K-12 Computing Blueprint News - December 2008

Welcome to the December issue of the K-12 Computing Blueprint newsletter. This newsletter and the K-12 Computing Blueprint site are brought to you by Intel and Tech & Learning. If, for any reason, you do not want to receive this monthly eNewsletter, please visit your custom subscription management page (the link is at the bottom of this email), and feel free to unsubscribe to this mailing.

Editor's Note

Last month we polled our readers about the future of one-to-one computing and whether we had finally reached the tipping point. Just about half of you (47.92%) agreed that, “One-to-one is the wave of the future; before long it will and should be commonplace in schools across this country.” But others were worried, given the current economic climate. As one respondent put it, “Our school board won't even fund technology upgrades when needed. I can't imagine them ever funding a one-to-one ratio of computers.”
Not to put a damper on your holiday spirit, but we thought we should address the elephant in the room and ask how you, as a proponent of technology-supported education, are feeling about the economy. Are you experiencing major budget cuts? Is funding for ed tech on the chopping block? Take this month’s Quick Poll and let us know what's happening in your school or district.
Now that we’ve looked at the bleak side of things, let’s move on to some cheerier topics – including a variety of free resources and opportunities. Check out our new conference and webinar archives, offering a wealth of information from some amazing educators. And don’t miss the chance to apply for $10,000 and more than $100,000 in products and services for your school as part of Intel’s Schools of Distinction Program!

Best wishes for a peaceful and joyful holiday season.

-- Judy Salpeter, Editor

Delve Into IT Strategies and Leadership
We invite you to view Archives of Intel's edIT conference, which took place in November of this year. Read about and access handouts from this event, focused on topics of particular interest to IT leaders – including virtualization, thin client and alternative computing models, knowledge communities and bandwidth.

Apply to be an Intel School of Distinction
Does your school demonstrate 21st century teaching and learning environments that promote excellence in math and science? Enter the 2009 Intel Schools of Distinction Awards and your school could win $10,000 from the Intel Foundation and more than $100,000 in products and services from program award sponsors. Don’t miss this opportunity to apply before February 17, 2009.
You can learn more about the 2008 winners and view photos of this year's awards ceremony at the K-12 Blueprint web site.

Data, Metrics and Results: View the Webinar Archive

What are we learning from the schools and districts all over this country that have invested in one-to-one computing programs? How does one track the effectiveness of a technology-rich program and build in metrics that allow school leaders to modify and improve upon it? These are the sorts of questions that were addressed in a popular webinar – featuring Tom Greaves, co-author of America’s Digital Schools, Fred Morton, superintendent of Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, and Dr. Kelly Shapley, evaluator of the Texas TIP program – on November 18. You can now access recordings and copies of the presentations from this webinar, as well as recently-posted responses to some of the questions that were not answered during the event due to lack of time. Check out this free, archived webinar today.

Are You Worried About Funding?

Take this month’s quick poll and let us know how the economy is treating your school(s), in general, and education technology, specifically.

Headlines

Laptops Help Bridge the Digital Divide
Middle grade and high school students in South Carolina's low-income Marion School District 7 are gaining "access to the whole wide world" through a new laptop program.
Tech Scores at a North Carolina Middle School Rise with One to One
Scores on the North Carolina Computer Competency Test have soared for eighth graders at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School after just one year in a laptop program made possible by a public-private partnership.
Students in Arizona District Move up to Tablets
Wickenburg Unified School District's one-to-one program now spans grades three through eight, with tablet PCs an important part of the mix.
One to One with the iPod Touch
Two North Carolina schools are moving forward with a pilot program that will bring the iPod touch and other diminutive new technology devices into the classroom for educational use.
PA Classrooms for the Future Program Keeps Expanding
Line Mountain High School in Trevorton is one of the latest schools to benefit from Pennsylvania's Classrooms for the Future initiative.

Become Part of the K-12 Computing Blueprint Community

Complete the Blueprint Questionnaire to tell us about your experiences with one-to-one computing. We will be selecting responses to share online at the K-12 Computing Blueprint site in the coming months as part of a new "Tips from the Field" feature.

Email us today if you have suggestions, feedback, ideas or an interest in blogging for us.

Become Part of the K-12 Computing Blueprint Community

Email us today if you have suggestions, feedback, ideas or an interest in blogging for us.

About K-12 Computing Blueprint
About K-12 Computing Blueprint K-12 Computing Blueprint, brought to you by Intel and Technology & Learning, is your resource for one-to-one computing. Whether you're already involved with one-to-one computing, considering moving in that direction, or simply interested in the impact of widespread technology use on students and classrooms, Intel's K-12 Computing Blueprint site offers a variety of valuable resources. Visit us to read case studies, learn about research reports, and keep up on recent news about laptop learning, other forms of ubiquitous computing, and K-12 ed tech issues including funding, curriculum, leadership and professional development.

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