Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

The eLearning Lessons We Can Take into Post-Pandemic Life

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
The eLearning Lessons We Can Take into Post-Pandemic Life
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  • Most teachers and students now have figured out how to utilize the technology that suddenly become required in March.
  • Student evaluation remains a challenge, especially with some state standards lagging behind technology growth.
  • Resources utilized during the pandemic still can be important tools going forward.

In March, most school districts were sent scrambling when the start coronavirus pandemic made it clear it was not wise to conduct school on campus – at least not in the traditional way.…Read More

How automation keeps student bullies in check—both in-person and remote.

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
How automation keeps student bullies in check—both in-person and remote.
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Even a pandemic won’t stop bad student behavior and in many cases inflames it. In this conversation with eSchool News, Laura Lockhart, director of student services of Keller Independent School District in Texas talks about how the district digitally updated their bullying reporting process to keep students safe and meet federal reporting regulations.…Read More

STEM in the time of COVID—How one district keeps innovating in “The Weirds.”

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
STEM in the time of COVID—How one district keeps innovating in “The Weirds.”
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Like every educator, Frank Pileiro has had to pivot. As Supervisor of Technology at Linwood Board of Education in South Jersey, he has the added pressure of overseeing their robust maker space programs while managing the current hybrid teaching setup. In this conversation with eSchool News, Frank explains how to keep engaging students, even if it’s from a distance.…Read More

Looking For The Little Wins

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Looking For The Little Wins
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Everyone has a crazy COVID story. For Brigantine, NJ Superintendent Glenn Robbins, it goes something like this—lead a school district through a global pandemic having hardly met the students, parents, or faculty. In this conversation with eSchool News, Glenn details the never-ending variables of getting back to school in 2020 and how the priority should be well-being first. In some cases, technology can help not hinder.…Read More

Game On—How one district is using gaming to build community and serve student well being.

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Game On—How one district is using gaming to build community and serve student well being.
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James O’Hagan is not playing around. As Director of Digital and Virtual Learning for the Racine Unified School District in Wisconsin, his job entails not just managing the virtual learning program in response to the pandemic, but also supporting library services, as well as developing his passion project of Esports. In this conversation with eSchool News, James talks about the essential role Esports can play when it comes to student health, mental wellness, social-emotional learning, as well as connecting to collegiate and career pathways.…Read More

Time to Get Real—How one rural district is dealing with both connectivity and equality for fall.

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Time to Get Real—How one rural district is dealing with both connectivity and equality for fall.
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For Todd Dugan, Superintendent of Bunker Hill CUSD #8, a small, remote district in Southern Illinois, issues surrounding back-to-school COVID-19 style are not abstract but all too real. In this conversation with eSchool News, Todd tries to keep the glass half full as he looks to take advantage of these incredible disruptions to education.…Read More

Time to Get Real with Equity

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Time to Get Real with Equity
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How one rural district is dealing with COVID-related connectivity and equality for fall.…Read More

A Device in Every Hand—How one district handles the chaos of pandemic asset management

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
A Device in Every Hand—How one district handles the chaos of pandemic asset management
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For Sandra Paul, Director of Director Of Information Technology at the Township of Union Public Schools in Northern New Jersey, the goal is simple—every one of the 7,200 kids in her district must have a device this fall. How to accomplish this? Not so simple. In this conversation with eSchoolnews, Sandra details her asset management tactics for whatever scenario her district winds up with—in person, hybrid, or remote.…Read More

Feedback and Flexibility—Two Keywords for One District’s Goal for Fall.

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Feedback and Flexibility—Two Keywords for One District’s Goal for Fall.
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As the newly installed Director of Student Information at Barrington School District in suburban Chicago (IL), a district with 9,000 students and 13 schools, Phil Hintz has an added challenge to an already impossible situation—discover unprecedented solutions in an entirely new environment. In this conversation with eSchool News, Phil details how the district is reinventing itself through data collection, making tough logistical decisions, and inspiring both faculty and parents to stretch their imaginations when it comes to instruction.…Read More

Professional Development Pandemic Style—How one District Is Prepping Staff For Success

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Professional Development Pandemic Style—How one District Is Prepping Staff For Success
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Jon Castelhano, Executive Director of Technology at Gilbert Public Schools in suburban Phoenix, Arizona, is making lemonade. Instead of stopgap measures to make it through the COVID-19 crisis, his district is crafting strategic changes with an eye toward the long term. These are ideas long talked about but never implemented in the 40 schools that serve 34,000 students. For it to work, faculty need to reinvent themselves too. In this conversation with eSchool News, Jon describes how they intend to do just that.…Read More

Stepping Back To Succeed—How one district is dealing with the intangibles of the unthinkable.

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Stepping Back To Succeed—How one district is dealing with the intangibles of the unthinkable.
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Forget about tech for a minute. For Adam Phyall, Director of Technology and Media Services for Newton County School System (GA), connectivity, communication, and emotional support are what is key for district success during the pandemic. In his discussion with eSchool News, Adam talks about the big picture challenges the next school year brings for his students, parents, faculty, and administration and how he plans to deal with them.…Read More

Data vs. COVID-19

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Data vs. COVID-19
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How one district runs the numbers through mapping software to find blended learning solutions for this fall.…Read More

District leaders share successes while managing school tech in the midst of the COVID crisis

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
District leaders share successes while managing school tech in the midst of the COVID crisis
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That COVID “where were you when” moment from last March is still fresh in Paul Sanfrancesco’s mind. Watching neighboring districts announce closures and realizing his own faculty would be stranded at home, contingency plans were hatched and devices were launched to prep students for remote learning.…Read More

How Newport-Mesa Unified School District became closer by being apart

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
How Newport-Mesa Unified School District became closer by being apart
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Jenith Mishne is a relentlessly positive person. Not even a global pandemic can dampen her enthusiasm when talking about her job as Director of Education Technology in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District (CA), where she serves 22,500 students at twenty-two elementary schools, two intermediate schools, four high schools, one alternative education center, and one adult education center. In this conversation with eSchool News, Mishne finds the silver linings in the world’s largest beta test for remote learning—from device management to compassionate teacher professional development and better community communication. She also shares some of her thoughts about how education can grow from this tragedy.…Read More

Whatever It Takes—South Portland Maine Schools Pivot With The Pandemic

Innovations in Education
Innovations in Education
Whatever It Takes—South Portland Maine Schools Pivot With The Pandemic
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When speaking with Andrew Wallace, Director of Technology, South Portland Maine Schools, two classic marketing slogans come to mind: “Think Different” and “Just Do It.” Whether it is getting Chromebooks and hotspots to students in need, supporting faculty in the move to remote learning, or just giving students a sense of comfort, he and his district, which includes a pre-k center, five elementary schools, two middle schools, and South Portland High School, are making up new rules as they go along in this pandemic era.…Read More

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