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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.

Online Courses from Vector Solutions Help Schools Address Pandemic-Related Behavioral Challenges

Tampa, FL – September 20, 2021 – For many students, the stress and challenges of the pandemic may have caused regression both socially and emotionally and in terms of their behavior.  To support teachers and administrators this school year, Vector Solutions, the leading provider of training and software solutions to help schools make their operations and communities safer, smarter and better, has created a new set of online training courses addressing some of the most common behavioral challenges expected this school year.

The “ Back to School Behavior Management Course Bundle” includes 15 evidence-based training courses in the areas of managing challenging student behaviors, key behavioral disabilities, and essential processes and procedures for handling behavior appropriately and safely.

“We’ve heard a lot about the need to tackle pandemic-related ‘learning loss’ this school year, but if we don’t support students’ behavioral, social, and emotional needs, they may not be able to focus on academics,” said Vector Solutions CEO Marc Scheipe. “Our new courses provide valuable training to help teachers and administrators safely address these behaviors and help students focus on learning.”…Read More

Three tips to conquer bilingual barriers in the classroom

More than 10 percent of students in the United States are English language learners (ELLs) – that’s more than 4.8 million children nationwide. While these children don’t learn any differently than their native-English-speaking classmates, they do have educational needs that should not be overlooked or go unmet.

From a teacher’s perspective, it’s difficult not to notice how challenging navigating educational environments is for a child for whom English is not their native language. They often walk into the classroom feeling intimidated and afraid, struggle to communicate even the most basic needs, and avoid interacting with peers and teachers due to the language discrepancy. As teachers, it’s our responsibility to help bridge that gap to not only support students as they learn English, but help them navigate their education in the meantime.

Thankfully, we’re not up to the task alone. There are many solutions to the most common teaching challenges, all of which serve to enrich the lives of students, streamline communication between parents and teachers, and help kids learn how to communicate and excel in everything they do.…Read More

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Carousel Digital Signage Transforms Information Workflow at Mount Desert Island High School

MINNEAPOLIS, August 31, 2021 – Carousel Digital Signage continues to build its K-12 education customer base with a Carousel Cloud deployment at Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Maine. The Carousel Cloud network reliably delivers digital signage content to 63 displays, covering all classrooms and several common areas.

The installation marks a first for Mount Desert High School, which relied exclusively on e-mail and public address audio to keep staff and students informed. This became increasingly challenging at the start of the 2020-21 school year as in-person classes resumed following a period of pure remote learning due to COVID-19-related lockdowns. With staff and student safety a priority, the number of announcements quickly increased; classes were often interrupted for updates on social distancing and release schedules.

The shift to digital signage in early 2021 now provides everyone inside the school with immediate access to information that often changes quickly, while also fostering a stronger sense of community and school spirit.…Read More

New research finds widening educational inequity in year of COVID

New research from the nonprofit NWEA highlights a challenging year in education and notes that most students made lower-than-typical learning gains in math and reading.

The research examined MAP Growth assessment scores from 5.5 million U.S. public school students in grades 3-8 between fall 2020 and spring 2021 and found:

  • On average, students across most grades and subject areas made learning gains in 2020-21, but at a lower rate compared to pre-pandemic trends.
  • 2020-21 outcomes were lower relative to historic trends. Gains across 2020-21 were at a lower rate and students ended the year with lower levels of achievement compared to a typical year, with larger declines in math (8 to 12 percentile points) than in reading (3 to 6 percentile points).
  • Achievement was lower for all student groups in 2020-21; historically underserved students (e.g., American Indian and Alaskan Native, Black, and Latino and/or students in high poverty schools) were disproportionately impacted, particularly in the elementary grades that NWEA studied.

“As our nation continues to grapple with COVID-19 and its impact on every facet of our lives, this new research from NWEA illuminates just how devastating the academic consequences have been for our nation’s children. While all students have suffered from interrupted instruction, students of color and students from low-income families–who are more likely to receive virtual instruction but less likely to have access to sufficient broadband and devices necessary to access virtual learning–have borne the brunt of the pandemic’s academic burden. It is vital that policymakers, school leaders, and educators act on this crucial research to ensure that students who need the most support receive it,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, in response to the new research.…Read More

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3 financial literacy tips for students

While moving into adulthood, teens are faced with a number of paths. Empowering students to select which path works best for them and determine how to best financially plan for the future are key to ensuring that some of their first adult decisions set them on a trajectory toward success.

While research shows a positive connection between higher education and economic status, it’s important to recognize that the traditional route to higher education does not work for every student. However, it is critical that every student have access to information that will help them plan for whatever path they choose.

Opting for traditional higher education can prove challenging for many due to the rising costs. Since the 1970s, college costs in the U.S. have tripled. Today, private school costs an average of $30,000+ per year while public college costs $22,000+ per year, according to U.S. News & World Report.…Read More

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4 ways to help students talk about tough topics

In a year where the U.S. has been rocked by a global pandemic, the impact of systemic racism, and acts of political violence, many educators have wondered how to create a “learning space” to address difficult subjects.

A “learning space” is both safe and brave–one where students are supported in expressing their views, as well as in challenging them and coming to new conclusions.

As an instructional coach who works closely with many educators, one concern I’ve heard recently is that teachers are afraid to address social issues without seeming to impose their views.…Read More

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5 ways peer networks lead to better student support systems

Student support services didn’t live up to their potential during the global health pandemic, economic ups and downs, political turmoil, and more upheaval, according to a report from the Clayton Christensen Institute.

As a result, many students turned to each other to gain support as they navigated challenging issues.

Students often turned to social media–and, by default, used their own social capital–to learn about emergency aid, support networks, and available resources. Social capital refers to “access to, and ability to mobilize, relationships that help further an individual’s potential and goals. Just like skills and knowledge, relationships offer resources that drive access to opportunity,” writes author Chelsea Waite, a research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute and the leader of the Canopy project.…Read More

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Teachers Offer Tips To Make Summer Learning More Inspiring, Creative and Challenging, Using Osmo for Schools’ STEAM Technology

Exploring Nature, Creating Stories, Learning Financial Literacy, Are Among Ideas Suggested

Palo Alto- From exploring nature to story creation to financial literacy, teachers from around the U.S. offer tips to colleagues on how to make summer learning more inspiring, creative and challenging for students, using Osmo for Schools’ STEAM technology.

Brittany Thomas, 5th grade teacher at Glen Burnie Park Elementary in Glen Burnie, Maryland, says: …Read More

Carousel Digital Signage Unites Teachers and Students at Grandview High School

A rural Washington state high school optimizes communications and engagement in challenging hybrid education model
 

GRANDVIEW, WASHINGTON, June 1, 2021 – Carousel Digital Signage has helped optimize Grandview High School’s student and faculty communications while they operate within a hybrid learning model. Grandview High has deployed a Carousel Cloud digital signage network in combination with Carousel Express Players to distribute targeted messaging to those on campus, while also engaging those who continue to attend classes from home.

Located in the agricultural town of Grandview, Washington, Grandview High School boasts a robust extra-curricular activity calendar. Students have access to afterschool programs focused on agriculture, athletics, business and entrepreneurship, yearbook planning and creation, and family and consumer sciences. The school also publishes its own newspaper.…Read More