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Colleges and universities nationwide are launching the newest generation of Wi-Fi networks even before a final version of the standard has been ratified—a move technology experts say could allow schools to do away with wired networks in the coming years.

Network administrators at several universities said higher education is embracing 802.11n technology now, because many students own laptops that are compatible with the newest Wi-Fi option. The "n" standard is expected to allow for faster audio and video streaming, including high-definition television. Digital recordings of lectures also could be accessible through "n" networks. 

As more students buy computers and phones with "n" capabilities, "universities are very willing to make their networks into living laboratories,"

Technology-based forces of “disruptive innovation” are gathering around public education and will overhaul the way K-12 students learn—with potentially dramatic consequences for established public schools, according to an upcoming book that draws parallels to disruptions in other industries.

The book does hold out hope that established school organizations can adapt to disruptive innovation.

Like the leaders in other industries, the education establishment has crammed down technology onto its existing architecture, which is dominated by the “monolithic” processes of textbook creation and adoption, teaching practices and training, and standardized assessment—which, despite some efforts at individualization, by and large treat students the same, the book says.

University of Chicago Law School officials have a simple message for their students: less web surfing, more listening.

The school announced April 11 that the distractions afforded by wireless internet access no longer will be available during class time, although laptops still will be permitted for note taking.

the University of Chicago Law School is believed to be among the first to implement a school-wide ban.

How can you track all Thinkfinity resources?

Using Diigo.com—read a description of this here—you are able to easily create lists of bookmarked resources and activities you want your students to use, or that you want to share with other educators.

Bookmark, highlight key portions of the Thinkfinity resource pages, add comments to them sites and then share them via the Web. Instead of having to click your way—or having your students click—through multiple web pages, you can save instructional time by going directly using the Slides feature of Diigo.

Like many large districts throughout the nation, Los Angeles Unified has been trying to increase the number of smaller learning communities, hoping that personalized instruction would boost student achievement and offer an alternative to charter schools, including the five Green Dot campuses close to Jefferson.

the 266 academy students rarely have traditional homework. Instead, they are assigned group projects, often requiring a multimedia approach.

Guzman said the work was more interesting than listening to a lecture and doing his homework solo. "It really seems more like a job than school," he said.

At Shareology.org, a web site managed by the nonprofit Nicholas Foundation, educators can exchange best practices, review new technologies, post feedback on their innovations, learn from each other's experiences, and find resources to help them succeed in the classroom.

educators will find ideas for K-12 instruction, funding sources for projects, and information about technology products and services.

The site also includes a Podcasting Corner, which features samples of how students are using podcasts and gives educators ideas for how to use podcasting in their own lessons.

Technology is an integral and growing part of daily living in the twenty-first century. The challenge, then, for teachers, is to use technology effectively in classrooms to help students take ownership for learning and develop the practical and critical thinking skills necessary to better understand the world around them.

To meet this challenge, teachers can use an emerging technology tool, GPS receivers, and an emerging GPS-based activity, geocaching, to transform their classrooms from teacher-centered environments to exciting, empowering, exploratory environments that focus on student engagement in the learning process.

Revised framework focuses on what teachers should know to help students become productive digital learners, citizens

Two Million Minutes," a one-hour documentary comparing the educational experiences of six students: two Americans, two Indians and two Chinese.

one faculty member, Compton recalled, told him that "we have nothing to learn from Third World education."

The movie, in (very) limited release, begins with the premise that the high school years span roughly 2 million minutes.

Facebook, the world's second-largest social-networking web site, will add more than 40 new safeguards to protect students and other users from sexual predators and cyber bullies, attorneys general from several states said May 8.

The changes include banning convicted sex offenders from the site, limiting older users' ability to search online for subscribers under 18, and building a task force seeking ways to better verify users' ages and identities.

Officials from Washington, D.C., and 49 states have signed on.

Can I use my Friends of Pangea Day event to raise money for another nonprofit or cause? Yes. We encourage all our hosts to consider aligning their Friends of Pangea Day events with an organization or campaign working to realize positive change in the world. You can't sell tickets to Pangea Day – the program is intended to be free to all – but you can use your gathering, and the good will and high spirits generated, to raise awareness about and funding for good works. For example, an event in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is being planned together with a Walk for Water earlier in the day, an effort to engage high school students in raising money to drill a well for a village in Burkina Faso.

Can I have a band perform at my event? Yes! This is your event, so you should feel free to incorporate any number of live elements in the spirit of Pangea Day that would make it more vibrant, relevant, and fun. We do ask that you respect the Pangea Day broadcast, and schedule your live performances either before or after, so they don't interrupt the program.

Can I invite local media to my event? Yes! We encourage you to use local media to promote your Friends of Pangea Day event in advance and cover it on May 10. Be sure to give your local media plenty of advance notice (minimum: two weeks). And please remember that you cannot speak on behalf of Pangea Day. Ask local journalists to contact Pangea Day for official comment by submitting a Press Inquiry.

Soap Box

Wednesday March 19, 2008 William Mitchell Webcast Professor of Architecture and Media Arts and Sciences, William Mitchell talks about the City Car project, a new transportation ecosystem - prototypes of which are on display at the MIT Museum. Mitchell holds the Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. (1954) Professorship and directs the Media Lab's Smart Cities research group. He was formerly Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning and Head of the Program in Media Arts and Sciences, both at MIT. He will be speaking along with some of the graduate students who designed the prototypes

Archived video of "The Role of New Technologies in a Sustainable Energy Economy" originally broadcast 10/25/06

About NACOL Mission The mission of the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) is to increase educational opportunities and enhance learning by providing collegial expertise and leadership in K-12 online teaching and learning.

Vision Online teaching and learning has the potential to transform education. The North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) is dedicated to fostering a learning landscape that promotes student success and lifelong learning.

Blogging helps encourage teen writing Survey reveals that student bloggers are more prolific and appreciate the value of writing more than their peers

Buried beneath the alarm of writing "purists," however, was a promising finding with equally important implications for schools: Blogging is helping many teens become more prolific writers.

The survey, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project with support from the College Board and its National Commission on Writing,