Students’ ed-tech opinions might surprise you
Students are more thoughtful about technology use than many adults give them credit for Students see equity of access as ... Read more
Communication and Collaboration
Why Scandinavian schools are superior (and what we can learn)
Nordic schools (Finland included) captivate American educators. What makes them so strong and what can the U.S. learn from their success?
4 easy ways to form positive relationships with students
Effective teaching includes building strong student-teacher relationships. As ISTE 2015 keynoter Josh Stumpenhorst says, "You have to know the kid before you can teach the student."
How to survive an ed-tech crisis
In successfully rebooting its one-to-one computing program after an initial setback, Guilford County has achieved what other districts with high-profile tablet missteps, such as L.A. Unified, have not…
Ask these questions before using technology in the classroom
A new, free protocol intends to help facilitate educator conversations about deeper learning, student agency, and technology integration. It focuses on key questions to ask to ensure that…
Future Ready summit tackles how to plan for tomorrow’s ed tech
A recent regional summit brought superintendents together to discuss the future of education Earlier this week, 43 school district leadership ... Read more
Ontario district implements cloud-based LMS Edsby
Edsby, a cloud-based education engagement platform that connects K-12 students, teachers, and parents using smartphones, tablets, and the web, has been selected by Kawartha Pine Ridge District School…
A one-to-one program done slowly—and right
Superintendent Steven Webb’s successful one-to-one rollout could serve as a roadmap for districts Dr. Steven Webb’s rise as a visionary ... Read more
Try these mobile and web tools to improve parent-teacher communication
When I was in high school, no one emailed my parents to tell them I had a test. No one sent a reminder to tell them that I…
12 big education challenges your LMS can solve
With the rapid rise of online technology resources, coupled with the ever-expanding list of the latest teaching strategies, an educator might feel like they are constantly walking through…
10 ways to revolutionize PD for the digital age
Odigital-pdver the past 6-8 years we have seen a supersonic advancement in public schools and the way our teachers now must teach. This has hit education like a…
7 free flipped classroom creation apps you might not know
You might not know these apps for creating lessons, video, and more—perfect for the flipped classroom The flipped classroom gives ... Read more
4 communication, curation tools for Common Core success
Educators throughout our state, nation, and world are always trying to save time and get better resources in order to provide the best available for their students. There…
Transforming learning with physical spaces
School leaders implement new technology initiatives and update teaching and learning goals regularly, but sometimes, the actual physical learning spaces in districts are overlooked. Today, more and more…
10 ways to pursue digital equity with collaborative leadership
Despite all of the impact of technology in our schools, there is an unfortunate reality: not all students have the same access to digital technologies – especially at…
3 ways to avoid summer ‘brain drain’
Students and teachers usually can't wait for summer--students, to have a break from classes, and teachers, to catch up on professional development and reflect on the previous school…
Write for my teacher, or publish to the world?
When students participate in out-of-class learning, teachers should recognize that potential Fifteen years ago, a student I never taught forever ... Read more
Three ways administrators stay connected
While educational technology use should be modeled and celebrated throughout the year, Connected Educator Month highlights some of the nation's best ed-tech practices. In an effort to put…
4 steps to making rigorous discussion a routine
For many of us who are intimidated by the idea of "rigor" and exactly what it means to make our lessons more rigorous, thinking about it as a…
Ready to learn? The key is listening with intention
Listening and observing can be passive activities—in one ear and out the other, as our mothers used to say, Mind/Shift reports. Or they can be rich, active, intense…
New this fall: Free, popular digital tools
A new beta tool called Wikibrains is making global waves among innovative students as it encourages out-of-the-box thinking. The online, digital brainstorming platform lets users connect with ideas…
Social media can help educators improve learning
Teachers hear it all the time: Using social media will help increase professional development opportunities, it will engage students, and it can help students make real-world connections between…
Google Helpouts will connect experts, info-seekers
A new Google service, called Helpouts, connects people who need help with those who can give it in virtual, real-time tutoring or advice sessions. While not open to…
Leveraging emerging technologies to create virtual libraries
Though still a relatively new concept, flipped learning is making an impact in classrooms across the country--and now, forward-thinking librarians are examining whether flipped learning and emerging technologies…
New report maps young Americans’ library, technology use
Nearly all young Americans under age 30 are online, and as library patrons, are more likely than older generations to use library technology such as computers and internet…
How teachers use Pinterest in the classroom
Long a favorite among craft enthusiasts, the popular DIY site Pinterest, in which users “pin” online images to virtual pin ... Read more
Geoconferencing: GPS, travel bugs, and learning–oh my!
Gone are the days of traditional school pen pals and classrooms mailing packages back and forth—today’s students and teachers are using ed-tech to have virtual conversations with classrooms…
Tips for using Pinterest in the classroom
Many aspiring crafters and cooking fanatics are familiar with Pinterest, a social media site set up like a virtual bulletin board in which users “pin” favorite home décor,…
Computers will taste, smell and hear within five years, IBM predicts
As 2012 winds down, lots of people are looking back at the year in tech. But at IBM, researchers have released a list of trends to expect not…
A school distanced from technology faces its intrusion
Past the chicken coop and up a hill, in a spot on campus where the wooden buildings of the Mountain School can seem farther away than the mountains…
Social learning networks promote student engagement, global awareness
One of the goals of a social studies curriculum is to ensure that students are aware of different cultures and geographies—including how these are similar to or different…
Schools urge dropouts: Text to connect
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New site offers help with shift to digital education
A new online community that launched Aug. 22 aims to help schools and districts as they move toward digital education and implement corresponding policy changes.
An eMail service with lots of smarts
“Coming soon, from the creator of the Macarena!”... “New, from the founders of Myspace!”... “He has the same agent as Steven Seagal!” You don’t hear phrases like that…
How Twitter can be used as a powerful educational tool
Think Twitter is just a waste of time? Think again. Its organizational structure makes it an effective tool for connecting with students and others online.
Tech solution connects eMailing teachers with texting students
ConnectYard, a company that integrates text messaging, social media, eMail, and other communication tools on a single platform, has announced a new partnership with Florida Virtual School (FLVS),…
Experts: Collaboration tools hold big promise for education
Social networking and educational gaming ignite spirited debates regarding their practicality in the classroom: Some educators say those technologies can engage students in new ways, while others question…
Free video lessons offered by leaders in innovation, thinking
In the vast realm of dogs hugging baby deer and toddlers laughing hysterically, it’s not always easy finding online videos that have a deeply profound impact--that is, until…
Jill Biden writes kids’ book, a tribute to troops
Jill Biden, after years of teaching English to college and high school students, has written a book of her own, the Associated Press reports.
Japanese strategy for improving teachers catches on in U.S.
In the sunlit library at Jorge Prieto Elementary on Chicago's northwest side, an experiment is under way, writes the Hechinger Report.