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.

Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) Launches Sister Schools Program Across Four States and the Territory of Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) today announced the launch of the ALAS Sister Schools Program, a year-long partnership in which teams of students from schools in the continental US and Puerto Rico collaborate on projects focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).

A total of eight schools have been selected to participate in the inaugural program. For the program, which launched during Hispanic Heritage Month, students work together to develop solutions to real-world challenges. Each sister school team will develop their own solution and the project will culminate in April 2024 with each team creating a TED Ed Student Talk about their solution.

“We created the Sister Schools Program to connect and enrich learning for students at predominantly Latino-serving schools across North America including our territorial affiliate, Puerto Rico,” said ALAS Executive Director Dr. Maria Armstrong. “It’s an amazing opportunity for these students to go beyond their traditional lessons and we’re excited to follow their experiences and their progression in academic and 21st Century skills, and to celebrate their successes at the end of the year.”…Read More

Embracing AI for limitless learning potential

Key points:

  • Students will continue to use AI–educators should encourage responsible AI use among students
  • Stopgaps to block AI will only negatively impact underserved students who don’t have ready access to the internet at home
  • See related article: Is AI the future of education?

When ChatGPT was released in November 2022, many educators saw AI as a threat, assuming students were going to use AI to cheat. And they did. But in our haste to identify the pitfalls of generative AI, we have obscured examples of how students have used it to explore new topics, help with projects, and nurture creativity and curiosity. 

With the landscape shifting so quickly, we can no longer ignore the fact that back to school is going to look very different this year. …Read More

4 ideas to consider when designing a STEM lab

Key points:

  • STEM labs are engaging environments that encourage exploration
  • With the right tools and supports, students develop and grow 21st-century skills

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is focused on developing students’ skills and connecting these subject areas, preparing them for future careers and the real world. It’s a key area of teaching worldwide and thousands of schools are now investing in learning spaces specifically designed to support STEM–called STEM labs.

What is a STEM Lab?…Read More

The 21st century learning mantra is played out

The world is changing in remarkable ways, and the pace of this change is only accelerating. Thanks to unprecedented advances in technology, society continues to evolve at an exponential rate. The rapidity of change has led to dramatic shifts in all aspects of life, from how people communicate and collaborate to how they solve problems, create projects, and consume content (Sheninger, 2019).

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us, and it is drastically different from the previous three, with the hallmark of this period being the momentous evolution of digital technology. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is defined as “a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.” Rapid advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things, and biotechnology characterize this revolution.

This high-speed evolution of technology has drastically changed the way we communicate. Social media platforms have revolutionized how people interact, allowing them to connect with each other no matter where they are in the world. People can now instantly share their thoughts and experiences with people worldwide, creating a truly global community. This phenomenon has enabled people to collaborate on a global scale, working together to solve complex problems and create far-reaching projects that would have been impossible in the past.…Read More

How to use Minecraft Education in your classroom

It’s easier than you think to begin using Minecraft Education in your classroom. During an FETC 2023 session, technology specialist Kristen Brooks from the Cherokee County School District offered an overview of how she engages her students with Minecraft Education.

“When kids use Minecraft in the classroom, they’re so engrossed in what they’re doing that they forget they’re actually learning,” Brooks said. “Students excel in their learning when they’re encouraged to create projects in a style or format they prefer.”

Here are some of her tips to get started and sustain enthusiasm for Minecraft Education:…Read More

Growing Number of Schools Turn to MiEN Company to Create Spaces that Support Learning and Collaboration

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Jan. 4, 2023 – Twelve schools and one district-wide project are a few of the most recent educational institutions to make MiEN Company their furnishing and design partner in creating or upgrading spaces within their school campuses. MiEN helped its new partners to renovate spaces for cafés, esports, teacher lounges, student unions, common areas, makerspaces, and even an entire school building.

The categories of projects and the participating schools are listed below:

Café Space Projects…Read More

Certell Named a Finalist for Two 2022 Civvys Awards

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — (June 14, 2022) — Certell, Inc., whose mission is to foster a generation of independent thinkers, was named a finalist for two awards in the fifth annual American Civic Collaboration Awards, also known as the “Civvys.”

The Civvys is the only national awards program dedicated to celebrating projects that emphasize working together across divides to strengthen communities and empower citizens. By leveraging collaboration as a core strength, these initiatives put community and nation before party, ideology, and narrow interests, embodying a civic spirit that inspires other Americans to take action.

Certell’s SensibleSchool was named a finalist in the National Category for its Bending Bars program that brings Civics and other classes to prison inmates. Certell’s Poptential™ was named a finalist in the Youth Category for its free family of social studies course packages that include engaging digital storytelling to bring social studies to life.…Read More

How online learning can bridge the math gap

As the U.S. moves toward more normalized learning and day-to-day life, we know many students continue to feel the impact of remote and hybrid learning. The lingering effects of remote learning during the pandemic have left many students behind, particularly in essential math and reading skills.

In a 2021 study, more than half of public-school K-12 teachers said the pandemic resulted in a “significant” learning loss for many students. Other evidence shows that the pandemic widened pre-existing learning gaps in key subjects such as math. In fact, the World Bank projects $10 trillion in lost future earnings for children due to the pandemic if they do not make up lost or delayed skills like math.

During the initial phase of COVID-19 lockdowns, Generation Alpha (born 2010-2024) and Generation Z (born 1995-2009) had to pivot to virtual-only school platforms. While these students were heavy technology users, they were unskilled remote learners, with many never having the experience of online-only learning. Schooling outside of higher education was mainly following an in-person model. …Read More

Creatorup Raises Additional Investment To Disrupt The Video Creation Sector

CreatorUp has raised an additional round of financing from Gaingels and JFF (Jobs for the Future) to expand its first-of-its-kind video marketplace – that helps organizations of all sizes create professional video content easily and affordably anywhere in the world – while simultaneously providing training and opportunities for its creative workforce. 

Funds will be used to expand operations of the CreatorUp marketplace, which features more than 650 proven video solutions, in a multitude of styles and formats, that give clients the ability to choose, purchase, and create bespoke media with just a click.

“Powering the production of CreatorUp’s content is a network of almost 7,000 creative professionals, who bring a wealth of diversity and creativity to our projects,” said Mike Tringe, CreatorUp’s Co-founder and CEO. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer these opportunities in this new creative landscape.”…Read More

New Online Platform from Vernier Boosts High School Students’ STEM Learning with Fun, Interactive Investigations and Projects

BEAVERTON, Oregon, March 31, 2022 — Leveraging standards-based instructional content and its award-winning technology, Vernier Software & Technology is announcing Vernier Connections, an innovative web-based platform to engage high school students in hands-on STEM learning and exploration. Vernier Connections emphasizes fun and interactive investigations and projects, and it gives educators the ability to assess student comprehension across all science disciplines.

“Academic recovery post pandemic is a national imperative and supporting educators with this gargantuan task is a must. Vernier Connections provides comprehensive, critical support to science educators to help students catch up in their learning,” said John Wheeler, CEO of Vernier Software & Technology. “It also promotes STEM literacy, that is, the ability to think critically and work with others to find innovative solutions to complex challenges. To that end, Vernier Connections gives students the ability to study the real world in their own context, collect and analyze data as they investigate natural phenomena, and take part in experiential and three-dimensional STEM learning.“

This new platform draws on the decades of STEM expertise that Vernier Software & Technology has, bringing together relevant hands-on technology and high-quality resources to save educators time and deliver instruction in a fun and modern way. It includes robust content, resources, assessments, and management tools.…Read More