Can educational innovations go to national scale?
In conversations about evidence-based reform, I often hear the objection that "we don't really know how to take proven innovations to scale" or that "in order for schools…
Around the Web
News from around the web.
30 apps perfect for BYOD classrooms
BYOD classrooms can address a number of issues, Edudemic reports.
Report uncovers who is actually teaching with technology
Not too long ago, the Washington-based Pew Research Center published a report on how teachers are using technology at home and in their classrooms, Edudemic reports.
Beyond Minecraft: Games that inspire building and exploration
The success and popularity of Minecraft in and out of classrooms is no surprise, Mind/Shift reports.
Google launches Glass Dev Kit preview, shows off augmented reality apps
Google launched the Glass Development Kit (GDK) "Sneak Preview," which will finally allow developers to make real, native apps for Google Glass, ArsTechnica reports.
Infographic: Tech planning vs. zombies
Most people would rather face a zombie apocalypse than build and implement a district-wide technology initiative, according to Atomic Learning.
Our educational leaders must get aggressive with technology
Technology and social media continue to dramatically change the way we live and work, the Huffington Post reports.
Duncan takes heat over description of Common Core foes as ‘white suburban moms’
Education Secretary Arne Duncan faced heated criticism Monday for reportedly dismissing foes of so-called Common Core standards as "white suburban moms" who are worried their schools or children…
NBA great promotes STEM education at event
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar bent down Monday to study the solar-powered car being demonstrated by sixth-graders from Miller’s Hill School in Shingle Springs, the Sacramento Bee reports.
YouTube co-founder and alum donates $1M to Illinois Math and Science Academy
YouTube co-founder Steve Chen has made a $1 million gift to his alma mater, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, to help build a $1.9 million…
China retains supercomputer crown in latest Top500 list
A supercomputer built by the Chinese government has retained its place at the top of a list of the world's most powerful systems, the BBC reports.
Women gain in some STEM fields, but not computer science
A few weeks ago, I wrote about ways to get more women interested in computer science, The New York Times reports.
In New York City, all-male public schools aim to help at-risk boys
Once seen as sexist and outdated, the all-male educational model has been resurrected to serve New York City’s poorest boys, a group feared to be more likely to…
3 big Facebook policy changes
Facebook users beware: Your posts and likes can be turned into ads shown to your friends and others, depending on your privacy settings, InformationWeek reports.
The road from Legos to engineering starts here
When Christos Speros was a little boy, Legos were his favorite toy, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
AT&T giving $1.6 million for New York kids’ computing classes
Telecom giant AT&T will donate $1.6 million for New York City schools to fund computer coding classes and internships for about 1,200 students, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Wednesday.
Better STEM education, training needed for mismatched workers
Boeing is not bluffing about its need for skilled workers or for Washington state to commit to continuous investment in skills training and an educational pipeline that promotes…
Computer literacy: Education’s fourth ‘R’
Something unusual is happening at a website called code.org, the Deseret News reports.
After-school activities make educational inequality even worse
It’s not just what happens inside the classroom that determines a child’s status as an adult, The Atlantic reports.
IBM to announce more powerful Watson via the internet
The New York Times reports: Welcome to the age of supercomputing for everyone.
The fetishization of international test scores
Not one, not two, but 10 national educational organizations are planning to host a blowout digital event to talk about (what else?) international standardized test scores, the Washington…
Why tablets are so much better than textbooks
Amplify is an education company using technology towards a simple goal — change the way students interact and learn in the classroom, Business Insider reports.
Introducing tablets with Google Play for Education
Today we’re launching tablets with Google Play for Education for K-12 schools in the U.S., Google blogs.
How can students be successful in a high stakes world?
When asking an audience of parents what attributes they value, Stanford educator and author Denise Pope heard things like critical thinking, creativity, and well-being. Most parents indicated they…
Charter schools aspire to be ‘diverse by design’
When a group of Mid-City residents proposed opening a school four years ago that would be racially and economically diverse, they were greeted with doubt, according to the…
Bob Wise: Digital learning can boost R.I. schools
If the United States is to prepare its students for success in the modern technology-driven world, more classrooms — in both Rhode Island and the whole nation —…
Can robots teach kids to code?
As technology has evolved, so too has the capability of our robotics, EdTechMagazine.com reports.
How 3 teachers are shaking up online learning
Not too long ago, Pearson (the ginormous education company – yes it’s a technical term) put out a few really interesting videos about teachers who are shaking up…
Cloud classrooms: The next big thing in education
Following the trend of mass cloud adoption in other industries, educational institutions have started rapidly shifting to mobile learning and more interactive communication through cloud computing, TechBytesEdu reports.
Plug pulled on rural broadband projects in favour of BT
A rural broadband group planning to offer superfast net services in Oxfordshire has been told that the project cannot go ahead, the BBC has learned.
Children thrive in rural Colombia’s flexible schools
Myriam Mazzo is a teacher in the central Colombian city of Armenia, a rural town of about 300,000 people nestled in the mountains southwest of Bogotá, The New…
Raising kids in a digital age
Last week, the NPR tech team reported a series on kids and digital media, including school-issued iPads, stories about babies and screen time, teens and social media, the…
5 online learning trends worth knowing about
Online learning is quickly growing and is changing the way most of us think about modern education, Edudemic reports.
Advent of Google means we must rethink our approach to education
The Guardian reports: Would a person with good handwriting, spelling and grammar and instant recall of multiplication tables be considered a better candidate for a job than, say,…
7 great iPad apps to create digital portfolios
Digital portofolios have become potent alternatives to the traditional portfolios, EducatorsTechnology reports.
Going solar atop school buildings
In 2012, The tiny Centerburg School District in central Ohio installed 5,600 solar panels on the rooftops and grounds of its elementary and high schools that are anticipated…
The 10 biggest edtech trends of 2013 and 2014
There are a lot of things happening in the world of education, Edubloggery reports.
These 11 leaders are running education but have never taught
They design teacher evaluation systems, teacher training guidelines and the types of standards that need to be taught, the Huffington Post reports.
10 reasons why Connected Educator Month lived up to the hype
As the digital dust settles from another busy Connected Educator Month, I rounded up 10 highlights you shouldn’t miss, Graphite.org reports.
To tweet or not to tweet? A principal’s perspective
To tweet or not to tweet? That is the question many principals are asking, epic-ed reports. They are really asking: “What’s in it for me?”