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.

ASCD Unveils Witsby™, Its Next-Generation, Mobile OptimizedProfessional Learning Platform

Arlington, VA (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ASCD releases Witsby™, a new professional learning and credentialing platform featuring ASCD’s trusted research-based content. Designed for digital, the next-generation professional learning platform features thousands of bite-sized learning objects, courses and on-demand content from ASCD authors and experts to support the ongoing development and growth of teachers. Witsby is backed by powerful analytics, multi-layered reporting tools and authoring capabilities to give school leaders the ability to blend their own professional development assets with ASCD professional learning content.

“We’re excited to give educators what they have been asking for – a professional development tool that meets the needs of today’s teacher. Created with input from instructional leaders, coaches, teachers and administrators, Witsby is the first on-demand, mobile-optimized platform that empowers district leaders to build meaningful learning journeys for teachers,” said Penny Reinart, ASCD Deputy Executive Director. “Our goal is that Witsby will become THE solution for districts to attract, retain and support teachers throughout their career.”

Witsby is designed to create tailored, personalized professional learning paths to help educators stay on track–and on pace–to meet their evolving needs and goals. …Read More

How I became an active learner at ASCD “Empower18”

As ASCD “Empower18” kicked off in Boston on Friday, March 23 I knew the four days were going to be “wicked awesome”—I mean, come on!—it’s Boston. But somehow, the event toped even my highest expectations.

I was motivated to be both a learner and a leader at this year’s ASCD conference. In his keynote, Manny Scott said, “Be a student for your students,” so I prided myself on learning outside of my comfort zone as well as chances to learn within it. I became an active learner and I wanted to maximize every opportunity during this event.

There were so many sessions that matched various interests. My two must-haves: #CultureEd Panel and Unleashing Teacher-Led Innovation in Schools: Practical Tools That Have Real Impact. The common themes were taking risks in teaching and learning and letting your students’ creativity and discovery learning take center stage.…Read More

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New ed-tech products target Common Core readiness

Common Core readiness was a key theme in the ASCD Conference exhibit hall

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A number of companies showed products aimed at teaching students to think more deeply.

At the 69th annual ASCD conference in Los Angeles this past week, preparing for the Common Core was a common theme. In the conference exhibit hall, a number of companies showed products aimed at teaching students to think more deeply in order to meet the standards’ rigor.

A Virginia-based company called Mathalicious is trying to make math more engaging and relevant for students, using multimedia lessons that incorporate a real-world, inquiry-based approach. This approach fits nicely with the goals of the Common Core, challenging students to think critically about the world around them.…Read More

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Six strategies for persuasion in the digital age

Best-selling author Dan Pink says persuasion needs a reboot in the Age of Information; here are his six recommendations for how school leaders can influence others to act

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Effective persuasion isn’t about changing people’s minds, Pink said; it’s about making it easy for them to act.

Best-selling author Dan Pink kicked off ASCD’s annual conference in Los Angeles March 15 by noting how important persuasion is to school leaders’ jobs—and yet the dynamics of persuasion have changed radically in the Information Age.

Pink said he was involved in a recent study that surveyed 7,000 full-time adult workers in the United States. When they were asked, “What percentage of your work involves convincing or persuading people to give up something they value for something you offer,” the responses averaged 41 percent.…Read More

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ASCD annual conference draws top-name speakers

Dan Pink, Sir Ken Robinson to speak at 69th annual ASCD event March 15-17

ASCDKeynote speeches from best-selling author Dan Pink and education advisor Sir Ken Robinson will highlight the 2014 Annual Conference and Exhibit from ASCD, to be held in Los Angeles March 15-17.

The conference will showcase ideas for raising student achievement and boosting the effectiveness of teachers and school district leaders. Attendees will be able to choose from more than 350 sessions that will help them prepare students to be creative, critically minded, and compassionate citizens.

“Each year, ASCD holds our Annual Conference and Exhibit Show to bring together educators from around the globe to share, network, learn, and improve their practice,” said Gene Carter, CEO and executive director of ASCD. “This year’s Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in sunny Los Angeles will be no exception, and we look forward to presenting educators with innovative solutions to promote the success of each child.”…Read More

Developing sound social media policies for schools

Kimmel Farm Elementary School includes the teaching of social media in its school improvement plan.

In a world where three out of four teens have a cell phone, and roughly the same number have used a social networking website, it’s imperative that schools not only develop social media guidelines for their students and staff but also teach students about safe and responsible social media use, said a pair of education leaders.

Steven Anderson, instructional technologist for North Carolina’s Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS), and Sam Walker, a technology facilitator at the district’s Kimmel Farm Elementary School, presented a session called “Understanding and Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators” during ASCD’s 67th annual conference March 25.…Read More

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ASCD, Pearson debut new online professional development tool

Principal Compass is a cloud-based program that helps increase leadership effectiveness for K-12 principals and their teams.

The educational leadership organization ASCD (formerly known as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) has teamed up with Pearson to launch a new online school leadership program, called Principal Compass.

Created in collaboration with education researcher Robert Marzano and his Marzano Research Laboratory, Principal Compass is a cloud-based program that helps increase leadership effectiveness for K-12 principals and their teams, ASCD said. The organization announced the new tool during its 67th annual conference in Philadelphia March 25.…Read More

Ark. superintendent, Calif. teacher selected as 2012 Outstanding Young Educators

ASCD celebrates the Outstanding Young Educator Award's 10th year.

At ASCD’s 67th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show in Philadelphia, Pa., Matt McClure, superintendent of Cross County Schools in Cherry Valley, Ark., and Liliana Aguas, a teacher at Leconte Elementary School in Berkeley, Calif., were announced as winners of the association’s prestigious 2012 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA).

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the OYEA program. ASCD created the OYEA program in 2002 to recognize creative and committed teachers and administrators under the age of 40 who are making a difference in children’s lives. A panel of diverse education professionals selected McClure and Aguas as the 2012 OYEA winners from a large pool of candidates nominated by educators across the globe.…Read More

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ASCD’s 2012 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show coming to Philadelphia

ASCD will announce the 2012 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) winners during the annual conference.

ASCD is pleased to announce their 67th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, “A Collective Call to Action,” will be held in Philadelphia, Pa., March 24–26.

Reed Timmer, Discovery Education’s chief meteorologist and star of Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers series, headlines the conference’s opening general session on March 24 with a powerful presentation, “The Science of Extreme Storm Chasing.”  Discovery Education, provider of high-quality, curriculum-based digital content to U.S. schools, is a lead partner for the 2012 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show.  Also during this session, ASCD will announce the 2012 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) winners. The OYEA program recognizes education leaders under the age of 40 for making a profound difference in the lives of their students.…Read More