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Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of biweekly ed tech news roundups. We hope you enjoy — and if you have a story you’d like to see included, let us know.
Going Straight to Video
Video is one of the most accessible educational technologies around and today’s students are very comfortable engaging with it.
- Since becoming available online in 2006, the presentations at TED conferences have been the talk of just about every town. Now, a high school social studies teacher is trying something new: He’s getting his students to make their own TED Talks. [KQED]
- Members of Generation Alpha, a name applied to those born after 2010 or so, are more likely to participate in protests, detect false news stories, and even spend time outdoors, according to a new study from the U.K. Of importance to those hoping to use technology in education, the survey found that 55% of children under 10 regularly make their own video content. [The Drum, The Guardian]
From Virtual to Reality
Ed tech offers a number of new ways to create career readiness and generally improve student outcomes. Here are a couple catching our eye.
- Virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR, respectively) can help students understand and embrace career and technical education (CTE) paths earlier, and it’s already bearing fruit in some school districts. [eSchool News]
- In one Georgia school district, CTE and STEM education are coming together in hands-on lessons, all with the help of local firefighters. [District Administration]
Policy Proposals
Staying informed as educators means keeping an eye on policy developments, as well as new ideas and practices. Here’s what’s new in the world of education policy.
- A draft order from the Federal Communications Commission is sparking debate over its planned policy change which would allow the agency to auction some broadband frequency licenses currently reserved for education. [Fierce Wireless]
- The U.S. House of Representatives approved a new budget for the Department of Education. Education Week outlines the details, major changes, and important additions. [Education Week]
…And Finally
- You may have heard your students (or even your faculty and staff) talk about esports. But do you really know how big the phenomenon is? One estimate says that by 2020, nearly 590 million people will be watching esports and the activity is gaining traction as an educational tool. [Ed Tech Magazine]
