learning Archives

Learning the “why” behind the math: How professional learning transformed our teachers

January 16, 2026 by Jason Aldridge, Charleston County School District

$Teachers are the first to tell you whether PD is worth their time…and our teachers are asking for more of this professional learning.$

When you walk into a math classroom in Charleston County School District, you can feel the difference. Students aren’t just memorizing steps--they’re reasoning through problems, explaining their thinking,…

AI in Education

AI for empathy: Using generative tools to deepen, not replace, human connection in schools

January 13, 2026 by Timothy Montalvo, Iona University & the College of Westchester

AI can’t perform human actions like empathy for us, but it can help students and educators practice and prepare for them.

For the last two years, conversations about AI in education have tended to fall into two camps: excitement about efficiency or fear of replacement. Teachers worry they’ll lose…

AI in Education

AI use is on the rise, but is guidance keeping pace?

January 2, 2026 by Laura Ascione

As AI becomes a fixture in schools, educators and students need reliable guidance on how to use it well--especially as AI use evolves.

The rapid rise of generative AI has turned classrooms into a real-time experiment in technology use. Students are using AI to complete assignments, while teachers are leveraging it…

AI in Education

25 predictions about AI and edtech

December 30, 2025 by Laura Ascione

As generative AI tools mature, AI predictions contend that K-12 education will leverage AI in new ways to transform teaching and learning.

As generative AI technologies evolve, educators are moving away from fears about AI-enabled cheating and are embracing the idea that AI can open new doors for teaching and…

AI in Education

This math platform leverages AI coaching to help students tackle tough concepts

December 25, 2025 by Laura Ascione

An AI math coaching platform, used as part of a tiered support structure, gives students access to tutoring and homework support.

Math is a fundamental part of K-12 education, but students often face significant challenges in mastering increasingly challenging math concepts.

DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access)

DEI in education: Pros and cons

December 24, 2025 by Dr. Yuvraj Verma, Bessemer City Middle School and William Howard Taft University

Positive DEI efforts in education include thoughtful and inclusive implementation strategies that promote equity and inclusion for all.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become integral to educational institutions across the United States. DEI aims to foster environments where all students can thrive regardless of…

K-12 Cybersecurity

AI vs. identity fraud: 3 threats putting student safety at risk

December 17, 2025 by Ashwin Sugavanam, Jumio Corporation

As digital learning becomes the norm and AI accelerates, identity fraud will only get more sophisticated and schools must protect students.

In today’s schools, whether K-12 or higher education, AI is powering smarter classrooms. There’s more personalized learning and faster administrative tasks. And students themselves are engaging with AI…

ELL

How an AI-generated song transformed my ELL classroom

December 16, 2025 by Nesreen El-Baz, Bloomsbury Education Author & School Governor

The true power of AI lies not in replacing learning, but in opening doors for every learner, including ELL students, to express who they are.

A trending AI song went viral, but in my classroom, it did something even more powerful: it unlocked student voice.

Newsline

School Specialty LLC Announces Acquisition of Nasco Education U.S.

December 8, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

Greenville, Wis – December 8, 2025 – School Specialty®, a leading provider of learning environments, supplies and science curriculum to ... Read more

Online & Hybrid Learning

Teaching might be synchronous, but learning is always happening asynchronously

December 8, 2025 by George Philhower, Ed.D., Eastern Hancock Schools

Real student engagement happens in the head of the learner, and that's harder to quantify when analyzing synchronous or asynchronous learning.

The bell rings at 10:00 a.m. A teacher begins explaining quadratic equations. Some students lean forward, pencils ready. Others stare at the clock. A few are still turning…

Teacher Professional Development

4 ways AI can make your PD more effective

December 4, 2025 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

AI can help PD facilitators design activities that meet everyone’s needs while keeping the group moving forward together.

If you lead professional learning, whether as a school leader or PD facilitator, your goal is to make each session relevant, engaging, and lasting. AI can help you…

District Management

How one school reimagined learning spaces–and what others can learn

December 2, 2025 by Beth Stone, Collegedale Academy

Schools can build learning spaces and environments where students feel they belong--and where teachers are empowered to do their best work.

When Collegedale Academy, a PreK–8 school outside Chattanooga, Tennessee, needed a new elementary building, we faced a choice that many school leaders eventually confront: repair an aging facility…

Teacher Professional Development

Rethinking icebreakers in professional learning

November 28, 2025 by Andy Szeto, Ed.D, Professor and District Administrator

Too often, icebreakers are poorly designed fillers, disconnected from learning goals--they should respect professional learning.

I was once asked during an icebreaker in a professional learning session to share a story about my last name. What I thought would be a light moment…

K-12 Cybersecurity

Resilient learning begins with Zero Trust and cyber preparedness

November 25, 2025 by Gary Barlet, Illumio

Even in districts with limited staff and funding, schools can take important steps toward stronger security with Zero Trust and cybersecurity

The U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recently warned of a surge in cyberattacks from “insider threats”--student hackers motivated by dares and challenges--leading to breaches across schools.

Newsline

100 Learning Spaces Transformed, $5 Million Invested: School Specialty and College Football Playoff Foundation Celebrate Impact Across Schools Nationwide

November 24, 2025 by ESchool News Staff

New media center at North Dade Middle School marks milestone in initiative revitalizing learning environments to benefit the entire learning ... Read more

Leveraging E-Rate to Transform Learning

December 1, 2025November 21, 2025 by Vcarlson

Digital learning allows for more personalized, engaging and student-centered instruction. It empowers students to take control of their education, leading ... Read more

STEM & STEAM Trends

Why early STEAM education unlocks the future for all learners

November 19, 2025 by Dr. Melanie Johnson, Collaborative for Children

Delaying STEAM education and learning until later grades means we risk leaving behind countless children and narrowing the talent pipeline.

When we imagine the future of America’s workforce, we often picture engineers, coders, scientists, and innovators tackling the challenges of tomorrow.

AI in Education

AI in the classroom: Preparing for a new era of teaching and learning

November 18, 2025 by Ian McDougall, Yuma Union High School District

AI is not going away in teaching or learning--whether we’re ready or not, it’s going to shape how our students live and work.

When I first started experimenting with AI in my classroom, I saw the same thing repeatedly from students. They treated it like Google. Ask a question, get an…

STEM & STEAM Trends

Teaching math the way the brain learns changes everything

November 17, 2025 by Nigel Nisbet, Mind Education

$Using visual and meaningful context aligned to how the brain learns can make math more understandable and engaging for all students.$

Far too many students enter math class expecting to fail. For them, math isn’t just a subject--it’s a source of anxiety that chips away at their confidence and…

College and Career Readiness

How CTE inspires long and fulfilling careers

November 12, 2025 by Dr. Richard McPherson, Ed.D.

CTE offers something few other learning pathways can match: a direct skills-based progression from classroom learning to readiness in careers

One of the most transformative aspects of Career and Technical Education is how it connects learning to real life. When students understand that what they’re learning is preparing…

K-12 Cybersecurity

10 reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 ASAP

November 11, 2025November 11, 2025 by Laura Ascione

Upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t just a fix--it protects students, strengthens IT resilience, and equips classrooms for an AI-powered future

K-12 IT leaders are under pressure from all sides--rising cyberattacks, the end of Windows 10 support, and the need for powerful new learning tools.

Digital Learning Tools

More parents are homeschooling–and turning to podcasts for syllabus support

November 6, 2025 by Jed Baker, Starglow Media

Homeschooling is increasing, and with it is the need for flexible, affordable, and trustworthy educational content--often found in podcasts.

A revolution quietly underway in American education: the rise of homeschooling. In the past decade, there’s been a 61 percent increase in homeschool students across the United States,…

Classroom Management

Room to grow: Creating a classroom built for success

November 5, 2025 by Dr. Sue Ann Highland, School Specialty

Classroom design can directly benefit student outcomes and success, and can also contribute to teacher well-being.

For decades, curriculum, pedagogy, and technology have evolved to meet the changing needs of students. But in many schools, the classroom environment itself hasn’t kept pace.

Literacy

3 strategies to boost student reading fluency this school year

October 31, 2025 by Dr. Carolyn Brown, Foundations in Learning

All students can become strong, proficient readers when they are given the right tools, instruction, and support in reading fluency.

With the new school year now rolling, teachers and school leaders are likely being hit with a hard truth: Many students are not proficient in reading.

District Management

How districts can avoid 4 hidden costs of outdated facilities systems

November 7, 2025October 30, 2025 by Shane Foster, Follett Software

Facilities teams are already stretched thin, and antiquated facilities systems prevent them from managing day-to-day operations.

School leaders are under constant pressure to stretch every dollar further, yet many districts are losing money in ways they may not even realize. The culprit? Outdated facilities processes…

College and Career Readiness

Making career readiness meaningful in today’s classrooms

October 29, 2025 by Jessica Stanford, RN, Baldwin Preparatory Academy

Career readiness programs help students see the relevance of their learning and give them the confidence to pursue their goals.

How can we make classroom learning more meaningful for our students? In today’s rapidly evolving world, preparing learners for the future isn’t about gathering academic knowledge.

AI in Education

Why busy educators need AI with guardrails

October 28, 2025 by Nick Koprowicz, Prometric

Trust in AI begins with thoughtful design, expert oversight, and acknowledgement of the work educators do every day

In the growing conversation around AI in education, speed and efficiency often take center stage, but that focus can tempt busy educators to use what’s fast rather than…

College and Career Readiness

They love me, they love me not: Smart strategies to help students find the perfect college

October 27, 2025 by Donald Kamentz, Contigo Ed

All students can find a college or university that aligns with their goals and abilities, but the college search is an art and a science.

You’ll often hear two words come up in advising sessions as students look ahead to college: match and fit. They sound interchangeable, but they’re not.

Education Policy & Funding

Funding technology initiatives in uncertain times

October 24, 2025 by Gillian Rhodes, Avantis Education

Be intentional about where to look for technology funding, how to frame proposals, and how to measure and share impact

Recent policy shifts have caused significant uncertainty in K-12 education funding, especially for technology initiatives. It’s no longer business as usual. Schools can’t rely on the same federal…

Virtual Field Trips

Effective tools to foster student engagement

October 23, 2025 by Leia J. DePalo, Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

Engaging learning opportunities, like virtual field trips, show students how classrooms learnings directly connect to their real lives.

In my classroom, students increasingly ask for relevant content. Students want to know how what they are learning in school relates to the world beyond the classroom. They…

K-12 Cybersecurity

How Windows 11 is powering the next generation of K-12 innovation

November 5, 2025October 23, 2025 by Laura Ascione

K-12 leaders can strengthen cybersecurity, simplify IT management, and deliver inclusive, AI-driven learning experiences with Windows 11.

As school districts navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape, IT and academic leaders face a growing list of challenges--from hybrid learning demands and complex device ecosystems to rising…

Digital Learning Tools

Rethink the classroom: How interactive tech simplifies IT and supercharges learning

October 22, 2025 by Laura Ascione

For tech leaders balancing innovation, security, and scalability, interactive solutions offer a chance to reimagine what’s possible.

Today’s school IT teams juggle endless demands--secure systems, manageable devices, and tight budgets--all while supporting teachers who need tech that just works.

AI in Education

5 essential AI tech tools for back-to-school success

October 21, 2025 by Jamie MacPherson, Van Andel Institute for Education

Integrating effective AI tools into the classroom can help students build inquiry and critical thinking

By now, the 2025-2026 school year is well underway. The glow of new beginnings has faded, and the process of learning has begun in earnest. No doubt there…

Internet Connectivity

Future-proof your district’s network: Smarter, faster, and more secure classroom connectivity

November 5, 2025October 21, 2025 by Laura Ascione

Innovative districts are modernizing and future-proofing district networks to power learning, safeguard data, and maximize E-rate funding.

As digital learning continues to evolve, K-12 districts are under pressure to deliver connectivity that’s as fast, secure, and flexible as the learning it supports.

Universal Design for Learning

Next gen learning spaces: UDL in action

October 13, 2025 by Leslie Stebbins, Research4Ed

Learning spaces and UDL changes can significantly influence student engagement, well-being, and academic achievement.

By embracing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in purchasing decisions, school leaders can create learning spaces that not only accommodate students with disabilities but enhance the educational…

College and Career Readiness

Tools and ideas to engage students in career-connected learning

October 7, 2025 by Dr. Angie Haro, EdD, Education Service Center Region 19

Career-connected learning ensure that all students graduate prepared, inspired, and equipped to thrive in college and the workforce.

For nearly two decades, I’ve worked to improve teaching and learning with technology. And while the continuously evolving nature of technology has changed the trajectory of my career…

Teacher Professional Development

Rethinking substitute teacher preparation

October 6, 2025 by Dr. Stephanie Wall, Kelly Education

To train and support confident, competent substitute teachers that today’s students need and deserve, a new preparation standard is needed.

Many of us remember the days when having a substitute teacher meant movie day--a wheeled video cart appeared, and the substitute teacher’s main goal was making sure students…

Curriculum & Assessment

Why critical data literacy belongs in every K–12 classroom

October 2, 2025 by Evan Shieh, Young Data Scientists League

Critical data literacy is essential to help students navigate cultural nuance, question assumptions, and collaborate across disciplines.

An unexpected group of presenters--11th graders from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago--made a splash at this year’s ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT).