Educational video games give students the controls
A version of the SimCity video game launching today is intended to help engage students in classroom lessons and encourage more students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. SimCityEDU is part of an effort by GlassLab -- Games, Learning and Assessment Lab -- and housed at Electronic Arts offices, to also provide accompanying lesson plans and an online teachers' network for the refocused game. USA Today (3/4)

eLearning

Building home-school connections using technology
Cellphone and voice services can help educators build the home-school connection, writes Lisa Nielsen, a public-school educator and administrator. In this blog post, Nielsen recommends the phonecasting service iPadio, which can help teachers create podcasts; Voki, which allows people to develop and share recorded messages using an avatar; and Google Voice, which provides free phone numbers. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (3/4)

Other News

Systems Management

Fla. could tie computerized exams to technology capabilities
Lawmakers in Florida are considering legislation that would allow the state to postpone the implementation of new computerized exams until district information-technology systems are adequately prepared. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has proposed spending about $100 million to upgrade districts' technology infrastructure to handle the computerized exams, required under the Common Core State Standards, but districts have said that will not be enough. The state Department of Education requested $441.8 million for technology upgrades. StateImpact (3/4)

Other News

Education Cartoon

Managing Budgets

Wristbands aim to shed light on student wellness
An Illinois school district is using a portion of a $15,000 grant from Fuel Up to Play 60 to purchase 60 wristbands made by Fitbit Flex that will track students' steps taken, distance traveled, active minutes, calories burned, the quality of sleep and the hours slept. The effort is intended to help reduce teenage obesity, and officials said students will take the wristbands home for several days and potentially use the data to make healthier choices. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model) (3/4)

Schools and Social Media

Software program scans for threatening words online
A school in Indianapolis is using the scanning software Social Net Watcher to monitor what students are posting online in an effort to curb cyberbullying. Students are invited to sign up for the program, which alerts school administrators if certain words associated with violence, bullying or suicide are found online. Social Net Watcher, which was launched two months ago, is now being used by six schools in Indiana and one in Tennessee. The Indianapolis Star (tiered subscription model) (3/5)

Last Byte

Apple seeks to end lawsuit involving in-app purchases by children
Apple is seeking permission to wrap up a case involving the allegation that it lured children into buying virtual goods through addictive games without their parents' permission. The company appeared before U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila to say it wanted to send a notice to 23 million iTune users, informing them of the settlement, which pays aggrieved parents in iTunes credit or cash. The plaintiffs do not oppose Apple's efforts. Bloomberg (3/2)

Editor's Note

Help SmartBrief cover SXSW Interactive!
SmartBrief will cover the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, from March 8 to 12, and we need your help! SXSW has way too many must-see events for our staff to cover, so we're turning to our readers to help document the best panels as blog contributors. If you're headed to Austin and want to contribute to SmartBrief's blogs on Social Media, Leadership, Finance, Food and Beverage or Education, check out our guest-post guidelines and send a note to Jesse Stanchak.

SmartQuote

It is with words as with sunbeams -- the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn." -- Robert Southey, British poet Share: