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.

28 can’t-miss edtech innovations from ISTE 2017

This year’s ISTE Conference was all about technology-charged learning–and from the keynotes and sessions to the fast-paced exhibit hall, the conference’s more than 20,000 attendees (15,000 educators plus expo hall staff) were immersed in just that.

In all, ISTE 2017 produced 159,000 tweets from people across the U.S. and 72 countries. The most popular topics, based on number of sessions, focused on creativity and productivity tools (113), innovative learning environments (108), online tools and resources (82), constructivist learning and the maker movement (77), and programming and robotics (70).

But if you couldn’t make it to San Antonio this year, don’t worry–we’ve got a round-up of some of the newest products and announcements from companies dedicated to tech-enabled learning.…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

Boxlight to debut standard, interactive laser and bulb projectors at ISTE

New P12 line of projectors offers models for every classroom budget and need, including laser projectors, touch projectors, and combinations of both

Boxlight will be unveiling its new line of P12 projectors at the 2016 ISTE Conference & Expo in Denver, Colorado. Attendees will be able to see live demos of the touch projectors by visiting the Boxlight booth (#3311).

Scheduled to start shipping in late June, the product line offers educators four easy ways to bring stunning visuals to classroom instruction. In addition to a standard projector, the line includes laser, laser HD, and laser ultra-wide projectors. A full list of all 12 P12 interactive touch projectors, as well as stylus-only and non-interactive models, is available at http://www.boxlight.com/P12-Series.

Stevan Vigneaux, Director of Product Management for Boxlight, drew special attention to three models: the P12L ultra-short-throw laser projector, the P12LU laser ultra-wide projector and the P12B ultra-short-throw projector.…Read More

Impero Software’s keyword library addresses online safety concerns

New terms will help schools flag potential instances of bullying, abuse, self-harm or radicalization

It makes the headlines often: A young man or woman in the U.S. ends his or her own life due to bullying or becomes radicalized and attempts to join ISIS or other hate groups. In both instances, adults in these youth’s lives are often left wondering what they could have done to intervene.

In an effort to protect students in this always-on and connected world, Impero Software, a remote monitoring and management software provider, has updated its keyword libraries to include a more comprehensive list of U.S. specific terms related to bullying, self-harm, radicalization and more, in order to alert educators so they can help students before a tragedy occurs. Impero will showcase the updated library in their booth #708 during the 2016 ISTE conference June 26-29, 2016 in Denver.

The updated library, combined with Impero Education Pro software, gives educators an edge on internet safety by helping them monitor and analyze student activity on school devices. The software alerts educators when a student uses words or phrases that match a term in the keyword library.…Read More

Educating parents of the Siri generation

In our digital world, some parents may feel lost at sea. Here’s what they need to know

[Ed. note: Carl Hooker will deliver a related session on digital parenting at this year’s ISTE conference on Monday June 29. Previous ISTE coverage has focused on iPads and coding and keynoter Josh Stumpenhorst.]

digital-parentsWhat ever happened to the good old days? When I was a kid I used to listen to music my parents didn’t like and stay out riding my bike until the street lights came on. Today, our kids have scheduled playdates and a steady stream of organized activities, and spend the rest of their time connecting to others online. We no longer live in an analog world, yet why do we think our parenting should look the same as it did back then?

As an administrator in a one-to-one mobile device district, I’ve seen firsthand how access to devices can disrupt learning for both good and bad. But we forget that this disruption also occurs at home when the students take their device home. Our teachers hopefully have hours and hours of support and training for integrating these tools in the classroom, but what help are parents getting?…Read More

Nation’s largest ed-tech conference set to begin

ISTE 2014 Conference & Expo begins June 28 in Atlanta—and eSchool Media has it covered

ISTE-conference
This year’s ISTE conference is expected to draw more than 18,000 people.

The nation’s largest ed-tech conference is about to begin in Atlanta—and eSchool Media will be there, bringing you live coverage throughout the event!

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2014 Conference & Expo kicks off June 28 at the Georgia World Congress Center, and it runs through July 2.

Those attending the conference in person will have access to hundreds of sessions in a variety of formats, including lectures and hands-on learning environments—as well as a massive exhibit hall featuring the latest ed-tech products and services from more than 500 companies.…Read More

Tablet solutions abound at 2013 ISTE conference

Schools can buy any number of 32-gigabyte Surface RT tablets for $199, through a special Microsoft offer that’s good through Aug. 31 or while supplies last.

Tablet-based mobile learning was a big area of focus during the 2013 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio in late June, with Microsoft making the biggest splash by giving away free Surface RT tablets to 10,000 conference participants.

The goal of Microsoft’s Windows in the Classroom Surface Experience Project was to show educators how its Windows 8 operating system—which can power both laptops and tablets—can help create engaging learning opportunities for students.

In addition, Microsoft is offering special pricing on its Surface RT tablets to schools for a limited time. Schools can buy any number of 32-gigabyte Surface RTs for $199, Microsoft said; with a Touch Keyboard Cover the devices will cost $249, and with a Type Keyboard Cover they’ll cost $289. That’s a savings of at least $300 per device.…Read More

Twenty new curriculum software products for schools

Here are some of the curriculum software products showcased during the 2013 ISTE conference.

At the 2013 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio last month, a number of ed-tech companies introduced new curriculum software products, or enhancements to existing curriculum software. Here are some of the highlights.

Benesse America announced that schools can sign up for free, three-month pilot licenses of its StraightAce supplementary eLearning system for middle school math and language arts (grades 6-8). The curriculum can be used on virtually any device, the company says—including computers, tablets, and even smart phones—and Benesse claims that 15 minutes of use per day can lead to higher test scores.

The software can be used with teacher-led instruction, or students can work on it from home or wherever they have internet access. The teacher version includes a dashboard for tracking students’ growth and assigning specific content to certain individuals, allowing for more personalized instruction.…Read More

Personalized learning a key theme from 2013 ISTE conference

Preparing for personalized learning involves making sure you have the right IT infrastructure.

How technology can provide opportunities for more personalized learning that meets each student’s unique needs was a key theme to emerge from the exhibit hall of the 2013 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in San Antonio last month.

For instance, Dell released a document called “Path to Personalize Learning,” a blueprint that comes from the company’s research and its work with school districts such as Clear Creek Independent School District in Texas and Fargo Public Schools in North Dakota.

Here are five steps to implementing more personalized learning environments with the help of technology, according to the document:…Read More

Ed-tech innovators share their vision for education

Video_CameraresizedFrom ideas on how Web 2.0 tools and game-based learning environments can help schools move beyond the industrial-era model of instruction, to the key question that should define successful teaching and learning in the 21st century, eSchool News TV recently captured the insights of several education technology leaders in a series of video interviews you won’t want to miss.

With support from JDL Horizons, our video crew was at the International Society for Technology in Education’s annual conference in Denver in late June, where we interviewed several visionary leaders in education technology.

Here is a small sampling of the wisdom we captured on video during the conference. Be sure to watch all of our ISTE 2010 videos on eSN-TV, however—where you’ll find information on such diverse topics as the latest in school eMail security threats, new Microsoft certifications, and more.…Read More