How we’ve raised more than $25,000 by recycling eWaste
The Waugh Elementary School District has raised more than $25,000 for its ed-tech needs over the last decade—simply by recycling electronic waste through FundingFactory.
Engaging, educating students with chemistry app
This summer’s chemistry section at University of Illinois-Springfield began with the same challenge that I always face with my students: how to get them to engage with the…
Reducing school emergency response times with X-ray vision
Emerging radio frequency identification (RFID) technology can improve school communications and emergency response times by increasing teacher and student visibility during emergencies.
13 inexpensive ed-tech tools for writing
Being able to write clearly is an essential skill for all students. With these simple online writing tools and apps, students get to practice writing informally in settings…
How to have more meaningful iPad professional development
Often, the substantial investments schools make in purchasing iPads are woefully out of balance with the minimal investments they make in preparing teachers to use these new tools…
Viewpoint: Moving beyond technology initiatives
Walking the show floor in San Antonio at the recent International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) conference, it was hard not to be impressed by the broad…
Lowering education’s cost through free or open source tech
A few years back, one of my classmates from a graduate course had a complaint. She told me that her school bought an expensive technology system, which included…
Social media is a must for America’s STEM future
Over the last several decades, the United States has declined as an economic and educational global leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). To regain economic success…
Eight ways kindergarten holds the key to 21st-century instruction
Several of the "revolutionary" changes we've been calling for in our schools have actually been around for quite a while—just talk a stroll down to any kindergarten class.
How to improve the eRate
As the FCC mulls changes to the nation’s school wiring program, here’s a common-sense vision for what we’d like to see.
Desktop virtualization leads to higher-quality education for one district
By the time students wake up for the school day, teachers and faculty have already had their first cup of coffee for the morning and are reviewing a…
New yearbook model is a win for students—and schools
TreeRing’s on-demand digital printing eliminates minimum yearbook orders, saving money for schools—while also allowing customization for each student.
How we created an app for our district—and why you should, too
When we discovered that more than 10 percent of our website traffic came directly from mobile devices, we decided it was time to go mobile.
Making the case for student-controlled devices
It's time to realize that we cannot, and should not, dictate the manner in which students learn. One area where the desire for control is clearly manifested is…
With flipped learning, how to make sure students are doing the work
In-video quizzes can answer the question: "Who is doing their homework?" and help direct the focus of the class.
Oral history project blends technology, tradition
When 21st-century skills are used to connect with 20th-century individuals, the results can be powerful.
A different kind of ‘flipped’ learning: Students teaching students
As a teacher at Granby Elementary School in Columbus, Ohio, I've orchestrated a more interactive style of instruction, in which students teach each other. This approach has raised…
Six steps to effective teacher development and evaluation
Some see us as education’s odd couple—one, the president of a democratic teachers’ union; the other, a director at the world’s largest philanthropy.
Creating an app programming course for high schoolers
iPad integration specialist Thomas White, who hadn’t written any software code for nearly two decades, was tasked with creating an app programming class for students at his private…
The ‘Evergreen’ iPad: Why all your apps should fit on one screen
Time and again, I run into educators who spend hours reviewing long lists of largely drill-and-kill subject apps, such as “100 History Apps” or “50 Spanish Apps for…
Don’t plan for technology; plan for learning
You never know how someone will react when you suggest that they junk their title and replace it with a new one that leads to a different focus…
Students’ ‘magic school bus’ increases college acceptance rates
Most educators are familiar with the adventures of Ms. Frizzle’s Magic School Bus and the incredible journeys students take while riding it to explore the solar system, inside…
Editorial: Make the Common Core standards work before making them count
I cannot say this more simply: We are committed to the success of our students. That means getting the transition to Common Core standards right. That’s why today…
Ten keys to a successful school iPad program
It seems that every school is considering purchasing iPads these days, and Apple has reported that iPad sales to schools are currently outpacing MacBook sales by a very…
Six tips for guiding the learning of students with autism
Classrooms come with their own unique characters, props, and soundtracks. To the average student, these things meld into the background, setting the scene for learning. However, for children…
Why iPads? It’s a question of innovation
By the end of 2012, Apple reported that it had sold more than 4.5 million iPads directly to educational institutions. At its January Education event in New York…
Don’t plan for technology; plan for learning
You never know how someone will react when you suggest that they junk their title and replace it with a new one that leads to a different focus…
Engaging learners through games: Help or hype?
Games are often trumpeted as the perfect tool for creating learner engagement. But what do we really know about how engagement works? What opportunities and risks do games…
Five examples of innovation in today’s schools
A student-developed vocal warm-up app … Graphic novel biographies … Robotics competitions: Students and teachers using technology to drive innovation is a theme woven throughout this year’s Follett…
Six steps to effective teacher development and evaluation
Effective teaching is a complex alchemy—requiring command of subject matter, knowledge of how different children learn, and the ability to maintain order and spark students’ interest. Evaluation procedures…
How I turned my classroom into a ‘living video game’—and saw achievement soar
The notion that struggling and failing is important to learning runs counter to traditional approaches to U.S. education. In the world of gaming, however, the very elements of…
Launching a district data warehousing project
A redesign of a school district’s information systems is always a challenge, but Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS) was further complicated by rapid growth, changing demographics and school choice.…
Prevention through information: Promoting social norms awareness with digital signage
A small liberal arts college located in the heart of the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York, Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) are home to one of…
Plagiarism souvenirs
Most teachers will tell you that when assigned a research paper, students enter a few keywords into a Google search, download some relevant webpages, cut and paste passages…
Four steps to admissions superstardom with Google AdWords
With the growth of non-traditional students, campuses must tailor their communication to each audience. A strategy that enrolls adults must differ from one that enrolls high school students.
How a flipped classroom flipped a student’s perspective
The idea of graduating high school is supposed to be exciting: the beginning of a brand new life filled with experience and opportunity. But, when I thought about…
How ‘game mechanics’ can revitalize education
Many of the elements and engagement factors found in any number of games across a wide range of genres can help inform the shape of tomorrow’s classrooms.
Beyond ‘one-to-one computing’: Time for a new approach
Adding a digital device to the classroom without a fundamental change in the culture of teaching and learning will not lead to significant improvement. Unless clear goals across…
10 tips for success with analytics, information management, and reporting projects
Launching information management, reporting, and analytics systems can be difficult. Sustaining them – and creating enthusiastic users – is even trickier. In a series of interviews, technology leaders…
How the government can drive school innovation
Most of the funding and decision-making around education in this country occur at the state and local levels. The federal government has limited ability to effect change. That…