Digital Discourse / Education Policy

Kentucky’s Implementation of Common Core State Standards Demonstrates Key Role of Technology

April 19, 2012 By

Kentucky was the first state to adopt the Common Core State Standards and has become a pioneer in implementation. Cindy Parker, a representative from the Kentucky Board of Education spoke recently at a National Adolescent Literacy Council event about the challenges and solutions to implementing the Common Core Standards. Kentucky began to implement CCSS for the 2010-2011 school year with very little funding support from state legislature. Educational technology has helped Kentucky by providing new and innovative methods for professional development, curriculum dissemination and teacher support.

A robust teacher training online platform was created to update teachers on the best practices for implementing the new standards. Lack of funding for traditional development methods created unique challenges that were overcome by implementing more flexible and easily accessed digital tools to support Kentucky’s educators.
Examples include:

  • iTunesU is used for podcasts and webinars for professional development of teachers. A monthly webinar with the state’s Education Commissioner and the district Superintendents has been established to create better communication.
  • Race to the Top funding was used to create “Literacy Central,” a website designed to aid teachers in professional learning. Videos, lesson plans, and forums are contained on the website and act as guideposts for teachers.
  • The Continuous Instructional Improvement Technology System (CIITS) was created in partnership with Pearson Schoolnet. This was designed as a one stop online platform for teachers to access CCSS literacy plans.  Modules within the site provide analysis of CCSS requirements and how to incorporate those into day to day classroom activities. Professional growth plans and consolidated professional development resources are also included.

The implementation of the CCSS in Kentucky led to not only classroom technology upgrades and changes, but also important changes in professional development. As new content and new guidelines were introduced, Kentucky reacted by creating technologically savvy teacher training. The important role of technology and digital learning, both for curriculum as well as for professional development, is clear.

SIIA’s recent CCSS webinar and Ed Tech Government Forum session are available to SIIA members seeking additional information about how they can support education’s needs with CCSS aligned content, technologies and resources. Further reading can also be found in Ed Week’s recent article.

 

Lindsay HarmanLindsay Harman is Market and Policy Analyst for the SIIA Education Division.

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Filed Under: Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Policy, Events, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

SIIA Releases Primer on K-20 Education Interoperability Standards

April 19, 2012 By

SIIA today released a “Primer on K-20 Education Interoperability Standards.” This Primer provides a framework for understanding interoperability standards that facilitate the exchange of information among educational systems, and support the integration of content, data, and components from different technology applications.

The Primer will enable developers of educational applications and digital content to further understand how adoption of interoperability standards can advance both education goals as well as their own business needs. The Primer also provides education leaders with the information needed to embrace interoperability and encourage further standards development. Appendices describe organizations and initiatives that create and promote standards, and define relevant concepts and terms.

The importance of interoperability is highlighted in the pending initiative to develop online assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards, funded with federal Race to the Top grants to the SBAC and PARCC state consortia. SIIA and others have argued for a flexible, modular assessment technology architecture to meet evolving and unique state and local requirements. Such a design requires interoperability standards to enable the seamless migration of test items and student data across applications, as well as the integration of various component technologies.

SIIA is a strong advocate for interoperability standards. This Primer is intended to support those making high-level decisions about when to implement, or require compliance with, interoperability standards by providing education and technology leaders with a broad understanding of the relative maturity of standards, the trade-offs involved with using them, and their short-term and long-term impact.

The Primer was developed under the direction of the SIIA Education Division’s Technical & Development Committee. It was authored by Edward Walker, Executive Vice President, Consulting Services for Education, Inc. The Primer was released to SIIA members in February 2012 and is now publicly available for free at http://www.siia.net/estore/. SIIA grants all parties permission to reproduce and distribute the Primer in print or digital format for non-commercial purposes provided the copyright is attributed to SIIA.

Mark SchneidermanMark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Ed Tech Government Forum, Education, Education Policy Tagged With: ,

SIIA Releases 2012 Guide to the E-rate Program

April 11, 2012 By

SIIA today released an updated guide to the E-rate program in partnership with Funds For Learning. The guide will help companies navigate the complex E-rate program during a time when technology use in schools is evolving rapidly, and E-rate demand is outpacing available funding nearly two to one.

Using E-rate funds, libraries and public and private schools receive a 20-90 percent discount for telecommunications services, Internet access, and internal connections technology. Between 1998 and 2010, over $59 billion in E-rate funding has been requested.

The SIIA E-rate Guide will help software and technology companies – and their education customers – manage changes to this ever-evolving program. The Guide provides background information on E-rate rules and eligible services opportunities for software publishers, as well as an analysis of both the current E-rate market and how E-rate funds affect school technology purchases.

Since its inception in 1998, the E-rate program has helped close the digital divide, especially for students in high-poverty and rural communities.. However, while demand for E-rate funds has increased by 108 percent from $2.36 billion in 1998 to $4.65 billion in 2011, the available funding has remained nearly the same at $2.25 billion plus inflation starting in 2010.

Now, more than ever, it is vital for software and technology companies to understand the nuances of the E-rate program. SIIA remains focused on helping schools and libraries access needed technologies through the E-rate, and will continue to work with education, government, and industry leaders to support the stability and growth of the E-rate program.

GUIDE: SIIA’s “Guide to the E-rate” is available in SIIA’s eStore for free to SIIA members and for a fee to other software and technology companies. The Executive Summary is available for free to everyone. Visit http://www.siia.net/estore/.

WEBINAR: SIIA, in partnership with SellingtoSchools.com, will host a free webinar on April 26, 3-4 p.m. EST, providing all software and technology companies with an update on the E-rate program and an overview of the SIIA Guide. Visit http://siia.net/events/.

Mark SchneidermanMark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Ed Tech Government Forum, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Policy, Policy

Leveraging the New Normal in Ed Tech

February 17, 2012 By

As outlined by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan more than a year ago, the New Normal in education is the challenge of “doing more with less” in our pK-20 education system. But as Duncan — and others including SIIA would respond – “this challenge can, and should be, embraced as an opportunity to make dramatic improvements . . . [E]normous opportunities for improving the productivity of our education system lie ahead if we are smart, innovative, and courageous in rethinking the status quo.”

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) continues to support our education system’s efforts to reimagine and retool by personalizing learning and leveraging technology and digital learning. SIIA’s latest effort is the March 7-8 Ed Tech Government Forum, which will bring SIIA member technology and education entrepreneurs together with national, state and local education leaders to dialogue about the policies of the New Normal digital age in education. 

The following keynote speakers will share how at the local, state and college levels, they are removing outdated policy barriers and modernizing practices to better meet the individual needs of their students through digital learning:
- Jorea Marple, State Superintendent of Schools, West Virginia Department of Education
- Kaya Henderson, Chancellor, Washington DC Public Schools
- Jay Box, Chancellor, Kentucky Community and Technical College System

We will share examples of how agencies and institutions are Doing More w/Less through Technology and eLearning, featuring Michael Casserly (Council of Great City Schools), Amber Winkler (Thomas B. Fordham Institute) and Todd Wirt (Mooresville, NC Graded School District) which was recently featured in the NY Times. 

And senior officials from state agencies in TN, OH, KY, GA and UT will share their initiatives in digital and open content, online assessment, virtual learning and data systems to meet the goals of Race to the Top and other state policies and ensure students meet the Common Core State Standards.

Throughout, this members-only SIIA forum will support two-way dialogue, enabling technology and digital learning providers to understand the needs of our pK-20 education system, while also providing learning opportunity for education leaders to understand the vision and innovative learning technologies coming from the private sector.

SIIA members not yet plannign to attend, please review the full agenda and speakers and register. For all, SIIA will be sure to help attendees and presenters leverage the results of this discussion to further support all stakeholders in Leveraging the New Normal to improve education and our students’ college and career readiness.

Mark SchneidermanMark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Ed Tech Government Forum, Education, Education Events, Education Policies, Education Policy, Events, Personalized Learning, Policy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Vision K20: Achieving Personalized Learning through Public-Private Partnership

January 26, 2012 By

[This blog was also published January 26, 2012 by the Alliance for Excellent Education, sponsor of Digital Learning Day.]

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is pleased to be among dozens of education and technology organizations partnering to promote Digital Learning Day (DLD), 2/1/12, sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education. SIIA is promoting DLD to its high-tech member software, digital content and online services companies, and asking them to promote DLD through their networks. 

For those with the vision and successful use of digital learning, the idea of a DLD awareness campaign — showcasing how technology supports students learning and teacher instruction – may seem unnecessary.  But the reality is that too many of our educators and education leaders have not been provided the support they need to understand what is possible, nor the resources to make it happen.  This shift is not simply about replacing print with digital or giving every student a computer.  This shift is about reimagining how we teach and learn, and creating more customized, engaging, and productive learning made possible through technology and through public-private partnership with high-tech innovators.

SIIA has developed a series of resources to assist education stakeholders in this process, including:

For SIIA member and other high-tech companies, we encourage you to support Digital Learning Day:

  • Sign up and be counted in this effort
  • Add the DLD button to your website, and promote DLD to your customers and partners
  • Provide access to your online teaching and learning resources for the day
  • Showcase success stories of how teachers and students are using technology
  • Visit the DLD toolkits for more ideas and resources. 
  • Promote SIIA resources for educators, including Vision K20 and Software Implementation Toolkit
  • Use your imagination and creativity to promote education technology and Digital Learning Day

Thank you to the Alliance and all DLD partners for this important effort and for including SIIA and the high-tech industry. We look forward not only to A successful day on February 1st, but more importantly to THE day soon when all students will have access to the most relevant, engaging and effective learning opportunities that meet their personalized needs anytime and everywhere.

Learn more about Digital Learning Day at http://www.digitallearningday.org.

Mark SchneidermanMark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Ed Tech Government Forum, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Events, Education Policy, Personalized Learning, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Senate Committee approves reathorization of ESEA

October 25, 2011 By

Last Thursday, the U.S. Senate HELP (education) Committee approved a bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), updating the current No Child Left Behind Act. The bill has been stalled for years, though minimal bipartisan support allowed it to move forward at this time with expectations for significant amendment if/when it gets to the Senate floor.

Among the approved amendments were two on the technology. The first, supported by a broad coalition, would add the Achievement through Technology and Innovation Act, providing direct support to states and schools around technology acquisition, implementation and professional development. The second, generally supported by SIIA, would create an ARPA-ED research agency within the U.S. Department of Education focused on learning technology R&D advancement. SIIA will advocate for further infusion of digital learning in ESEA moving forward.

Mark Schneiderman is Senior Director, Education Policy at SIIA.

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Filed Under: Education, Education Policy, Policy Tagged With: , , ,

Great week for IP protection and software antipiracy, Hill resumes privacy, cybersecurity focus

October 4, 2011 By

With two very positive developments, this is a great week for intellectual property protection and efforts to fight software piracy. First, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was ratified this weekend when it was signed by the U.S. and seven other countries. The treaty represents a major advancement in international cooperation around enforcement of intellectual property laws, as it will encourage and empower nations to work together to stop those who use the Internet to profit from counterfeiting of software. The agreement will also extend SIIA’s reach and ability to thwart counterfeiting – especially operations taking place on foreign websites.

Second, on Monday the U.S. Supreme Court handed a monumental victory on Monday in refusing to hear the Vernor v. Autodesk case. In declining to review the case, the High Court upheld 9th Circuit ruling that the first sale doctrine should not apply to Autodesk’s software because it was licensed — thus Vernor is not permitted to sell “used” copies on eBay. In January 2010, SIIA filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit that advocated for this outcome, and it is now officially confirmed that a one-time payment and/or ability to keep possession of the disk (media) do not transform a software transaction into a “sale.” The copyright owner’s reservation of title and imposing restrictions inconsistent with ownership confirm that it is a license, not a sale.

In other news, Congress’ return means more focus on privacy and cybersecurity on the Hill. Most notably, the House E&C Subcommittee on Commerce and Trade will hold a hearing on Wednesday on the FTC’s proposed revisions to COPPA, and then another hearing on privacy next week focused on consumer expectations. On Thursday the House Homeland Security Committee will Hold a Thursday hearing on cloud computing, with an emphasis in evaluating the security for Federal use of cloud computing.

Finally, the U.S. Senate HELP (i.e., education) committee has announced its plans to mark-up legislation October 18 to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act following several years of hearings and internal discussions. The base-bill is expected to be only a basic package of those issues where there is bipartisan agreement, with other issues and programs left to an extensive amendment process. SIIA expects an amendment to be offered to authorize the Achievement through Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) Act (S.1178), legislation long-championed by SIIA. Despite the bipartisan support for the legislation, the outlook is still murky, especially now that the Obama Administration’s waivers have relieved some of the pressure.

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Filed Under: Anti-Piracy, Digital Policy Roundup, Education Policy, Policy Tagged With: , ,
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