Cramster, a global math and science study community that launched in 2003, is a place where students can interact online with teachers and their peers to help solve problems based on subjects such as physics, calculus, and chemistry. The mostly-free online community features a number of study materials, such as textbook solutions and practice exams, as well as an interactive question-and-answer board that is monitored by Cramster "Subject Matter Experts."

"Campus Explorer" is a new college search engine that aims to help students determine which college is the best match for them. Students enter information such as their SAT or ACT scores and grade-point average, and the site determines which schools they are eligible for. The site then matches students with specific schools on this list, based on the preferences they indicate on topics such as distance from home, academic interests, and their financial situation.

InfoSource Learning recently launched a free, online technology literacy assessment that tests K-12 students to determine their technological proficiency. The assessment is available free of charge to all school districts, state education departments, and educational organizations. "It is extremely important for all schools to measure and improve their students' use of technology," said Michael Werner, chief executive officer of InfoSource Learning, in a press release.

LearningExpress has created a new blog, called The Writing Teacher, for sharing ideas and expertise on helping students become better writers. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 33 percent of eighth grade students in the United States are writing at a proficient level. To help change that, The Writing Teacher includes writing input, content, and feedback--all encouraging participation by those who teach writing every day. The blog's debut article, "Research-Based Best Practices for Teaching Writing: A Discussion with Steve Graham," features advice from a literacy professor at Vanderbilt University.

The U.S. Department of Education recently launched a new web site that is intended to be the go-to source for information and resources to help students and their families plan, prepare, and pay for college. The site gives reasons why students should go to college, explains the necessary steps to be accepted and enroll at a two- or four-year institution, gives financial aid advice, and has sections devoted to parents/family and teachers/counselors. It also features inspirational stories of students who are already attending college. "Why go?" the site asks.

For educators who are ready to take on the growing frontier of virtual worlds, a new online hub--RezEd--now exists to make the journey to alternative realities a little easier. Launched in beta format in mid-March, RezEd is a comprehensive virtual-world resource for educators, students, and those simply interested in learning what these increasingly popular worlds are all about. Developed by the nonprofit organization Global Kids through a grant from the MacArthur Foundation's Digital Media and Learning initiative, the site brings attention to all aspects of learning across virtual worlds through resources such as weekly best practices, moderated discussions, and twice-monthly podcast interviews with students, educators, and experts in the field.

PBS has unveiled a new online community for preK-12 educators that aims to support the advancement of digital media content in education. "PBS Teachers Connect" provides Web 2.0 tools and opportunities for teachers, school library media specialists, technology coordinators, early childhood educators, and other education professionals to share ideas, collaborate, and support the effective use of technology to enhance learning. The new online community is built around PBS Teachers, the web portal to the wide-ranging multimedia instructional resources and professional development services that PBS offers preK-12 educators

Research indicates that low enrollment rates of young women choosing engineering as their major have led to dwindling numbers of women entering the profession, suggesting that high school girls don't perceive engineering as relevant to their educational or professional goals. Now, a new national campaign--called "Engineer Your Life"--intends to change that. Spearheaded by members of the engineering community and Boston-based public television station WGBH, the program is built around three key messages--creativity has its rewards, make a world of difference, and explore the possibilities--that aim to change the perceptions high school girls have about engineering.

The National Science Foundation's Multimedia Gallery features nearly 100 videos and webcasts on a wide range of science topics, including a fossil that might represent the first vertebrate to emerge from the sea; turning forest-industry waste into fuel and textiles; "superglue" produced by aquatic bacteria; a house built on a "shake table" (earthquake research); teaching robots to swim; 14 engineering challenges for the 21st century; solving a crime scene mystery; a 60-second history of the universe; earth's deep-time archives; dinosaurs; and more