Computer programming provides a framework for interdisciplinary learning in sciences, arts and languages. However, increasing integration of programming in K--12 shows that the block-based and text-based dichotomy of programming environments does not reflect the spectrum of their affordance. Hence, educators are confronted with a fundamental…

Microsoft's plans to end support for Windows XP, believed to be the dominant computer operating system in K-12 education, could pose big technological and financial challenges for districts nationwide--issues that many school systems have yet to confront. The giant software company has made it clear for years that it plans to stop supporting XP…

The 2014 edition of "Financial Accounting for Local and State School Systems" updates the 2009 (see ED505993) and 2003 editions of the handbook. The 2003 edition was the work of the NCES National Forum on Education Statistics, Core Finance Data Task Force. That task force systematically rewrote nearly the entire text, incorporating new…

"Only the Best" is an Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) annual reference containing information on software programs and multimedia applications that have met stringent criteria for excellence. The purpose of this reference is to provide a quick and easy way for curriculum directors, technology coordinators, librarians,…

Reviews six microcomputer-based administrative software programs that handle scheduling, grade reporting, and attendance tasks: (1) Alpha II, (2) Harts III, (3) Mount Castor, (4) The Osiris System, (5) The School System, and (6) STARS (Student Academic Records System). Companies producing the programs, systems they run on, and price information…

This book establishes a framework that can be used to evaluate software for tracking and analyzing student records. First, it examines the characteristics the user should look for in a student-records management software package. Users should be aware of the dangers and costs of replacing a system or integrating new software into an existing…

Compares three electronic encyclopedias offered for young people: Compton's, Encarta, and the new Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Contents, interface, and navigation between articles are discussed; and recommended grade level, computer platforms, price, upgrade costs, documentation, and multimedia elements are compared. (LRW)

Many school districts have planned only for upfront software and hardware costs (one-quarter of "real" costs). This article examines major cost components of client-server computing, discusses TCO (total cost of ownership) as a tool for managing investment in technology, and considers how to leverage cost-reduction strategies. (MLH)

Discusses technology-support issues, including staff training, cost, and outsourcing. Describes how various school districts manage technology-support services. Features the Technology Support Index, developed by the International Society for Technology in Education, to gauge the operation of school district technology-support programs. (PKP)

Presents arguments for and against computerized integrated learning systems. Despite developments in problem-solving exercises, illustrated stories, and simulations, integrated systems offer fewer learning opportunities than the spreadsheets, word processors, and multimedia applications typical of independent software. Tips are provided for…

Education is challenged to use technology efficiently, since few software programs can share data. Users' applications and data are isolated from one another. The Schools Interoperability Framework enables applications to communicate through a common interface and standard data formats regardless of the host platform. Costs, advantages, and…

Open source has continued to evolve and in the past three years the development of a graphical user interface has made it increasingly accessible and viable for end users without special training. Open source relies to a great extent on the free software movement. In this context, the term free refers not to cost, but to the freedom users have to…

The Missouri district is a small rural school district with 450 students and 51 staff with a total of 210 client computers. The district consists of two schools (K-6 and 7-12) housed in a single building. This document contains the results of the four 2004 Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) case studies: (1) Software costs; (2) Hardware costs; (3)…

Outlines seven factors that should be considered in the selection of an integrated learning system (ILS): the vendor's educational philosophy; provision of courseware updates; courseware offerings, management systems, customization, and online tools; availability and cost of maintenance support; reasonable terms of procurement; the personnel and…

Although the E-Rate has been a catalyst for school technology purchases, there are no subsidies for hiring qualified technology support staff. District technology coordinators are relying on technology support systems and shoestring survival strategies, employing standardized equipment and hard-drive configurations, desktop lockdowns, anti-virus…