Digital Transformation

The rush to embrace new digital reading platforms and educational materials could have consequences for how students learn, as research shows people read faster but comprehend less with digital texts as opposed to print.

Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska have approved the purchase of more than 600 Chromebooks for its remote learning program, which the district has no plans to continue beyond the 2021-2022 academic year.

As the state legislature begins negotiations over next year’s budget, educators and elected officials are discussing whether to keep remote learning as an option once everyone goes back to school in the fall.

In partnership with the nonprofit Niswonger Foundation, the state will provide free online Advanced Placement courses to about 5,000 students. Officials say the program will reduce barriers to AP enrollment.

The state House has passed a bill that would require school districts to post teaching materials online, with critics raising concerns about the time commitment and parents meddling in curriculums.

As last year's drastic shift to online learning put technology front and center for school districts, many K-12 IT officials have found themselves in key advisory or leadership roles with growing responsibilities.

Running this week through Saturday, the third annual COSI Science Festival, hosted by the Center of Science and Industry, will involve free programming from universities, nonprofits, museums and other community groups.

The ed tech company is looking for teachers and administrators to participate in its sixth annual State of Technology in Education survey, which will assess adaptations schools have made in the past year.

More virtual schooling has meant more network vulnerabilities, and a webinar this week recommended that K-12 districts consider monitoring tools such as ManagedMethods to accomplish what limited IT staff cannot.

The youth sports advocacy group has partnered with the educational nonprofit TeachAids to share its CrashCourse software curriculum with athletes, parents, coaches and administrators in NCYS programs nationwide.

In an effort to retain students who learn better from home or have COVID-related health concerns, Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Indiana is preparing two virtual-only options for the coming school year.

Community and technical colleges are particularly well-suited to partnering with governments to bring broadband and digital literacy to underserved urban and rural communities.

Realizing the need for alternatives to one-size-fits-all education, Aberdeen School District in Washington plans to expand nontraditional options like career technical education, GED and online learning.

The Ann Arbor-based software company has teamed up with Wayne State University on a new AI-driven platform that combs the web for materials that could be of use in automotive tech courses and other related topics.

School districts across the U.S. have implemented cloud-based software to monitor student nutrition, with the goal of simplifying meal planning and improving student health.

The Biden administration’s new budget proposes to increase federal spending. While little is specifically geared toward school technology, some funds could help close the digital divide and bolster mental health services.

Five students at Shaker High School, New York are finalists in a statewide competition for their report that used World Bank data and machine learning models to assess the impacts of various factors on income inequality.

Chicago-based ed tech startup Upkey is offering an online internship program to 10,000 students to learn new skill sets in technology leadership, marketing and communication, among other skills.