6 hallmarks of the ‘connected classroom’
Online Publications
The Current Issue of eSchool News, free to registered subscribers for download.
Deeper learning has significant impact
New research reveals that students who attend schools with a focus on deeper learning are more likely to graduate on time and demonstrate higher achievement and test scores,…
Here’s why great principals matter
Strong leadership is essential to any school’s success, and school principals play a vital role in ensuring teachers and students are successful in the classroom.
How to evaluate educational games
As educational gaming moves from a future technology to a practice found in more and more classrooms, educators are recognizing game-based learning’s (GBL) potential to engage students and…
Librarians’ new digital role
As school increasingly incorporate digital technologies and strategies in classrooms, school libraries are changing, too, becoming hubs of communication, research, and technology-enabled teaching and learning.
How to support a digital transition in schools
Planning, enlisting stakeholder support, and identifying the “why” are among the most important steps when it comes to moving from traditional classrooms to digital, connected classrooms.
5 tools every science teacher should use
Scott Barber, a 7th grade science teacher in the Berea City School District in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, shares five ed-tech tools worth using in the classroom.
iPad curation: Learning to appreciate beauty
Like most of us, instructional technology specialist Daniel Callahan isn’t a big fan of most of the eMail he receives, but on occasion he receives a message in…
New software gives teachers more control over student devices
The lines are blurring between mobile device management (MDM) and classroom management software, as both now offer some classroom-level control over students’ mobile devices.
‘Why foreign languages are a ‘crucial’ skill
Educational technology consultant Alan November is fond of telling a story about a conversation he once had with a senior executive at a global investment bank.
Let’s stop saying ‘technology’
I have an idea. Let’s stop using the word “technology.” I have a feeling that the sooner we get this word out of our vocabulary, the sooner we…
10 things to ask when choosing ed tech for young children
Put a child in front of an iPad and they’ll be learning, right? Not exactly, say two early childhood experts. Thanks to extensive research, experts now know that…
5 trends to rock education
Five technologies are reaching maximum impact and are about to transform education, changing just about everything, according to educational futurist Jason Ohler.
Steps for successful classroom social media use
Social media isn’t exactly new, but its educational uses are still evolving. Many educators are able to use Twitter, Facebook, and blogs with their students, but other teachers…
Budget for 2014 is a mixed bag for schools
Congress has passed a federal budget for the 2014 fiscal year that includes more money for early childhood education, a priority of President Obama. The budget also restores…
Brain-wave sensors: Answer to engagement?
A Florida-based start-up firm called Nervanix is working on an idea that, if successful, could help educators find the “sweet spot” to effective teaching: maintaining active student engagement.…
New Common Core resource aids students with special needs
One of the best non-profits for the advancement of education technology has developed a new, free Common Core website for educators that offers customizable resources to improve teaching…
‘FCC Boosts Broadband Funds
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to announce on Wednesday a move to double broadband funding to schools and libraries.
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…
A new way to hire school personnel?
At first glance, the teacher hiring process might seem relatively simple. In fact, it can quickly become overwhelming, as school leaders sort through job openings and teacher candidates…
Educational screen time plummets after age 4
While 78 percent of screen media consumed by children ages 2-4 is educational, that figure drops drastically as children age, down to 39 percent among 5- to 7-year-olds…
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…
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…
Though lagging, urban districts make progress
According to new results from a report measuring student achievement progress in math and reading in U.S. urban school districts, two districts are at the top of their…
Parents are key to mobile learning success
Don’t overlook parents as key partners in the success of mobile learning initiatives, a new report suggests. The report, commissioned by AT&T and written by Grunwald Associates based…
Librarians: Key to ed-tech success
School librarians are critical to the success of digital learning initiatives, and they deserve a place at the table in discussions about digital learning: That’s the message behind…
School iPads: Boon or bust?
Just 36 percent of 255 teachers polled strongly favored continuing the iPad initiative, and the majority said they did not have enough training, according to results of a…
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…
Flipped Learning gaffes to avoid
Flipped learning has taken off in classrooms across the country, but what many educators are realizing is that the new toy feeling of videos as homework is wearing…
Making learning fun again
Young children are naturally curious and one of the main ways they learn is through play. Yet, when they arrive at school, too often this sense of play…
Five must-have social studies tools
What are the ed-tech tools that educators can’t live without? Each month, we’ll ask a different reader. Geography and More: Google Earth This amazing tool can be used…
Once blocked, Twitter is now a classroom tool
Taxation, representation and slavery were up for debate recently at Wauwatosa West High School, where juniors engaged in a multi-day, in-class simulation of the first Constitutional Convention in…
Teaching students to evaluate info critically
In the Age of Information, students must learn how to evaluate the accuracy and relevancy of the nearly limitless information at their fingertips. But how can 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…
13 challenges for today’s technology leaders
It’s not always about funding, though that’s still a major challenge for the modern school technology leader. A recent forum held for chief technology officers (CTOs) covered a…
States improve school data use
States have made immense progress in collecting student data, communicating the importance of using such data, and in emphasizing the need to keep student information safe and secure,…
Schools sign up for ‘Hour of Code’
The Hour of Code is an initiative that asks students, teachers, parents, and schools to introduce students to computer programming during Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek), Dec. 9-15,…
‘Augmented reality’ enters classrooms
A student holds a tablet in front of a series of famous paintings. On each painting, something comes to life–sounds, animation, or a pop-up fact linking the painting…
Amplify vows to fix high-profile tablet flap
In the wake of much-publicized safety issues plaguing a 15,000-tablet initiative in Guilford County, N.C., schools, Brooklyn-based technology company Amplify said it will replace every device distributed under…
Failure to communicate
Education Secretary Arne Duncan slammed Congress for ‘ignoring evidence’ and ‘distorting positions.’ It’s a criticism that could be applied to him, too.
2014 eRate Survival Guide
