This article presents an interview with Cathleen Norris and Elliot Soloway, both pioneering educators who are defining the future of technology and learning. Norris is a professor in the Department of Technology and Cognition at the University of North Texas. She is also the past president of ISTE and the past president of NECA, the organizing…

As open source and other participatory Web venues become the norm in the new century, educators will be facing an even more overwhelming technology learning curve. A new digital divide is in the future--one that is largely generational. At its heart will be the fundamental questions of what "school" really means and whether digital immigrants can…

Multimedia is a mixture of text, audio, video, graphics, and images. Research studies have shown that higher levels of learning occur when students are presented information via multimedia rather than a single medium. The actual mechanics of inserting multimedia components into a file varies from application to application. For example, to insert…

For schools, spam is not only an annoyance and a time waster; it clogs district mail servers, consumes valuable network bandwidth, and can deliver and propagate a variety of malware programs that can wreak havoc on their system. A district strategy to "can the spam," therefore, must be multifaceted and address security vulnerabilities at different…

The proposed 2006 federal budget has been criticized by many in the education and technology communities for zeroing out the primary federal funding source for education technology: the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) state block-grant program. The author believes schools are better off without it. and gives reasons why. For many…

Research shows that technology makes a difference in student motivation, engagement, and active learning. It also helps students develop critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Providing each student with his or her own computing device such as a Palm handheld computer and appropriate software can have a great impact. This…

This article presents an interview with Jim Hirsch, an associate superintendent for technology at Plano Independent School District in Plano, Texas. Hirsch serves as a liaison for the open technologies committee of the Consortium for School Networking. In this interview, he shares his opinion on the significance of open source in K-12.

There has long been a power struggle between techies and teachers over classroom computer desktops. IT personnel tend to believe allowing "inept" educators to have unfettered access to their computer's hard drive is an open invitation for trouble. Conversely, teachers often perceive tech support to be "uncaring" adversaries standing in the way of…

The employment of administrative tools for effective management is evaluated in this article. Using an administrative tool like a Palm[R] handheld computer and appropriate software can make the difference. For anyone running a single school or an entire district, managing data is the key to maintaining an efficient organization. Many…

Discusses local area networking and global telecommunications. Examines the advantages of networked systems; the importance of connecting classrooms to the Internet or commercial online systems; and how World Wide Web, hypermedia, and the development of browsing software may revolutionize teaching and learning. Terminology and tools used in…

Reports on the results of a survey of software publishers and market researchers for educators that was conducted to determine development, purchasing, and upgrading plans for educational computer technology. Highlights include operating systems, including Macintosh, DOS, and Windows; equipment needs, including memory, monitors, and special…

Defines features of multimedia (hypermedia, interaction, and user control) and discusses keys to multimedia (personal computers and CD-ROMs). Focuses on use of multimedia technology to bring authentic settings to classrooms via connections to activities outside the classroom. Sidebars present major categories of multimedia CD-ROM software and…