Keep Reform Gears in Motion, Obama
With an election year coming up, education could fall under the manipulative hands of politicians trying to win over constituents. A CNN reporter urges President Barack Obama to stay focused and to continue with his aggressive education reform agenda.
Bill Phillips: President, New York Charter Schools Assoc
Bill Phillips, President of the New York Charter Schools Association says NYC stripping authorization powers away "isn't quite the problem it is made out to be," and that SED authorizing will improve with the installation of Sally Bachofer.
Happy 2nd Bday: Chrome & Edmodo
Google's browser Chrome is about to overtake Firefox as the top TechCrunch reading browser. Edmodo added user number 500,000 today--what a cool birthday present. Teachers love Edmodo because it makes it easy and safe to share the web.
Putting Your "Beta" Foot Forward
When technology administrators or edtech coordinators make technology decisions for schools, it is important to understand the cultural impact it will have on all stakeholders. Make cultural and workflow awareness part of your "beta" tech reforms.
Sealing the Digital Gap
National Journal asks: In education, how should technology be used to close the digital gap rather than exacerbate it? What can policymakers do to help advance the promise of technological benefits in the classroom? EEP Signatories Tom Vander Ark and former Florida governor Jeb Bush have already offered their opinions.
Udemy Raises $1M in First Funding Round
Udemy launched on May 11 and has had over 1,000 instructors create over 2,000 courses. The site has nearly reached 10,000 registered users and has an extremely active and passionate community of instructors.
Jaime Casap: Ed Evangelist, Google Apps for Education
We did a brief interview with Jaime Casap, an evangelist for Google Apps for Education, about his role in the newly formed Digital Learning Council, formed by former Governors Jeb Bush and Bob Wise.
Making the Value-Added Leap from School to Work
We interview Rick O'Donnell, founder of Rowan College Portfolio, about the beta release of his new offering. He intends to add value to university courses by helping students tune their choices in extracurricular and academic life at school to be more in line with what companies want out of new hires.
Charter Schools Finding Niches
As the charter sector matures, states should revise first generation laws to address specific needs and encourage innovation.