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News

New Cisco campaign to increase education and career opportunities
for girls and women
"On November 7, 2005, Cisco Systems, Inc. and The National Center for
Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) launched a campaign to increase
awareness of education and career opportunities for girls and women in math,
computing and technology. The campaign is designed to address the declining
interest of girls and women in information technology careers, a problem that
persists despite U.S. Department of Labor predictions that the number of
future jobs in the professional technology workforce will outstrip available,
qualified candidates by two-to-one. The campaign kicks off with a letter
targeting parents, educators, and girls, and introduces a comprehensive
digital library with a variety of resources for encouraging interest in math,
computing and technology, including information about careers, local
technology clubs, programs, curricula and summer camps. Partnering with
Cisco and NCWIT on the initiative are the Education Development Center,
the Information Technology Association of America, the Stanford University
Office of Science Outreach and Junior Achievement."
URL: http://www.ncwit.org/email.htm
Referred by: Sarita Nair-Pillai, Project Director - Gender, Diversities &
Technology Institute at EDC

IS THE iPOD REVOLUTION GOOD FOR SCHOOLS?
"As teachers and administrators face rising demands to improve student
performance, they see new challenges coming to the classroom in the form
of personal technology -- like some iPods that can play video as well as
audio. A survey of more than 70 public and private high schools in the
Indianapolis metro area showed that most do not allow electronics of any
kind to be used during the school day. Rather than trying to beat it, reports
Lisa Renze-Rhodes, some educators are joining the hand-held technology
boom, allowing certain personal electronics to come to class."
URL: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051205/NEWS01/512050369
Referred by: PEN Weekly NewsBlast

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Funding

Awards Program Invites Middle Schoolers to Apply
"Deadline: February 13, 2006. Sponsored by the Christopher Columbus
Fellowship Foundation in cooperation with the National Science Foundation,
the Christopher Columbus Awards program is a national competition for
middle-school-age children that combines science and technology with
community problem-solving in a real-world setting. With the help of an adult
coach, participating students work in teams to identify an issue they care
about and, using science and technology, work with experts, conduct
research, and put their ideas to the test to develop an innovative solution
to that problem."
URL: http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/5002087/columbusawards
Referred by: Foundation Center

U.S. Dept. of Education Talent Search Program
"This program helps to identify qualified youths with potential for education
at the postsecondary level and encourage them to complete secondary
school and undertake a program of postsecondary education. Maximum
Award: $220,000-$3,600,000. Eligibility: Institutions of higher education;
public or private agencies or organizations; combinations of institutions,
agencies, and organizations; and secondary schools under exceptional
circumstances. Deadline: January 6, 2006."
URL: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2005-4/111405a.html
Referred by: PEN Weekly NewsBlast

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Resources

New Literacies for a Changing World
The Winter 2006 issue of Cable in the Classroom's Threshold: Exploring the
Future of Education features "articles focused on New Literacies for a Changing
World, produced in partnership with The Friday Institute for Educational
Innovation." In "Framing the Future of Literacy," Alan November, Kathleen
Tyner, and Henry Jenkins "explore the new, active literacies students will
need in a global, participatory culture." Kathleen Tyner spoke to YouthLearn
Director Tony Streit for her piece on "The Three Ts of New Literacies."
URL: http://www.ciconline.org/aboutcic/publications/threshold.htm

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Research

Engagement & Achievement Rise When Students Are Given a Voice
"This article presents the wide reaching positive results of soliciting student
input and incorporating their feedback into classroom activities, which extend
beyond student self-efficacy. Research indicates that schools that function
in a truly democratic way are more likely to have fewer disciplinary issues
and meet high academic standards. This is supported by a study conducted
in 2002, in which it was noted that students who are 'systematically silenced'
are more likely to drop out..."
URL: http://www.asbj.com/2005/11/1105research.html
Referred by: Community Schools Online

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Activities

We welcome your feedback!

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YouthLearn
http://www.youthlearn.org

This newsletter is produced by the YouthLearn Initiative at EDC especially for
members of the YouthLearn discussion group. Every two weeks, the newsletter is
compiled from the entries in the YouthLearn News Blog, including summaries
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YouthLearn is a project of the nonprofit Education Development Center, Inc.
Designed for youth development professionals, teachers, educators, and other
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