School CIO: Feature Articles


Report Explores K-12 Engineering Possibilities A committee of experts on diverse subjects has attempted to determine the scope of efforts to teach engineering in elementary and secondary schools. Issues include types of curricula and professional development, how engineering education interacts with science, technology, and mathematics, and the impact of initiatives.
Top Online Degrees Help Teachers Make More Cents Think the current economy should put a pinch on extra spending across the blackboard? Not so. Teachers are hitting the virtual books to pump up their paycheck and ensure job security in a time of declining staff and opportunity for advancement.
The world according to Curtis Bonk In his new book “The World Is Open,” author Curtis Bonk makes bold predictions about a more personalized age of learning. Everyone will need and likely have an electronic coach or e-mentor. By 2020, there will be access to learning gurus who understand the innumerable learning pathways available on the Web.
Web-based assessment tools help schools without burdening network Web-based student-assessment tools are growing in popularity, and this popularity shows no signs of abating. They save time, enable schools to customize remedial or enrichment tools for specific skills, and automate state and national reporting.
The Challenge of Coordinating District-wide Communications The great American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein once said that technique is communication; to conductors the two words are synonymous. For school executives and administrators who are orchestrating communications across their districts, technology is communication; and their ability to piece together the right array of technological solutions in a time of tight budgets is likely to determine whether they’ll be applauded or have to face the music generated by disconcerted constituents. It’s not an easy task.
Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School deploys 4,000 ThinkPad R500 laptops On September 23, Lenovo announced that the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School (PAVCS), a K 12 public cyber charter school in Norristown, PA, deployed nearly 4,000 ThinkPad R500 laptops to give its students the technology they needed to complete a high
West Potomac Academy revamps TV program The West Potomac Academy provides students with opportunities to take advanced, specialized classes in communications and the arts. The Academy is one of five high school academies in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). The Academy’s mission is to provide opportunities
Albemarle County Public Schools makes AYP Albemarle County Public Schools achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2008 09 under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Albemarle met all 29 benchmarks and indicators of student achievement included in NCLB. To help achieve these results, the
New York State's Alden Central School District goes wireless The more than 1,900 K 12 students and teachers who returned to New York State's Alden Central School District on September 1 gained ubiquitous high performance wireless Internet access for the first time using a district wide Meru Networks 802.11n
Western Wayne SD chooses thin clients In efforts to keep up its strategic use of technology in classrooms, the Western Wayne School District (Northeast PA) has announced that it will implement Wyse Technology thin clients. Western Wayne received a “Schools of Excellence in Technology” award in
New study shows collaborative teaching more effective A new research study shows how teacher learning teams working collaboratively and following a structured protocol can lead to gains in student achievement. The study, titled Moving the Learning of Teaching Closer to Practice Teacher Education Implications of School Based
David H. Ponitz Career Technology Center revamps video production lab Based on an interview with Jennifer Bryant The Donitz Career Center High School (DCC) is part of the Dayton Public School District in Ohio. It is an urban school, and of the nearly 400 students enrolled in
School for the deaf collaborates with Tandberg for videoconferencing The Kentucky School for the Deaf (KSD) in Danville, KY, recently decided to use TANDBERG video communications equipment to unite its students with the deaf community nationwide. KSD’s 150 elementary, middle and high school students make up a deaf population
Arts School finds safe browsing solution The Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts and Education (SBH), like many schools, is struggling to keep up with the times. To prepare students for life after school, the integration of technology is a must. However, relying on technology
What Works Clearinghouse praises Pearson’s SuccessMaker Enterprise The Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse has praised Pearson’s SuccessMaker Enterprise, a new digital, supplemental, curriculum solution designed to support classroom instruction in reading and math for grades K 8. The WWC rated the program as having “potentially positive
SIIA survey shows schools need to improve IT visions The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) recently released the findings of an annual national education survey that measures U.S. educational institution’s progress toward meeting SIIA’s Vision for K 20. The survey was created to help teachers and administrators make
Reading Assistant improves more than scores in MA The Parlin School in Everett, MA introduced Scientific Learning’s Reading Assistant program in December 2008, and has praised the program’s impact on the second graders who participated. Second grade teachers at the school explain that through the program’s three 20 minute
Data-driven teachers by Dr. Scott McLeod Data driven decision making (DDDM) is a system of teaching and management practices that gets better information about students into the hands of classroom teachers. The five major elements are • good baseline data • measurable instructional goals • frequent
More evidence online learning works A new study examined more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning from 1996 through July 2008. The resulting report, Evidence Based Practices in Online Learning A Meta Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies (2009), found the following
Illinois districts first to implement Miller & Levine Biology program High school districts in the Illinois counties of Lake, Will, Kendall and Kane will be some of the first to implement Pearson’s new “Miller & Levine Biology” program. Many other Illinois middle and high school students will also use Pearson’s
Indiana district chooses Calypso to manage AV Michigan City Area Schools (IN) has chosen Calypso Systems products as key components of their total classroom technology solution. Calypso products are already being used in 41 Michigan City classrooms and another 40 are expected to be converted by next
Florida rethinks RTI Florida educators have announced a statewide plan for “response to intervention” and will be targeting individual instruction for students with the help of Pearson, an education and technology company. Pearson has developed a comprehensive suite of K 12 math instruction
Texas district takes new approach to testing The Richardson Independent School District (RISD) in Dallas, TX has used a new approach on testing for several years now with the program TI MathForward. It incorporates real time assessment using technology, and allows teachers to see who exactly understands
Formative assessment gets results in Arizona schools Mesa Public Schools is the largest school district in Arizona, serving 70,000 students in a diverse population east of Phoenix. The district includes two Native American communities, and approximately half the student body is composed of minorities. Mesa Public Schools
New survey shows school IT breaches increasing CDW G announced the results of the 2009 School Safety Index. Based on a nationwide survey of over 400 K 12 district IT and security directors, the index measures 10 indicators and four contraindicators to set a national benchmark to
11 crisis management tips for administrators CDW G offers the following checklist of topics and questions for non technology executives and administrators to review with their management teams and IT departments to prepare for significant facility shutdowns – regardless of the cause 1. What functions and
A Virtual Good Idea: Virtualization software allows districts to stretch dollars, conserve resources School districts across the country always have had to do more with less. Funding only goes so far, leaving administrators and IT staff to find innovative ways to save money while maintaining a high level of academic quality. Creating virtual
Making the Word Heard: Routine announcements, emergency messages easier with notification software Routine announcements, emergency messages easier with notification softwareTechnology has widened the options we have to communicate, but contacting people seems to be harder than ever. How many times have you left a voicemail on a home phone, sent an e
Bulletproof Remote Access Making school or district database and network resources available to IT employees, administrators, and teachers from remote locations can greatly improve productivity, but at what cost? Despite the vast improvements in
Administrators Accessing the Effectiveness of Technology As districts continue to invest in new more advanced technologies, school building administrators are being charged with the added responsibility of overseeing and managing their local technology program and few are prepared to do so.
Assessment Data at Your Fingertips by Matt Bolch The ever increasing standards of No Child Left Behind regulations and various state assessments have put more pressure on teachers and administrators to monitor the learning process. Fortunately, the advent of technology is allowing teachers to test more often to
An Ounce of Prevention: Technologists Use Network Access Control to Protect System Resources, Students School CIO talks with three IT administrators to learn how each is dealing with the issue of network access control (NAC).
Watch it by Matt Bolch For the school CIO, safeguarding students and facilities is as much a part of the job description as keeping the data networks running and the servers protected from hackers. Here's how two districts of different sizes secured their surveillance systems.
Keeping VOIP from Being the Wrong Number Digital phones can save money for schools but there are many pitfalls.
The Dark Side of Tech: How CIOs Tackle Security Breaches by Matt Bolch The proliferation of ed tech is certainly cause for celebration. But that celebration carries a dark side--the potential for fraud and abuse. Tech & Learning asked four technology directors about five security challenges that keep them up at night.
10 Essential Strategies For Leading A Technology Department by Terry Freedman Terry Freedman boils good leadership down to a handful of key principles.
Business Intelligence Basics by Lane Mills Is your district's data analysis system producing actionable results? In part 2 of our series on data management, we take a look at how applying the practice of Business Intelligence to your accumulated data can help you drill down to the specifics that'll help meet your goals.
Getting Started with Data Warehousing by Lane Mills The first in a series on managing data efficiently in your district.
The Digital Dashboard by Lane Mills You can access your district's key performance indicators at a glance.
Archiving and Retrieving Email by Lane Mills In the case of a lawsuit, will electronic data be at your fingertips?
A Virtualization Starter Kit by Lane Mills New to the concept of virtualization? Here's a quick look.
Terror in the Classroom: What Can be Done?, Part 4 by Ryan E. Winter and Dr. Robert J. Leneway What parents and schools can do to combat cyberbullying. Part four of four.
Terror in the Classroom: What Can Be Done?, Part 3 by Ryan E. Winter and Dr. Robert J. Leneway Who is a cyberbully? Part three of four.
Terror in the Classroom: What Can be Done?, Part 2 by Ryan E. Winter and Dr. Robert J. Leneway The effects of cyberbullying. Part two of four.
Terror in the Classroom: What Can be Done?, Part 1 by Ryan E. Winter and Dr. Robert J. Leneway A definition and examples of cyberbullying. Part one of four.
Six Steps to Managing Internet Access by Sheila Riley Jim Culbert, information security analyst for the Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Fla., talks about developing district policies that ensure kids remain safe online.
Q&A: Mike Donlin by Sheila Riley Standing up to Cyberbullies
Crafting Service Level Agreements, Part 2 by Sheila Riley Ten more tips for getting it right.
Crafting a Service-level Agreement, Part 1 by Sheila Riley Eight tips for getting it right.
Ten Tips for Internet Safety by Sheila Riley Protecting students from Internet dangers and distractions while still reaping its benefits is on every district's tech priority list.
A Wireless World by Richard Hoffman Charles County Public Schools Makes Wireless Universal
Preparing Teachers for One-to-One by Sheila Riley Ten tips to help educators working in laptop environments thrive.
Redefining Data-Driven Decision Making by Keith Waters How schools can move beyond D3M to embrace a culture of education performance management.
YouTube's Educational Potential by Lindsay Oishi How online videos can jumpstart teaching and learning.
Making the Most of Alert Notification Systems by Sheila Riley 11 tips for using emergency communication solutions in your district.
Portrait of a Leader by Amy Poftak Though hard work and a knack for relating to teachers, Cindy Wilson-Hyde has changed her school's relationship with technology.
The Fine Print by T&L Editors Inkjet or laser? Choosing the wrong printer type for your district's schools can mean money down the drain.
Measuring Up in a Flat World by Karen Greenwood Henke Pioneering groups are reforming curriculum to prepare students for the global digital workforce.
Kids Today by Lindsay Oishi Researcher Peter Grunwald believes students' increasing taste for technology will transform classrooms.
Online Professional Development: Get the Facts(2) by Ana Bishop Is Web-based training for improving instruction the right fit for your district?
A CIO Story by Amy Poftak Boston Public Schools' Kim Rice is changing the role of technology in her community, one customer at a time.
Data Warehouse to Go by Elena Malykhina Business intelligence vendors create scaled-down applications for smartphones
New Congress Likely to Support Net Neutralilty by K.C. Jones Congressional Democrats are backing net neutrality legislation.
Can Office 2007 Prevail In A Web 2.0 World? by Barbara Darrow Microsoft's challenge: countering the Web 2.0-stoked perception that no one needs huge applications anymore.
Protecting Your Data from the Inside Out by Charles Thompson One K-12 CIO's answer to dealing with internal security threats: extrusion prevention
Working to Expectations: The Toughest CIO Challenge by Mike Cuddy Achieving clear goals and deliverables is the easy part of the job. It's the intangible expectations that throw off even good technology managers.
How to Manage the Super Smart Techie by Judy Mottl Get the most out of your district's technological wizards.
Ray Kurzweil: Computers Will Extend Human Lifespan by Sharon Gaudin Assistive technology pioneer Ray Kurzweil dicusses his predictions for the future.
Leaving the Private Sector for K-12 by Lindsay Oishi CIOs from the business world offer unique expertise--and often a fresh perspective--when they go to work in school environments.
Microsoft's Most Important Launch Ever by Mary Hayes Weier Can promises of "software and service," increased security, and programmable mini-apps get the company's installed base to upgrade to Windows Vista?
Survey: Everything You Hate about IT by Andrew Conry-Murray In Network Computing's annual poll, technology leaders vent about the challenges they face everyday and how they wish vendors would address their problems.
Google To Let Organizations Create Custom Searches by Thomas Claburn Custom Search Engine lets users optimize Google on their own sites and share revenue from the searches.
Running Windows (Alongside OS X) On Your Mac by Richard Hoffman Apple's OS X and Windows can now live nicely together without fighting. Here's the scoop.
Take a Deep Breath by Christopher Heun Biofeedback software is helping students calm down for better test performance.
Web 2.0 Is All about 'Open'-- Except When It Comes to Data by Thomas Claburn At the Web 2.0 Summit, debate spins about on what the right approach is for customer data control.
The Truth about User Privileges by Kelly Jackson Higgins Has the time come to set your Windows clients to run without system administrator rights?
Online Professional Development: Get the Facts by Ana Bishop With the rise of Web-based training, districts have more options than ever for helping subject-area teachers gain new skills. But is online professional development the right path for your district?
How to Shop for a SAN by Dave Raffo Storage negotiating tips from an education IT director who knows.
8 Tips for Going Paperless by Sheila Riley Tech directors reveal their strategies for taming the paper monster.
Cisco Revamps Certifications by Judy Mottl Retooled courses reflect new skill demands, says company.
Dancing the Data Two-Step by Dave Stodder As IT leaders step up to data management challenges, they must also step back and let users determine how data-driven insight fits their world.
The MySpace Effect by Christopher Heun MySpace is public enemy number one in many school districts. But that doesn't mean social networking tools should be banned outright.
Two VoIP Alternatives by Jennifer Hagendorf Follett Smaller IP telephony companies fill an important niche.
One-to-One in Michigan by Tom McHale Examining the challenges and triumphs of a statewide laptop initiative.
Larry Ellison's Linux Plans by Charles Babcock The Oracle CEO is determined to shape Linux's future.
10 Most Dangerous Things Users Do Online by The Staff of Dark Reading If your end users knew what damage they could cause when they...well, just send them this article.
The Coming Database Revolution by Josh Greenbaum You may not want to rip and replace, but consider the possibilities for new deployments.
Alpha Male Syndrome: Curb the Belligerence, Channel the Brilliance by Kate Ludeman and Eddie Erlandson Are you or your boss an alpha? A new book from the Harvard Business School Press explores what makes alphas tick and how to better manage their behavior.
The Promise and Pitfalls of Virtualization by Charles Babcock Virtual servers are going strong, but virtualized applications still need some help.
Bandwidth Quandary Looms for Districts by Christopher Heun Schools' increasing reliance on network applications is coming up against a critical issue: not enough bandwidth.
Not Your Father's Computer Degree by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee Georgia Tech's new computer science curriculum reflects students' interests and career aspirations.
Highlights At Demo Show: Carry Your Desktop On Your iPod, $70 PCs, And Virtual Apps by Charles Babcock Startups vied for attention and weren't shy with the on-stage tricks at this year's coming-out party
10 Tips for Coping with E-Rate Audits by Sheila Riley Pass your audit with flying colors.
How Identity Theft Works by Steve Stasiukonis A security firm tries to penetrate a college network, with alarming results.
Case Study: Using Data Mining to Analyze Student Behavior by Rick Whiting A Louisiana district scours a year's worth of discipline reports for patterns.
Class, Open Your Phones by Terry Freedman Trends suggest that mobile phones have educational potential.
What Keeps CIOs Awake at Night? by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee Aligning IT and business and attracting and retaining tech talent are among the top CIO concerns, according to the Society for Information Management.
Book Excerpt: 1-to-1 Learning by Pamela Livingston Preparing your network for a laptop program requires careful planning. In her new book, Pamela Livingston lays out the issues.
4 Things to Know About 802.11n by Carmen Nobel As wireless protocols go, 802.11n is everything an IT leader could want. Just one problem: It doesn't really exist yet.
NCLB: Tell Me What You Really Think by School CIO Readers Readers weigh in on No Child Left Behind.
Windows After Vista by Aaron Ricadela Microsoft is at a crossroads, and the operating system that follows Vista will likely mark a serious break from the past.
Building the School of the Future by Lindsay Oishi Introducing Philadelphia's new high-tech high school
9 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft by Sheila Riley Keep staff and student data safe and sound.
Improve Your Bottom Line by Susan Brooks-Young ROI tips for educators.
Tame Your SLAs by J.W. Olsen Solutions for understanding and managing software licensing agreements.
Book Excerpt: Enterprise Architecture as Strategy by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David C. Robertson How establishing a system of governance mechanisms in your organization can mean the difference between surviving and thriving.
Data Protection: Who's Got Your Back? by Joseph F. Kovar Three words can sum up the storyline in storage nowadays: protection, protection, and protection.
What's Your Achilles Heel? by School CIO readers School CIO readers share their biggest challenges.
Are You Being Servered? by Don MacVittie Just because you can't pay big bucks for servers doesn't mean you have to limp along with a substandard infrastructure.
Dealing With The Metadata Mess by Howard Baldwin Will we ever be able to consolidate all the places where metadata exists in the enterprise?
Virtualization Delivers Cost-Saving Lesson by Sharon Gaudin How one school turned to virtual software as an alternative to a costly data center buildout.
Six Mobile Breakthroughs by David Haskin New mobile technologies are emerging that can change--and even save--our lives.
Tech Worker Survey: Happy Days Are Here Again by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee Salaries are rising, jobs are secure, personal finances are solid, and skills in Web services, ERP, .Net, and Java are as hot as the weather outside.
Book Excerpt: Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins In his latest book, MITâ€™s Henry Jenkins explores how radical media transformations are changing the way we live, work, and learn.
7 Reasons You Need Web Conferencing by Phil Britt It's cheap, it's easy, and it saves money. Top experts tell why you need it now.
Surviving an ERP Implementation: Notes from the Field by Philip J. Brody, Ph. D. One CTO's account of the rollercoaster that is enterprise resource planning.
Grooming the Next Generation of CIOs by Aaron Ricadela Microsoft's Craig Mundie and leading academics discuss the dearth of up-and-coming American computer science talent.
Biz Skills Top Tech Expertise In Today's Job Hunt by Judy Mottl Hiring managers are in search of 'Dale Carnegie' skills.
How to Buy a Student Information System by Richard Hoffman Lessons learned from Prince George's County Public Schools.
How To Stay Happy With Windows XP by Preston Gralla Think Windows Vista will bring more hot air than benefits? Here's how to get the most out of XP for a long, long time.
From Boardroom to Classroom by Christopher Heun Customer-centric applications from the business world have the potential to transform schools. But who will invest in the R&D?
The Proof is in the Processes by C. Jackson Grayson, Jr. The missing link in improving K-12 education and meeting NCLB goals is process management.
Is Centralized IT Killing Tech Innovation? by Thomas Claburn As IT departments must deal with security and cost concerns, many employees see them as keeping them from embracing the best of Web-based tools.
Crash Course: Wireless Site Surveys by Cornell W. Robinson III Before setting up your wireless LAN, you must map it out.
IT Inside the Country's Largest School System by Christopher Heun An exclusive interview with New York City Department of Education CIO Irwin Kroot.
14 Tips for Negotiating Software Agreements by Sheila Riley Avoid contractual mishaps and get the biggest bang for your buck.
CIO 2.0: The Next Dimension by Jeff Wacker From innovation to inoculation, the newest version of the CIO is a chief everything officer
Big Idea: Utility Computing to Reshape IT by John Roberts Business pundit Nicholas Carr says that the way organizations now buy and use IT will be replaced by a utility computing model driven by a handful of big service providers.
Teaching Tech Literacy to the MySpace Generation by Chris Heun When it comes to sharpening students' IT skills, districts take different approaches.
Web 2.0 Meets The Enterprise by Howard Greenstein Changes to Web content, and the Web itself, present new business opportunities if CIOs are willing to pursue them.
Unlocking The Business Benefit Of Wireless by The Advisory Council Untethering business processes creates value, even for everyday tasks. Here's how to find that value and unlock it.
Making Online Assessment Work by Chris Heun How K-12 technologists are prepping their infrastructures and staffs for Web-based testing.
Indiana's Open-Source Experiment by Matt Villano A status report on the largest Linux rollout in K-12 history.
Six Things You Need to Know About VoIP by J. W. Olsen Think you know VoIP? Think again. There are plenty of myths and misunderstanding out there. We talk to 30 experts who tell you exactly what you need to know.
Whatever You Say, Boss by Matt Villano Sometimes, a CIO's biggest challenge is meeting the superintendent's expectations.
Five Things You Didn't Know About Apple's iPod by Alexander Wolfe Despite the massive popularity of the player, there are still some little-known tricks that can help you get more mileage out of your music.
What Intel-based Macs Mean for CIOs by Richard Hoffman Wondering how Apple's new Windows-capable computers fit into your technology planning? Here are some strategic highlights.
The NCLB Effect by Richard Hoffman Examining the impact of No Child Left Behind on school technology programs and the people who run them.
10 Ways to Juice Up Your Network by Phil Britt Is your network as sluggish as rush-hour traffic? Experts offer their top tips for putting it in the fast lane.
Planning for the Worst by Matt Villano How school technology leaders in the Gulf Coast weathered the storm.
Powerful Processes by Scott McLeod and Tim Wilson For K-12 technologists struggling to find time, staff, and money, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library can help.
The 10 Biggest Network Security Myths by Joanne VanAuken If you buy into all these commonly held beliefs, you better believe your data is at risk. We separate the fact from fiction.
The ROI of VoIP by Matt Villano Everybody says VoIP saves big bucks. But does it?
SOA Goes to School: Part II by Richard Hoffman Learn first steps to implementing a Service-Oriented Architecture.
SOA Goes to School by Richard Hoffman Can Service-Oriented Architecture solve your district's enterprise integration nightmares? Find out what the buzz is all about in this first part of a two-part series.
The Case for Outsourced Security by Matt Villano A popular approach to managing IT in the corporate world comes to K-12.
Make Your Projects Manageable by Jane E. Bloomquist Use project management techniques to take the guesswork out of large-scale IT rollouts.
Building a Better Enterprise by Elbie Yaworsky Envisioning the emerging data architecture paradigm in K-12 and how district leaders can use it to streamline operations, target instruction, and improve accountability.
Measuring What Matters by Peter Robertson Performance measures can boots IT efficiencies, generate buy-in from stakeholders, and improve technology's impact on teaching and learning. But you have to do it right.
Risky Business by Richard Hoffman A thorough--and realistic--risk assessment can help districts get a handle on potential security breaches.
How to Perform a Data Makeover by Richard Hoffman If the data you're storing isn't the right data, or is inconsistent, erroneous, or incomplete, the best analytic tools in the world won't help you make sense of it. We give you four steps to help you "keep it clean."
Application Integration: A Strategy Guide by Richard Hoffman Whether your district has six systems or 60, having a coherence plan to connect them is absolutely essential. Here, an overview of your technical options.
T&L Announces the 2009 Awards of Excellence Winners Tech & Learning magazine named 65 education technology products as winners in its prestigious 27-year-old recognition program.