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.

The case for ChatGPT as the ultimate educator’s toolkit

Key points:

  • Today’s students will undoubtedly encounter generative AI in their careers
  • Two higher-ed instructors have designed a guide for using generative AI in life design and career education
  • See related article: A scholar’s embrace of ChatGPT-4

Innovations that have transformed education have often been met with skepticism. Just look at Sesame Street, which was once considered a wild, controversial experiment leveraging television for learning. Yet, by 1979, nine million children were watching the show, and kindergarten teachers had to upgrade their curricula because children were showing up knowing their ABCs and numbers and eager to learn more. What is now revered as an extraordinary show, which gently pushed the needle on integration, equity, and diversity, was once a radical experiment that rattled the American educational system.

Forty-four years later, Generative AI tools are causing a frenzy in the educational system and workforce, and in turn, for career educators who are attempting to help students prepare for the future of work.…Read More

Treering Leads the Yearbook Industry by Introducing Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts

San Mateo, CA – Treering, a leader in customizable yearbooks, proudly introduces a dyslexia-friendly font to its collection, marking a significant stride towards inclusivity in design. Recognizing the power of typography in storytelling, Treering unveils 44 new fonts that empower users to share their narratives with style and clarity.

Allison Vecchio, Treering’s Director of Design, notes, “Typography evolves with design trends, impacting message perception. We value user input and have responded to requests for diverse fonts.”

Inspired by the Dyslexia Friendly Font Collection, Treering embarked on the journey to incorporate a dyslexia-friendly font, resulting in the integration of OpenDyslexic. Designed by Abelardo “Abbie” Gonzalez, OpenDyslexic addresses challenges faced by dyslexic readers with features like enhanced letter weight, distinct shapes, and consistent baseline.…Read More

Cae Announces Multiyear Partnership with Project Lead The Way 

NEW YORK – The  Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE), a leader in designing innovative performance tasks for measurement and instruction of higher order skills and for subject area assessments, today announced a multiyear collaboration with  Project Lead The Way (PLTW), the nation’s leading provider of PreK-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula. The partnership, which commences with the 2023-2024 school year and continues through 2028, will leverage CAE’s best practices and decades of experience in developing high-quality innovative assessments.

CAE will provide assessment design, content development, and psychometrics for end-of-course assessments in all 15 of PLTW’s high school courses within the engineering, computer science and biomedical science pathways. The assessments will be aligned to PLTW’s rigorous standards and will be designed to provide students with meaningful feedback on their progress.

“The partnership of CAE and PLTW unites two complementary organizations that are similarly driven to best prepare today’s students for the realities of the future workplace,” said Bob Yayac, CAE president and chief executive officer. “Our team has a deep understanding of the needs of STEM educators and learners, and we are excited to create assessments that will accurately measure student learning and support their progress. Our partnership will ensure that PLTW’s students have the opportunity to show what they know and can do, and that they are prepared for success in college, career, and beyond.”…Read More

3 reasons creativity is essential for the future of education

Key points:

I like to say I was raised by a combination of nonprofits and the arts. At 15 years old, I moved into Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a nonprofit group home in Chicago, and attended an independent arts high school in Illinois, a unique model where there was a minimum requirement of three hours of art a day.

I’d leave in the late afternoon and walk to my after-school arts program, The Marwen Foundation in Chicago, where I practiced digital art making – including photography, design, or other creative tracks – until late into the evening.…Read More

GameMaker Introduces Free Space Rocks Tutorial for Schools and Educators

Dundee, Scotland — GameMaker, the fast and friendly cross-platform game development engine, has introduced Space Rocks – a comprehensive new game design tutorial and lesson program for teachers and educators. 

“Space Rocks makes it easier than ever for schools and educators to introduce game design lessons to help boost student engagement and support STEM learning,” said Frank Moody, education liaison lead at GameMaker, adding: “Not only are the CSTA standards-based lesson plans and materials absolutely free to use, but so is the latest version of GameMaker for Educators. Game on!”

Space Rocks has been developed in line with CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) standards, providing the perfect introduction to computational thinking concepts and game design principles. The tutorial provides all the written and video-based learning materials required to help students learn how to use GameMaker and create their own asteroid shooter game, in just three lessons. …Read More

Why education leaders should prioritize asset-based edtech

Key points:

  • In schools, an asset-based approach encourages partnership by celebrating progress and growth
  • Shifting away from this deficit-based approach requires leaders to change the way they see their students
  • See related article: How to focus on classroom accessibility

Since the pandemic began, the number of technologies districts use has nearly tripled, but not all of these tools have been effective. As education leaders review the utility and effectiveness of those solutions, an asset-based approach is an essential criterion in the evaluation process.

Leaders should be wary of products that convey urgency and impact through deficit-based design. A deficit-based approach emphasizes the weakness of groups or individuals, calling attention to negative outcomes such as falling behind or missing out. Although it is a pervasive advertising tactic, studies show that a deficit-based approach can affect students’ long-term resilience and lead them to feel isolated when they are seen as “the problem.”…Read More

Career and technical education needs a mental health revolution

Key points:

  • Students often struggle to transition to the workforce, and mental health can be a big factor in that struggle
  • One educator launched a new approach to student mental health to complement an existing emphasis on pre-vocational skill development
  • See related article: How our district engages students in a CTE program

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

As a longtime public school occupational therapist, I know what students look and sound like when they’re ready to transition from the work lab to the workforce.…Read More

Kidwind Celebrates Top Renewable Energy Innovations From Students At The 2023 National Kidwind Challenge

Boulder, Colo. – Being one of the best was the goal of each of the 80 teams while competing at the 2023 National KidWind Challenge in Boulder. Over the course of the three-day event, these highly skilled students were tested on their knowledge of renewable energy, their design and problem-solving skills, and their wind turbines’ energy output by a team of renewable energy educators and industry professionals. The top-performing teams are:

High School Division (Grades 9-12)

  • THS Wind Breakers from Tabb High School in Yorktown, Va.
  • Mauston Gummy Bears from Mauston High School in Mauston, Wis.
  • The Quilt Blockers from Darlington High School in Darlington, Wis.

Middle School Division (Grades 6-8)…Read More

4 ways to build engineering into your curriculum

Key points:

  • Engineering doesn’t have to be intimidating
  • Engineering helps students learn the mechanics of their world

Engineering is arguably one of the most useful and relevant subjects in our schools today. Its impact on our world cannot be overstated. Engineers are the ones who help humanity reach the moon, explore the depths of the ocean, assist in the treatment of serious illnesses, and even design many of the games our students play.

Unfortunately, engineering can often feel like a separate unit or idea that teachers need to explain. With many of today’s educators already feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities of teaching, finding ways to seamlessly integrate engineering into the curriculum is essential for both teacher and student success.…Read More

Classroom noise pollution is adding to student distraction

Key points:

  • Students can’t learn if they’re having trouble listening
  • Tech tools and sound amplification can help combat classroom noise pollution

Learning depends on listening. But classroom noise pollution is making hearing in the classroom harder. Finding simple and effective ways to dial down classroom noise levels can help increase focus and stamina.

The World Health Organization recommends classroom sound levels of no more than 35 decibels. The average volume of a classroom, however, rings in at more than twice that level. At 77 decibels, the average classroom produces the same level of noise as freeway traffic or other “annoyingly loud” sounds.…Read More