Ditch That Textbook
NOVEMBER 3, 2021
Looking for some creative rules for teaching? These Pixar storytelling rules can help us unlock our creativity in the classroom. Pixar is one of the best at telling stories. It started with the groundbreaking Toy Story, the first entirely computer-animated feature film. What followed are some of my favorite animated films -- and my children's favorites, […].
Ask a Tech Teacher
DECEMBER 11, 2021
This week, I’ll post my updated suggestions for three holiday activities that will get your computers and technology ready for the blitz of teaching that starts after the New Year. Here’s what you’ll get (the links won’t be active until the post goes live ): For regular readers of Ask a Tech Teacher, these are yearly reminders. For new readers, these are like body armor in the tech battle.
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Catlin Tucker
JULY 19, 2021
The pandemic has elevated the phrase “blended learning.” When schools closed or shifted to hybrid schedules, many institutions turned to blended learning to navigate the new demands placed on teachers and educational institutions. As an outspoken advocate for blended learning over the last 10 years, I was initially excited to see so much momentum in this area.
Ed Tech from the Ground Up
MAY 20, 2021
There are steps that organizations can take to build their cultural awareness in helping bilingual and multilingual students, explains Emily Guo, who is working with Cognitive ToyBox. The post How Companies Can Support Bilingual and Multilingual Children appeared first on Market Brief.
Generative AI holds tremendous promise for all stakeholders in higher education. But guardrails are needed. Strong governance that empower instructors are at the core of a responsible approach to using generative AI in academia.
Education Elements
JANUARY 26, 2021
School schedules and use of time are one of the few remaining relics of the industrialized learning model. Even when most schools moved to virtual learning in March 2020, many organizations replicated the existing bell schedule and instructed teachers to move their onsite instruction online. The school leaders believed it would hold teachers and students more accountable and create more predictability to help families plan their own schedules.
User Generated Education
AUGUST 8, 2021
Electives, as we all know, are classes that students choose to take. Electives are typically chosen based on interests, passions, a need to learn something new, and/or because of future goals. It is not clear to me why elementary students are rarely offered elective courses. In addition to empowering practical skills, electives can help students find hidden talents or passions.
EdTech Update brings together the best content for education technology professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
A Principal's Reflections
JULY 11, 2021
Leadership is leadership. The same essential qualities and characteristics that exemplify what great leaders do have pretty much stayed the same. What has changed are the tools, research, and societal shifts that impact the work. Leadership is both an art and science with the goal of moving the masses towards achieving a common goal. Leading is not easy , and being effective at it is easier said than done.
Catlin Tucker
AUGUST 29, 2021
Learning is a dynamic process that requires active engagement. Unfortunately, many students have gotten comfortable in their roles as passive observers or consumers in the classroom. Yes, that is a less cognitively and socially taxing role, but it is not nearly as interesting or engaging. This passive position also does not require that students think intentionally about their learning.
The CoolCatTeacher
JANUARY 19, 2021
Sixteen types of games, Google Classroom and LMS compatibility and auto-grading From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. This week, I began using Educaplay to make fun classroom learning games for my students. In addition to easy game creation, sending the games to Google Classroom was easy, as was student work, automatic grading, and engagement.
EdTech Magazine
DECEMBER 6, 2021
Educational technology trends for 2022 look a bit different. In 2020 and 2021, educators pioneered ed tech tools for their classrooms at an overwhelming pace. Districts with more than 1,000 students accessed an average 1,449 ed tech products online each month during the 2020-2021 school year, according to research conducted by LearnPlatform. In response, they are now seeing an increase in teachers and students who are burned out on technology.
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Schools face increasing challenges as technology becomes integral to education. Efficient device management is essential for maximizing technology use and safeguarding investments. Our article discusses the importance of tracking devices, outlines current challenges, and suggests modern solutions that go beyond traditional methods like Excel. Learn how advanced tracking systems can streamline operations, improve maintenance, and offer real-time updates for better resource allocation.
Neo LMS
OCTOBER 14, 2021
October has become the month where educators participate in events focused on digital citizenship. From October 1-31, activities are available to join in, whether for a day like during the DigCitSummit held last year, or an entire Digital Citizenship Week event, or Twitter chats and webinars focused on digital citizenship. The focus on digital citizenship is not only relevant during October — it’s important throughout the entire year.
Ask a Tech Teacher
AUGUST 13, 2021
My Secret EdTech Diary. by Al Kingsley. 4/5. Al Kingsley’s My Secret EdTech Diary (John Cott Educational 2021) is a big-goaled, meandering overview of edtech (educational technology) available and pertinent to teachers and students. It is almost stream of consciousness told in a friendly, affable voice, where the author starts with a specific topic and then addresses that and many tangential ideas, showing how they are related and interconnect.
ViewSonic Education
NOVEMBER 20, 2021
Using video for learning in the classroom has been around for decades, but with the growth of digital technology in recent years, the range of opportunities is now greater than ever before. Thirty years ago, a teacher might have occasionally wheeled out a television and VHS recorder during class once or twice a term. These days, video resources are readily available online, and teachers can make use of them in a much more integrated way.
Catlin Tucker
NOVEMBER 2, 2021
The last two years have been mentally and emotionally exhausting for everyone in education. As I work with leadership teams, many are struggling to engage their teachers in professional learning this year. Schools invested money in purchasing devices and improving access to reliable internet to meet the demands of the pandemic, and leadership teams want to keep the momentum going.
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How can we actively engage learners 24/7, on their level and according to their interests, while respecting their learning styles? It’s not impossible. In this guide: Explore how to transform traditional, one-way videos into two-way interactive learning experiences Understand different types of artificial intelligence (AI), including - Generative vs.
Catlin Tucker
OCTOBER 10, 2021
Teachers got a crash course in creating video content when schools shifted online. They relied on videos out of necessity to explain concepts and model strategies while students learned from home. As teachers transitioned back into classrooms, many abandoned video in favor of live instruction. However, if teachers are going to say the same thing the same way for all students, I encourage them to make a video.
Catlin Tucker
OCTOBER 5, 2021
When I work with teachers shifting to blended learning, I strive to establish the WHY driving our work together. I want teachers to understand the purpose and value of the shift to blended learning. Blended learning is not a reaction to a moment. Blended learning is the thoughtful design and facilitation of learning experiences that strive to shift control from teacher to learner by weaving together active, engaged learning online and offline.
Catlin Tucker
SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
I had the pleasure of chatting with Matt Miller this week for my podcast, The Balance. During our conversation, we explored aspects of the teaching profession that are time-consuming and create work-life imbalance. One culprit is the mentality that, “If I don’t grade it, the students won’t do it.” I disagree, especially when it comes to assignments designed to provide students with opportunities to review concepts and practice specific skills.
Catlin Tucker
NOVEMBER 18, 2021
While coaching teachers this month, several expressed a desire to include review and practice activities in their station rotation lessons to help students prepare for end-of-the-semester assessments. Helping students review for an exam often takes the form of a study guide or review game. These traditional approaches to review are problematic on three fronts.
Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape
The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.
A Principal's Reflections
AUGUST 29, 2021
What is really needed for success in the world today? I think this might be the million-dollar question. Even though it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future, we can examine current trends and societal forces to determine the competencies that learners need to thrive. While some will remain the same, others will evolve or change completely depending on the disruption at the moment.
A Principal's Reflections
AUGUST 22, 2021
I fly a lot. Even during the heart of the pandemic, I was on the road coaching in numerous school districts as part of long-term projects. Now things are absolutely crazy but in a good way. Job-embedded and ongoing professional learning is being prioritized in schools, which means my travel is back to pre-pandemic levels. As much as I love what I do, being away from the comforts of home is stressful.
Catlin Tucker
AUGUST 16, 2021
Student agency, or a students’ ability to make key decisions about their learning experience, is an essential aspect of blended learning. Student agency requires that we design our lessons to offer students meaningful choices. These choices can help us universally design learning experiences that strive to remove barriers and invite students to decide how to engage with information, make meaning, and demonstrate their learning.
A Principal's Reflections
AUGUST 15, 2021
It has been a wild and bumpy ride during the pandemic, but through it all, we have witnessed firsthand the resilience of educators across the world. While COVID-19 represented the most disruptive force ever to impact the field of education, educators did what they always do – go above and beyond for kids and each other. They have and continue to make lemonade out of a never-ending supply of lemons.
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Managing a K-12 campus with constant pressure to meet performance metrics is challenging. And tardiness can significantly limit a school from reaching these goals. Learn more about why chronic lateness matters, and key strategies to address the following impacts: Data errors caused by manual processes Low attendance and graduation rates that affect a school’s reputation Classroom disruption, which leads to poor academic performance High staff attrition and “The Teacher Exodus” Unmet LCAP goals t
EdTech Magazine
AUGUST 25, 2021
Educators, administrators and K–12 leaders realized technology’s full potential when the COVID-19 pandemic first swept the nation. Since the initial shift to remote learning, educational technology has advanced in leaps and bounds. With the expansion of virtual-only schools, many students won’t be returning to the classroom this year. Some are choosing to learn online because they’ve found their niche, while others are taking a virtual option for safety or scheduling reasons.
Neo LMS
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
As educators, we must provide a variety of options for students to develop their content area knowledge and skills in ways that meet their interests and needs. When choosing methods and tools to use, it is also important to create opportunities for students to develop social emotional learning (SEL) skills, as they are essential for personal and professional growth.
A Principal's Reflections
AUGUST 8, 2021
Recently I was working with the leadership team at Moanalua Middle School (MMS) in Hawaii. One of the coaching topics that came up was how to improve the Response to Intervention (RTI) process as a means to support learners. It represents a multi-tiered process to identify the behavior and learning needs of struggling students early on and then provide specific support in the form of interventions.
A Principal's Reflections
AUGUST 1, 2021
As a kid, I loved nature. Growing up in a rural part of New Jersey and spending summers at the beach probably played a significant role in developing this interest. My parents would buy me and my brother all sorts of field guides to help support our curiosity and genuine interest in living creatures. We would venture out on routine quests to either observe or collect specimens for further study.
Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions
There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.
A Principal's Reflections
JULY 25, 2021
Everyone seems to want change. While this, in essence, is a good thing, the reality is that many people don't want to actually go through the complex process. If this wasn't challenging enough, the individuals needed to lead it is even less. Thus, there must be a combination of willingness, planning, and action that results in improvement when any idea is put forth.
A Principal's Reflections
JULY 18, 2021
Blended learning is something that is near and dear to my heart. For me, the journey began back in 2011 when we first introduced the flipped approach at New Milford High School, where I was principal, with resounding success. As I transitioned from the principalship to supporting districts and schools, I learned that blended learning was a powerful pedagogical strategy that could unleash students' potential while meeting their diverse needs.
EdTech Magazine
AUGUST 17, 2021
K–12 schools depend on a functioning and performing IT infrastructure. In addition to the classic uses of IT, other areas of educational technology are becoming increasingly important at a rapid pace. Course materials and books are online, classes meet through web portals, and non-IT systems like building control and laboratory technology are beginning to shift to the IT department.
Catlin Tucker
JUNE 28, 2021
Time management is a constant struggle for teachers since they spend most of their days working directly with students. That leaves a small window of time for all of the other tasks and responsibilities that teachers have to juggle, including planning and designing lessons. . Planning is critical to creating meaningful learning opportunities for students.
Speaker: Amanda Davis, Chief Experience Officer and Liam O'Malley, VP of Association Solutions
The "new normal" is now a little less new, a little more normal. Does that mean your current LMS strategy is in need of a refresh? Is your organization or association leaning into the always-evolving eLearning environment to ensure you have the tools and content to remain relevant through all this change? There are many complex decision-making processes within your learning & development strategy and LMS lifecycle management, including: Selection.
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