The use of technology in K-12 education is now more widespread than it ever was before the pandemic, and that is the case even though nearly all schools across the country have transitioned back to in-person learning. Record numbers of students now have their own school-issued digital devices, educators have become more critical evaluators of…

This report, the 20th edition of "Technology Counts," examines how schools are tackling tech training for teachers, "passive" vs. "active" use of digital tools, and online learning needs. Contents include: (1) Tracking 20 Years of Change in Ed Tech (Kevin C. Bushweller); (2) Poor Students Face Digital Divide in How…

Schools are working to incorporate more multimedia into classrooms, upgrade online professional development, and do a better job using data to improve student achievement. Even though nearly every school in the country is now connected to the Internet, not all of them have the kind of connections that allow teachers and students to make full use…

iPads and other tablet computers are more than a novelty for many students with disabilities, including deaf students in Pennsylvania, youngsters with autism in Southern California, and children with Down syndrome. They are tools that pave a fresh path to learning. Tablet computers are useful for students with disabilities because some of the…

It's been a rough time for the image of K-12 virtual education. Studies in Colorado and Minnesota have suggested that full-time online students are struggling to match the achievement levels of their peers in brick-and-mortar schools. Articles in "The New York Times" questioned not only the academic results for students in virtual schools, but…

The for-profit e-learning company K12 Inc. grew 40 percent last year, generating $385 million in revenue by providing virtual courses to 70,000 students across the country. Connections Academy, another such provider, generated about $120 million in revenue serving up online courses to some 20,000 students. And last month, the education technology…

Last school year, many educators were caught unprepared when schools closed in response to cases of swine flu. This time around, both the federal government and school districts are putting specific online-learning measures in place to get ready for possible closures or waves of teacher and student absences because of a flu outbreak. To prepare…

More and more school districts, as well as for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations, are offering Internet-based summer classes in core subjects, such as algebra and reading, and electives such as creative writing. In this article, the author discusses the growth of enrollment in online education for summer. The logistical ease of…

In this article, the author talks about Moore Square Museums Magnet Middle School, where educators are blending technology more heavily into the teaching of arts and music than most other schools. Arts teachers are integrating computer software with traditional instruction in dance, music, theater and visual arts to spark students' creativity. It…

Maine is the first state to deliver "anytime, anywhere learning" to schools by providing laptop computers to every 7th and 8th grader in public schools statewide. It's an unprecedented attempt by a state to be a catalyst for school technology. The brainchild of then-Governor Angus King, the Independent who herded it through the…

This report contains several articles that focus on the new digital divide, which is no longer just one wide gap between those with and those without computers, but is instead a series of divides that create inequities for different reasons. The first article explains how certain types of students are not getting the high-tech experiences they…