Family tech nights can narrow the digital divide
When we talk about digital equity, the conversation often focuses on providing opportunities for all students to learn in an increasingly connected world. We talk about devices and…
schools
Here’s how teachers think SEL can truly help students
A resounding majority of administrators, teachers, and parents say they believe social and emotional learning (SEL) is just as important as academic learning. SEL is the process that…
Here’s a must-do for E-rate applicants
Calling all E-rate coordinators--there is one important step you can take now to ensure a smooth process when the E-rate filing window opens in 2019. The FY2019 application…
4 keys to building an equitable STEM program
This year in schools across the nation, approximately 136,000 students took advanced placement (AP) computer science, a 31 percent increase from last year. This group included a record…
Video: How edtech connects
At SXSW EDU 2018, The Christensen Institute’s Director of Education Research, Julia Freeland Fisher, reveals innovative schools that are creating learning models that strengthen teacher-student relationships, and emerging…
5 ways to optimize learning spaces for student success
As we address the challenges of a highly competitive world, we must enable students to learn and generate new ideas by moving away from the “old school” classroom.…
4 examples of engaging vision-impaired students in STEM
STEM learning is a cornerstone of education in today's K-12 schools, but STEM classrooms often aren't all that inspiring to students who are blind or have low vision.…
8 ways I practiced mindfulness this year
Mindfulness has become a buzzword in schools over the past few years. Many schools have hired mindfulness professionals to work with their students and faculty. According to scientist…
The 2 stages of successful early STEM education revisited
I have been in education for 18 years and my strongest belief is that all children deserve a fresh start when they begin each school year. My classroom…
The other gap that schools aren’t talking about—relationships
The NAEP scores released in April set off a flurry of headlines about the sobering state of achievement gaps across the nation. The general consensus? Despite pockets of…
Video: How edtech connects
At SXSW EDU 2018, The Christensen Institute’s Director of Education Research, Julia Freeland Fisher, reveals innovative schools that are creating ... Read more
Mapping the universe of edtech that connects
I’m excited to share a tool that my colleagues and I have been working on for the past few years: ... Read more
The other gap that schools aren’t talking about—relationships
The NAEP scores released in April set off a flurry of headlines about the sobering state of achievement gaps across ... Read more
SEL should be an easy sell for U.S. schools and districts
In light of tragic events that have put a spotlight on school safety issues, it’s more important than ever to understand the value of students’ social and emotional…
It’s time to change our learning model
As a 22-year-old first-year teacher, I was introduced to one of the biggest challenges within our schools. While setting up my classroom, my principal came by to deliver…
Are virtual schools failing students?
Virtual schools continued to under-perform academically, including in comparison to blended schools. Overall, 36.4 percent of full-time virtual schools and 43.1 percent of blended schools received acceptable performance…
Beware of ransomware: Here’s how to protect your district
A new, disturbing pattern has cropped back up that is reminiscent of some nasty behavior from the early days of Internet nefarious exploits: targeting schools and students and…
3 ways to promote grit via literacy instruction
J.K. Rowling. Bill Gates. Oprah Winfrey. These are no doubt names that most students recognize as successful. But what often goes overlooked is the perseverance needed to achieve…
8 reasons why we should combine art + math
With declining U.S. student math scores, our schools would be wise to adopt a new formula that is sure to paint a prettier picture for the country’s STEM…
4 reasons teaching coding improves SEL instruction
Being able to recall facts may help you look good in front of your friends during trivia night, but memorizing content of the past has become largely irrelevant…
Do you make these common classroom-management mistakes?
The dunce cap, a ruler on the knuckles, kneeling on rice: Modern teachers wouldn’t think of using these methods to correct students’ behavior. But for all the progress…
Makerspace tips and advice from the front lines
Maker culture is thriving in schools and public libraries across the United States and beyond. From challenges to success stories, no two makerspaces are alike, and maker facilitators…
How to integrate emotional intelligence into the classroom
Social-emotional learning. Character education. Bullying prevention. These programs all fall under the larger umbrella of emotional intelligence (EQ)—the ability to manage one’s feelings and interact positively with other…
How I became an active learner at ASCD “Empower18”
As ASCD Empower 18 kicked off in Boston on Friday, March 23 I knew the four days were going to be “wicked awesome”—I mean, come on!—it’s Boston. But…
Are K-12 data systems ready for AI?
As educators who love technology, we can barely contain our enthusiasm for the potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI). But AI requires massive amounts of data, so before…
4 key ways ESSA can support SEL in schools
Although student achievement in core subjects is commonly used to define success, more educators agree that student success also depends on learning about intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies--commonly known…
Report reveals surprising data about mobile broadband usage in schools
A recent Mobile Beacon report analyzing mobile broadband usage by non-profit organizations, including schools, finds that schools utilizing Mobile Beacon’s 4G LTE internet service indicate that the ability to…
Building a smarter network
Given the data, networking, and security implications of upcoming technology trends, K-12 schools will require a variety of innovations to meet dramatically increased wireless and wired network performance…
This E-rate trick can help schools combat net neutrality repeal
With concerns about school internet access buzzing in the wake of the FCC's vote to repeal net neutrality, anxiety over school internet access might transfer to the federal…
A student’s perspective on the promise of technology
To be a young adult in 2018 means to have gone through school during a very revolutionary time, technologically speaking. Throughout the 2000s, classrooms in America saw everything…
4 ways technology can improve SEL skills
Today’s classrooms are full of immersive high-tech tools—but at the same time, schools and districts are being pushed to promote social-emotional learning (SEL) and improve school climate. Since…
Why schools need a knowledge base
When I have a problem with my iPad, I look to Google. Google is my worldwide knowledge base for fixing my toilet, unsticking my iPad, and figuring out…
5 ways to get started with OER
It has been almost three years since the launch of the United States Department of Education’s #GoOpen movement. If you are late to the #GoOpen party, it is…
Study: Here’s what makes parents turn to charter schools
Public school parents who are “very dissatisfied” with their child’s school are 2.5 times more likely to switch to a charter school than parents who are “very satisfied,”…
Weak cell service? How schools can solve this still-pervasive problem
Today’s students are more connected to their devices than ever before, whether they’re using their tablets or cellular devices to take notes in class, conduct research, or write…
The biggest changes to school security in 2018
The complexity of ensuring our schools and education facilities are both safe and secure has grown tremendously. Brass key systems are increasingly supplemented with secure credentials as access…
A year in the life of a student-centered library
There’s no “typical” day for a library media specialist. In one school day, we can teach a class about fake ... Read more
Blog: Volusia County Schools Enhance Learning Through Digital Classrooms
Volusia County Schools set into motion a 5-year technology plan in order to transition to all-digital classrooms by 2020. Comprised ... Read more
No-holds-barred interview: The need for truth in education!
People know Dr. Steve Perry from his education thought leadership, his Capital Preparatory Schools system and his talent to tell his personal stories in education. Outspoken and often…
Cost is still keeping districts from boosting broadband speeds
Cost remains the biggest hurdle for schools trying to increase broadband connectivity speeds for students, according to CoSN's 2017 Annual Infrastructure Survey. The majority of school districts--85 percent,…