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.

Pay isn’t the only reason for the teacher shortage–it’s time to rethink the classroom

As dust from the pandemic settles, students across America are facing another disruption to quality education. This crisis, however, shouldn’t be a surprise. It is two centuries in the making.

The most recent legislation introduced in Congress, which would see a minimum salary base of $60,000 for public school teachers, is certainly a welcome step in the right direction. However, it still misdiagnoses the problem; burnout will still occur, regardless of the paycheck. That’s why we need to fundamentally reimagine the role of a teacher in the modern classroom.

The teacher job description crafted in the 1800s by the Common School Movement led by Horace Mann served a one-adult-room-full-of-kids model with the goal of civilizing American children. Hopefully, in the year 2023, we can aspire beyond assimilation as the goal of education and aim for creating learning spaces that value diversity and support every student in reaching their full, authentic potential.…Read More

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Navigate360 Recognizes New Jersey School District with Excellence Award for School Culture & Climate

RICHFIELD, OHIO (PRWEB) — Navigate360, the nation’s leader in K–12 school safety and student wellness solutions, announces the recognition of Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District in Atlantic County, New Jersey, with the District Excellence Award for School Culture & Climate. This award honors their noteworthy impact on student development and success through continued, proven use of Suite360. Each school within the district will also receive Suite360 Character Excellence Awards with multiple celebrations taking place on the nationally recognized SEL Day, March 10.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is poised to remain a major focus for districts nationwide. According to EdWeek Market Brief, 60 percent of all districts plan on spending more on SEL in 2023–2024 and 67 percent of all Northeast schools will increase their SEL spending, while 0 percent will decrease their spending. With SEL being a high priority, it’s essential to recognize what’s working.

Greater Egg Harbor’s utilization of Suite360 has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from all key stakeholders, including district and school leadership, families and the students themselves.…Read More

Are you leveling up with esports?

Imagine a new school program that is gender-neutral, inclusive to students with physical disabilities, bolsters school pride through competitive meets and is eligible for full and partial scholarships from over 175 colleges and universities.  You don’t have to be a gamer to see the value that esports (competitive videogaming) could bring to your school.

Collegiate varsity esports began in 2014 when Robert Morris University created scholarships for a League of Legends e-sports team.  Nearly a decade later, over 175 colleges and universities have followed suit, resulting in a $1.38 billion industry in 2022. The videogaming industry is forecasted to grow 7 percent annually and likely to top $200 billion in revenue in 2023. 

The industry offers many opportunities for a wide variety of skillsets–and not just at the higher-ed level, but at the K-12 level, too.  For example, creatives will find opportunities to develop fictional worlds, math and science interests can lead to careers in programming and engineering, and marketing and project management paths blend the other two.  Broadcasting esports has also been a viable path to careers in journalism and entertainment.…Read More

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10 reasons we love school librarians

Gone are the days when a school librarian’s job was defined by shushing, rocking, and reading.  While reading out loud and building a love of literacy is still a foundational part of their job in a school, school librarians wear many, many hats and touch many lives in the course of a day’s work.

As an avid, life-long reader, I can come up with dozens of things I love about school librarians and libraries (I was actually named by a librarian!) But for a broader perspective, I wanted to hear from my peers, colleagues, and the educators out there doing the heavy lifting, so I turned to influential library experts, educators, and social media to share their thoughts.

I loved what I heard from the people I spoke to. Many shared my own impressions, and some introduced me to their own reasons why school librarians are amazing at what they do. I’m proud to share my thoughts and what others told me here.…Read More

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Use these 5 learner-centered models to inspire educators

School models are, for the most part, outdated–and very overdue for replacement. When students reach high school, research shows that close to 66 percent of students are disengaged. But even students who do successfully navigate their schooling emerge with only a specific (and often narrow) skillset that may or may not match their strengths or interests.

Conventional schooling often leaves students disillusioned, questioning their intelligence and value as it is framed by a system that needs an overhaul.

Learner-centered education can play a critical role in reshaping education systems, offering a more holistic approach to meeting learners’ needs and helping students find fulfillment in their academic accomplishments.…Read More

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From the classroom to the office: What we can learn from educators entering the edtech workforce

Many educators have left the school environment to join edtech companies, seeking new ways to serve students while solving for the shortcomings they felt in the school-based workplace. How has it worked out, and what have we learned?

The experience has shifted the equilibrium in the corporate world, as edtech companies tap into a larger talent pool and it has been eye-opening for former educators as they bring their expertise to the table in new ways. It has also provided valuable insights for school administrators seeking to improve their retention of teachers.

Insights for school administrators…Read More

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Wisconsin’s Stevens Point Area Public School District Renews Partnership Supporting Science Education In Grades K-5

CHARLOTTE, NC — Wisconsin’s Stevens Point Area Public School District today announced it has renewed its multiyear partnership with Discovery Education supporting science education in grades K-5. This continued collaboration ensures students and teachers in the district’s K-5 classrooms will continue to use the company’s award-winning Mystery Science service to deeply engage students in science instruction. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports instruction wherever it takes place. 

The Stevens Point Area Public School District lies directly in the center of Wisconsin, covering over four hundred square miles. While being one of the State’s largest districts, in both area, and student membership, the district exemplifies excellence in education, as evidenced by the fact that Stevens Point’s students continually achieve higher percentages than the State average, of proficiency and advanced proficiency in the Wisconsin Forward Examinations.  

Following a careful review of the district’s usage and success with the Mystery Science service, school administrators elected to renew for three additional years the partnership with Discovery Education that brings Mystery Science to Stevens Point’s K-5 classrooms. By doing so, the district believes they are leveraging students’ natural curiosity about the world around them to build the scientific fundamentals that will drive future success in the subject in middle school, high school, and beyond.  …Read More

Building pathways to successful STEM careers for ALL learners

The journeys that children take through education are not as straightforward as most people think.  

In recent years, close to 70 percent of students went straight from high school to college, with those going to four-year universities typically outnumbering those enrolling in two-year colleges by roughly two to one. But a growing number of young people are forging new paths that involve a detour around college altogether.

College-going rates have been trending down since before the COVID-19 pandemic. And a national survey conducted in 2021 by ECMC Group found that less than half of high school students said they planned to attend a four-year college or university–a decrease of more than 20 percentage points from 2019. …Read More

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My top 3 digital science lab resources

As a former molecular biologist turned college and 7-12 educator, I have taught laboratory science classes for the past 3 decades. I’ve seen a lot of changes in science education (especially digital content) over the last 30 years, but one challenge has remained the same: students have to learn laboratory skills.

As a science department chair at a high-performing public high school in Arizona, I can attest firsthand to the stress this component of science education places on young, new science teachers who may not have the benefit of being a trained research scientist in college and who feel intimidated to lead an entire class of 30+ adolescents through a lab that they must by themselves prepare everything for.

This insecurity can lead to many 7-12 science teachers opting not to complete many hands-on labs with their students either because they lack the resources or the confidence to do so. Add to this the fact that districts often emphasize and require science teachers to host and participate in school and district Science Fairs, and it is no wonder that good science teachers are hard to come by.…Read More

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Surveys show troubling trends in student behavior

Eighty-four percent of teachers are concerned about student mental health, saying that students are developmentally behind in self-regulation and relationship building compared to students prior to the pandemic. Teachers also report that they are increasingly the target of disruptive student behavior and that classroom incidents involving physical violence have more than doubled since the onset of the pandemic.

These are among the findings of a new survey report from education company EAB at the School Superintendent Association (AASA) National Conference on Education (#NCE2023). The report summarizes findings from a survey of more than 1,000 district and school administrators, teachers, and student support staff.

“Students who exhibit disruptive behaviors are often dealing with underlying mental or social health issues,” said EAB Senior Director of K-12 Research Ben Court. “Unfortunately, nearly 60 percent of teachers feel that pressure to boost lagging academic outcomes leaves them with insufficient time to address behavioral issues, and only 45 percent feel they are receiving adequate training to do so.”…Read More

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