5 strategies to tackle the homework gap

Despite a brighter spotlight on digital equity, gaps still remain, including the troubling and persistent homework gap–but a newly-relaunched digital equity toolkit aims to highlight the important work districts across the nation are taking to address equity differences.

The 2014 Erate modernization helped a majority of schools meet the FCC’s short-term connectivity goal of 100 Mbps per 1,000 students, according to CoSN’s relaunched Digital Equity Initiative toolkit. But because classroom use of technology and digital resources is growing, a gap has continued to grow between students who have internet access at home and those who do not.

Related content: Tips for closing the homework gap…Read More

8 ways to ensure tech readiness this school year

Before each new school year starts, educators have been busy preparing, organizing, and welcoming students back to school–and that means ensuring tech tools and digital resources are ready to go.

District administrators, principals, and teachers are prepping for full classrooms and full schedules. Now is a great time to double-check school priorities, tech tools, and instructional strategies for the coming school year.

Related content: What’s the one tech tool you can’t give up?…Read More

The New Librarian: Implementing a district-wide Library Learning Commons initiative

A few years ago, while working as a teacher librarian at Templeton Elementary School in Oregon, I had the opportunity to redesign the school’s library website to include digital resources for the students to use as part of a shift to 1:1 iPad learning.

Three years later, I’m replicating this model for the entire district, building a Library Learning Commons where all students have digital access to curated, shared resources in conjunction with full-scale 1:1 learning. The result of our Library Learning Commons initiative will include a seamless integration of shared digital resources that are pre-approved and pushed out every iPad, making it easy for students to read, research, collaborate, and own their learning experience.

As a district librarian media specialist, I work with more than 13,000 K-12 students, and building a digital library that can meet the needs of this many learners can seem intimidating. On top of that, I have to ensure that content is age-appropriate, platforms are vetted, and that the resources are able to be used in inclusive classrooms. I also have to make sure that my students are responding well to any new edtech product, and that the tools I curate are authentically enhancing learning.…Read More

These 10 TED-Ed videos will hold your students’ attention

Given students’ easy access to videos and digital resources via mobile devices and computers, it makes sense that educators would incorporate such tools into their instruction.

With a wealth of resources online, educators can find content that meets students where they’re comfortable learning, with interactive and engaging presentation.

TED-Ed lessons are among these resources that help students learn while engaging them in the subject matter.…Read More

Survey: What online professional learning do teachers prefer?

New survey reveals teachers’ professional learning preferences, trends in priorities

Educators from Pre-K up through higher education most often prefer to participate in professional learning opportunities that focus on training for online software and digital resources (34 percent), classroom management strategies (34 percent), and digital device training (33 percent), according to a new survey released during this year’s ISTE conference.

The 2016 Vision K-20 Professional Learning Survey Report is the ninth annual national K-20 educator survey from the Education Technology Industry Network (ETIN) of SIIA, and also is the first survey focusing on online professional learning (PL).

The survey finds that educators from PreK-12 and higher education institutions most often enroll in courses that provide training for online software and digital resources and classroom management/behavior training.…Read More

Survey: Teachers now use twice as much gaming and video in the classroom

Annual survey reveals digital resources such as game-based environments and online videos have experienced increased use in classrooms

Teachers’ use of game-based environments and online apps has doubled in the last six years, according to the annual Speak Up survey released on May 5.

The national report, From Print to Pixel: The role of videos, games, animations and simulations within K-12 education, reveals that in 2010, only 23 percent of surveyed teachers said they used games, compared to 48 percent of those surveyed in 2015. In 2010, 47 percent of teachers said they used online videos, and that jumped to 68 percent of teachers in 2015.

“Many more schools are demonstrating greater use of digital content, tools and resources today than six years ago and we believe that the increasing adoption of interactive, visual media in the classroom by teachers is the driver for much of that change,” said Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow, in a press release. “The explosion in teacher interest and usage of videos and game-based learning could be a harbinger of a new awakening for digital learning.”…Read More

5 goals, 5 barriers of digital curriculum

Survey reveals how school and districts leaders aim to use the digital curriculum transition to better serve students and teachers

 

digital-curriculumSchool district leaders’ top objective in transitioning to a digital curriculum is to achieve greater instructor effectiveness, according to a survey from The Learning Counsel.

The second annual survey from the organization, which aims to provide guidance around the K-12 shift to digital curriculum, also revealed that 65 percent of those surveyed are currently staffing positions to help deal with the expansion of digital resources.…Read More

Two key steps to using digital content

Digital content can offer better learning opportunities, but transitioning to them may be a challenge for districts

digital-textbooksToday, it seems like digital content is king. But how can districts effectively navigate the transition to digital content and digital resources?

Despite digital content’s benefits, including a lower cost and better capacity for being up-to-date, barriers still exist that make it difficult for schools and districts to make the digital transition.

During an edWeb session on migrating to digital content, Jonathan Costa, director of school and program services for Education Connection, a former educator, and author of Digital Learning For All, Now!, offered a look at important steps in moving to digital content.…Read More

TCEA: Do your libraries need a change?

School libraries should be centers of digital instruction and learning

school-librariesSeeking to ensure school librarians’ roles reflect the changing nature of education, one Texas school district changed its librarians’ positions to better support digital learning.

Library and IT specialists in the Willis Independent School District knew they needed to transform school librarians into vital educational leaders who instruct and engage students with innovative resources and opportunities, and who are actively involved in helping students learn about and evaluate digital resources and information.

During a session at TCEA 2014, Willis ISD Director of Technology Deborah Menefee said the district wanted to support modern library practices that would engage students with opportunities to use digital learning, research, and collaboration tools.…Read More

How to use digital resources to personalize blended learning

Teachers must be comfortable using technology devices and digital resources in a blended learning environment.

Today’s students are used to having constant access to technology and digital resources in their personal lives, and harnessing the engaging power of such resources can boost blended learning success and help students create and thrive in personalized learning environments.

“All educators, all over the world, are struggling with this challenge of how to reach the learners we have in today’s schools,” said Ryan Imbriale, principal of Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore County Public Schools, during an edWeb webinar on digital learning. Imbriale will leave his position at the end of this school year to become the county’s Director of Digital Learning.

The goal is to ensure a learner-centered, personalized, blended environment powered by digital learning—one that is accessible anytime, anywhere, by everyone.…Read More