K-12 Computing Blueprint News - March 2010

Welcome to the March 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 magazine. 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.

Weighing in on National Plans for Ed Tech

With the unveiling of a draft of the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) and an invitation to educators to participate in the new Open Innovation Portal, the Obama administration is calling for input from ed tech leaders across the country – as are we. We encourage you to take government leaders up on the invitation to participate in an open dialog about innovation in K-12 education and the role technology can play.
We also encourage you to tell us what you think about Secretary Duncan’s views on ed tech funding. In introducing the NETP, he acknowledged concern on the part of ed tech leaders that technology-specific funding in the form of EETT no longer exists and that federal funds for education technology are only available through other programs such as I3 innovation grants or funds for literacy, STEM and assessment. The administration is presenting this as a chance to "truly incorporate technology into the core practices and strategies of our programs and schools." Do you agree? Take this month’s Quick Poll to let us know if you see these funding changes as a tragedy or an opportunity.

Announcing

Two New 1:1 Profiles: Check out profiles of two Boston-area schools
• Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, where 1:1 helps bridge the digital divide.
• The Henderson Inclusion Elementary School, where technology delivers on the promise of full inclusion.

Google Design Competition
Register your students by March 17 and complete your entry form by March 31 to be eligible to win computers and college scholarships.

DLE Events
Join us for "Practical Strategies for Digital Learning Environments," a complimentary, one-day event coming to a community near you.

Eileen Lento Video
Intel's K-12 strategist discusses Obama's data policies.
Intel White Papers: Read about Intel's DVC infrastructure solutions
• Scalable School Technology: How to plan for the unknown while delivering education excellence
• Deploying a Flexible School Infrastructure: An achievable, cost-effective “good, better, best” model for education infrastructures

Project RED Update

In recent months we’ve reported on Project RED and its large-scale national study focusing on improved educational outcomes and cost savings in settings in which “all learners have broadband Internet access and a digital learning device." The preliminary results are in and they include:

• Twice as many 1:1 schools reported success at greatly reducing paperwork and copy machine costs.

• Schools using online formative assessment at least weekly outperform those who do not.

• Teachers in technology-rich schools have more frequently scheduled professional learning.

• 72% of respondents report major improvements in test scores as a result of technology deployment.

• Over 50% report reductions in disciplinary actions and/or dropout rates.

Do you know of a technology-rich school that has not yet taken the survey? Although Project RED has received over 1,5000 responses to date, they are open to additional input – especially from urban districts. Please spread the word to school principals or tech coordinators: If yours is a groundbreaking technology-using school and you haven’t yet taken the survey, take it now at www.projectred.org. It takes only about 20 minutes to complete and respondents will receive a complimentary copy of the report (a $999 value).

Headlines

Department of Education Announces National Education Technology Plan and Open Innovation Portal
Two recent announcements shed light on the Obama administration's education goals and technology's role in meeting them.

New Online Resource Assesses School's Readiness for One-to-One
Are you ready for 1:1 computing? That's what CDW-G and Educational Collaborators are promising to help you find out.

Looking Back on Year One – as a Superintendent and 1:1 Program Leader
Jeff Moss, superintendent of Lee County Schools, Georgia, discusses his first year and his district's new one-to-one laptop program.

Exploring the Potential of Hand-Held Devices
In the state of Virginia, a number of districts are piloting iPods and smart phones as instructional devices. A newspaper article explores the pros and cons of such an approach.

Microsoft and CNCS Announce Schools to Participate in the START program
Six schools are being honored for their collaborative work around technology-focused service learning.

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