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.

Most states don’t actually know if teachers are qualified to teach reading

Key points:

  • States are using inadequate elementary reading licensure tests
  • States should transition to stronger tests and test providers should clearly identify weaknesses in tests
  • See related article: Teacher Q&A: Strengthening PD with AI
  • For more news on teacher prep, visit eSN’s Educational Leadership page

Most states (29 states and the District of Columbia) use a weak elementary teacher reading licensure test, meaning that they do not effectively measure teachers’ knowledge of scientifically based reading instruction prior to entering the classroom, according to a new analysis from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).

In fact, one state, Iowa, requires no reading licensure test at all. This shortcoming means that, every year, nearly 100,000 elementary teachers across the country enter classrooms with false assurances that they are ready to teach reading.…Read More

Fostering connections and edtech strategies between education leaders

Key points:

  • Education leaders face uncharted challenges ensuring that teachers who stay feel supported and connected
  • Leaders are consistently ensuring that policies, technology, and teaching practices prioritize equity and cultural responsiveness
  • See related article: 4 best practices to support and retain school leaders

If there is one thing I have seen consistently over many years of working with education leaders around the world, it is that they don’t often get enough opportunities to connect and learn from one another. The heart of education is community, and peer-to-peer learning and conversation are foundational to that. 

This year, as part of ISTE in Philadelphia, a roundtable event hosted by Visual Sound brought together representatives from three districts: the School District of Philadelphia, Prince George’s County Public Schools, and the District of Columbia Public Schools for conversations among education leaders about shared challenges and ideas for solutions. Together, these districts represent more than 300,000 students. They are dedicated to leveraging technology as a key part of teaching and learning, and this roundtable provided the opportunity to share approaches and learn from each other about what works with edtech and what doesn’t.…Read More

New Report: Equity, Cybersecurity Top List of State Education Technology Priorities

As students return to another school-year impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report sheds light on how state education agencies and policy-makers are adapting to an increasingly digital, post-pandemic world.

The 2022 State EdTech Trends Report, released by the State Educational Technology Directors Association in collaboration with Whiteboard Advisors, draws on the results of SETDA’s flagship annual State EdTech Trends Survey of edtech directors, state superintendents, chiefs of staff, and other senior state officials from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Activity (DoDEA), and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The report supplements the survey findings with interviews of leaders in a number of states to spotlight their efforts to support digital learning. “Our job at the state is to advocate for what districts need and to promote our mentality that we are all in this together to help our students achieve,” stated Rob Dietrich, Senior Director of Teaching and Learning at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.…Read More

IXL Learning Acquires Emmersion, Developer of AI-Powered Language Assessments

SAN MATEO, Calif. and LEHI, Utah  — IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by millions of people worldwide, announced it has acquired Emmersion, the Utah-based leader in certifying language ability through artificial intelligence. Emmersion’s platform has conducted millions of automated assessments for corporate and educational institutions, including The World Bank, Randstad, Columbia University, Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania, providing valuable data insights into language proficiency scores. 

The acquisition of Emmersion deepens IXL Learning’s line of language and literacy products, which include the world-renowned Rosetta Stone, IXL English Language Arts, Vocabulary.com, SpanishDict, inglés.com and Fluencia. Emmersion’s cofounders, Brigham Tomco and Dr. Jacob Burdis, will remain with the company. 

Accurately establish language skills with AI…Read More

TutorMe Partners with Columbia Public Schools, Providing Students with Tailored Instruction for Academic Advancement

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) — TutorMe, an online tutoring solution creating access and opportunity for all students, announces a partnership with  Columbia Public Schools in Columbia, MO, supporting students during the 2022–2023 school year with learning recovery and academic advancement.

Made possible through ESSER funding and a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the district, Columbia Public Schools sought tutoring services to provide supplemental academic support to students. Columbia Public Schools chose TutorMe through a selection process among more than 20 applicants.

“As a district, our goal is to provide our students with resources that will help them grow confident as learners and further their academic careers,” said De’Vion Moore, the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education of Columbia Public Schools. “We selected TutorMe with the intent of making personalized tutoring support sustainable and scalable.”…Read More

How to find language learning opportunities for students

There has been a steady decline in language learning in schools. According to the Pew Research Center, only one in five K-12 students in the United States now learns another language, and just 10 states and the District of Columbia make world language learning a requirement for graduating from high school.

New Jersey has the most students studying a world language (51 percent), followed by the District of Columbia (47 percent) and Wisconsin (36 percent). However, the vast majority of states have fewer than 25 percent of students learning another language — and just 9 percent of students in Arizona, Arkansas, and New Mexico. Compare that to Europe, where 92 percent of students learn a foreign language, Pew observes.

The decline in language learning carries over into college: According to the Modern Language Association, university and college enrollment in language courses dropped by nearly 10 percent from 2013 to 2016. During that same period, higher education institutions cut 651 foreign language programs nationwide.…Read More

Carolina Biological Announced South Carolina Adopted New Grades K to 12 Science Teaching Materials

COLUMBIA, SC, Dec. 16, 2021 – Carolina Biological announced that two of its elementary school science programs are among the rigorous list of new science materials just adopted by the South Carolina State Board of Education for the state’s K-12 science curriculum. Carolina Biological’s award-winning Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™ and Building Blocks of Science ™ 3D were chosen for adoption to help teachers address new state science standards. The company was among more than 30 publishers that made the adoption list. Adopted materials are available for purchase now to public schools and districts in South Carolina. The resources can makeover science classes and benefit teachers and students in 83 school districts that serve 780,000 students statewide. Recently approved in June, the South Carolina College and Career-Ready 2021 (SCCCR) standards for K-12, are the state’s new three-dimensional performance expectations in science and engineering. New school materials were reviewed in depth and selected for adoption to engage students and help educators to teach these latest standards.

South Carolina science classes now have a nice selection of rich new resources to support their own student-driven, hands-on, and phenomena-based vision of three-dimensional learning in the classroom. Science materials from 65 publishers were reviewed for adoption by the Instructional Materials Advisory Committee, comprised of parents, teachers, district administrators and community members. The Committee reviews all instructional materials in light of the state content standards. Materials are recommended for adoption by the Committee on a rotating basis every six years. Schools may select materials from the state-adopted list of resources using state funds. Materials adopted as supplemental must be purchased with S.C. schools’ local funds, but not with state funds.

The next step in the adoption process is for the S.C. Department of Education to help districts with local science materials selection through an Instructional Materials Caravan, where school and district staff can learn about the new materials through presentations by publishers, including Carolina Biological. This will happen before April 1, when districts report their selections to the Office of Instructional Materials. In May, schools place their orders online and receive their new instructional materials for the start of the school year.…Read More

iTutor’s Virtual Quarantine Classroom Offers Educational Lifeline for COVID-Affected South Carolina and New York Students

As many as 2,000 students on any given day this school year in Richland Two (South Carolina) and other school districts, and, in partnership with PNW BOCES, across the state of New York — required to quarantine at home because of COVID-related concerns — have been able to continue their studies uninterrupted, thanks to iTutor and its new Virtual Quarantine Classroom service featuring live, online, instruction provided by state-certified teachers.

In the Richland Two School District, Columbia, SC, iTutor is serving all 24 elementary schools, providing group classes in ELA and Math for eight hours each week throughout the school year. Students begin receiving academic support within 24 hours of starting their quarantine at home.

“iTutor’s Virtual Quarantine Classroom has been an important partner in ensuring that students continue to receive premier learning experiences even when they must be away from school due to the pandemic,” said Richland Two Superintendent Dr. Baron R. Davis.…Read More

Q Academy Kids Boosts Coding Skills of Children, Teens Worldwide, Launches Kids’ Projects Via Incubation Platform

The global e-learning market is poised for growth, especially post COVID-19. The size of North America’s e-learning market in particular is projected to reach US$135 billion by 2026, boosted by advancements in digital infrastructure in the United States and Canada, according to recent research.

Virtual classrooms, online learning, and vocational learning will all contribute to this growth. Companies are zeroing in on kids’ learning and development online, such that British Columbia-based Q Academy, a pioneer in tech-focused education in the region, has ventured into a kids’ coding and online learning platform through Q Academy Kids.

QA Kids caters to ages 6 to 18 years old, offering students one-on-one or group online classes on coding, Minecraft, graphic design, comic creation, 3D animation, digital marketing, and photography, among others. Designed with learning flexibility in mind, QA Kids enables parents to choose the courses and the schedule of classes best suited for their kids. It also makes available trial classes for free and prioritizes youth safety by making use of secure servers in its classes and a stringent vetting process in place for instructors as part of the site’s enhanced security features.…Read More

Engaging resources were critical to successful pandemic learning

New research released from the Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) at Columbia University finds that digitally accessible, high-quality instructional materials designed to bring students, families, and educators together increased student learning and engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research reveals possibilities for sustained partnership between schools and families moving forward.

Despite challenges associated with remote learning, students, families, and educators from nine school districts and charter school organizations across seven states told researchers that students with access to high-quality instructional materials and support from a caregiver learned about the same – and sometimes more – than they would have in a “typical” year. Their experience was in contrast to students who struggled academically, and at a time that many fear learning loss among students because of pandemic-related learning disruptions.

“We learned through virtual schooling that educators’ use of high-quality, culturally responsive instructional materials that are enabled by technology and educative for families can be a game changer,” said Elizabeth Chu, Executive Director of CPRL. “Instead of families being ‘passive recipients’ of instruction, it’s time for a new model in education that brings families fully into the instructional process by using high-quality instructional materials to help foster close coordination and collaboration between students, families and educators.” …Read More