Hack Education

As books move from print to digital, there's been much hand-wringing about the impact this shift will have on libraries. Add to the already pressing budgetary woes, new challenges: Some publishers have been recalcitrant in making their catalogs available for digital loans. Other have tried to institute more restrictive lending...

For a long time, Sal Khan has remained adament: he's the teacher at Khan Academy. He's made all the 2500 some-odd videos on the site. He's researched the material. He's designed the lecture format. The instruction -- it's all him. But as he hinted when he spoke last week to...

I can't think of another education company that seems to elicit such a vitriolic response as does Blackboard. Ask students. Ask professors. Ask administrators. Ask journalists. Blackboard -- fairly or not -- is often cited as the premier example of how education technology is frustratingly outmoded and ridiculously overpriced. And...

Over the last few months, there has been increased interest in using text-messaging at school. Although many schools do still have strict policies that forbid using cell phones in class, more are exploring ways to use text-messaging as a communication tool to bridge home and school. Read the rest of...

Last year was the very first SXSWedu, an educational conference immediately preceding the very popular South By Southwest Interactive event in Austin. The event's back again this year -- March 6-8, 2012. The Panel Picker for this year's event is now live, giving the Internet community the opportunity to weigh...

Microsoft's Xbox 360 team announced today that it's teaming up with several well-known children's television programs, including Sesame Street and Nat Geo Wild, to foster what it calls "playful learning" by tying these shows to the Kinect device. The timing of the news might not be so great considering the...

Last week, the test prep company Knewton announced that it had raised $33 million, bringing the total amount raised by the company to $54 million. And today, another test prep startup Grockit announces its latest fundraising: $7 million, bringing its total investment to over $24 million. Clearly there's big money...

I'm thrilled to announce that Steve Hargadon and I have started recording a podcast together, based on my weekly roundup posts and on the stories I've covered throughout the week here on Hack Education. It's a huge honor to be working with Steve on this endeavor as I see him...

Startup Weekend EDU was back in San Francisco this weekend. Although there have been several other Startup Weekend EDUs, this was the first official event of the organization's newly launched education vertical. I've written about Startup Weekend several times before, but for those unfamiliar with the event, here's the pitch:...

Politics and Policies FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Connect to Compete, a new non-profit initiative that brings private industry and the non-profit sector together to help expand broadband adoption and promote digital literacy. The initiative aims to help boost education, health and employment in disadvantaged communities in the U.S. and...