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]
