Spreading the Word About Copyright

In an era in which new technologies and information delivery systems are evolving by the day, staying up to date on copyright and fair use regulations can be a real challenge. That's not to mention the additional challenge of making sure district staff — as well as students, parents, and the community at large — are up to speed, as well.

In this month's cover feature, "Right to Copy?," Stephanie Gold looks at three different professional development programs designed to ensure that stakeholders understand not just the do's and don'ts of intellectual property but also the importance of taking personal responsibility for ethical behavior. You're sure to find some practical ideas you can use in your own district.

Evaluation continues to be high on the list of educational concerns, and this month T&L looks at two key areas. Matt Villano's "Assessing Formative Assessment" updates you on technology — based formative assessment programs. And in this month's Bottom Line column, Susan Brooks-Young trains a spotlight on the importance of details-like assessment — to writing winning grants.

In accordance with the new NCLB emphasis on science, T&L will be keeping you posted on developments in science resources, beginning this month with Carol Holzberg's "Cyber Science" and Mike Brown's evaluation of the newest digital science tools.

Finally, look for some new offerings from the T&L family this year. Our Tech Forum events have expanded to six locations across the country, with the February 23 event in San Diego kicking off the upcoming series (for more information, see www.techlearning.com/events). You'll also get an insider's view of what's on the minds of ed tech experts via daily blogs from gurus like David Warlick, David Jakes, and others starting this month on www.techlearning.com.

Happy 2006, all, from the staff of T&L.