The reality of students' cyber lives has thrust upon educators a new approach: creating character education programs tuned to digital youth that are proactive and aggressive. This will help integrate students' digital activities within the context of the communities in which they live, both local and digital. The digital age beckons a new era of…

In 2004, prior to the launch of their 1-to-1 laptop program, the superintendent expressed some anxiety about the prospect of radically changing teaching and learning by issuing a laptop computer to every student and teacher. Although the concept was exciting, it carried big risks and would take time and thorough planning to execute well. Even with…

No matter how many car washes or bake sales schools host to raise money, adding funds to their coffers is a recurring problem. This perpetual financial difficulty makes expansive technology purchases or changes seem like a pipe dream for school CIOs and has education technologists searching for ways to stretch money. In 2005, state K-12 school…

Student engagement--it's what every educator strives for. When a lesson includes showing a movie and involving students in a discussion about it, it's even harder to get--and keep--students engaged. What if there was a free, easy way to engage one's students during lessons like this, meeting them "where they live" with technology, effortlessly…

Under pressure to keep spending down but also keep pace with rapid technology changes, many districts are future-proofing their schools--trying to get the most out of tech spending by providing solutions they can use now and in the future without major, expensive infrastructure overhauls. In the Folsom Cordova (California) Unified School District,…