Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
Heritage Academy, a private school serving grades pre-kindergarten through 12, found itself entering the 2022 holiday season with a sudden, major problem: its aging telephone system broke down. Find out how they were able to upgrade campus-wide communications in just nine days.
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Over the past 40 years Reverend Joseph E. Washington has provided healthcare for the underserved, promoted economic opportunity for women and minorities, and established a mentoring program for young adults. Now, at a time when most people would be eyeing retirement, Washington continues to advocate for justice and champion equality.
…Read MoreCase Study: In this case study, see how a California High School launches advanced programs that prepare students for film and media with Panasonic LUMIX cameras. “Our goal is to get cameras in the hands of students immediately,” said the program director..
…Read MoreKey points:
- Two out of three students seek outside homework and studying help
- When used thoughtfully and in conjunction with teacher expertise, AI can be a powerful tool to enhance learning outcomes for students
- See related article: 5 ways AI can help teachers in the classroom
Students are gearing up for the 2023 school year, and new research from Brainly reveals the vital role of AI in education and its place as an integral element in middle and high school students’ academic life – even as educators debate and worry whether the revolutionary technology belongs in the classroom.
Brainly’s Back-to-School survey highlights a growing trend–66.5 percent of students in grades 6-12 actively seek external support for their homework and study needs. With 57 percent expressing concerns about excessive homework, it is evident that students are keen on finding additional resources to aid their academic progress. Forty-five percent of these students spend more than two hours daily on homework. …Read More
Sibme — Research reinforces the effectiveness of video coaching in education, and a recent study from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) noted that at least 70% of teachers that received feedback via video coaching learned specific strategies that they could use in their classrooms. In addition, almost 90% of teachers in the study said they were more reflective about their teaching as a result of the feedback they received.
“Teachers have so much on their plates—from creating lesson plans to ensuring each of their students grows and grasps important concepts and lessons,” said Dave Wakefield, Chief Executive Officer of Sibme. “When we created Sibme, we set out to make sure professional learning opportunities were based on evidence of practice and designed to save valuable time. Sibme AI does just that and takes some of the extra work off teachers’ and instructional leaders’ shoulders to analyze recorded classroom instruction—while still providing the insights teachers need to work with their instructional coaches and grow in their craft.”
Sibme AI automatically transcribes a video or audio recording and then uses data from the transcription and video to generate reports on a variety of quantitative metrics about classroom instruction. Those key metrics allow teachers to self-reflect on what’s working and not working in their classroom, collaborate with their colleagues and engage in authentic, data-focused coaching conversations. The tailored metrics provide direction and opportunities for rich discussions when teachers work with their instructional coaches one-on-one, helping them pinpoint areas for potential growth together.…Read More
Key points:
- While some reports have teachers wary of AI in the classroom, a new survey reveals that approximately half of teachers are excited about its potential
- Teachers say they can use AI for research, lesson plans, generating classroom materials, and more
- See related article: Is generative AI a new secret weapon, or just another gadget?
Roughly half of teachers say they are excited about AI’s potential in the classroom and say they believe it increases learning equity, according to a new survey from study platform Quizlet.
The first-ever State of AI in Education Report polled students and teachers in the U.S. on how they are using AI in the classroom and how these technologies are shaping the future of education.…Read More
Key points:
- It’s time to welcome ChatGPT into classrooms–and embrace the opportunities that come with it
- Using the AI tool in writing instruction can help students develop critical digital literacy skills
- See related article: 4 ways to use ChatGPT for learning and creativity
When ChatGPT appeared in November 2022, most educators felt it could become a threat and change the whole niche forever. No wonder: This language model algorithm is smart enough to produce logical and grammatically correct texts for any prompt.
Today’s digital-savvy students welcomed ChatGPT with open arms and began using it for writing assignments. According to a new study from Academic Help, 67 percent of students use AI for creating texts – the basis for their essays and other papers.…Read More
Key points:
- The jump in racial gaps caused by top referrers is largely driven by referrals issued for more subjective reasons
- Repeated disciplinary actions can hurt student engagement, achievement, and long-run success
- See related article: Addressing the digital divide’s effects on education and the workforce
The top 5 percent of teachers most likely to refer students to the principal’s office for disciplinary action do so at such an outsized rate that they effectively double the racial gaps in such referrals, according to new research from the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
These gaps are mainly driven by higher numbers of office discipline referrals (ODRs) issued for Black and Hispanic students, compared to White students. The study, published in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of AERA, was conducted by Jing Liu at the University of Maryland, College Park, Emily K. Penner at the University of California, Irvine, and Wenjing Gao at the University of Maryland, College Park.…Read More
Key points:
- Optimizing instructional time and empowering students have shown to contribute to student growth
- A study of two diverse schools reveals actionable insights into instructional practices
- See related article: How a major MD district boosted middle math achievement
A deeper look into instructional practices driving high academic growth has revealed 10 instructional strategies that use small changes to teaching practices leading toward growth outcomes for students.
The findings come from a new study from K-12 assessment and research organization NWEA. Led by Dr. Chase Nordengren, principal research lead for Effective Instructional Strategies at NWEA, the study zoomed into two schools that have historically shown high growth for diverse populations of students, including through the pandemic. The findings …Read More
PORTLAND, Ore.– K-12 assessment and research organization NWEA released today a new study that takes a deeper look into instructional practices driving high academic growth. Led by Dr. Chase Nordengren, principal research lead for Effective Instructional Strategies at NWEA, the study zoomed into two schools that have historically shown high growth for diverse populations of students, including through the pandemic. The findings highlight 10 instructional strategies that utilize small changes to teaching practices leading toward growth outcomes for students.
“We wanted to understand what makes these schools tick and how, year-over-year, they were able to produce higher-than-typical student growth, across each decile of student achievement,” said Nordengren, “One of the big takeaways is the way these schools balance meeting students where they are AND providing access to grade-level content they need to succeed.”
The two schools in the study are an elementary school and middle school in Schiller Park, Illinois, which reflect similar demographics to many schools across the country. Fifty-five percent of students in that district are non-white, 62% receive free or reduced-price lunches, 25% are identified as English language learners, and the district’s per pupil spending in 2021 was below the state average. Based on classroom observation and in-depth interviews with the school staff, 10 instructional strategies were identified as effective instruction that helps students grow, and fell into three main categories:…Read More