One of the biggest shocks we as editors have every year, thanks to the results of our annual Readership Survey, is that many people ask for resources we already have on our site. Our site houses so many resources that users may not always find the resources they need on the first try.
To help readers, educators, and education stakeholders become better acquainted with some of the most valuable resources on eSchool News, we have compiled a list of the 10 best and most comprehensive microsites and pages found on our website.
And to our office’s grudging delight, we also thought we’d take the time to introduce you to some of the people who run eSchool News—be sure to check out the photos with each resource!
So without further ado, here are the top 10 resources on eSchool News (some are old, some are new, but every one is a ‘must’):
1.Zmags digital publication
It’s not always possible to catch every story on our site every day; we know you’re busy–after all, you’re in education! That’s why in an effort to not only help readers read every breaking story in the past month, but also reduce our publication’s carbon footprint, we began our eSchool News digital edition.
The digital edition is free, and we’ve taken some cutting-edge design steps to make the online reading experience as pain-free and resource-filled as it can be.
New features include easier navigability, better interactivity (think one-click story-related videos), and better readability.
You can find our Zmags by clicking here, or by going to the top of the eSchool News home page and then clicking on the big blue ‘Publications’ tab on our main navigation bar
2.Best Practices
The one suggestion we received the most from readers in our Readership Survey was that they’d like to see best practices. Best practices, say readers, help provide key advice and tips for the education community and can help put critical reform and implementation efforts to scale.
From hybrid class success to closing math gaps, our Best Practices section can be a helpful resource for your school, district, or state.
You can find our Best Practices section by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Publications’ tab on our main navigation bar, then clicking ‘Best Practices.’
3.Webinars
Not everyone always has the time, or the budget, to go to conferences, lectures, or product demos. Everyone can, however, watch one of our free, archived webinars that cover a myriad of topics, such as: improving reading comprehension, putting together a school video program, or finding funding for educational technology.
Not only will you find dozens of archived webinars, but you’ll also be able to sign up for our upcoming webinars as well. Webinars are a great resource to share with your colleagues.
You can find our Webinars by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Resources’ or ‘Events’ tabs in our main navigation bar, and then clicking ‘Webinars.’
4.Site of the Week
Being the best-prepared educator, or the most innovative educator, doesn’t have to cost you. In our Site of the Week features, eSchool News highlights online resources for educators that don’t cost a penny.
Examples include, but aren’t limited to: Common Sense Media’s free cyber bullying toolkit, free lessons in internet safety from Homeland Security, and free professional development from the Library of Congress. If there’s a free resource from a notable institution, you can count on finding it under our Site of the Week.
You can find our Sites of the Week by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Resources’ tab in our main navigation bar, and then clicking ‘Site of the Week.’
5.ERCs and STAR
Maybe you just don’t need to hear about math curriculum because you’re an English teacher, or maybe your passion won’t allow you to read about anything but STEM, but whatever the reason you need a comprehensive list of resources on a specific topic, our ERC (Educator Resource Center) microsites are just for you!
Our ERCs, which are continuously updated, cover some of the hottest topics in education, ranging from special education to data-driven instruction, and much more. Our ERC section is also where you can find our one-of-a-kind STARs (School Technology Action Report)–free comprehensive reports on a variety of topics, such as: brain research and education, mobile learning implementation, and emerging trends.
We’ve also spruced up our ERCs with new features: readers are now able to eMail, and/or archive, links to all of the resources listed within an ERC, which helps cut down on tedious back-and-forth clicking and multitudes of open pages.
You can find our ERCs by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Resources’ tab on our main navigation bar, and then clicking ‘All Educator Resources.’ You can find STARs within the ERC section, or by clicking here.
6.Special Reports
Many educators say that while they’re in the know about what it takes to provide a 21st century education, the higher-ups ‘just don’t get it.’ It’s hard to get support, especially in dollars, from school boards and administrators if you don’t have industry data and hard facts at-hand. (Of course, we’ve also heard the same argument from higher-ups about teaching practices!)
To help educators get their point across and get the support they need, eSchool News, many times with support from industry leaders, publishes our multi-page Special Reports (also available in PDFs), providing the most current data and best practices on hot-button issues in education. Topics range from the latest in learning management systems in K-12, to secure social media in the classroom, and much more.
You can find our Special Reports by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Publications’ tab on our main navigation bar, and then clicking on ‘Special Reports.’
7.School Reform Center
The School Reform Center is one of our newer web features. Here you’ll find the latest news on government policy, reform best practices, and new state laws and regulations.
The School Reform Center is unique in that it provides not only links to important news stories from across the country, but also reform expert video interviews and a ‘research’ section that offers summaries of up-to-the-minute school reform reports and surveys.
You can find the School Reform Center by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Resource’ tab on our main navigation bar, and then clicking on ‘School Reform Center.’
8.eSchool of the Month
Educators devote most of their time and passion to their jobs, students, and school community. So, it’s nice every once in a while to receive a pat on back for a job well-done. With our eSN eSchool of the Month program, we highlight a school or district that ‘gets it’ when it comes to providing the best 21st century education possible.
All schools or districts have to do to enter is to go to the eSchool of the Month page, make sure their school or district meets our hallmarks, and then fill out a brief questionnaire about what makes the school or district amazing. Now is not the time to be modest! Let the country know what makes your school special!
You can find the eSchool of the Month page by clicking here, or by going to our home page, scrolling over the ‘Resource’ tab on our main navigation bar, and then clicking ‘eSchool of the Month.’
9.Social Media
All the cool kids are doing it, and now so is eSchool News! It’s nice to know what your fellow educators find interesting. Here you can let your voice be heard!
Come join our eSN online community, either by following us on Twitter @eschoolnews, by ‘liking’ our Facebook page, or becoming part of our group on LinkedIn. And be sure to keep an eye out for our monthly Twitter sessions with the editors of eSchool News. eSN announces these Twitter sessions in our print publication, via press releases, social media posts, and weekly newsletters. Please join us with your questions, or just to say ‘hello.’
10.You, the reader
eSchool News wouldn’t be the publication it is today without you, the readers, and your tremendous participation and support. In fact, many of our most popular stories are our weekly (no-registration required) lists that share readers’ views and opinions on some of the most pressing issues in education. We also include your responses to some of our more ‘fun’ questions.
The editors, staff, and head-honchos here at eSchool News would like to thank you for keeping us in the educational technology news business, and for allowing us to pursue our passion.
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