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Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of periodic ed tech news roundups. We hope you enjoy this one, and if you have a story you’d like to see included, let us know.
Digging Into Digital Citizenship
Today’s students will grow up in a world full of technology. Knowing how to safely navigate that world requires good digital citizenship, and schools and districts around the country are making it a major focus.
- Massachusetts curriculum and instruction director Matthew X. Joseph shares his “R.E.A.D.Y.” strategy for nurturing responsible digital citizens. [District Administration]
- Want students to have ownership of their cybersecurity and digital footprint? Try giving them experience — and even certifications — as IT support. [EdTech]
Connecting with Rural Schools
Rural school districts often share a particular set of challenges, not least of which is keeping schools connected. Connecting rural communities with broadband access can have an impact in the classroom and well beyond it.
- Think your school is remote? Try administering a district on an island off the coast of Alaska. Here’s how one administrator does it. [Education Week]
- High-speed internet isn’t just useful to instruction — it’s vital to the kinds of careers students will take on after they graduate, even in remote areas. [Broadband Communities]
Face to Face
Safety is a top priority in every school. Now, some are turning to facial recognition technology to keep kids safe, but critics warn it may lead to violations of privacy.
- Earlier this month, Lockport City School District in upstate New York activated AEGIS, a facial recognition system, but some students and civil rights activists are wary. [edscoop]
- Vox’s Recode takes a deep dive into the history, uses, and concerns over student facial recognition. [recode]
… And Finally
Many students may puzzle over their physics textbook, convinced that the day they understand the subject will be the day pigs fly. And in one case, it just might be. [WGME Portland]




something because of their interests. This helps me see how students are using technology when they are looking for specific information or want to learn a skill. Only 9% of both middle and high school students post a question on a discussion board or a forum. Do we need to be more intentional in using this type of application? Do they just not know how, or have they found better ways to seek answers to their questions?
I also discovered that 43% of my teachers are facilitating student collaboration projects using online tools. This is such a great skill. How can I leverage these teachers to help other teachers do this as well? Also, I’m pleasantly surprised that 44% of my teachers are using an online curriculum. However, I want to know more. What is the frequency? Are they occasionally doing this or is this something they use every day? I also want to know what they are using. Are they using the district’s Learning Management System, or is it an online textbook?
integrate digital content, tools, and resources into their daily instruction. 51% said they wished they had a classroom set of digital devices. 49% said they needed to know that their students had adequate broadband access outside of school and 46% indicated they were concerned that they didn’t have consistent, reliable internet access within school. Maybe I need to have my staff do some focus groups related to internet access and speed. Looking at my network resources, they should have adequate bandwidth, but maybe something is happening on campus that I am not aware of. While my team is on campus, I probably should also have them ask teachers about the availability of technical support since 47% of the teachers indicated it was lacking. And lastly, my teachers still need time to plan with their colleagues (60%) and additional professional development (50%). I need more staff to be able to meet this need!