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.

Teachers want larger role in ed-tech decisions

A new survey reveals that more teachers want a say in which products are purchased for their classrooms

More teachers want to play an increased role in ed-tech decision-making, according to a survey of more than 4,300 teachers by TES Global in partnership with the Jefferson Education Accelerator.

In fact, the majority of surveyed teachers (63 percent) said they believe they should be the primary decision-makers when it comes to technology in their classrooms.

But despite that majority, only 38 percent of those surveyed said they are consulted during the ed-tech decision-making process, citing a feeling that teacher buy-in does not play a major role in such purchasing decisions.…Read More

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4 finalists vie for Superintendent of the Year

Winner will be announced in February at AASA conference

leadership-superintendent-aasaAASA, The School Superintendents Association, announced today the finalists for the 2016 National Superintendent of the Year. This marks the 29th anniversary of the program, which honors school system leaders throughout the country.

Co-sponsored by Aramark, VALIC and AASA, the 2016 National Superintendent of the Year will be announced at AASA’s National Conference on Education, Feb. 11-13, 2016, in Phoenix, Ariz.

The four finalists for the 2016 AASA National Superintendent of the Year are:…Read More

20 ed-tech leaders to watch

Desire to deliver more personalized learning drives exploration of innovative technology solutions

leaders-watchThe National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) Technology Leadership Network (TLN) recently announced its “20 to Watch” honorees for 2014-15.

These education leaders from across the country are being recognized for their ability to inspire colleagues to explore and embrace innovative technology solutions that contribute to high-quality instruction and support more personalized learning experiences for students.

“This year’s ‘20 to Watch’ honorees highlight the kind of exciting innovations that exist throughout America’s public schools. These teachers and administrators, with support from their school boards, share a vision for learning that will prepare students for future success,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, NSBA’s Executive Director. “These inspirational pioneers are having a positive impact on the districts they serve.”…Read More

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A one-to-one program done slowly—and right

Superintendent Steven Webb’s successful one-to-one rollout could serve as a roadmap for districts

webb-leadership

Dr. Steven Webb’s rise as a visionary leader in K-12 education is as much a credit to his listening skills as it is to his leadership skills. Before the board of Vancouver Public Schools adopted the strategic plan for the district’s digital transformation in 2008, they did extensive public outreach to ensure that every community in the district had an opportunity to be heard. “What’s happening at our district isn’t my vision,” remarks Webb. “It isn’t the board’s vision. It’s the community’s vision for their children.”

It makes sense. If your district’s digital transformation supports a scalable personalized learning initiative, how personalized can it be if it’s a top-down, one-size-fits-all plan that doesn’t take into account the specific needs of the community?

The district collected more than 2,000 separate sets of input from a variety of different engagement strategies, including focus groups with targeted audiences, such as parents and students in unique populations they might not have heard from otherwise.…Read More

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10 ways to revolutionize PD for the digital age

Top tips from school leaders on innovating digital professional development and putting the focus where it belongs—on teachers

Odigital-pdver the past 6-8 years we have seen a supersonic advancement in public schools and the way our teachers now must teach. This has hit education like a tidal wave, leaving precious little time for our teachers to process it, and especially to learn how to do it well.

The consequence, in many schools, is that teachers have begun to use technology but have forced it into all the wrong places and for all the wrong reasons. Research has consistently shown that technology used in inappropriate ways is actually worse for learning, and this is happening all around us.

At Grand Oak Elementary School in Huntersville, NC we have worked hard to create an environment where we are supporting our staff through this transition. We are only in our second year of existence and yet we have set the stage through our vision to become a school where teachers and students “Collaborate. Innovate. Achieve.” We aim to help teachers understand our goals for educating students while providing them with the tools, resources, and support culture to make those goals reality. In many ways, the focus on differentiation, risk-taking, and learn-by-doing activities we’re introducing to our teachers mirrors what we are asking from our students as well.…Read More

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Three Ways Digital Badges are Used in Education

As schools progress to include online and on-campus courses and activities, digital badges are suited to meet the needs of emerging education models

gI_132393_MakingbadgesAs children, our accomplishments were recognized with trophies, plaques, a pat on the back or cloth badges sewn on to a Girl Scout or Boy Scout sash.

In high school and college, we received diplomas and began to fill up resumes and LinkedIn profiles with job qualifications and experience. But what if there was a way to help acknowledge educational experiences that happen outside of the classroom and recognize valuable skills such as leadership or collaboration?

To address this need, the trend of digital badges is rapidly catching on. But what will be its impact and potential on education?…Read More

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5 ways schools throw away talented teachers

New report reveals there’s no pipeline for teacher talent in schools; leadership not cultivated

leadership-teachers-schoolsAccording to a new report based on thousands of educator responses, schools across the country don’t have a pipeline for leadership, discouraging talented teachers from staying in education. The problem: The unending cycle of mediocrity based on last-minute leadership hires for those often unprepared for the challenges facing schools today.

The report, “Building Pathways: How to develop the next generation of transformational school leaders,” by Bain & Company—a management consulting firm often working with schools and charter schools—discusses how despite student achievement progress in many districts across the country, there is still a lack of consensus around what works…except good leadership.

“We know that an essential ingredient behind each school success story is extraordinary leadership,” says the report. “Yet we have far too few transformational school leaders today to replicate the results that are possible at a greater scale. The reason: Most school systems fail to methodically develop talented educators into a deep bench of prospective leaders with the experience and ability to build an extraordinary school.”…Read More

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Educators learn about leadership at CGSC

Principals and their protégés from around the country participated in an inaugural event at Fort Leavenworth Nov. 13-15 to learn more about how the Army develops leaders so that they can become better leaders themselves, FtLeavenworthLamp.com reports. Organized by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the event at the Lewis and Clark Center’s Arnold Confernce Room highlighted the parallels found in military and secondary education. According to Dick Flanary, NASSP’s deputy executive director of programs and services, the seminar had been three years in the making. He said leadership makes a significant difference in secondary education…

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Rhee at GOP convention: Reform will require ‘getting ready for a fight’

Former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee called for classroom teachers unhappy with the system to brace themselves for battle, says the Hechinger Report. She spoke during a panel following the showing of “Won’t Back Down,” a film to be released this fall about a parent and teacher fighting to take over a failing school.

“There is a difference in my mind between teacher union leadership and rank-and-file teachers,” she said, adding that most teachers got into the profession wanting to have a positive impact. Fixing problems, she said, is “going to require teachers steeling themselves up and getting ready for a fight.”

“Won’t Back Down” features Maggie Gyllenhaal as the parent of a dyslexic daughter with a clearly incompetent teacher, and Viola Davis as a teacher who is convinced to try to shake up the system……Read More