New U.S. Research Center to Study Education Technology

A program authorized by the revised Higher Education Act will study the impact of technology on learning. (August 19, 2008, Education Week)

Instant Messaging Found to Slow Students' Reading

Students take longer to read an academic text if they are getting and responding to messages, but their comprehension does not suffer, a new study indicates. (August 15, 2008, Education Week)

Vegas Police To Campaign Against School Violence Through Social Networks

Police hope that a new text-message hot line and public service announcements on Facebook and MySpace will encourage students to help decrease school violence. (August 18, 2008, AP)

Weather Alert Radios Being Sent to Schools

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the current effort will provide 182,000 public alert radios to schools across the country. (August 19, 2008, AP)

Teachers Go to School on Online Instruction

At what was billed as the largest face-to-face meeting of virtual educators, experienced teachers new to online instruction spent hours wrapping their brains around a different style of teaching. (August 11, 2008, Digital Directions)

Understanding the Ins and Outs of ‘Open Content’ Licensing

As the movement for “open” education resources continues to grow, encouraging educators to share online curricula and materials­ for free, it’s become vital for ed-tech leaders and classroom teachers to understand the different types of licenses that make the process legal and safe. (July 23, 2008, Digital Directions)

Court Affirms Online Content Law Unconstitutional

The decision by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia is the latest twist in a decade-long legal battle over the Child Online Protection Act, which now could head to the U.S. Supreme Court. (July 22, 2008, AP)

Ed. Dept. Releases Guide for Evaluating Online Learning

Report designed to help educators gauge effectiveness of fast-growing wealth of programs. (July 2, 2008, Education Week)

Teacher Technology Standards Unveiled at Ed. Computing Conference

An overhauled set of standards for how teachers should boost learning through the use of technology was released Monday at the nation’s largest K-12 educational technology conference. (July 1, 2008, Digital Directions)

Edison Moves Into Online-Learning Market

The school-management firm aims in new direction with purchase of software company. (July 1, 2008, Digital Directions)