president for marketing. He says more young people are engaged in activism online and their creativity in using the Internet to do good works is "off the charts."

Groups also have sprung up on Facebook, another social- networking site used by millions of students, to urge youth to fight global warming, help Hurricane Katrina victims, seek world peace or protest events such as charges brought against six black teens for beating a white classmate in Jena, La.

"Activism is at a very high level among college students, probably more than in the last 10 to 20 years," says Robert Rhoads, who teaches a class on the history of student activism at the University of California, Los Angeles. "There's a greater political consciousness among students," he says. "The Internet has played a role in that."

BoardBuzz is impressed! How are the students in your district using the Internet to get involved? Are they "creating and connecting" through social networking? Leave us a comment and tell us about it.

Posted at 9:43 AM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

March 12, 2008

It turns out that last week was Teen Tech Week—a national initiative sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association. The initiative aims to ensure that teens are not only competent, but also ethical users of library technologies, such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, and videogames. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use their libraries' nonprint resources for education and recreation and to recognize their librarians as the skilled, trusted IT professionals that they are. BoardBuzz loves our own resident librarians.

Libraries across the country hosted special events, sessions, and contests which included:

• Amazing Race: Library Edition


• Teen Music Night


• Online Chess


• Rule RuneScape


• Teen Computer Tutors!


• Pimp Your iPod


• Online Audiobook Discussion


• Yo-yo-ology


• This is Jeopardy

Even though Tech Week is over, it never really ends. How can you keep the momentum going? YALSA has these suggestions:

• Have your teens tell us about how they use technology in YALSA's Teen Technology Survey. Survey closes March 31.
• Bookmark our Tech Guides to use in programming at your library! Our guides cover making music with teens, online surveys, virtual worlds, RSS, blogs & wikis, gaming, podcasts and a sponsored guide on using Dungeons & Dragons Interactive @ your library! All Tech Guides are PDF files for easy download. 
• Tell us how your celebration went at the Teen Tech Week Wiki!

BoardBuzz would also like to give a shout out to the Young Adult Library Services Association blog.

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March 10, 2008

For years, NASA's Robotics Alliance Project has supported participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition by providing grants to high school teams as well as sponsoring FIRST regional competitions. Today BoardBuzz is spotlighting the Virginia regional FIRST Overdrive competition. We learned of the competition from local Goochland, Virginia team coach, Matt Wilson, whom we just happen to know. He is a high school physics teacher who volunteered his time and expertise to guide students from Goochland High School in the competition. His team even went on to win the "gracious professionalism" award. Congratulations!

First—no pun intended—some background on the event. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a non-profit organization that aspires to transform our culture by making science, math, engineering, and technology seem as cool to kids as sports.

The Virginia FIRST website provides this brief history of the event:

FIRST was founded in 1989 by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway Human Transporter. FIRST operates the FIRST Robotics Competition in which teams of high school students, sponsored and assisted by local companies and volunteers, design, assemble, and test a robot capable of performing a specified task in competition with other teams. FIRST also runs the FIRST LEGO League, for children 9-14 years old, and FIRST Place, an innovative science and technology center, including a hands-on children's science museum.

In this year’s FIRST Overdrive, students designed robots to race around a track knocking down 40" inflated balls and moving them around the track, passing them either over or under a 6'6" overpass. Extra points are scored by robots positioning the balls back on the overpass before the end of the 2 minute and 15 second match. Watch this animation to see a full demonstration.

Students and mentors swarmed VCU's Siegel Center this weekend—effectively turning it into a giant body shop. They continued working up until the last moment to fine-tune their robots. Over 400 students, teachers, engineers and mentors on 64 teams from around the country, including one from Hawai'i, could be found tinkering on their robots. It was an exciting three-day event from practice to the championship round. Check out the final scores, rankings, awards from the competition.

BoardBuzz thinks the whole concept of the competition is an excellent one. What better way to stimulate students' problem-solving skills and interest in science and technology than this type of hands-on experience. We also agree with Pattie Cook, the VirginiaFIRST regional director:

"The companies want a more prepared work force," she said. "Kids want more technology. They think it's cool to know about technology. The whole country has begun talking also about the fact that there aren't enough kids learning science and math."

And there's far more to learn than just the science. The competition seeks to redefine winning for these students. They are rewarded for excellence in design, team spirit, professionalism and maturity, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Scoring the most points is a secondary goal. Winning means building partnerships that last.

The Virginia event is one of 41 regional contests that will lead up to the 2008 FIRST Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, April 17-19. Are you interested and want to get involved? Learn more about volunteering, mentoring, and even joining the competition. Students even qualify for a whole host of scholarships. And probably most exciting, is that BoardBuzz always loves to hear about students doing extraordinary things!

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March 7, 2008

In case you haven't noticed, BoardBuzz has recently showed (here, here and here) a renewed interest in "Web 2.0," and let our inner geek flag fly, but we have failed to provide a primer for those who may still be trying to grasp the concept. So who better to help us understand than the man dubbed "the explainer" by Wired magazine. Michael Wesch is a cultural anthropologist and media ecologist exploring the impacts of new media on human interaction (wonder what he majored in in college). He currently leads a digital ethnography working group, a team of cultural anthropology undergraduates at Kansas State University exploring the impact of digital technology on human interaction and human interaction on digital technology. His blog entry, Getting Started with Web 2.0, is an excellent tutorial for everyone.

To facilitate this collaborative research on technology and human interaction , Wesch leverages new media. He writes:

During the first month of the semester the Digital Ethnography class of 2008 has been hard at work trying to leverage various online tools to improve our collaborative research efforts. We have managed to pull together a number of free tools into a single research platform that I think is going to work out very nicely.

Check out his Mediated Cultures: Digital Ethnography dashboard to learn more.

Wesch owes his fame to a video project last year which is only a part of his broader efforts to pursue the possibilities of digital media to extend and transform the way ethnographies are presented. Millions have viewed his 2007 video explorations of technology, education, and the information revolution. His Web 2.0 video was viewed over 4.8 million times just on YouTube alone. Today, we hope to grow that number.

So sit back and enjoy The Machine is Us/ing Us. We also highly recommend watching Information R/evolution and A Vision of Students Today.

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March 6, 2008

BoardBuzz is a fan of Will Richardson and truly enjoys reading Weblogg-ed. His recent entry, The Ultimate Conference Attendee, grabbed our attention. He poses the question of what future conference organizer will get smart and allow attendees who only:

• Have their own Ustream channels and broadcast live facial reactions of attendees as the session is in progress
• Can Tweet out the best quotes, engage in lively back channel repartee, and live blog the session to their own sites at the same time
• Create a VoiceThread story of the presentation within 10 minutes of finish by incorporating photos taken during the session and uploaded to Flickr, adding voice over narration to contextualize the event, and soliciting video comments from virtual attendees
• Put together a wiki page for the session that collects dozens of various RSS feeds compiled from keyword and tag searches on the presenter’s name, the general topic, del.icio.us bookmarks, YouTube videos and more
• Create a Google Map that identifies where all of the virtual attendees live and helps them upload photos of themselves watching the UStreamed, Tweeted, VoiceThreaded, wikied presentation in progress.
• Conduct a live Skype call with other experts who challenge the ideas being presented and scream out provocative and borderline insulting questions
• Have their own conference space in Second Life where live video and audio of presentation is being streamed and where they have organized a post session social featuring virtual local microbrews and coffees

BoardBuzz longs for the day when our conference attendees are so involved and connected. It's already second nature to the youth we're educating. Maybe someday the whole education community will catch on. Will this Web 2.0 phenomenon be too much? Maybe, but we look forward to the tidal wave of attendee-generated content. Leave a comment and tell us what you think the conference of the future will look like.

Have we mentioned we're recruiting bloggers for our Annual Conference in Orlando?

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March 5, 2008

BoardBuzz readily admits to embracing its inner geek. Thus explaining how we came across Wired magazine's Game | Life blog entry by Susan Arendt on a new addition to the field of educational games. You may be familar with Brain Age. Back in 2006 Nintendo released this unorthodox video game predicated on the idea that your brain is a muscle that needs exercise like any other muscle. Brain Age makes the claim that mental exercises can actually improve your cognitive abilities.

Now we learn that PLATO Learning is bringing its educational software, Achieve Now, to the PSP (PlayStation Portable) this April. PLATO Learning is an educational software company that works with elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools across the nation. Describing their work, the company's website says:

Our tradition of innovation dates back to 1963 and continues today as we deliver just-in-time online assessments that are tied directly to standards; bring learning standards to the classroom, fully integrating them with your instructional resources; and provide meaningful professional development, customized to meet your needs. Most importantly, we make a difference in the lives of learners—as they upgrade their skills, increase their self-esteem, discover successful employment, and become better, more self-sufficient students and employees.

Their Achieve Now software takes the shape of a series of interactive games designed to help elementary and middle-school students practice and improve their language arts, reading, and mathematics skills. Blending learning with play is an excellent idea if not a new one. BoardBuzz loved Wired's mention of Carmen Sandiego as a tool to learn geography. Wired brings up another great point.

In that respect, putting educational software on the PSP makes great sense, but it's only half the equation. It's not enough to put the education in the game, you have to put the game in the hands of the child. Are the schools going to provide PSPs to the students, or is this an educational benefit only available to those families that can afford to get a PSP for their kid?

Nevertheless, BoardBuzz thinks combining gaming with education is an excellent idea. So do others. We had the pleasure to hear from such great minds as Ray Kurzweil and James Paul Gee at our 2006 T+L conference. If you want to see into the future, says Kurzweil, just keep an eye on the development of video games. Gee recently published "Why Video Games Are Good for Your Soul," in which he argues that good video games have the capacity to boost learning and empower people.

"Edutainment" is very much a part of our future. Be sure to keep an eye on our T+L Conference website for information about our 2008 program and speakers!

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March 4, 2008

BoardBuzz recently learned of a startup called Edmodo thanks to a somewhat random roaming of the internet. TechCrunch labels it as "Twitter in the Classroom," and goes on to say:

Edmodo says it's going to be Twitter for teachers and students, with features like calendaring events that are tailored to the classroom. Personally, I think Twitter itself works just fine as the Twitter for teachers and students, but give edmodo a shot if you're interested. They're taking signups for the private beta now.

However, Twitter itself tends to be one of those services that district administrators choose to block. What administrator wants students twittering at school when they should be learning? Now, dear readers, some of you may be thinking, "What the heck is Twitter?" To which Twitter would reply:

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

Think of it as texting meets blogging meets social networking. Twitter is both a free social network and micro-blogging service all in one. Users send short updates or "tweets" to the Twitter website, via texts, instant messaging, or a third-party application such as Twitterrific. Just another example of our youth's hyperconnectivity in action. (For more on that, be sure to check out Creating and Connecting, NSBA's recent study on the online behavior of teens and 'tweens.)

BoardBuzz sees in Edmodo what could be a new trend. As a recent commenter predicted, more and more K-12 infrastructure and classroom management tools will look to web-based solutions. BoardBuzz hasn't seen Edmodo in action, but we think it might be another great addition to the education community's library of Web 2.0 tools.

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February 29, 2008

Yeserday Google announced Google Sites, now part of its Google Apps suite. Sites lets people instantly create a wiki-style group workspace for their organization or classroom. According to Google, it could build your organization's intranet. More likely, however, is using Google Sites for education purposes. What will they think of next? Google's press release claims,

With Google Sites, people can quickly gather a variety of information in one place – including videos, calendars, presentations, attachments, and text – and easily share it for viewing or editing with a small group, their entire organization, or the world.

Google Sites has been marketed as a Microsoft Sharepoint killer, but most critics agree it only nominally competes against Sharepoint and IBM’s Lotus Notes. Just what kind of impact Sites may have on them, and when, remains to be answered. The competition certainly has more capabilities than Sites. So, as Mark Twain once remarked, "Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," seem to be true in this case too.

Sites is, essentially, a wiki, but nowhere does Google mention the word in connection with Sites. As ZDNet's Larry Dignan says,

That observation is keen. Perhaps wiki is too geeky. Perhaps Google thought a name like Google Sites was better than Jotspot. Frankly, none of this rebranding works all that well. It’s still not clear what Google Sites is about judging from its name. Google is trying to mainstream the use of the wiki but without the name. But Google Sites doesn’t exactly bonk you over the head with meaning either.

BoardBuzz thinks Google Sites is a great collaboration application for people who need to manage projects or classroom activities. In other words, it’s wiki-ish. Sites makes it simple for anyone, teachers and students included, to create websites for sharing information, without any specialized knowledge required. It seamlessly integrates with other Google Apps like Talk, Docs, Calendar, etc. "We are literally adding an edit button to the web," said Dave Girouard, vice president.

Oh, and did we mention that, as is typical of Google Apps, the service is free? BoardBuzz is wishing, right about now, that we had purchased some Google stock years ago.

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February 28, 2008

Last week was Kyrene School District in Arizona's moment in the spotlight. The district, chosen by NSBA, was the site of one of NSBA's TLN Site Visits for 2008. The district, which was one of NSBA's Salute Districts in 2006, has long been a leader in education technology.

As this article on AZCentral.com notes,

The Kyrene Teaches with Technology Project is funded by a capital override voters approved in 2005, which provides $7 million each year for technology.

Kyrene director of community education and outreach Kelly Alexander said visiting educators have taken pictures of bulletin boards and talked to teachers and students to get ideas they intend to take back to their home districts.

"It's a wonderful way to share not only how teachers use technology but how it makes Kyrene a wonderful place to learn," Alexander said. "We want them to walk away and say, 'That's what technology should be.'"

Nearly 100 teachers, administrators, and other school district personnel attended the site visit to learn about the innovative ways Kyrene is integrating technology.

If you're disappointed to have missed the Kyrene visit, there are two other opportunities to get in on the action:

March 24-26, 2008: Kent School District #415, Kent, Washington
May 4-6, 2008: Batavia City School District, Batavia, New York

Be sure to check it out!

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February 20, 2008

It's a great day when you can get something for nothing, so that must make March 12 stand out! That's the day NSBA's National Affiliate Program will be offering the free (yes, you read that right) webinar "From Cyberbullying to Cell Phones: Navigating through the Legal Questions and Answers."

With the rapid growth of Web 2.0 technologies like social networking, a host of new legal issues have emerged. Cyberbullying raises questions about freedom of speech, and student cell phones have placed school leaders and parents at odds in some communities. You can join the discussion with NSBA Senior Staff Attorney Tom Hutton as he provides updates on the legal issues surrounding many of today's hot education technologies.

The webinar will be held March 12, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EDT. Reserve now, because space is limited. And for more information about other and future webinars, click here.

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February 7, 2008

BoardBuzz was intrigued by this article appearing in today's USA Today. Apparently states are starting to make laws against cyberbullying, particularly in the wake of the case of Megan Meier, a 13-year old girl who committed suicide after an online hoax.

According to the article, states are drafting legislation that will give schools more power over cyber bullying. "A least seven states, including Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oregon, passed cyberbullying laws in 2007. Five more — Maryland, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont — are considering similar legislation this year." And of course, some of these new laws are raising concerns about both freedom of speech and privacy. BoardBuzz can see both sides of the argument. As educators, we want to protect the students in our schools and ensure that all students feel safe--students who feel secure have a better learning experience. But we also get that the First Amendment shouldn't be taken lightly.

"The lines between home and school are continuing to blur with more expectations for schools to exercise authority in areas previously reserved for parents," said Max Riley, superintendent of the Randolph School District in New Jersey.

After New Jersey passed a law last year requiring schools to ban cyberbullying, the state Department of Education issued guidelines. School administrators were told they "may impose consequences" for off-campus bullying — but only when it "substantially interferes" with a school's operation.

Riley said the Randolph district had been considering a policy used in other districts that goes further than the state statute by stating school officials "will impose consequences" on certain acts of off-campus bullying. Randolph's finished policy will exclude references to off-campus behavior, Riley said.

"I am leery of going too far and trying to regulate too much of private life, even though I abhor some of the things that kids put up on the Internet about each other," Riley said.

The American Civil Liberties Union has opposed some cyberbullying laws, saying they set up school officials to trample on students' First Amendment rights. The ACLU helped block a proposal last year to expand an Oregon law to include off-campus bullying, arguing that school officials have no right to impose punishment on students for what they do away from school.

So what's a school to do? And how are we to protect students from unwanted bullying? BoardBuzz doesn't have the answer. But we do have some insight into the appropriate use of online technology. You can check out Creating and Connecting, NSBA's recent report on the online habits of teens and 'tweens. You might also be interested in checking out a recent debate over at the Economist that focused on whether or not social networking technology can be used as an educational tool.

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January 23, 2008

BoardBuzz was feeling the pain this morning for Fairfax County (Va.) when we saw this item on Good Morning America. It seems last week's inclement weather in Virginia has touched off more than a flurry (pun completely intended) of discussion. The Washington Post carried the story today as well.

Here's what happened: It seems that a disgruntled student, unable to reach a school administrator at work, called him at home to complain about the lack of a snow day. But wait, the plot thickens.

On his lunch break, Lake Braddock senior Devraj "Dave" S. Kori, 17, used a listed home phone number to call Dean Tistadt, chief operating officer for the county system, to ask why he had not closed the schools. Kori left his name and phone number and got a message later in the day from Tistadt's wife.

"How dare you call us at home! If you have a problem with going to school, you do not call somebody's house and complain about it," Candy Tistadt's minute-long message began. At one point, she uttered the phrase "snotty-nosed little brats," and near the end, she said, "Get over it, kid, and go to school!"

Not so long ago, that might have been the end of it -- a few choice words by an agitated administrator (or spouse). But with the frenetic pace of students' online networking, it's harder for grown-ups to have the last word. Kori's call and Tistadt's response sparked online debate among area students about whether the student's actions constituted harassment and whether the response was warranted.

Kori took Tistadt's message, left on his cellphone, and posted an audio link on a Facebook page he had created after he got home from school called "Let them know what you think about schools not being cancelled." The Web page listed Dean Tistadt's work and home numbers.

Now, the Tistadts have made national news and have received dozens of calls, presumably from students. What's an administrator to do? BoardBuzz, having once been students, can understand that there's nothing better than a snow day. But we also get that every time a flake falls, schools can't be closed. And with today's students more connected than ever, through cell phones, the internet, social networking, and other technologies, word can spread faster than a blizzard (another pun intended).

BoardBuzz does note that Dean Tistadt recognizes the ingenuity of the student, "Candy Tistadt did not return phone messages, but Dean Tistadt credited Kori for having the 'courage of his convictions to stand up and be identified.' He also credited him for causing the high volume of crank calls, not to mention considerable grief and embarrassment for his wife. 'This has been horrible for her,' he said, adding that he and his wife both learned a hard lesson about the long reach of the Internet."

What's the solution to helping encourage connected kids to use their powers for the greater good, rather than the greater annoyance? Does your school district have any sort of policy for dealing with situations like this? Leave us a comment and tell us about it.

Posted at 10:51 AM | Link to this story | Comments (3)

January 22, 2008

The social networking debate over at the Economist that we told you about last week continues to sizzle. While it appears that those who believe social networking technology has some positive benefits for education out weigh those who disagree nearly two to one, the conversations are heated (and stimulating).

NSBA's own Ann Flynn entered the debate today as her Guest Comments were posted. She notes, "Although social networking applications for K-12 are in their infancy, developers and educators recognize they provide a platform to support experiences that were previously difficult or impossible to deliver in traditional classrooms. In these age appropriate social networks, students learn about Internet safety, discover how to create an appropriate online presence, and how to critically evaluate the content they find posted by others. Social networks can foster collaborative projects and help students create relationships around the globe." Flynn argues that social networking, when used properly, most certainly has educational value. She goes on to point out that schools and their policies need to reflect the changing landscape of the 21st century.

"School policies must support innovative teachers as they harness the enthusiasm students have for social networking technologies to support teaching and learning. In ten years, I predict their use will be commonplace and many students will be participating in a virtual world like Second Life. Educators cannot ignore what is happening in the “real world” if they are to prepare their students for the future."

Check out the debate and be sure to read the reader comments. BoardBuzz is enthralled! Also check out NSBA's recent report on teens line behaviors.

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January 17, 2008

BoardBuzz is so excited about our latest glory. Actually it's not ours, but let's call it sharing the joy. NSBA’s Ann Flynn, director of education technology, has been invited to be a Guest Commenter in an online debate hosted by The Economist Online. The topic is “Social Networking: does it bring positive change to education? This debate has been simmering for some time now, but BoardBuzz is glad to see it taking formal shape in this forum.

The Oxford-style debate, which began on Tuesday, will go through January 24, featuring Ewan McIntosh, National Adviser on Learning and Technology Futures on the "pro" side, Michael Bugeja, Director of Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, Iowa State University on the "con" side, and three guest commenters. Flynn's comments will appear January 22.

NSBA's report Creating and Connecting//Research and Guidelines on Online Social - and Educational – Networking provides a great resource and background information for anyone following the debate and interested in participating. You can log in and create a "pen name" to comment and vote for the winner of the debate. It's already gotten spirited, so be sure to check it out!

Posted at 12:14 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

January 11, 2008

A recent piece on ABCNews.com caught our attention because it strikes a nerve with students, teachers, parents, and administrators. In recent months, BoardBuzz has spent a lot of time and attention on social networking sites and the value they provide to education in the 21st century. Therefore, you can understand how a story titled "Have Boozy Photos on Facebook?" would cause some consternation.

A group of 42 students in a Minnesota high school were questioned and 13 had a disciplinary action taken against them when they left school to protest the questioning by administrators. Photos of students with alcohol were posted on Facebook and since students are required to sign a pledge to be involved in extracurricular activities, and they broke this pledge, they were punished.

What seems like a routine disciplinary action has touched different people in different ways. Parents and students say that this is just average high school behavior. Some students claim everyone drinks in high school, so the school should stay out of their business. It's no secret that Hollywood glorifies high school drinking in movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, and Clueless, but does that make it okay? Is it the job of the administration to look at Facebook regularly and be the Internet police for the students in their school? It's still unclear how the administration found out about the photos in the first place. Or is it a matter of free speech since the photos were taken off school property and parents should be aware of what their children are posting on Facebook and they should handle discipling their children for underage drinking? Perhaps the parents should follow the example of the "meanest mom in the world."

Need help getting through the muddled mess of social networking? Check out our discussion on the educational benefits of social networking. Believe it or not (after reading a story like this), there are some!

Posted at 10:10 AM | Link to this story | Comments (2)

October 23, 2007

Last week, over at the T+L blog, NSBA announced its 20 to Watch emerging technology leaders. These folks are the crème de la crème of the education technology world.

Now you can listen to interviews with some of the 20 to Watch. Listen in and learn what makes them so special.

Posted at 4:41 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

October 18, 2007

For those of you who have been moping all week because you weren't able to attend the T+L Conference in Nashville, chin up! You can get the scoop on all the conference goings on by checking out the conference blog. Conference attendees are blogging about their experiences and hot sessions. See what you think, and feel free to leave comments.

One particularly interesting entry names this year's 20 to Watch, a group of emerging education technology leaders. Enjoy!

Posted at 1:41 PM | Link to this story | Comments (0)

BoardBuzz wants to remind you one more time to log in today to the online discussion, "Navigating the Legal Landmines Around New Technologies," featuring<