Big qualitative data (Big Qual), or research involving large qualitative data sets, has introduced many newly evolving conventions that have begun to change the fundamental nature of some qualitative research. In this methodological essay, we first distinguish big data from big qual. We define big qual as data sets containing either primary or…

The use of digital technology in the classroom is a significant issue for teachers as they are under increasing pressure to teach in technologically mediated ways. This "digital turn" in education has culminated in the Australian federal government's Digital Education Revolution, which represents a multi-billion dollar commitment to…

Cyber charter schools are public charter schools which are entirely online and typically serve all grades from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Pennsylvania implemented widespread charter school legislation as early as 1997. This has offered a great number of Pennsylvanians options in their public schooling. One of these options has been…

The Pacific eLearning Observatory at the University of the South Pacific (USP) conducted an online survey of educational technologists (n = 60) to assess levels of access to information and communication technologies (ICT) in education and identify ways of lowering the barriers to ICT in the Pacific region. Almost half of USP's 22,000 students are…

High-quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs have a positive effect on youth development, but many cities have found it difficult to address the challenges of expanding and improving the quality of programs offered to underserved and high-need students. In response, The Wallace Foundation sponsored an initiative to help five cities increase…

This interim report produced by the Colorado State Board of Education Online Education Task Force examines key issues related to online education. Task force members agree that: (1) online education has become a viable element of Colorado's public education system; (2) the role of technology in educating our children will continue to grow; and (3)…

Successful integration of technology into education calls for a new vision of professional development as an ongoing program aligned with curriculum goals, designed with built-in evaluation, and sustained by adequate financial and staff support. Research identifies three effective collaborative models: peer coaching, study groups, and thematic…

The Iowa Distance Education Alliance (IDEA) is a partnership involving educational institutions across Iowa that have received funding from the Federal Star Schools Program to demonstrate the use of the Iowa Communication Network's (ICN) fiber optic technology for elementary and secondary education. First-year activities focused on teacher…

In a time of fiscal belt tightening, many states will hesitate to launch new multimillion-dollar distance education network projects. Instead they will concentrate on regulatory initiatives to stimulate the development of affordable advanced universal service by the private sector. Discusses the limitations of state regulatory strategies in the…

The status and direction of computerized information systems in French universities are examined, including research, instructional, and management applications. Recommended action at institutional, regional, and national levels include development of policy for use and development of computer resources, definition of appropriate roles, policy on…

The Star Schools Program has funded projects to explore innovative educational applications of technology in distance education. Funded projects have applied a variety of technologies, including videodisks, compressed data transmission, fiber optic technology, and computer networks. Program evaluation is a mandated aspect of the program. This…

Recent economic events and constantly-shifting priorities continue to challenge the traditional hallmarks of community colleges: responsiveness, adaptability, and flexibility. Institutional leaders are increasingly questioning whether the comprehensive community college model and, more importantly, open access, are still sustainable in today's…

This paper reports on research carried out through a case study which sought to identify how institutionalized teaching and learning practices and processes--"the way we do things around here"--led to successful teaching and learning with information and communication technology (ICT) at a large contributing New Zealand primary school…

This report outlines success factors and challenges identified in a study of the educational electronic communications networks in three selected Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) member states (i.e., Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma) and through discussions of the SREB's Educational Technology Cooperative. The report is organized in sections…

With the Utah Educational Technology Initiative (ETI), the State has increased its commitment to educational technology. The evaluation of the Utah ETI is built around the concept of portfolio analysis, an evaluation method that incorporates the collection of diverse types of data and enables a number of types of evidence to be used to gauge…