Poptential™ by Certell Offers Free Lessons on the Importance and History of Global Trade

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), growing inflation and tighter monetary policy in the United States and abroad, along with unrest in Ukraine and the Middle East, have led to a broad-based trade slowdown in 2023. Poptential™, a family of free social studies course packages, explores the historical significance of global trade in its World History curriculum, equipping high school educators with media-rich content to help students gain a deeper understanding of the importance of free trade.

“High school students rely on robust global trade for many of the products they use every day, so it’s important for them to understand how free trade impacts our economy,” said Julie Smitherman, a former social studies teacher and director of content at Certell, Inc., the nonprofit behind Poptential. “Poptential’s global trade lessons help teachers engage students in discussions about how events, such as economic swings, geopolitical upheaval, and the Covid-19 pandemic, have disrupted the flow of trade, and the importance of trade in the effort to eradicate poverty and enhance the economies of countries big and small.”

Poptential course packages boost student engagement by using a variety of pop culture media to illustrate concepts, including those taken from sitcoms, movies, animations, cartoons, late-night shows, and other sources. Lessons on the history of global trade in Poptential World History Volumes 1 & 2 e-books, include:…Read More

Controversy on whether growth mindset works will strengthen the theory

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This article originally appeared on the Christensen Institute’s blog and is reposted here with permission.

All too often, education research falls short of giving educators on-the-ground actionable advice. However, a recent controversy around Carol Dweck’s well-known growth mindset gives me hope that we can move forward with research that can better inform and support practitioners and students.…Read More

Ulster BOCES Earns Prestigious ‘Deeper Learning Designation’ from Deeper Learning Global

NEW PALTZ, NY – Ulster BOCES is thrilled to announce that it has been honored with the prestigious Deeper Learning Designation from Deeper Learning Global (DLg). This recognition affirms the Ulster BOCES commitment to fostering innovative and transformative learning experiences for educators in the region.

Deeper learning is a pedagogical approach that encourages students to think critically, collaborate effectively, and communicate clearly. It goes beyond traditional classroom methods to prepare students for the challenges of the modern world. Ulster BOCES recognizes the importance of equipping educators with the tools and knowledge necessary to instill deeper learning principles in their classrooms.

“We are incredibly proud to receive the Deeper Learning Designation from Deeper Learning Global,” said Dr. Jonah Schenker, District Superintendent at Ulster BOCES. “This recognition reflects our mission of cultivating a community of educators who are passionate about nurturing deeper learning principles and creating transformative learning experiences for our students. We look forward to continuing to expand our commitment to deeper learning principles.”…Read More

Abbott Elementary and a push for Black educator representation

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on equity, edtech innovation, immersive learning, and the science of reading. This year’s 8th most-read story focuses on the need for more Black educators–especially Black male educators.

Representation matters, and when students have educators who look like them, it does wonders for their learning experience. At ISTELive 23’s opening mainstage event, featured speakers sat down for a chat about the challenges around representation and getting more Black educators—particularly Black male educators—into classrooms.

Director of ISTE Certification Carmalita Seitz sat down with Joyce Abbott, the inspiration behind Abbott Elementary’s name and a recently retired educator; Tyler James Williams, 2023 Golden Globe winner for best supporting actor as teacher Gregory Eddie on Abbott Elementary; and Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development to discuss just how much representation matters for students and teachers.…Read More

Frontline Education Announces Chris Tonas as Chief Technology Officer

Malvern, Pa. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Frontline Education, a leading provider of administration software purpose-built for educators in K-12, today announced that Chris Tonas has joined the company’s executive team as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Chris brings with him over three decades of invaluable experience in software engineering and development, having held leadership roles at Pluralsight and Oracle.

As CTO, Chris is responsible for leading the technological aspects of the company including engineering and development and managing cloud infrastructure and security.

Mark Gruzin, CEO of Frontline Education, expressed his excitement about Chris joining the team: “As we continue to grow and innovate, we are pleased to welcome Chris as our new CTO. We will gain the benefits of Chris’ extensive experience in software engineering, a track record of strategic leadership, and his commitment to engineering advancements. Chris’ passion for innovation and collaborative spirit align seamlessly with Frontline’s goals.”…Read More

What’s next for literacy learning?

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Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia now require science-based literacy instruction to be used in public schools. As educators and parents learn more about the science of reading, two recent polls reveal the alignment and the differences between their perspectives. A survey of parents and educators across the country reveals differing perspectives on the matter.

Shared focus on teacher training…Read More

In 2024, education will build systems that champion the science of reading

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Driven in part by Mississippi’s success in improving student literacy scores, educators across the country have been discussing the science of reading and working to align their materials and practices to this research into how students learn to read. In the coming year, that broad trend will continue, with a shift to looking beyond knowledge building as schools, districts, and states begin improving capacity and creating systems aligned to the science of reading.

Here are a few specific predictions about what that could look like in 2024 for policymakers, schools and districts, educators, and publishers.…Read More

The power of AI in education: Enhancing instructional coaching for student success

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Last fall, ChatGPT, an AI-powered language model, became the subject of widespread discussion, from lighthearted memes about robots taking over to genuine confusion about the capabilities and implications of AI. While we have come to understand this technology better, there still remains hesitancy and caution surrounding AI and its integration into education. A prime example was the New York City School System, which had prohibited students and teachers from accessing ChatGPT’s website on school computers.

This hesitation is understandable, as any new technology brings about both excitement and trepidation. However, it is essential for educators and instructional coaches to embrace emerging technologies like AI, as doing otherwise would mean doing our students a disservice. By integrating AI into the classroom, we have the opportunity to enhance teaching practices, coaching conversations, and ultimately support student success in innovative and meaningful ways.…Read More

GoldieBlox and Discovery Education Partner to Bring Chemistry to High School Classrooms Nationwide with New Immersive Learning Experience on Roblox 

Charlotte, NC – GoldieBlox and Discovery Education today announced a new education initiative – Maker High. Maker High offers an immersive learning experience hosted on Roblox for educators to teach chemistry in middle and high school classrooms.   

Maker High is a new experience on Roblox from the award-winning GoldieBlox team that leverages the power of gamified learning to deeply engage learners in chemistry. Maker High features Chem Lab Escape, a virtual escape room set in a chemistry lab where high school students explore core concepts of chemistry through dynamic gameplay. Chem Lab Escape empowers students to solve challenges such as combining elements and solutions to create chemical reactions and adding and removing heat energy to water to navigate an obstacle course. Accompanying student-driven activities and hands-on investigations are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and facilitate instruction around particle motion and the types of chemical reactions. Resources from Maker High, including the Chem Lab Escape, pair digital media with easy-to-follow instructions and are simple to incorporate into any lesson plan and learning environment.  

“GoldieBlox has over a decade’s worth of experience making STEM fun and inclusive, especially for girls who have been traditionally excluded from STEM fields. Maker High empowers students to understand and master STEM concepts. Maker High makes learning fun by meeting students where they already are: on Roblox. Every detail of these resources are thoughtfully designed to strike that hard-to-reach balance of entertainment and academic rigor, all while delivering the learning content in an accessible, inclusive way,” said Debbie Sterling, CEO and Founder of GoldieBlox. “We hope teachers and students come back to play again and again to build upon their STEM skills.” …Read More