21st-century learners.

21st-century learners. FOR ME, PUTTING DATES TO PAPER CAN EASE STRESS, SO I HAVE CREATED Aschedule of milestones and associated tasks that the editorialdepartment needs to meet over the next weeks. For example, we'll bejudging the applications for the X-Factor Student Achievement Grant (500words for $50,000--not a bad deal--and if you are reading this beforethe October 15 deadline there's still time to apply!), we'regearing up for our annual Readers' Choice Top 100 Products issue(help us choose the winners by commenting on your favorite products atwww.districtadministration.com/ products), and I'll be attending afew education conferences as well as puling a few issues to bed. Theschedule I created is your basic Excel worksheet, and now that dates andowners have been negotiated, I've been wondering how best todistribute it. If I distribute the schedule via e-mail, dozens of additionale-mails will need to be generated to keep it current, and it will nodoubt become out of sync. I could put it on our company's sharedserver, but that is only available within the confines of the office.Those who work remotely or who are traveling will not have access. Or Icould use a Web-based solution. There are many out there, includingGoogle Docs, Zoho Docs, and Office Live, which works in conjunction withMicrosoft Office. Our office staff is in the process of testing one aspart of a basic intranet. It allows for real-time updates by multiplecontributors, involves minimal training, and it's free! Certainapplications have been adopted by the staff, and others have a smallerfollowing, but this solution can be a small step in the right directiontoward adopting Web-based communication and project management in schooldistricts. Regardless of our job level, age, or how busy we are, thetime has come to update our technology skills and promote the sameattitude with our colleagues. Our Web staff, natural early adopters ofthis method of communication, most certainly agree. This issue includes several feature stories on 21st-centurylearning. Steve Dembo, community manager for Discovery Educationnetworks, writes about the potential of the Internet-based virtual worldof Second Life for school curriculum and professional development. Theopportunity is vast for creative and innovative educators. And ofcourse, teachers and students cannot use many of these new technologieseffectively without the skills of school library media specialists. AnnMartin, president of the American Association of School Librarians,shares her views. Adding foreign language programs at the elementarylevel can better prepare students for their responsibilities as globalcitizens, and Myriam Met, former director of the National ForeignLanguage Center, informs us about the various program model options. Wewelcome your comments on these issues. Kudos to Peggy Sheehy, Michele McKieman, Catherine Parsons, andothers featured in this issue who are promoting 21st-century learning. Ihope they inspire you to find your own ways of bringing your districtfully into this new century. Judy Faust Hartnett, Editor jhartnett@districtadministration.com