The ability to move from one representation of data to another is one of the key characteristics of expert mathematicians and scientists. Cloud computing will offer more opportunities to create and display multiple representations of data, making this skill even more important in the future. The advent of the Internet led to widespread…

In honor of International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE's) 30th anniversary, "Learning & Leading with Technology" conducted a poll asking members to cite their favorite teaching tools. After asking members of ISTE's Special Interest Groups to name three tech tools they felt were the most influential in education over the course of…

Web-based applications offer teachers, students, and school districts a convenient way to accomplish a wide range of tasks, from accounting to word processing, for free. Cloud computing has the potential to offer staff and students better services at a lower cost than the technology deployment models they're using now. Saving money and improving…

Web conferencing tools help educators from around the world collaborate in real time. Teachers, school counselors, and administrators need only to put on their headsets, check the time zone, and log on to meet and learn from educators across the globe. In this article, the author discusses how educators can use Web conferencing at their schools.…

Communication and discussion are keys to student learning and understanding in online environments. With more teachers and K-12 school systems adopting course management tools such as Blackboard and SharePoint, online discussion has become another means of engaging students in curriculum-based learning. Online discussions provide opportunities for…

The convenient format, delivery, and accessibility of information offered by podcasting has made it a hot new trend. One of its limitations in educational applications, however, is its implementation primarily as a push technology--one that simply feeds users information. Podcasts tend to focus listeners inward and rarely encourage human…

If technology can affect student learning, shouldn't it be considered in making decisions? Data-driven decision making models include data from curriculum, instruction, test scores, lunch programs, budgets, and transportation. None of the current models include anything about technology. The challenge with any type of data-driven decision making…

Based on the "Educational Software Preview Guide," this article discusses trends; lists selected software titles related to the Internet, arts, multilingualism and multiculturalism, multimedia and edutainment, and authentic experience, cross curricular and alternative assessment; and describes how to conduct a software evaluation…

Education technology leaders are ever seeking new ways to eliminate the traditional social and geographic boundaries that hinder communication and collaboration for both K-12 students and educators. Larger districts with geographically dispersed schools often find that innovative ideas for technology use and integration are balkanized into…

The concepts of intellectual freedom as expressed in these two quotations are as relevant to information in electronic formats as they are in print. As a proponent of intellectual freedom, the author of this article advocated and received administrative support for unfiltered Internet access in the Mankato Area (Minnesota) Public Schools from 1994…

For the last year the authors have been gathering examples of how perceived "threats of security" are hampering the integration of technology in teaching and learning. They hope that educators will examine both the challenges of increased security demands and ways in which security might enhance, rather than detract from, the use of technology for…

So far classroom use of the Internet has been limited to asynchronous communication, but virtual conferencing will allow real-time connections between teachers and classrooms separated by continents. This article describes virtual conferencing applications: Chat, audio- and videoconferencing, electronic white boards, application sharing, and file…

Describes activities and benefits of a series of summer technology workshops for librarians and teachers offered by the Houston Independent School District. Sidebars list software programs provided to workshop participants, basic steps of the "Big Six" skills, and Web site search tutorial. (AEF)

Discusses whether schools should somehow filter the information available to students via the Internet. Highlights include censorship versus an individual's right to information; fear for children's safety as motivation; filtering legislation; deciding what to block; rating Internet sites; filtering options for schools; and recommendations. (LRW)

Provides advice for making school Internet-use guidelines. Outlines responsible proactive use of the Internet for educators and librarians, discusses strengths and weaknesses of Internet blocking software and rating systems, and describes acceptable-use policies (AUP). Lists resources for creating your own AUP, Internet filtering software, and…