Ed Tech News Roundup: Building More Connections and Looking Ahead

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.

The Graduates

Across the nation, high school and college students — along with their friends, family, communities, and schools — are celebrating graduation every way they safely can.

• The University of Missouri offered to assist families of graduates with virtual celebrations. [EdTech]
• For one example in Texas, here’s how Tomball High School seniors are being celebrated. [ABC 13 Houston]
• In north Texas, seniors from 30 high schools gathered for a socially-distanced graduation at the Texas Motor Speedway. [KERA Dallas]
• Some seniors, however, are voicing concerns about in-person ceremonies, including one Houston valedictorian. [Texas Public Radio]
• A graduating college senior reflects on the realities of finishing college at a distance. [EdTech]

Making Connections

The jump to remote teaching this year highlights the difficulty some have accessing high-speed internet, a necessity for most remote learning. Here’s how different groups are hoping to close the “internet gap.”

• Educational groups are attempting to persuade Congress to action to help connect families. A proposal under consideration would allow lawmakers to “direct $5.25 billion through the existing E-Rate program” for the purpose of connecting American homes. [Education Week]
• Other policies might affect access to remote learning. Texas expects to receive $1.29 billion from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, but how that is disbursed is still being debated. [Texas Tribune]
• Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency are launching “Operation Connectivity” to get Texas students the resources they need for at-home learning. [KHOU 11 Houston]

Looking Ahead

As the school year winds down, educators, schools, districts, and industry are looking ahead to this fall, and beyond.

• Four ed tech executives share their thoughts about the future of technology in education. [Tech Crunch]
• Dallas ISD’s superintendent, Michael Hinojosa, says the fall semester will not be “business as usual.” [Dallas Morning News]
• How will our present moment change the future? The Stanford Graduate School of Education set out to find out. [Stanford]

Photo by Christian Widell on Unsplash