Embrace the power of learning communities
During my second year of teaching, I learned an invaluable lesson: learning communities have the power to enrich our professional and personal lives. I learned this lesson firsthand…
The iPad as a hammer: Moving from goals to tools
Every year, Kristen Wideen creates a project and invites other classes to join in. This year, her third-grade classroom is using the Book Creator app to create a…
Five apps for boosting middle school math skills
Here are reviews of five high-quality digital apps that can help teach middle school math, courtesy of Common Sense Media and its new Graphite service—a free database of…
Four tools for personalizing your classroom
Erica Snyder, a Digital Learning Designer for the New Tech Network, shares four ed-tech tools to personalize the classroom.
How video is driving personalization in education
Need help fixing your bike? Looking for a new makeup look or hairstyle? More and more, we're looking to YouTube to help us learn new things. The same…
How to teach skills for post-school success
Will every student pursue higher education? Not necessarily. Should every student be prepared for and have the choice to attend college, or pursue other types of post-high school…
How do students cope with self-paced blended learning?
A new school year. Students new to middle school from primary school. A new subject with a new pedagogy. How do students cope? Surprisingly well. The learning rates…
Principal evaluation: The next big reform?
As states and districts have worked tirelessly to implement teacher effectiveness initiatives, largely driven by new and more rigorous teacher evaluation systems, the topic of principal evaluation has…
Successful eLearning begins with well-prepared teachers
When the state of North Carolina dramatically reduced textbook funding, yet decided it would implement the Common Core State Standards, our School of Education at Gardner-Webb University decided…
Teachers still needed with self-paced blended learning
Some teachers initially view self-paced Blended Learning as a process where the “computer does the teaching” and the role of the teacher is diminished. Practical experience with this…
Creating systemic change? No app for that
Today, most schools realize the critical nature of technology in preparing our students for college, careers, and citizenship; however, only 10 years ago, when I served as technology…
Five apps for boosting middle school math skills
Here are reviews of five high-quality digital apps that can help teach middle school math, courtesy of Common Sense Media and its new Graphite service—a free database of…
How evidence-based practice validates intuition
Teaching is as much art as it is science and the best teachers trust their instincts, take risks, and evaluate their practice with data. The proliferation of technology…
Six areas that can improve teaching quality
A new policy guide from seven educational groups aims to help state leaders improve teaching quality with examples of models that, through research and actual implementation, have proven…
A college readiness tool that every district should use
The National Student Clearinghouse is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 by the higher-education community to track students who received loans to help pay for college tuition. Graduate…
Gaming, ed-tech PD rule Twitter chat
Yesterday, Managing Editora Laura Devaney and Associate Editor Meris Stansbury discussed ed-tech trends during an engaging Twitter chat at the @eSchoolNews Twitter handle. In case you missed it,…
8 digital learning myths dispelled
As digital learning in the classroom gains more support from educators, parents, and students, a national education group has released a toolkit that defines digital and blended learning,…
4 must-have iPad apps for librarians
Educational technology integration has become more and more prevalent in classrooms, from English classes to science labs--but what about the library? Switching from traditional textbooks to eBooks on…
Seven strategies to support the Common Core
As significant numbers of educators, parents, and politicians push back on the Common Core Standards now that implementation has begun, many teachers are left to navigate the shift…
What everybody should know about online learning environments
Blended Learning requires an effective delivery system. A web based solution that allows courses to be structured effectively, is easy to use and has a range of educationally…
The ten ‘Golden Rules’ of Google Apps for Education
Google Apps, and cloud-based applications in general, are revolutionizing how educators teach and students learn. Here are 10 "Golden Rules" to consider when using Google Apps for Education.
Seven instructional strategies for the Common Core
As significant numbers of educators, parents, and politicians push back on the Common Core Standards now that implementation has begun, many teachers are left to navigate the shift…
Five steps to a successful blended learning program
As school leaders consider adopting blended learning to provide more opportunities for their students, here are five key considerations gleaned from the thousands of schools we’ve worked with.
The secrets behind one school’s remarkable turnaround
Twelve years ago, Maplewood Richmond Heights High School in St. Louis, Mo., ranked among the area’s lowest-performing schools. With a 59-percent poverty demographic, low test scores, and dilapidated…
How the ‘four Cs’ fit with the Common Core
Communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking are an integral part of the Common Core standards; here are free resources that can help you teach these skills.
Five steps to a successful blended learning program
As school leaders consider blended learning, here are five key considerations gleaned from the thousands of schools we’ve worked with to implement blended learning programs. Define your academic…
Technology can help ensure our students hear, learn, and achieve
Desk chairs squeak. Radiators rattle. Vents hum. Classrooms are noisy--and it's only getting worse. Many "open concept" schools don't even have walls to contain noise between rooms. It's…
5 fresh ways to keep professional development engaging
Teachers operate in complex and lively environments where success depends on their ability to be creative and flexible. As a result, sustainable and meaningful professional development (PD) needs…
Is it time to do blended learning PD the right way?
How often have we heard that education is changing, and that Flipped Learning/Blended Learning/Integrated Learning/Hybrid Learning/(enter the latest term here) is the future and needs to be embraced…
What you should know about self-paced blended learning
Some general research supports the move to Blended Learning, particularly self-paced Blended Learning. This research includes sources as diverse as Daniel Pink, Susan Cain and Anders Ericsson. Daniel…
Better data use requires better data systems
I loved my 4-door sedan but knew it would never outrace a Lamborghini. Even if I had a driving coach and driving training, the tool I was using…
Data privacy: What school leaders should know
2013 will be known as the year the American public began to focus on privacy. National security breaches pushed the issue to the front pages of papers nationwide,…
‘Iron Chef’ parodies: A perfect use of ed tech?
A few years ago, my high-school-age stepdaughter arrived home from school one afternoon and started watching a video. Nothing too unusual. But Olivia was walking around the kitchen…
Creating systemic change? There is no app for that
The rise of educational apps has impacted classrooms across the nation, but there’s one major change that apps can’t implement ... Read more
Are these 8 trends the future of K-12?
In a recent blog I wrote for Wired, I discussed Jack Uldrich’s book, Jumping the Curve. Essentially, it suggests that the best entrepreneurs, innovators, and visionaries are those…
Four must-have tools for improving children’s learning
Having worked with teachers across the country to implement programs, served on literacy committees, and seen first hand how technology has allowed students to become more creative and…
Overcoming ‘print disabled’ curriculum
One of the signature findings of the cognitive revolution of mind, brain and education research over the last few decades has been the overwhelming recognition of the tremendous…
Trends towards scalable personalized learning with technology
For the past few years, the innovation was around school models, with ideas ranging from classroom rotation to flex, with schools experimenting with different configurations around time, place…
How to prepare for eRate funding year 2014
Here are several strategies to help you get the most out of the new eRate funding year.
Walk on the Light Side
Sometimes a sense of humor is the best I.T. defense. Some days (and weeks) it seems like school IT is all project management and troubleshooting. But there are…