PBS Teachers, Learning.Now

In a case that’s receiving scant national attention, a substitute teacher has been convicted of exposing students to online pornography, which she claims appeared on the screen due to spyware. Is this merely the case of a rogue educator, or a nightmare come to life for a substitute teacher trying to make ends meet?

At a major edtech conference in London this week, a British government announced a new proposal to address the home-school digital divide.

A recent study suggests that many young people who use MySpace are more responsible online than conventional wisdom might suggest. Let’s take a peak at what teens are doing - or aren’t doing - with their MySpace pages.

In the latest twist over the battle over student cell phone use in New York City, school officials are proposing a compromise. And so far, it seems that many students and parents aren’t buying it.

There’s been a fascinating conversation unfolding online over the last few days about the role of blogging in building communities of educators. The discussion raises an important question: does the advent of all-star bloggers in education help, or hinder a broader conversation about the role of education technology?

The end of 2006 also marks the end of the current congressional session in the House and Senate, closing the door on the Deleting Online Predators Act. Let’s take a look at why this legislation, which passed overwhelmingly in the House this summer, died such a slow death.

In case you haven’t heard the news, you’ve been selected as Time Magazine’s person of the year. Yes, you, over there, by the computer monitor - you know who I’m talking to. But according to a cover story the previous week on the urgent need for educational reforms, we shouldn’t necessarily start preparing our acceptance speeches just yet.

With all the bad press that MySpace has gotten over the last year, it’s easy to overlook how its rival social network Facebook has become a staple communications tool in higher education. The Christian Science Monitor took notice earlier this week, and it highlights the enormous gap that exists between higher ed and K-12 when it comes to online social networks.

A national watchdog group has just published a report card on efforts to protect kids from the effects of violent video games. While progress is being made, there are still serious shortfalls - which raises the question of what role schools should play in the process.

Yesterday afternoon I heard the terrible news that education technology pioneer Seymour Papert has been gravely injured in a motorbike accident. Educators from across the blogosphere have been profoundly shaken and are praying for his recovery.