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.

Fostering connections and edtech strategies between education leaders

Key points:

  • Education leaders face uncharted challenges ensuring that teachers who stay feel supported and connected
  • Leaders are consistently ensuring that policies, technology, and teaching practices prioritize equity and cultural responsiveness
  • See related article: 4 best practices to support and retain school leaders

If there is one thing I have seen consistently over many years of working with education leaders around the world, it is that they don’t often get enough opportunities to connect and learn from one another. The heart of education is community, and peer-to-peer learning and conversation are foundational to that. 

This year, as part of ISTE in Philadelphia, a roundtable event hosted by Visual Sound brought together representatives from three districts: the School District of Philadelphia, Prince George’s County Public Schools, and the District of Columbia Public Schools for conversations among education leaders about shared challenges and ideas for solutions. Together, these districts represent more than 300,000 students. They are dedicated to leveraging technology as a key part of teaching and learning, and this roundtable provided the opportunity to share approaches and learn from each other about what works with edtech and what doesn’t.…Read More

ISTE23 Redux—First Takeaways

I’m still digesting all the conversations, sessions, events, and walkabouts from this year’s ISTE in Philadelphia (not to mention the July 4th barbecue in between!) However, specific themes are certainly starting to come together as I look back on my footage and notes and as I begin to read other folks’ commentary online. I’ve already touched upon some of this and intend to explore more in the next few weeks. I would also like to expand this list as most people share their thoughts and ideas. Please forward them along! (Want the full eSchool News product roundup? Buckle up and click here.) All still photography courtesy of ISTE.

AI—This time last year at ISTE in New Orleans, there was some big-picture discussion about the potential of artificial intelligence, along with a bit of fear-mongering. This year, I was hard-pressed to find a booth or have a conversation without at least a mention of it. And for good reason. I like to think my prediction that the PowerSchool announcement will be baking Microsoft’s Azure tools into its platform was in fact the biggest but not the only news in this category. Impero Software announced that it has incorporated AI and machine learning into its newly debuted “Impero Wellbeing” student safety software. When installed on student devices, the software actively and automatically monitors for harmful keywords – such as those having to do with self-harm, bullying, violence, drugs, weapons, pornography or radicalization. If the software detects a student typing potentially dangerous keywords, it then records the incident by snapping a series of screenshots and flagging them in real-time for teacher and administrator review.

The AI component is able to sort through the potentially thousands of flags and intelligently cut through false positives to give teachers immediate visibility to any concerning student behavior. ASCD intends to add AI functionality to Witsby, their new professional learning and credentialing platform featuring ASCD’s content. Designed for digital, the next-generation professional learning platform features thousands of bite-sized learning objects, courses and on-demand content from ASCD authors and experts to support the ongoing development and growth of teachers. Witsby is backed by analytics, multi-layered reporting tools and authoring capabilities to give school leaders the ability to blend their own professional development assets with ASCD professional learning content. …Read More

Top edtech at ISTELive 23

With more than 18,000 attendees, this year’s ISTELive 23 in Philadelphia had a little something for everyone, from AI and esports to security solutions and engaging visual displays.

Here’s a look at some of the top edtech the eSchool News editors saw at ISTELive 23:

Acer America and the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF) announced their alliance to help schools launch or expand their student esports program. Through this alliance, NASEF and Acer America will provide the training, coaching modules and course certification for schools to structure, implement and maintain an esports program. Plus, Acer America, the premier hardware provider for NASEF, is paying the $499 esports coaching certification fee for eligible K-12 schools and universities initiating programs in the 2023-24 school year. The coaching certification for the award-winning NASEF platform prepares teams to participate in the program; having Acer America pay this fee could potentially save a school district thousands of dollars.…Read More

5 ISTELive 23 sessions you won’t want to miss

ISTELive 23 lands in Philadelphia on June 25, and the annual conference promises to be packed with content for administrators, curriculum directors, classroom teachers, and everyone in between.

This year’s conference theme, “Discover Your Next,” celebrates the ideas, partnerships, teaching strategies, and edtech tools that can take learning to its next iteration. Register here, for in-person or virtual access.

With more than 900 sessions, it’s hard to choose a handful to highlight—but here are five sessions that caught our eye:…Read More

Specialized Education Services, Inc. Unveils 2023 Staff and Teacher of the Year Winners

PHILADELPHIA (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Specialized Education Services, Inc. (SESI), a division of FullBloom, a premier provider of education services for K-12 students who require additional educational and positive behavioral supports to overcome challenges that impede success in a traditional school setting, today announced Kristi Hoffman as its 2023 Teacher of the Year (TOY) and Ashanti Brooks as its 2023 Staff of the Year (STOY). The designations were officially made last week as SESI celebrated Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.

SESI’s second annual STOY designation honors teachers who exemplify high-quality, evidence-based instruction and the importance of equitable education for all SESI students. New for 2023, full-time employees including social workers, behavior specialists and paraprofessionals, were eligible for nomination. The STOY program recognizes exemplary staff who demonstrate unparalleled dedication to supporting all students.

“SESI is delighted to celebrate Kristi and Ashanti, regional and campus level winners, and all nominees on the heels of this important week devoted to honoring the exceptional professionals in education,” said Dawn Thomas, president of SESI. “Our compassionate staff and teachers work tirelessly to unlock the potential of every student, a mission that has become increasingly crucial as the number of students receiving special education has grown over the past decade. Their passion for fostering student growth is evident in every classroom, therapy session and special activity.”…Read More

Poor math scores could be a result of student burnout

With math scores falling globally, top high school math students point to academic burnout as a key factor. Among their recommended solutions to boost math performance? Tackle the root cause of burnout, get diversion through non-academic activities, and make STEM classes more applicable to everyday life.

That’s the finding of a survey of 16- to 18-year-olds in the U.S. and U.K. conducted in March by Philadelphia-based Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). The survey gathered responses from 1,000 11th and 12th grade students from across the U.S. and sixth form students in England and Wales, as well as some of their teachers, to get their insights on the impact events of the last three years have had on math performance. The students queried are participants in this year’s MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge), an annual internet-based, intensive math modeling contest organized by SIAM.

“The poll shows that even top students have been struggling with school-related pressures, with 83 percent saying that they have experienced or somewhat experienced academic burnout in the last two years, and 32 percent saying their anxiety over math has increased,” said Dr. Karen Bliss, Senior Manager of Education and Outreach at SIAM. “Yet, rather than following the downward math performance trend, the majority still did well in math, with 35 percent landing even better math grades than previous years and 55 percent maintaining their average.”…Read More

Alliance for Decision Education Unveils First K-12 Learning Standards for Decision Education

PHILADELPHIA — The Alliance for Decision Education, a national nonprofit organization leading the movement to have decision-making skills taught in K-12 schools, today announced the publication of its new K-12 Learning Standards. The Standards represent the movement’s initial effort to provide a framework for what a student should know and be able to do, with respect to learning how to be an effective decision maker. They are intended to be integrated into various classroom subject areas to inspire new ideas, meaningful shifts in pedagogy, new curricula, and school models that empower students to become skillful at making decisions.

“Students today face an unprecedented barrage of information that shapes their decisions and ultimately their lives over the long-term,” said Joe Sweeney, Executive Director of the Alliance. “As we continue to build a national movement for Decision Education, we hope that educators will read these standards, share them with colleagues, put them into practice, and offer us feedback to help turn these learning progressions into reality for this next generation and beyond.”

The Learning Standards can be found on the newly redesigned Alliance website, which is a part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to raise the awareness of Decision Education and provide tools to help incorporate it into K-12 classrooms. The updated site offers education resources, video and interactive materials, as well as blog posts and podcast episodes, all of which make it easy for visitors to learn about Decision Education and its importance to students, teachers, and families.…Read More

Board of Education President Joyce S. Wilkerson Receives The Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award

PHILADELPHIA – Board of Education President Joyce S. Wilkerson received the Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award today for her longstanding commitment to the educational needs of urban school children. The Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) presents this award each year to recognize current or former school board members who have made a difference for the students they serve. 

During her six-year tenure with the School District, Ms. Wilkerson guided the School District’s transition from the state-controlled School Reform Commission to the locally controlled Board of Education in 2018. The Board then oversaw the transformation of a District in fiscal and academic distress to one that improved educational outcomes for students, while it developed strong financial management, attaining an investment grade rating from Moody’s Investor Services for the first time since 1977.

Under Ms. Wilkerson’s leadership, the Board has developed partnerships that have generated additional support for students and has made investments to advance the Board’s strategic plan, known as Goals & Guardrails. In 2019, Ms. Wilkerson led the Board’s work to create and implement Goals & Guardrails, a plan designed to increase student achievement while providing the necessary conditions that support learning. …Read More

Catapult Learning Introduces New High-Dosage Tutoring Program To Reinforce Foundational Math And Literacy Skills For K-12 Students

August 23, 2021, PHILADELPHIA – Catapult Learning, a provider of intervention programs for students and professional development solutions for teachers in both public and nonpublic K-12 schools, today announced the availability of its new high-dosage tutoring offering, an intensive program designed to reinforce students’ foundational skills and quickly recover their unfinished learning. Debuting as students return to school, the program supports academic and social emotional growth during this critical time in their educational journey. It is uniquely designed for grades K-12 and features an acceleration approach that targets key prerequisite and grade-level standards and skills, providing a personalized plan to guide instruction and support differentiation.

With more than 5,000 educators, Catapult’s proprietary high-dosage tutoring program is designed to scale individualized learning. Led by expertly trained tutors, the program begins with an academic diagnostic assessment to pinpoint areas in which support is needed. From there, an individualized plan is created to set learning goals, followed by flexible instruction up to five times a week, with 45+ minute sessions in small group settings. Students are re-assessed throughout the program to monitor progress and growth, allowing for ongoing plan recalibration and goal resetting.

“Our high-dosage tutoring solution is an evolution in Catapult’s mission to help our partners positively impact every child with whom they engage,” said Devon Wible, vice president of academics, Catapult Learning. “This comprehensive and integrated approach for families and schools focuses on the whole student, optimizing academic and social-emotional outcomes to accelerate learning and enable significant achievement over a single school year.”…Read More

Cablecast Community Media Platform and Screenweave LIVE Keep North Penn School District Students Broadcasting

As the educational access channel for the North Penn School District, North Penn Television (NPTV) brings timely information to residents in the Montgomery County suburbs of Philadelphia via its cable channel, website, and social media. When schools across Pennsylvania closed earlier this year during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff and students leveraged Tightrope Media Systems’ Cablecast Community Media platform and new Screenweave LIVE cloud-based service to continue broadcasting to their community.

North Penn School District comprises 13 elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school. Operated by high school students under the guidance of the district’s Coordinator of Communications Media, Bob Gillmer, NPTV covers everything from Board of School Directors’ meetings to high school sports and concerts. In addition to its weekly “Mornings” news program, NPTV also broadcasts the monthly “North Penn Right Now” live to the community and to all of the district’s 13,000 students and staff in their classrooms or offices.

NPTV had already been using the Cablecast platform as its playout and automation system prior to the pandemic, with Gillmer praising its ease of use and rich feature set as ideal for the educational channel. “It has all the tools that you really need, particularly for a PEG channel, college or school at our level,” he said. “It even has tools you may not realize you need yet, and then when you think ‘I wish I could do this,’ you find that it’s already there.”…Read More