CURITE UPDATE

CURITE has been accepted for presentation at e-Learn 2008 conference to be held in Las Vegas from November 17 to 21. It is an annual conference presented by the Association for Advancement in Computer Education-AACE. The paper will then be published in their International Journal on E-learning.

From e-School News Monday July 14, 2008. Gas prices fuel rise in virtual field trips
As schools grapple with budget cuts and rising fuel costs, many districts are finding it necessary to reduce or eliminate field trips, leaving students and teachers with a surprisingly attractive option--virtual field trips.
There you go! Now maybe digital technology will get the attention and do what it does best... be the best tool that learning has ever met!
Cheers!!
G

Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), reported that most schools, although having made great progress in using technology providing new learning tools to students, still fall short in using digital assessments to target instructional needs precisely.
The report claims that K-12 is falling significantly behind higher education and it's concentrating in preparing students for standardized tests rather than making use of technology to provide differentiated tools that can provide a much more detailed view of a student's strengths and weaknesses.
Certainly I believe we are a long way from there. Teachers first have to really get used to relying on technology for teaching; then schools must ensure reliability of the technology so that digital assesments are possible. Many schools have invested a lot of money and effort in complying with safety regulations, but that doesn't quite make technology reliable. Connectivity and remote access are still big creases to be ironed.

From eTop News: "Unveiled June 30 at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in San Antonio, ISTE's revised National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers mark a significant overhaul of the group's original teacher technology standards, which ISTE introduced in 2000.
Those first standards focused on what teachers should know about, and be able to do with, technology. The new standards expand this focus to include what teachers should know and be able to do "to promote students' abilities to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly digital world."
I've wanted to post this news for it is so significantly related to CURITE, it is eerie!
G

CURITE

Ok, here's finally a place todo this exchange for Curite. Sorry it took some time to fine tune how and where we were to do this. The idea for now is that this is a private space just by invitation, to iron out details and creases, and discuss problems and obstacles.
Thanks for sharing.
Georgette