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Are brighter futures through edtech within reach?

Sheilamary Koch Education

Possibilities for using technology in schools are endless — but the conditions that nurture successful educational technology programs boil down to a handful. Institutions that boast excellent outcomes associated with their high-tech capabilities had three common traits; detailed technology visions and plans, teacher and student involvement in technology planning, and formal evaluation of technology effectiveness. These findings were based on a global survey evaluating 22 evidence-based edtech capabilities.

Do agile projects need risk management?

Thomas Wuttke Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The Agile Manifesto was published in 2001, but agile is still a hot topic in project management. In theory, agile project management is supposed to reduce risks by design, so that ultimately there are no risks any more. As a result, alongside backlogs, user stories and velocity in the agile approach, there seems to be no place for risks. For example, there is no risk backlog. So, where are all the risks in agile projects? Have they really disappeared?

Could a fiber backbone for IoT lead to safer, smarter cities?

Diane Bloemker Science & Technology

Cities are growing. By 2050, more than 67 percent of the world’s population will live in cities, according to the United Nations. That’s an increase of more than 50 percent over today’s numbers. And while cities can expect a host of benefits from this population increase — more talented professionals, more businesses, more tax revenue — they’ll also see a major strain on their infrastructure and resources.

A recent data breach could put law enforcement officers at risk

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

What happens when crime fighters are exposed to a huge cybersecurity problem? It puts the safety of all at risk. This was on the mind of many when a trove of law enforcement data was leaked in late June. The breach happened at the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center. The training center for active shooter response situations is at Texas State University and is funded in part by the federal government.

How intellectual property rights fit in the Chinese trade war puzzle

Seth Sandronsky Civil & Government

Do you think that U.S. firms doing business in China back the White House’s tariffs on trade to settle disputes? Consider this. "A survey by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai found that most U.S. businesses operating in China oppose the use of tariffs in retaliation for the challenges they face, from an uneven playing field to poor protection of intellectual property rights," Reuters reports. AmCham represents 3,300 members from 900 companies in China.

TPWD now accepting drawn hunt applications for 2018-19 season

John McAdams Recreation & Leisure

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is now accepting applications to its drawn hunts program for the 2018-2019 season. All told, TPWD is offering more than 9,000 permits in nearly 50 different hunting categories and more than 100 different geographic hunting areas within the Lone Star State this year. In addition to native big-game species, hunters may also apply for permits to hunt exotic species like feral hogs, axis deer, sambar deer, gemsbok, and scimitar-horned oryx.

What are the consequences if Education, Labor Departments merge?

Bambi Majumdar Education

The White House has proposed to merge the federal Department of Education and the Department of Labor. The merger would form a new agency called the Department of Education and the Workforce. This proposal is one of the many that the administration has mentioned in a 132-page document for the restructuring of the federal government. Their focus is to create a leaner, more efficient and more accountable government. If it goes through, the merger would have a lasting impact on American education, with not everything being beneficial for schools.

Gateway Arch National Park gets a makeover

Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

A revitalized Gateway Arch National Park was dedicated during a festive ceremony July 3 in St. Louis, the culmination of a five-year, $380 million renovation project. The park was established in 1935 as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to honor President Thomas Jefferson, who turned St. Louis into the Gateway to the West by doubling the size of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. It was renamed Gateway Arch National Park through federal legislation in February to better reflect the nature of the park's main attraction.

Before you burst through the $27.5 million size standard

Brenda Crist Civil & Government

Government has two definitions of a company’s size: large or small. MACs use North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes to classify business size standards. One of the most popular size standards is $27.5 million of revenue, on average, for the past three years. If you are a successful small business, chances are you will burst through the MAC’s size standard midway through the contract.

Strategic differentiation with a customer focus

Maryann Lesnick Civil & Government

I recently worked on a proposal that required — not an executive summary — but an introduction that called out the vendor’s differentiators. Perhaps one of the hardest aspects of our industry is coming up with real differentiators to cite in our proposals. In his book, "Collapse of Distinction. Stand out and move up while your competition fails," Scott McKain suggests we spend too much time trying to duplicate and outdo our competitors.

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