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.

5 ways edtech builds cross-curricular connections to STEM content

Cross-curricular connections throughout different subject and content areas help to make lessons more meaningful and relevant for students. Thoughtfully-crafted STEM lessons that leverage technology-rich resources similar to what your students are using outside the classroom are great ways to engage students in interdisciplinary instruction.

As a STEM educator, I work with teachers at my school to develop engaging and inquiry-based lessons that help ignite student curiosity and foster their love for learning. Through the many Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) I belong to, I often hear teachers say the same thing: They want to include more STEM content in their instruction, but they are not sure how to get started.

Here are a few technology-rich strategies that help you to incorporate STEM content into different subject areas:…Read More

14 trailblazing educators you should follow on Twitter

Social media plays a large role in today’s society, and most educators aren’t scared to jump in and leverage Twitter, Facebook and other social networks to increase their professional learning networks.

In fact, regular Twitter chats that focus on professional development, resources for students, special educations, and myriad other educational topics can do wonders for teacher morale.

But as great as Twitter is, it also can be overwhelming. Who should you follow? How often should you tweet? Which chats should you participate in, and how frequently?…Read More

7 tips for teachers building collaborative, fearless PLNs

 Don’t be daunted! Try these best practices for finding and collaborating with fellow educators

PLCs-communitiesEd. note: Innovation In Action is a new monthly column from the International Society of Technology in Education focused on exemplary practices in education.

PLNS-fearlessResearch indicates that nearly 50 percent of educators will leave the field within the first five years of entering a classroom. This is an astounding number that costs the U.S. more than $2 billion annually. Why the high burnout rate? Many cite isolation and lack of support as reasons for exiting the field. Sometimes new teachers are nervous to admit they may be struggling. By helping educators build strong connections to others, both within their buildings and around the world, we can begin to create more stability in the profession and refresh our passion for education.

Teachers are natural collaborators. From the school hallways to what could be called today’s water cooler—social media—teachers love to share and discuss what’s working, what isn’t, and the finer points of why or why not.…Read More