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.

CASEL Announces New Cohort of SEL Fellows to Support Young People Nationwide 

CHICAGO – Education leaders representing 44 school districts and regional offices of education will join a national fellowship focused on social and emotional learning (SEL), hosted by field leader CASEL.

Selected from an impressive pool of applicants, the 2023 cohort of the SEL Fellows Academy take part in a 10-month engagement to deepen their SEL leadership and build systemic implementation strategies in support of their students, educators, and communities. The 46 SEL Fellows in the 2023-2024 cohort represent 26 states that collectively serve more than 2.7 million students from preschool to high school. These districts range in size from 325 students up to some of the largest urban districts in the country. The full roster of the 2023 cohort can be found here.

A convergence of challenges amplified the spotlight on SEL, bringing with it a demand from educators for more guidance on how to advance SEL for millions of young people. Launched in 2020, the SEL Fellows Academy is a unique opportunity for education leaders in rural, suburban, and urban communities to build SEL expertise and develop action plans alongside a growing network of peers and CASEL experts. …Read More

5 edtech tools to save time this year

Key points:

Back-to-school and the first weeks of the new year are definitely busy for teachers as they are diligently preparing lesson plans and getting to know their students–all while building a sense of community in their classrooms. Teachers must meet the challenge of creating engaging instructional resources to support personalized learning, develop lessons to spark student curiosity, and facilitate opportunities for collaboration.

As an educator for more than 26 years, I understand the importance of leveraging technology to “work smarter, not harder” when planning and implementing lessons. As a digital learning specialist, I support instructional technology implementation in my district as well as provide training for teachers on edtech tools. …Read More

Driving equitable learning with thoughtful software implementation

Key points:

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront the stark reality of inequities in our education system. As schools shifted to remote learning, a digital divide emerged, leaving countless students on the wrong side of the equation. The unequal access to technology and the internet has widened the gap, hindering the academic progress of many young minds. However, in the face of this challenge, lies an opportunity to foster equitable learning through thoughtful implementation of software solutions. 

Before the pandemic, the digital divide was already a concern, with disadvantaged students lacking access to essential learning resources. However, as classrooms transitioned online, the divide became larger and larger, exposing the vulnerability of marginalized communities. As a former educator, I have witnessed this divide and know firsthand how limited access to devices, high-speed internet, and adequate tech support create barriers to learning, perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage and hindering students’ potential. …Read More

EdTech Success in LAUSD

Los Angeles Unified School District usually gets a bad rap when it comes to the implementation of tech. There was a ransomware attack at the beginning of school in 2022. Then there was the $95 million payroll system snafu back in 2008. And who can forget the $1.3 Billion iPad Fiasco in 2015?

So it’s great to hear some good news coming out of the district. It was even greater to hear it from industry veteran, Elliott Levine, Qualcomm’s Director of Worldwide Education, the company that commissioned the research from Project Tomorrow, and who always provides a great interview. Click through to listen for some big-picture analysis of the survey results you can scroll below:

Project Tomorrow recently released data on how connected digital learning devices have benefited families in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Commissioned by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., the survey was fielded to 3,000 parents in English and Spanish in May 2023.…Read More

Investing in classroom collaboration tools? 3 things to know

Key points:

  • Flexibility and ease of use should be important parts of decision making
  • Meet today’s needs, but keep tomorrow’s needs in mind

Modern technological advancements affect virtually every area of daily life, and today’s educational institutions are looking to new digital tools to help improve student achievement and engagement while fostering collaborative learning environments for both in-person and remote learners.

To maximize a system’s effectiveness and ensure investments pay dividends for students and instructors, decision makers and school technology managers must maintain a strong understanding of all the available solutions, devices, and platforms that can meet their needs. While differences in location, age range, and budget naturally affect technology decisions and opportunities, there are several key factors central to any successful implementation.

Keep It Simple, Schools…Read More

3 supports for educators implementing restorative justice practices

Educators are embracing restorative justice practices to facilitate safe and relational school environments and address inequities in school disciplinary practices. Research-based guidance offers insights on how to structurally support educators through restorative justice implementation, and there are resources for teachers and support staff as they integrate restorative practices into their roles.

Educators play an important role in restorative justice (RJ) implementation–they are often tasked with ensuring that RJ practices are implemented in classrooms, and they engage in many of the day-to-day interpersonal RJ practices. Because transitioning to RJ is a long and challenging process, it is necessary to provide educators with resources that can help them along the way. Without these broader systemic supports, it is possible that RJ programs may not be equipped to be successful in the long term.

With the need for systemic support for educators in mind, here are some ways to support educators in playing an active role in the development and implementation of RJ programs.…Read More

Windsor Public Schools Transform Culture, Build Coherence Through High-Quality SEL Program

Charlotte N.C. – Aperture Education, the leading provider of research-based social and emotional learning (SEL) assessments for K-12 schools, and the Urban Assembly, an education nonprofit that advances the social and economic mobility of communities by improving public education, announced strong evidence of both positive student-to-student and student-to-teacher relationship building with Windsor (Connecticut) Public School’s thriving SEL program.

Over the last couple of years, Windsor has made remarkable strides in its implementation of SEL, as demonstrated by the compelling data trends. With keen attention to the SEL needs of its students, Windsor has shown an impressive uptick in the proportion of students exhibiting typical to strong SEL abilities. In just one academic year, Windsor witnessed a significant increase, with 84% of students now demonstrating positive SEL skills, up from the previous year’s 79%. Notably, 28% of students exhibit strength in SEL competencies, up from the initial 16%, a testimony to the effectiveness of the SEL interventions.

“I am immensely proud of the work being done by our teachers, SEL Specialists and support staff who are committed  to nurturing the social-emotional well-being of our students,” said Dr. Terrell Hill, Windsor Public Schools Superintendent. “Their dedication and commitment have played a pivotal role in achieving this growth in our students’ social-emotional learning competencies. Their passion for nurturing the holistic development of our students and their unwavering commitment to ensuring the success and well-being of our students is truly inspiring.”…Read More

Navigate360 Advances Whole-Child Student Wellness and Safety Suite with Latest Acquisition in Continuing Effort to End School Shootings, Teen Suicide and Bullying

RICHFIELD, OHIO (PRWEB) — Navigate360, the nation’s leader in K–12 student wellness and physical safety solutions, has acquired  PBIS Rewards, a SaaS platform that simplifies the implementation and management of the evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional and mental health. The acquisition expands Navigate360’s leading whole-child safety suite, giving district leaders the tools, expertise and confidence they need to create safe school environments for 50 million U.S. students and strengthen the academic performance of our youth.

PBIS, which stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, provides a framework for schools and educators to create a safe learning environment where students feel valued and connected through tiered support. With the addition of PBIS Rewards, Navigate360 is setting the new standard for whole-child safety through modern, holistic solutions that address school climate and culture, full-cycle emergency management, early detection, assessment and violence prevention—issues that all desperately require action in today’s schools.…Read More

Give teachers ownership to make computer science a success

Well-intended computer science initiatives are often met with reluctance and resistance before they even get off the ground. Teachers may see the new initiative as “just another thing” on their plate or may feel ill-prepared to tackle an entirely new discipline.

To ensure a smooth transition to teaching computer science, campus and district leaders will need to empower teachers with ownership of the change, versus simply asking them to comply with it.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your teachers are provided with space, support, and resources that will help them confidently assume ownership over the implementation of computer science initiatives.…Read More

Children’s Hospital Colorado Expands Access to Free, Online Teacher Training to Help Students with ASD and ADHD Improve Executive Functioning Skills

Aurora, Colo. – Free, online teacher and parent training designed to improve the executive functioning of elementary school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is now accessible across the nation. The availability of this training is possible due 

to a $2 million contract awarded to Children’s Hospital Colorado’s (Children’s Colorado) Pediatric Mental Health Institute by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute ( PCORI) in 2020. A team from Children’s Colorado, Children’s National Hospital and The Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore is working to implement a successful online training and tele-support system for the  Unstuck and On Target (UOT) program for any parent or educator who needs it. 

Since 2020, this team has piloted UOT video training with 293 school-based staff across 230 elementary schools in Colorado and Virginia. The work follows a related PCORI-funded research project,  Improving Classroom Behaviors Among Students with Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, led by Children’s Colorado researchers.That project demonstrated the effectiveness of UOT at improving the executive functioning – or frontal lobe skills, including flexible thinking, planning and self-control – of school-aged children in Title 1 schools. …Read More