The Network Education Ware Project (NEW).
NEW is a powerful and robust Internet teaching and conferencing environment based on open-source Internet conferencing software.

Florida District Implements Learning Management System District-wide
The District School Board of Collier County in Florida is adopting a learning management system in an effort to move educational materials (such as lessons and class notes) away from paper and into electronic formats.

Education, Version 2.0
Now, things are different. Erik takes four courses each semester through Washington Virtual Academy, an online public school free to all Washington state residents. He said he’s “learning more than (he) ever did” at Gig Harbor High.

Microsoft Offers Free Tech Training To Millions
The online resource is focused on helping users figure out what types of technical skills are required for IT jobs, and provides resources to help acquire these skills. The Web site offers access to several Microsoft online training programs, from very basic (e.g., “How to use the Internet”) to much more advanced (e.g., “Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Windows XP Professional”).

Duncan wants stimulus to transform schools
President Barack Obama and his Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, want to do more than save teachers’ jobs or renovate classrooms with the new economic recovery law. They’re hoping to reinvent education for the 21st century–while transforming the federal government’s role in public education in the process.

Internships Help Prepare Future Online Teachers
As virtual schooling continues to surge in popularity, there is a growing need for new K-12 teachers who understand how to teach in an online environment successfully. To help meet this need, the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is teaming up with area colleges to pair teachers-in-training with its online instructors in a first-of-its-kind internship program.

Smart Blocks “Siftables”
MIT grad student David Merrill demos Siftables — cookie-sized, computerized tiles you can stack and shuffle in your hands. These future-toys can do math, play music, and talk to their friends, too. Is this the next thing in hands-on learning?

Good News for Ed Tech in the Economic Stimulus Bills
The House has passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,
also known as the economic stimulus plan, and a bill has been
introduced into the Senate. Congress intends to pass the bill by the
middle of February, and Speaker Pelosi has said the House members will
not ha

Free Access to Learning Games Now Available for Public Library Patrons
K5 Stars is now providing public libraries with free accounts, which allow users to access over 200 educational games on topics such as Sight Words, Spelling and Basic Math.

Here comes the e-book revolution
Just because e-books are available on better (the new Kindle) and more
(all cell phones) devices doesn’t mean people will read them. But mark
my words, read them they will. Six trends will conspire over the next
year to drive e-book reading to levels that will surprise just about
everybody.
