How to work for equity of access in classrooms

Key points:

Ensuring equity of access in the K-12 classroom is crucial for providing all students with a fair and inclusive education. Educational disparities can exacerbate existing inequalities, and it’s essential that school leaders and teachers address these issues to promote a level playing field.

Here are five key strategies to ensure equity of access:…Read More

GoldieBlox and Discovery Education Partner to Bring Chemistry to High School Classrooms Nationwide with New Immersive Learning Experience on Roblox 

Charlotte, NC – GoldieBlox and Discovery Education today announced a new education initiative – Maker High. Maker High offers an immersive learning experience hosted on Roblox for educators to teach chemistry in middle and high school classrooms.   

Maker High is a new experience on Roblox from the award-winning GoldieBlox team that leverages the power of gamified learning to deeply engage learners in chemistry. Maker High features Chem Lab Escape, a virtual escape room set in a chemistry lab where high school students explore core concepts of chemistry through dynamic gameplay. Chem Lab Escape empowers students to solve challenges such as combining elements and solutions to create chemical reactions and adding and removing heat energy to water to navigate an obstacle course. Accompanying student-driven activities and hands-on investigations are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and facilitate instruction around particle motion and the types of chemical reactions. Resources from Maker High, including the Chem Lab Escape, pair digital media with easy-to-follow instructions and are simple to incorporate into any lesson plan and learning environment.  

“GoldieBlox has over a decade’s worth of experience making STEM fun and inclusive, especially for girls who have been traditionally excluded from STEM fields. Maker High empowers students to understand and master STEM concepts. Maker High makes learning fun by meeting students where they already are: on Roblox. Every detail of these resources are thoughtfully designed to strike that hard-to-reach balance of entertainment and academic rigor, all while delivering the learning content in an accessible, inclusive way,” said Debbie Sterling, CEO and Founder of GoldieBlox. “We hope teachers and students come back to play again and again to build upon their STEM skills.” …Read More

5 ways to use edtech to engage shy students

Key points:

Engaging shy students in K-12 classrooms can be a rewarding challenge, and edtech is a valuable tool in creating inclusive and interactive learning environments. Many educators are merging one with the using, discovering strategies to use edtech to engage shy students.

By leveraging edtech tools, teachers can foster participation, build confidence, and provide tailored learning experiences. …Read More

K-12 Tech Innovation News

Key points:

  • K-12 technology is reaching students across the globe, equipping them with critical skills
  • Leveraging the power of educational technology helps create dynamic, personalized learning environments
  • Stay informed with the latest K-12 tech innovation news

K-12 tech innovation has become a cornerstone of modern education, reshaping traditional classrooms and equipping students with the skills needed for the 21st century.

One notable piece of K-12 tech innovation news is the integration of interactive devices and digital learning tools, transforming static learning spaces into dynamic, multimedia-rich environments. These devices and tools empower teachers to create engaging lessons, fostering a more interactive and collaborative learning experience.…Read More

The Impact of Technology on Education

Key points:

Technology’s impact on K-12 education has been transformative, ushering in a new era of learning characterized by enhanced accessibility, engagement, and personalized instruction.

In recent years, K-12 tech innovation news has made it clear that educational technology has become an integral part of classrooms, influencing teaching methodologies, student interactions, and the overall educational landscape. From interactive digital resources to online learning platforms, technology has given educators innovative tools to create dynamic and inclusive learning environments. Students, in turn, have benefited from increased access to information, personalized learning experiences, and opportunities for collaboration.…Read More

What is one negative effect technology has had on education?

Key points:

While technology has revolutionized K-12 education, its integration has not been without challenges. There do exist potential negative impacts, including issues like the digital divide, unequal access to resources, and concerns about screen time. Additionally, we see potential drawbacks of over-reliance on technology, such as diminished face-to-face interactions, the risk of cybersecurity threats, and the need for comprehensive teacher training.

Examining these aspects and staying informed via K-12 tech innovation news provides a holistic understanding of how technology, while transformative, necessitates careful consideration to mitigate its negative effects in the realm of K-12 education.…Read More

What is the new technology for improving teaching and learning?

Key points:

New technologies are revolutionizing K-12 teaching and learning, ushering in an era of unprecedented possibilities. From innovative learning management systems to interactive whiteboards and adaptive educational software, these tools are reshaping traditional classrooms.

Augmented and virtual reality applications provide immersive learning experiences, while online collaboration platforms connect students and educators globally. Artificial intelligence-driven tools personalize instruction, addressing individual learning needs. As news of these successful tech tool pilots spreads via K-12 tech innovation news, more schools and districts can explore emerging strategies and ideas.…Read More

San Isidro Independent School District Leverages GEAR UP Grants to bring ClassVR to Students

Chicago — The San Isidro Independent School District in Texas is embracing the immersive power of virtual reality technology through implementation of the award-winning ClassVR VR/AR headsets in its middle and high school classrooms. The district leveraged federal GEAR UP Pathways to the Future grant funding to purchase ClassVR, which includes thousands of pieces of VR and AR content to support all subject areas. San Isidro ISD is among 13 school districts in Texas Region One Educational Services Center’s service area to have signed on with ClassVR using GEAR UP Pathways to the Future grants.

“The GEAR UP program has been great for bringing technology and training to our district,” said Cristobal Vela, GEAR UP facilitator for San Isidro ISD. “ClassVR provides an excellent opportunity to have students experience places that they otherwise would never be able to visit.”

English teachers, for example, are using ClassVR to immerse students in scenes from author John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” Social studies teachers are using it to take students on virtual field trips to big cities such as Times Square in New York City. In sixth and seventh grade science classes, students are using ClassVR to virtually go inside of an atom to see how it’s constructed.…Read More

In 2024, education will move to adopt AI—but slowly

Key points:

In education, we tend to move pretty slowly when it comes to adopting new technology, and that pattern won’t change with artificial intelligence (AI). In the coming year, early adopters will continue to play with new AI tools to see how they can be used in education. They will have some amazing successes—and some failures—as they light the way forward and the rest of us endlessly discuss the potential uses and abuses of AI in our classrooms.

Here is a bit about why we’ll have to wrestle with AI, the barriers we will face in adopting it in the coming year, and a few resources to help educators begin exploring AI.…Read More

Mitigating data breaches with live patch management

Key points:

According to a recent report from the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), aggressive hacking tactics by threat actors are increasing in frequency and complexity against K-12 classrooms and higher education institutions.

With public and private schools providing a broad attack surface area for exploitation, they often find themselves repeatedly targeted by malicious hackers looking for financial gain or to steal the sensitive information of students and teachers. These cyberattacks create potentially dangerous effects on the education sector via lost instructional time and the cost to recover from the incident.…Read More

What does blended learning mean in post-pandemic classrooms?

Avantis Education, the leading provider of VR and AR content and hardware for K-12 schools, has released a new white paper: “Building Back Stronger: New Thinking and Technologies Reshaping Education” which delves into the myriad ways K-12 schools are embracing different methodologies and cutting-edge technologies to support students following a period of declining academic success.

The white paper, released under the brand ClassVR, Avantis’ award-winning all-in-one VR/AR headsets for schools, is available for download at https://bit.ly/BBSwhitepaper.

As stated in the white paper, “issues such as underfunding, understaffing, the digital divide and the impacts of the pandemic have set the stage for an ambitious revival.” It notes that ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding has provided school districts with opportunities to leverage new educational approaches and technologies and that “these innovations serve as the catalysts for rejuvenation, charting a course toward the restoration of educational excellence. U.S. education is building back stronger.”…Read More

Spanish and English Versions of Science Techbook for Texas by Discovery Education Now Available for Use In K-8 and Biology Classrooms Statewide 

Discovery Education, the worldwide edtech leader, today announced that the Spanish and English versions of Science Techbook for Texas by Discovery Education for K-8 and Biology students is now available for use in classrooms statewide. This dynamic core instructional curriculum was created from the ground up expressly for Texas educators and students. Science Techbook for Texas has been found to be 100% aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the English Language Proficiency Standards at every grade level by the relevant state review panels and has earned a 100% score from the Texas Resource Review for its K-5 and Biology editions.  

Science Techbook for Texas empowers Texas school systems to easily integrate an innovative, updateable, digital-print-kit blended curriculum into instruction to create unique, student-centered learning experiences. Included in this comprehensive core curriculum are engaging digital resources, print student and teacher editions, hands-on activity kits, and virtual investigations. In addition, an embedded professional learning component within Science Techbook for Texas helps teachers quickly and easily integrate this resource into classroom instruction, ensuring school leaders see maximum return on their technology investment. 

The Science Techbook for Texas curriculum includes ready-to-use, phenomena-driven lessons that motivate students with powerful technology tools—such as toggle-on authentic Spanish translation—that personalize the student experience, and time-saving teacher tools that streamline preparation and grading. Available in both print and digital formats, Science Techbook for Texas provides a seamless classroom experience complete with immersive, interactive ways to explore scientific phenomena, including hands-on engineering activities, labs, and STEM connections.  …Read More