Announcements
Making the Connection: Digital Skills and Access for 21^st Century Learning
This policy brief covers student digital literacy and bandwidth, two of SREB’s 10 Issues in Educational Technology. It presents definitions and state standards for digital literacy, then turns to the need to expand reliable, affordable bandwidth for educators and students. The report details 2019 legislative actions on broadband and spotlights Louisiana’s bandwidth plan, concluding with recommendations and resources for policymakers.
 
Data Systems
Pa.'s 14 State Universities Requesting $100 Million to Overhaul System
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 17, 2019, Bill Schackner
The State System of Higher Education in Pennsylvania is asking the state government for $100 million over the course of five years to improve an online learning system and data sharing infrastructure. Advocates hope that the systems will allow students to access courses at their home campus as well as other campuses in the system.

Data Privacy 
YouTube Fined $170 Million for Collecting Data on Children
EdScoop, September 5, 2019, Betsy Foresman
In a complaint filed by the FTC and the state of New York, YouTube allegedly earned millions of dollars while collecting data on children under 13. “To settle allegations that YouTube illegally collected personal information from children, the Google-owned video platform has agreed to pay a $170 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission.” $136 million will be paid to the FTC and $34 million to New York.

The FTC Has Its Sights on COPPA, and EdTech Providers Should Take Notice
EdSurge, October 8, 2019, Isaac Mamaysky
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act requires websites to obtain parental consent before collecting any data from children under 13. The law was updated in 2013 and the FTC is currently seeking comments on whether to strengthen the law. While the law is meant to protect children, many education learning apps currently available for children’s use are in violation of COPPA. Under COPPA, website operators need to take a number of specific steps to comply with its requirements, including:

• post an online privacy policy
• give parents direct notice and obtain verifiable consent before collecting information from kids under 13
• allow parents to review the information, request that it be deleted, and opt out of future collection
• keep the information secure and delete the information once it’s no longer necessary.

Predictive Analytics
Data Analytics a Key Skill for Administrators in K–12
EdTech Magazine, August 17, 2019, Eli Zimmerman
According to a report by Data Quality Campaign, K-12 administrators can “effectively identify student needs and set subsequent school goals and better engage all parties involved in the education process” by using data analysis. The report indicates that administrators must use data and data analysis to support student success.

What Can Real-Time Data Analytics Do for Higher Education?
EdTech Magazine, August 29, 2019, Eli Zimmerman
Real-time data analytics allow information to be immediately disseminated, cleaned and analyzed. Predictive analytics, one of the most commonly used models in higher education, uses “historical data, collected over long periods of time, to inform future choices.” Tech Republic reports that real-time analytics can be used for predictive and prescriptive analysis. “Prescriptive analytics is less fortune teller and more medical doctor. Instead of simply predicting what will happen, prescriptive analysis tweaks certain variables to achieve the best possible outcome, and then prescribes that course of action.”

Bandwidth 
Common Sense Survey: Lower-income School May Mean Less Digital Homework
EdSurge, September 27, 2019
A new report by Common Sense found that students in low-income areas may not be assigned digital learning assignments at home due to a lack of high-speed internet access. The survey report, based on a national sample of teachers indicates the following:

• The overall likelihood of homework being assigned that requires access to digital devices and/or broadband internet increases as the grade range does, from 20% in grades K-2 to 41% in grades 9-12.
• But 42% of teachers in lower-income Title I status schools say they “never” assign homework that requires digital access outside of school, compared to 31% of teachers in non-Title I schools.
• Generally, 29% of teachers say students’ home access to broadband and computing devices limits classroom learning either “quite a bit” or “a great deal.”

FCC to Consider Allowing Families Without WiFi to Apply for E-Rate
Education Dive, August 2, 2019, Shawna De La Rosa
A Pew Research Center study found that nearly 20% of students cannot complete their homework due to a lack of internet access. The Government Accountability Office has reported that the FCC will consider expanding the E-Rate program to homes that do not have wi-fi. The hope is that the program’s expansion will “help bridge the homework gap, which puts students without at-home internet access at a disadvantage in increasingly digital classrooms.”

Emerging Technologies 
NSF Creates AI-Powered Innovation Program
Campus Technology, October 10, 2019, Sara Friedman
The NSF has announced a joint program that will award nearly $120 million in planning grants for up to six research institutes. Each institute will focus on one of six themes: Trustworthy AI; Foundations of Machine Learning; AI-Driven Innovation in Agriculture and the Food System; AI-Augmented Learning; AI for Accelerating Molecular Synthesis and Manufacturing; and AI for Discovery in Physics. NSF Director France Córdova says "this landmark investment will further AI research and workforce development, allowing us to accelerate the development of transformational technologies and catalyze markets of the future."

AI and Mixed Reality Drive Educational Gaming into 'Boom Phase'
Campus Technology, September 16, 2019, Dian Schaffhauser
A report by analysis firm Metaari suggests that the educational gaming industry will grow annually by 33% and nearly quadruple its revenue to $24 billion by 2024. Metaari indicates that the “dramatic growth of the segment is being driven by a number of innovations, including augmented and virtual reality and AI, as well as new discoveries in psychometrics, neuroscience, child development, behavioral science, cognitive learning and educational psychology.”

New Learning Models 
New Alexa Education Skill API Enables Voice Control of Ed Tech
Campus Technology, September 26, 2019, Sara Friedman
Developers can now use Amazon’s Alexa Education Skill API programming interface to incorporate Alexa skills into a variety of education technology services. Ranging from K-12 to higher education, Alexa can be integrated into “learning management systems, student information systems, classroom management tools and massive open online course platforms.”

Open Source App Teaches Physics of Magnetic Fields in AR
Campus Technology, September 25, 2019, Dian Schaffhauser
Using augmented reality, students wearing headsets can visualize a magnetic field in different dimensions. The new open source application uses Microsoft HoloLens in partnership with Feel Physics and has been tested in five countries including the US.

Student Digital Literacy 
How Technology Can Improve Digital Citizenship in K–12
EdTech Magazine, September 13, 2019, Eli Zimmerman
According to Jeff Meyer, director of education at Learning.com, teaching digital citizenship at a young age is important when maintaining safe learning environments. Successfully teaching digital citizenship helps students to protect themselves as well as each other. “As schools create their own, long-term digital citizenship programs, it is important to have some control over what students can access while at school.”

Digital Leadership, Not Just Citizenship, Key to Preparing Students for Future
Education Dive, October 2, 2019, Lauren Barack
A research study by Deloitte Consulting in conjunction with MIT Sloan Management Review reveals that being digitally literate, being a team builder and knowing how to work with others are key traits for digital leaders. Tools like Common Sense Media’s digital citizenship curriculum and social-emotional learning skills can help students as they become digital citizens and leaders.

Technology Security 
Texas Law Requires Districts to Plan for Cyberattacks. Will Other States Follow?
EdWeek, August 22, 2019, Maggie Campbell
A new law that took effect on September 1 requires districts in Texas to develop plans that will safeguard digital infrastructure from online attacks. While organizations like the Consortium for School Networking have long advocated for official school policies, many states have not moved forward with legislation to combat cyber attacks. “Some states, like Arkansas, New York, Indiana, Missouri, and North Dakota, have begun taking steps towards better training and support for districts, he noted. Louisiana even declared a state of emergency following malware attacks on three school districts.”

Apprenticeship Program Provides On-the-Job Training in Cybersecurity
Campus Technology, September 24, 2019, Sara Friedman
The Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program (Cyber-CAP) at Florida International University is developing public and private partnerships to provide on-the-job training opportunities for its students. The program is funded by a $2 million grant from the US Department of Labor and “expects to train 800 apprentices over a four-year period with skills to obtain careers in cybersecurity.”

Digital Accessibility 
6 Assistive Technologies That Can Help Students Reach Their Full Potential
EdTech Magazine, September 5, 2019, Brian Potash
The author suggests six different assistive learning technologies that can help students across a variety of learning abilities.

• Reminder/time management apps can motivate students to stay on task and complete work in a timely manner.
• Text-to-speech e-books and audiobooks help students with visual impairments and promote comprehension in sighted students.
• FM systems use radio broadcast technology to connect teachers directly to students’ hearing aids.
• Gamification “makes learning exciting for students, delivering interactivity in a variety of subjects and providing a sense of progress with rewards or points for completing tasks.”
• Graphic organizers help students visually organize their thinking.
• Experiential learning lets teachers “shift lessons from abstract concepts to practical experiences that can help students better understand and retain information.”

Who Is Responsible for Digital Accessibility?
CIO Dive, October 10, 2019, Samantha Ann Schwartz
Domino’s Pizza is the latest company being forced to address accessibility because of a lawsuit. The US Supreme Court decided against hearing an appeal from Domino’s Pizza in that their website is not accessible to visually impaired people. “While Domino's says the ADA fails to recognize websites, the federal court of appeals recognizes Domino's as a place of public accommodation, requiring it to provide measures of accessibility for consumers.”

Policy 
States Have Adopted Dozens of Policies to Support Computer Science Education, Report Finds
EdWeek, September 11, 2019, Alyson Klein
Over the past year, at least 33 states have adopted 57 policies related to computer science education. About 45% of states have high schools that actually teach computer science. Additionally, low-income and rural students are less likely to have access to computer science courses. A report by Code.org in conjunction with the Computer Science Teachers Association and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance recommends the following:

• Create a plan for K-12 computer science
• Establish standards for K-12 computer science education
• Allocate funding for computer science professional learning
• Implement certification pathways for computer science teachers
• Create post-secondary programs to offer pre-service training to teachers
• Establish dedicated computer science positions at the district and state levels
• Require that all secondary schools offer computer science
• Consider making computer science both a core graduation requirement for high schoolers and an admissions requirement for state postsecondary institutions.

FERPA Compliance in the Digital Age: What K–12 Schools Need to Know
EdTech Magazine, September 26, 2019, Erin Cunningham
Advocates are pressing the Department of Education to strengthen FERPA by including ransomware and data theft to protect students. The massive use of education technology tools in classrooms has many people concerned that student data is not being safeguarded as it should. Leonie Haimson of the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy says that state privacy laws do not go far enough, and that “FERPA has been weakened too much to be effective in protecting students’ data.”