A new federal government report aims to help educators and others evaluate education technology. The report includes a "reference guide" and a "decision-making model" for education-technology purchases. One goal is to offer "greater confidence that investments in cost-effective and cost-saving technology-based interventions are wise, capable producing the outcomes sought," the report states.
U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology. (2012). Expanding Evidence Approaches for Learning in a Digital World,
http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/technology/evidence-framework/

State of education report

Last month the National Center for Education Statistics released the annual  congressionally mandated report summarizing the progress of education in the United States. This year’s report presents 49 indicators of developments and trends in education. The indicators focus on participation in education, elementary and secondary education and outcomes, and postsecondary education and outcomes. The report also uses a group of the indicators to take a closer look at high school in the United States over the last 20 years.The report is available on the NCES website.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). Condition of education. Washington, DC: Author.

Online learning study

The U. S. Department of Education's conducted a meta-analysis of over 1000 empirically-based practices in online learning from 1996 to 2008. Major findings include:
* Blended and online conditions result in similar learning performance.
* Video and online quizzes do not impact student learning.
* Learning is enhanced when learners can control their interaction with media, and reflect.
* Group guidance is not as effective and individual guidance.
US Dept. of Education. (2010). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html