Grey Culbreth Middle School in North Carolina did not have enough computers to give students reasonable access to the Internet, so administrators implemented a one-to-one iPod touch program. Now every student is connected. This article describes the implementation of this program, the problems encountered and the positive reactions from the staff.…

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…

This is the age of cool tools. Facebook, iPhone, Flickr, blogs, cloud computing, Smart Boards, YouTube, Google Earth, and GPS are just a few examples of new technologies that bombard people from all directions. As individuals people see a new technology and can appreciate its coolness, but as educators they wonder how these tools can be used for…

When new leadership assumed responsibility for the Glen Cove School District back in 2005, it was in dire need of a makeover. State test scores were dismal, and its high school had fallen onto the New York Schools in Need of Regents Review list. Failed budgets had forced the district to operate under contingency restrictions, including a…

Personal learning networks (PLNs) are not new. People have long relied on their families, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to supplement their knowledge about the world. But the times are changing. Information and communication technologies (ICT), including an ever-growing repertoire of open source applications, have freed content from the…

Searching the Web with Google to find information about technology and learning disabilities produces more than a thousand links. This creates a dilemma for educators who want to learn about current technology-based ideas for use with students with special needs. You may be a technology coordinator, staff developer, or administrator looking for…

Educators often reject cell phones in the classroom, considering them destructive and distractive "toys." As a former technology coordinator, the author used to think cell phones were harmful for the classroom environment. Over time, she has come to realize that cell phones are part of the students' everyday existence. Today, students use cell…

Educational portals put together links to sites and resources educators would be interested in viewing. They eliminate the hours of searching that might be invested if typical search engines were used. Educational portals feature lessons, units, printable resources, creative ideas, and more. Many of these sites are free, while others are…

In this article, the author describes the importance of technology in distance learning for elementary education. Imagine having museums and expert teachers available at one's request. In their Rural Hall, North Carolina, elementary school, teachers and students just walk down the hall to the distance learning classroom and connect in a few…