Month: June 2015
New tool tracks state educator prep programs
The University of North Carolina system’s new Educator Quality Dashboard provides public access to the university’s research and trend data on the performance of North Carolina’s public school…
Why maker technology is crucial for students with learning difficulties
Many students with learning difficulties—from Dysgraphia and Dyslexia to ADD—respond well to visual or tactile learning and activities that allow physical participation,
Can blending tech into data collection deepen interest in STEM?
Research shows a growing global demand for qualified science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) professions. But many schools struggle with how to deepen students’ understanding of scientific concepts,…
Mimio unveils MimioMobile for browsers
In an effort to expand teachers’ ability to create unsurpassed collaborative learning environments, Mimio has launched two major updates to its MimioClassroom family of interactive teaching technologies: the…
Apperson align social-emotional assessment to Open Circle curriculum
As part of its commitment to educating the whole child through academic and social-emotional learning (SEL), Apperson Inc., a K-12 provider of assessment tools and software solutions that…
How well is your state teaching the whole child?
ASCD has released updated Whole Child Snapshots for each of the 50 U.S. states to display the progress the nation has made in supporting the whole child as…
Flipped learning is changing the face of special ed
E.L. Haynes has a one-to-one laptop program, and students also can bring their own devices to school. Using a flipped learning approach, teachers record their lessons and post…
Pearson reaches 1 million subtest milestone for psychology test tool
Pearson announced that more than 1 million clinical assessment subtests have been administered on Q-interactive, a digital system used by psychologists and speech-language pathologists. Designed for use in…
App of the Week: Seashores to Sea Floors – The Ocean Biome
Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated with help from Graphite by Common Sense Media. Click ... Read more
Districts report ‘major problems’ finding Common Core resources
The learning standards were new. The textbooks were not. So curriculum director Tammy Baumann and her team took the books apart, literally. Then they rearranged lessons, filled in…
Alma releases new standards tracker
Alma Technologies, Inc., provider of a holistic student engagement platform for K-12 schools, has added a standards tracking tool that empowers educators to more effectively teach to proficiency…
New OpenEd partnerships expand access to resources
OpenEd, creator of an online library of standards-aligned resources for K-12 teachers, is expanding new partnerships that now make its resources available real-time across a broad range of…
Summer of Creativity $500 grants available for young changemakers
As school lets out for the summer, Youth Service America (YSA) is calling on kids to make this a Summer of Creativity. YSA, through support from Disney |…
Cincinnati Schools launches blended learning AP courses
Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) is launching an Advanced Placement (AP) Blended Learning program, and wireless provider Kajeet will provide students with mobile hotspots to support the district's efforts.…
What should graduates look like in 10 years?
San Francisco’s Vision 2025 tackles technology and early literacy It seems an almost unknowable question: What will — or should ... Read more
Virtual reality STEM program helps special needs students
n a typical day at Lee Mathson Middle School in East San Jose, California, students can explore the inside of a volcano via a three-dimensional, holographic image. The…
4 things every IT department should do this summer
Summer might mean a long respite for students, but not for IT directors. When I was an ed-tech director for several California school districts, I was too busy…
Barracuda announces next-gen firewall, web security integrations
Barracuda Networks recently announced a number of security product integrations intended to help schools protect students. Barracuda has enhanced its next-generation firewall products in an attempt to improve…
Instructure launches Canvas Data
Instructure, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company and creator of the Canvas learning management system (LMS), has released Canvas Data, a hosted data solution providing fully optimized data to K-12…
D2L launches newest Brightspace Insights
D2L (formerly “Desire2Learn”) recently unveiled the newest version of its Brightspace Insights analytics suite. With this release, D2L can now aggregate and capture streamed student data from across…
The 3 key ingredients for mobile learning success
Why are some mobile learning implementations successful while others struggle? It seems struggling districts are missing at least one of a handful of ingredients that successful districts have…
New bill would support innovative internet pilots for students
New legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate would support innovative methods to give students access to the internet and digital tools outside of classrooms. The Digital Learning Equity…
Adobe unveils 2015 Creative Cloud release
Adobe's 2015 release of Creative Cloud includes major updates to Adobe’s desktop tools, including Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, Premiere Pro CC and InDesign CC; as well as new…
7 tech grants and contests perfect for summer
As schools close for summer vacation, educators are likely looking forward to a chance to recharge for next year. But there are plenty of summer grants and contests…
App of the Week: WriteReader Pro
Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated with help from Graphite by Common Sense Media. Click ... Read more
Nonprofit CFY honors innovative parents and ed-tech visionaries
On Tuesday, June 9, more than two hundred and fifty guests gathered at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City to honor award recipients and to…
The realities of cyber parenting
A large majority of parents in a recent national survey said their children should receive online safety or cyber security training in the next 2-5 years to keep…
Webinar covers social and emotional learning strategies
On June 24, 2015, educators and administrators can learn how SEL assessment and instruction helps improve student outcomes and alleviate behavior issues during the free webinar, “Learn from…
How this innovative district is preparing students for STEM careers
One Ill. district is using computer-based curriculum that's getting some students to take a practical look at science and STEM, both in and out of class.
Why Scandinavian schools are superior (and what we can learn)
Nordic schools (Finland included) captivate American educators. What makes them so strong and what can the U.S. learn from their success?
IPEVO introduces IW2 wireless interactive whiteboard
IPEVO has launched the IW2, a wireless interactive whiteboard system intended to enhance digital learning methods and that is priced at $169. Using wireless technology, the IW2 transforms…
The Learning Counsel launches assessment tool and survey
Research shows district and school leaders often hit similar barriers in digital curriculum transition. To help them in this transformative period, the Learning Counsel has announced and launched…
Girls Thinking Global unveils new website and documentary
Girls Thinking Global has debuted a new version of its website, to showcase GTG’s most important projects, emphasizing the organization’s GTG Collaborative as well as its first documentary,…
Sony expands projector line with lots of new models
Sony is adding new models to its line of professional projectors, with each designed to deliver high image quality, high brightness and enhanced flexibility. The update includes three…
Anatomy of a successful Chromebook rollout
Best practices and PD tips for going one-to-one with Chromebooks When Lyle Evans looks around his district and sees that ... Read more
Virginia pilots online high school
The Virginia Department of Education is launching a pilot program in the fall that will allow students to earn a high school diploma without stepping inside a classroom.…
Mystery Skype Calls Connect Your Classroom to The World
Mystery Skype sessions engage every student in the classroom as they search for clues and try and try and solve a mystery--where the other class is located.
Esri releases free online activities for Earth Science
Esri is teaming up with GISetc for a free set of Earth Science materials, called the GeoInquiry Collection, designed to be used with a free subscription to its…