5 helpful hacks for managing a STEM classroom

Key points:

Every classroom is a busy place, but STEM-specific classrooms are built on collaboration, communication, and hands-on inquiry. Things are bound to be extra noisy and energetic. This isn’t a bad thing–it’s “the sound of learning,” as a coworker of mine once put it! However, it does mean that STEM classrooms require skilled management to keep students focused on their tasks. So, how do we as educators foster an environment of engagement and creativity without stifling our students’ curiosity?

In my experience, educators looking to create a STEM-centered classroom can take advantage of five teaching hacks which allow them to manage students while still fostering a growth mindset:…Read More

Educational leaders must leverage collaboration for success

Key points:

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated global economic output loss will total $28 trillion dollars between 2020 and 2025 as the result of the COVID-19 virus that impacted businesses and education. Our schools are still pivoting to serve students and families who are figuring out life in the space of no longer and not yet.

The pandemic has changed us all.…Read More

Smithsonian and Carolina Biological Announce New Version of Elementary Science Curriculum to Raise Bar in 3D Learning

BURLINGTON, NC — Carolina Biological, the leading school science supplier and the Smithsonian Science Education Center announced Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™, Phenomenon and Problem-Driven Edition, for grades K to 5. The print, digital and hands-on program raises the bar in student-driven 3D learning and 3D assessment. All modules in the updated core science curriculum are rolling out for the 2024-25 school year. The program still takes students on a journeyof hands-on experiences, observation, and collaboration, but added many more new opportunities for students to drive their own learning and: build reading, writing, and speaking skills; make sense of phenomena and real-world problems; drive learning with their own ideas and experiences. The new program features a robust and integrated assessment system, including a new assessment map. Accessibility for students is emphasized. Students cultivate scientific skills and knowledge through student-centric investigations as they figure out compelling phenomena and solve real-world problems. Teacher support is included. The new 2nd Edition was extensively field tested by educators and will be available for purchase through Carolina for the 2024-25 school year. Teachers can contact Carolina now to implement in classrooms next fall.

Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, 2nd Edition, is a high-quality comprehensive science program with life science, earth and space science, physical science and engineering modules developed to meet the *Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This elementary curriculum engages, inspires, and connects students firsthand to the world around them through a total of 24 student-driven modules. It helps teachers keep classes fresh and interesting to young students and integrate science, technology, math and engineering throughengaging and hands-on lessons. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom includes print and digital components, as well as hands-on materials.


Student Agency…Read More

BenQ Education Announces “Teach Your Way” Projector Program

COSTA MESA, Calif. — BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of visual display and collaboration solutions, today announced its new “Teach Your Way” Projector Program. Committed to partnering with schools to enable greater positive outcomes for all students by transforming classrooms, BenQ’s program offers planning, pricing, and customer support benefits for BenQ’s latest lineup of maintenance-free LED and laser projectors and InstaShow Wireless Presentation System (WPS).

“Schools have had to purchase outdated, low-resolution projectors in order to save money, but these fail to meet the standards for the future of learning and provide all students with access to state-of-the-art technology,” said Bob Wudeck, senior director of business development at BenQ Education. “The BenQ Education ‘Teach Your Way’ Projector Program offers an easy and affordable pathway to projector upgrades. Plus, our latest solutions offer exclusive features and benefits that align with modern teaching pedagogies and IT standards while adding immense value and reducing TCO.”

The BenQ Education “Teach Your Way” Projector Program is available exclusively to educational institutions. It offers schools special discounted pricing on BenQ projectors — aligning with the company’s pledge to provide top-tier service and product accessibility to today’s evolving education community. As a result, education partners can create richer classroom settings enabled by the sector’s most advanced AV projection solutions.…Read More

Metrasens’ Advanced Detection Technology Chosen by Moore Public Schools for Enhanced Safety at Extracurricular Events

NAPERVILLE, Illiois and MOORE, Oklahoma (PRNewswire-PRWeb) —  Metrasens, a leading provider of advanced detection systems for security and safety applications, today announced its collaboration with Moore Public Schools (MPS), Oklahoma’s fourth-largest public school district. Together, they aim to bolster safety measures across the district by deploying Metrasens Ultra detection systems, ensuring a secure environment for extracurricular events at 35 campus sites and various large venues.

Committed to maintaining the highest safety and security standards, MPS consistently evaluates and updates its protocols. The district, known for its proactive approach, embraces new initiatives and technologies to enhance existing security measures. Building on a successful pilot of Metrasens Ultra detectors in the previous academic year, MPS officially integrated them at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

In alignment with their ongoing commitment to safety, several schools within the district have already incorporated Metrasens detection systems. The decision to choose Metrasens was influenced by the unmatched reliability and durability of its detectors, which seamlessly align with the district’s overarching safety goals, whether implemented district-wide or at individual campuses.…Read More

6 ways principals can improve family engagement

Key points:

As a school administrator, I thought a lot about family engagement. How could I get more parents and guardians to feel connected and interested in getting involved? How could I get my staff to connect with families? I researched articles and tried different strategies.

Approximately two years ago, I had the opportunity to work with an internal team providing technical assistance to a district as part of a grant through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. One of the focal points of our collaboration focused on creating resources to support and increase family engagement. Our team conducted research and focused on the work of Karen Mapp, PhD, and the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family–School Partnerships for this work. This framework made me rethink family engagement.  …Read More

Tennessee’s Hardeman County Schools Begin New Year with New Digital Resources Supporting College and Career Readiness 

Charlotte, NC —Tennessee’s Hardeman County Schools (HCS) today announced a new phase in its partnership with global edtech leader Discovery Education that is bringing new digital resources to students districtwide. Thanks to this new collaboration, teachers and students across HCS will have access to a suite of award-winning digital products that prepare students for college and careers and nurture their inherent curiosity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and all other subjects. 

Located in Southwest Tennessee, HCS’s approximately 250 educators serve nearly 3,300 students daily, providing a high-quality education in a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment that builds foundations for lifelong learning. These foundations include academics, social emotional skills, technological competencies, and career awareness. 

To support this mission, HCS sought a suite of flexible, standards-aligned digital learning resources that were easy to integrate into instruction and had a proven record of engaging students in STEM education and stoking curiosity in all other subjects. Following a careful review of available resources, HCS selected the following products for use in district classrooms: …Read More

How to Engage All Families (Using Their Phones!)

Sometimes it’s the most basic of technologies that is the most effective. So it is with the services of the Family Engagement Lab, whose mission statement is, “to catalyze equitable family engagement and student learning by bridging classroom curriculum and at-home learning. As a national nonprofit, our work builds partnerships between teachers and historically underserved families by facilitating ongoing communication and collaboration about learning.”

Their signature tool, FASTalk, shares at-home learning activities via text messages in each family’s home language. Current partnerships include districts such as Oakland Unified School District and collaborations with the Louisiana Department of Education. In this conversation, Vidya covers the gamut—discussing the evolution in education, especially in the context of social-emotional learning, parent-teacher communication, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She emphasizes the importance of family engagement in learning and how technology, specifically text messaging, can be a powerful tool for improving communication between teachers and parents.

Vidya introduces their program called “Fast Talk,” which utilizes prescriptive text messages to positively engage parents in supporting their children’s learning. The conversation delves into the dynamics of school-to-home communication, focusing on the need for positive interactions and the potential of technology to strengthen relationships between teachers, students, and families.…Read More

Wyoming Catholic School Partners with Global Edtech Leader to Enhance Instruction in Science and All Other Disciplines 

Charlotte, NC — Wyoming’s Holy Name Catholic School (HNCS) today announced a new multi-year partnership with global edtech leader Discovery Education. Thanks to this new collaboration, teachers across HNCS will soon have access to a suite of award-winning digital products that nurture curiosity and support their goal of implementing the first comprehensive STREAM program in a Wyoming Catholic school during the 2024-2025 school year. 

HNCS is in Sheridan, Wyoming, at the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains. HNCS’s dedicated staff views the world through the lens of faith and with curiosity, integrity, and courage. Seeking to educate the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and prepare PK-5 students for the world beyond the classroom, HNCS’s team sought to enhance science instruction by integrating a comprehensive STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, Math) curriculum. Discovery Education will help HNCS achieve this challenge by providing engaging STEM learning opportunities throughout the curriculum. 

To accomplish this, HNCS sought a suite of flexible, standards-aligned digital learning resources that were easy to integrate into instruction and had a proven record of quickly engaging students in science, STEM, and all other subjects. Following a careful review of available resources, HNCS selected the following products for use in the school’s PK-5 classrooms: …Read More

Majority of districts now meet FCC’s school internet connectivity goal

Key points:

Seventy-four percent of districts (9,573) across the country now have school internet connectivity at speeds that are sufficient to support digital learning in their classrooms every day–impacting 27.1 million students, an increase of over 5 million students since 2022.

Do all students have access to the internet?

The latest statistics come from Connected Nation’s (CN) Connect K-12 Program’s 2023 Report on School Connectivity, released in collaboration with Funds For Learning (FFL). …Read More

BenQ Boards Create Affordable, Future-Ready Learning Pathway for Paso Robles Joint Unified School District

COSTA MESA, Calif. — BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of visual display and collaboration solutions, today announced that Paso Robles Joint Unified School District in California has selected and installed BenQ Boards in more than 200 classrooms across the district. The BenQ Boards allowed Paso Robles to bypass an expensive cabling infrastructure update many of its schools needed while introducing an affordable yet innovative classroom solution for fostering engagement and collaboration and nurturing future-ready students.

“We were at a fork in the road on how to move our classrooms into the future affordably,” said Scott Buller, MBA, director of information technology at Paso Robles Joint Unified School District. “Instead of rewiring our classrooms and using all available money toward replacing our legacy projectors, we were able to invest in BenQ Boards and propel our school district into the future of learning. We saved money, and increased engagement, accessibility, inclusion, collaboration, and tech skills — all while meeting the needs of our teachers and IT staff. The BenQ Boards’ features and tools have transformed our learning possibilities.”

BenQ Boards Increase Engagement and Interactivity
BenQ Boards immediately introduce a new, hands-on way of learning in the classroom. From the display’s antimicrobial screen, students can participate in lessons with enhanced interactivity. To boost engagement without expensive subscription costs, BenQ Boards include the license-free EZWrite 6 annotation and collaboration software. This gives teachers and students the freedom to annotate and work directly from the interactive display or a wirelessly connected device. Rather than sit-and-get lectures, EZWrite encourages students to manipulate content, explore concepts, and solve problems, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. With EZWrite’s Floating Tool, users can add text to any app, video, website, document, or image. They can also choose the pen color, erase, open files, or take screenshots.…Read More

5 ways to use edtech to engage shy students

Key points:

Engaging shy students in K-12 classrooms can be a rewarding challenge, and edtech is a valuable tool in creating inclusive and interactive learning environments. Many educators are merging one with the using, discovering strategies to use edtech to engage shy students.

By leveraging edtech tools, teachers can foster participation, build confidence, and provide tailored learning experiences. …Read More