Apple's Steve Jobs Was a Pioneer in Education Technology (Education Week blog - October 6)

Steve Jobs' innovation and leadership at Apple led to several technological advances in schools, from the early Apple II personal computers to iPads. 

New Higher Education Model (Inside Higher Ed - October 6)

Former governors Jeb Bush and Jim Hunt write that the old brick-and-mortar business model for education is broken, and colleges and universities now need to embrace digital tools and online learning.

Obama Appoints Shakira to Education Commission (Washington Post - October 5)

The Grammy award-winning singer has long been an advocate for early childhood education in Latin America. She will serve on the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

Zero-Tolerance Policies Pushing Up School Suspensions, Report Says (Los Angeles Times - October 6)

The suspensions are falling mostly on black students, according to a report by the National Education Policy Center, and researchers are concerned the "zero tolerance" policies behind the increase could lead to dropouts and jail time. In Los Angeles, 34 percent of middle schools student suspended last year were African American, while only 11 percent were Latino and only 5 percent were white.

Do College Interviews Count? (The Daily Beast - October 5)

Admissions interviews are not used at Ivies or larger universities because of the size of their applicant pools, but at several smaller universities and colleges they are an essential part of the college application process - even if the school claims they are "optional."

BOSTON: Boston Students Protest Spiraling Education Costs (Boston Globe/AP - October 5)

Students nationwide are supporting the Occupy Wall Street protesters, saying corporate control over the government is to blame for increasing education costs. 

CHILE: Pressure Grows As Chile Student Leader Opens Talks (NPR/AP - October 5)

Chilean student leaders broke off talks with the government on Wednesday, saying the officials would not budge in their refusal to make public education free for all students. The protests, which have paralyzed several universities and schools, are in their fifth month. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera defended his policies by saying, "Nothing is free in life." 

All statements and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual contributors, and not of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or NBC News.