A little ‘i’ to teach about online privacy
Trying to ward off federal regulators, the advertising industry has agreed on a standard icon—a little “i”—that it will add to most online ads that use demographics and behavioral data to tell consumers what is happening, reports the New York Times.
Obama to seek freeze on domestic spending to trim deficit
President Obama will call for a three-year freeze in spending on many domestic programs, including education, and for increases no greater than inflation after that — an initiative intended to signal his seriousness about cutting the budget deficit, reports the New York Times.
USDA awarding $310 million for broadband projects
The Agriculture Department is handing out another $310 million in stimulus money to bring high-speed internet connections to 14 rural communities around the country, reports the Associated Press.
Interest in hybrid courses on the rise
A growing number of schools now offer what’s known as “hybrid” courses, which mix an online experience with traditional classroom learning.
Girls might learn math anxiety from female teachers
Young girls might learn to fear math from the women who are their earliest teachers, new research suggests.
Federal money for ed-tech research soon available
A federally funded research center to be introduced Jan. 25 is intended to bring digital innovations into classrooms and museums, reports the New York Times.
Judge cuts $2M penalty in Minn. song-sharing case
A federal judge on Jan. 22 drastically reduced a nearly $2 million verdict against a Minnesota woman found guilty last year of sharing 24 songs over the internet, calling the jury’s penalty “monstrous and shocking,” reports the Associated Press.
Most students applying to college online
Asheville, N.C., high school senior Jacqueline DeJournett says the convenience of applying to college online allowed her to expand her list of prospective schools from only a handful to 13. She’s part of a burgeoning trend in the college application process, reports the Ashville Citizen-Times.
What Bill Gates is learning online
It’s no surprise, really, but it turns out Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates is a strong supporter of the open-courseware movement that has swept through higher education in the last few years.
Apple in talks with education publishers over its tablet computer
Apple is in talks with the McGraw-Hill Companies and other publishers to include educational and trade titles on its planned tablet computer, BusinessWeek reports.