8 technology tips from top district leaders
When it comes to school technology, having a plan—and having strong leaders to guide that plan—are two of the most important steps to success, according to the 2014…
Best Practices
Best Practices
Campus Counts thinks outside the campus security box
One of the most challenging aspects of being a school administrator is addressing the ongoing concerns about safety and security for the students and staff. When I moved…
How to avoid classroom cheating
Snapchat—snap a photo with a smartphone and the image disappears 10 seconds after the receiver opens it. Great for selfies, but also for sending answers on a test.…
Common Core’s challenges and opportunities
It is an exciting time in education. We have an opportunity to ensure that all students develop the skills and understanding necessary to succeed in a highly literate…
Chino Valley Unified prepare for Common Core with new technology
Like every other school district in California, Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) is in the midst of implementing the new Common Core standards for math and language…
4 excellent special-needs learning tools
Writing is a challenge for many students. This is especially true for students of diverse backgrounds and students with identified disabilities who are increasingly accessing college. If students…
Toolkit helps educators confront online privacy threats
The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) annual conference announced the release of a detailed guide designed to help school officials follow federal laws on privacy issues, specifically the…
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…
Career and Technical Education offers new opportunities
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question still raises a level of uncertainty even among adults. And with new 21st century careers and…
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…
Five tools every science teacher should use
Scott Barber, a 7th grade science teacher in the Berea City School District located in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, shares five ed-tech tools worth using in the classroom. Mobile…
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…
Connecting kids with today’s changing tech tools
Improved learning is a concern for our nation. Our economic prosperity depends on it, as does our strength as a nation. To improve learning in the 21st Century,…
Connected Districts, Part 2: Prioritizing ed-tech
We presented the idea of the "connected district" in Part 1 of this series, where we featured one district that has made personalized learning a top priority, and…
Five key ed-tech tools for educators
Jim McDougall, deputy rector of Hutchesons’ Grammar, an independent school in Glasgow Scotland, shares five ways educators can use technology and innovation. I am a deputy rector in…
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…
Four must-have tools for superintendents
I am the Superintendent of the Chawanakee Unified School District, which is the home of Minarets High, a three time Apple Distinguished School designee, and a rural, mountain…
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…
Teachers: Now is the time to connect online!
Teachers can find professional networking online. Educational sites afford convenience, privacy, and expertise in a variety of educational areas. There are also interactive activities for teachers joining an…
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…
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…
Four great tips on how schools can use technology for Common Core
Ready or not, Common Core is coming. The national educational standards for K-12 schools will officially debut in the 2014-15 school year, and it is bringing a new…
Eight conversions toward global competitiveness
Listening to yourself read to improve fluency, speed and pronunciation. Building computational skills with exercises that adapt to your level and interests. Re-watching a mini-lesson at your pace.…
Should schools monitor social media sites used by students?
As principal of Decatur Middle School, it is my goal to make sure that all of our students’ academic needs are met throughout the school year. However, as…
Top 5 reasons why we need tablets in every classroom
Season's Greetings folks! It is once again that time of the year. A time for joy, good eats, and last minute shopping. I for one am guilty as…
How do two ‘connected districts’ do it?
The 95,000 students in Georgia's Fulton County Schools have different learning styles and interests, and district administrators say they believe students' learning opportunities should mirror their preferences and…
Five must-have tools for social studies instruction
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…
Tips on building a personal learning network on Twitter
I live and work in rural Maine, the northeast corner of the United States with New Hampshire our only tether to the rest of the country. To our…
Putting augmented reality into practice
This year, when I introduced creative writing to my students, I wanted to do it a little differently than I had in years past. This year I wanted…
The Affordable Care Act: Making Sense of District Dollars
Meeting Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requirements is challenging for most school districts because managing and monitoring eligibility requires ready access to date-driven information. It also must…
Sometimes, paid technology may be better than free
I am fortunate to speak to educators across the U.S. about student-centered learning and technology integration. It’s thrilling to see a teacher’s eyes light up when I share…
One-to-one motivations: It’s not about the device
In the world of education, it is rare to not hear discussion about providing a device for every student. We read research articles about it and we read…
Developing and deploying Facebook for school districts
The Norris School District has deliberately cultivated a combined social media brand over the last several years by deploying multiple official district-managed Twitter feeds, and primarily by deploying…
Advantages of the BYOT classroom
Students from all grade levels in Forsyth County Schools, Ga., are encouraged to bring their own technology tools to school to construct new learning opportunities. When the district…
We have to do what? The new face of teacher evaluations
As someone you’d politely call a “veteran educator,” I’ve been fortunate to work in schools for more than a quarter century, and in that time, like all of…
Can you be for-profit and for K-12 students?
Across industries such as health care, clean energy and even space exploration, private enterprise plays an accepted and critical role. Yet when it comes to education, many view…
How administrators can leverage mobile technologies
From tablets to computers to mobile phones, our access to information--and each other--is continuous. Young people not only embrace this constant access to information, but they have come…
Crafting a successful BYOD policy
With each new school year, districts across the country prepare to provide meaningful educational opportunities for all students. The Rocky River City School District in Ohio is no…