Distance Learning in Alabama

The State of Alabama is investing $11 million to equip all its high schools with distance learning technology. The State Superintendent of Education expects the installation to be complete statewide by the beginning of the next schol year. Superintendent Joe Morgan notes that rural high schools will be able to offer the same high-level courses as their urban counterparts. In some cases, distance learning will be used to teach basic curriculum in schools where teachers for those courses are unavailable.

Distance Learning Promotes Equality
IQity was founded on the principle that distance learning levels the playing field for students, removing barriers of geography or social and economic condition. As Alabama's action shows, a distance learning program can also solve problems for schools in which budget or other constraints limit their ability to hire the teachers they need.

Educational Technology Contest

October 12 is the deadline to apply for the 2009 Best Buy Teach Awards program. Best Buy will award a total of $2 million to K-12 schools that use technology in innovative ways to teach standards-based classes. Schools can receive $1,000 to $5,000, intended for the purchase of additional educational technology, and multiple teachers from the same school can apply.



Educational Technology Promotes Learning

The Best Buy awards program is based on the belief that "technology can excite and engage students." The awards have been offered annually since 2004, and so far a total of $17 million has been awarded. More than 6,000 schools have received Best Buy gift cards to purchase educational technology.

Elearning Technology

Essay contests are a time-honored tradition, but in a 21st century twist on the classic approach, eSchool News held a video contest. The publishers asked students from elementary through high school to send a three to seven minute video on the topic "How Technology Helps Me Learn." Entries poured in from across the U.S. The results clearly indicate that today's students are at home with computer technology and more.

Educational Technology Enriches Schools

Students demonstrated the many ways they use computers in the classroom, from researching homework assignments to producing the school's morning news show to learning to follow directions by using a flight simulator. Finalists include videos featuring time-travel and missing person themes. You can help choose the winners of the Empowered Education Awards by voting on the eSchool News website.


Proving the Value of Educational Technology

The contest is intended to prove the value of educational technology by letting students speak directly to how technology adds to their educational experience. Watch the videos and you'll be convinced that young people make great advocates for school technology.