Positive reinforcement leads to school-wide change
As the largest middle school in the state of New Jersey, Lincoln Middle School has struggled at times with student discipline. Chronic tardiness and fights on campus have…
3 ways districts can use AR and AI
Artificial intelligence (AI), mixed reality, and cognitive science research sound like science fiction for today’s classrooms, but this technology is available today. Innovation and technology are as integral…
How to get students interested in STEM
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are not just important topics for school children—they are essential to our culture. These fields help the environment, revolutionize healthcare, innovate our…
App of the Week: Construct 3
Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education, which helps educators find ... Read more
How to design a school of the future
Several years ago, Greenville County Schools in South Carolina took an innovative approach to designing a new middle school to be named for our former superintendent, Dr. Phinnize…
5 things every K-12 employee should do to protect student data
Student data privacy and security are top priorities for edtech leaders. When asked to rate the importance of these topics, 68 percent of respondents said they were more…
3 keys to filling the STEM pipeline
Many educators are familiar with the research suggesting the demand for employees in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. For instance, the nonpartisan New American Economy…
Here’s what you missed at BPLC18, the Blended & Personalized Learning Conference
Earlier this month, the Highlander Institute, the Christensen Institute, and the Learning Accelerator held a three-day event called the 2018 Blended & Personalized Learning Conference. Attendees saw blended…
Makerspace tips and advice from the front lines
Maker culture is thriving in schools and public libraries across the United States and beyond. From challenges to success stories, no two makerspaces are alike, and maker facilitators…
How do I share something difficult with my colleague?
Something happened. Your colleague said something you found a bit harsh or inappropriate. Something inaccurate or uncalled for. She said it to you. Or to a student. Gulp.…
5 ways tech + education can change the world
Twenty years ago, Cisco recognized a shift toward a knowledge-based economy. We felt it was important that everyone have an opportunity to participate in this economy—and that education,…
How we developed a personalized PBL model for STEM
How can schools and districts prepare students for college and careers in STEM? Is it by asking them to passively read a textbook or listen to a teacher…
3 budget-friendly ways to take science learning outside
As teachers, we're always trying to find new and exciting ways to make our class content more relevant and engaging for our students. Fortunately, science offers many connections…
What research says about virtual reality in classrooms
While we've been inundated over the past few years with the promises and potentials of virtual reality (VR), it's been tough to slice through the hype to find…
How does culture impact our ability to learn?
When educators think about diversity in the classroom, culture may be one of the characteristics that crosses their mind. But as they select their curriculum and develop their…
5 ways to ensure cultural inclusivity
Have you ever wondered what goes into developing curriculum? The audience that Reading Horizons serves is diverse, and our footprint has grown significantly in the last decade as…
The best edtech PD isn’t about technology
Schools and districts spend billions on edtech, even while questions continue to swirl around whether such investments yield solid returns. Few companies can reliably ensure the educational outcomes…
How to integrate emotional intelligence into the classroom
Social-emotional learning. Character education. Bullying prevention. These programs all fall under the larger umbrella of emotional intelligence (EQ)—the ability to manage one’s feelings and interact positively with other…
5 steps to implement OER in your LMS
As open educational resources (OER) become a more viable option for K-12 school districts that want to adopt new resources, curating these “free” and “open” educational assets has…
Want to improve literacy in your school? Here’s how
Last year, Chemawa Middle School faced a huge literacy need. We are a Title I school in Riverside, Calif., and state assessment data showed that 62 percent of…
Pay attention! 5 ways to improve your students’ attention spans
Paying attention sounds easy. But is it really? How many times have we reprimanded students for not paying attention? Attention is the ability to focus on information and…
A tale of two competency-based districts
Districts around the country are moving away from teaching models based on lectures and textbooks—but transition isn’t always simple. Creating a competency-based or mastery-based environment requires re-thinking everything,…
Tech holds great promise for students with autism
Research indicates that due to a heightened interest in visual materials combined with strong visual processing capabilities, many individuals with autism benefit from using technology. From devices to…
Beyond ESSA: How to use your data to make informed decisions
The deadline has passed for states to submit final Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plans. Now it’s up to school districts to figure out how to capture and…
Girls and STEM: A female engineer shares her path
Many people leave Disney World dreaming of becoming a princess, but when I experienced Disney for the first time as a three-year-old, I left the parks with a…
How we built an ePortfolio platform for our district
As technology increasingly sweeps through classrooms, it is crucial that educators capitalize on digital tools that will allow them to effectively engage students and set those students up…
Want to put your data into action? Here’s how!
Classroom assessments represented a nearly $1.6 billion market in 2017, and that market is expected to grow by 30 percent through 2020. In fact, classroom assessment now makes…
3 tips to help inspire self-reflection in teachers
As the supervisor of instruction in Haddon Township School District in New Jersey, I would love to be able to give my teachers feedback every week. Feedback is…
How to start a project-based-learning movement in your district
Throughout my entire career as a computer teacher, I have used project-based learning (PBL). I’ve had students as young as first grade working on projects using LCSI’s Microworlds,…
4 proven ways to get teachers to use technology
Without proper guidance and support, it is easy for teachers to feel overwhelmed and anxious about integrating technology into their classrooms. An Education Week report revealed that only about…
The power of online communities for teachers
This may be surprising to some, but teaching can be a lonely profession many days. While teachers are surrounded by people, there’s often little time for collaboration or…
5 biggest data center mistakes (and how to fix them)
Behold, the school district data center. To the untrained eye, it’s just a room full of servers, racks, cables, power supplies, storage devices, and whatever other components happen…
How do I share something challenging with my supervisor?
Almost everyone of us has someone we work with who is “above us” on the hierarchy. A principal, a manager, a department chair, a director, an assistant superintendent,…
3 ways our school uses data to drive instruction
For the last six years, data has been part of our “secret sauce” here at Bronson Elementary School in Bronson, Fla. Many of our students come from economically…
Dos & don’ts for fostering creativity and innovation in the classroom
Creativity in the classroom provides a more relaxed and open environment for the students to freely express their opinions and to learn faster. Here are some tips for…
How we improved our blended-learning program
Ubiquitous access to technology means that acquiring knowledge is no longer dependent solely on a classroom teacher. Google provides quick and easy access to information while YouTube provides…
How I became an active learner at ASCD “Empower18”
As ASCD Empower 18 kicked off in Boston on Friday, March 23 I knew the four days were going to be “wicked awesome”—I mean, come on!—it’s Boston. But…
The New Librarian: Using advocacy to promote leadership
As innovation coordinator for instructional technology, information & library media at Parkway School District in St. Louis, Missouri, Bill Bass has long demonstrated his commitment to 21st-century learning.…
The 3 superpowers of collaborative nonfiction writing
Kids love to tell and share stories, but writing nonfiction is different, because they have to take concepts or events and not only understand them, but convey that…
How to take a student-centered approach to classroom AV
Schools are increasingly moving toward personalized and adaptive learning programs. The idea of tailoring teaching styles, materials, and approaches to individual students promises deeper engagement and better academic…