5 Ways Digital Tools Are Transforming the Education Space
EdTech Magazine
FEBRUARY 9, 2016
By Eric Sheninger K–12 thought leader Eric Sheninger offers guidance on how to manage an arsenal of digital tools in the classroom.
February, 2016
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Inspiration Stations: A Creative Spin on the Station Rotation
Catlin Tucker
FEBRUARY 8, 2016
This year, I’ve focused on using the Station Rotation Model to: create smaller learning communities within our larger class. spend more time working in small groups with students. more effectively differentiate instruction. make the most of our limited technology. Most of the time our Station Rotation lessons are focused on academic topics, but last month I experimented with a new spin on the Station Rotation Model that I called Inspiration Stations.
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100+ Great Google Classroom Resources for Educators
The CoolCatTeacher
FEBRUARY 5, 2016
The easy tool educators are using every day From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Google Classroom allows teachers to easily manage student work and teaching with Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Spreadsheets and anything Google. This handy tool has opened up the doors of blended learning and collaborative classrooms like never before.
Confused about what ‘Open’ Means in Education? Inconceivable!
Doug Levin
FEBRUARY 25, 2016
I’ve established that I am a fan of open educational resources (OER) and think that K-12 educators and policymakers would benefit from thinking more deeply about the ownership of instructional materials. I’ve even offered up ideas on issues the K-12 OER movement needs to confront and work through in the coming years as it struggles with the success of greater adoption.
Make Tuition Agreements Work Smarter—for Your School and Families
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A well-crafted tuition agreement is more than paperwork—it’s a powerful tool for protecting your school and building family confidence. This guide helps private and independent K–12 schools reduce legal risk, improve collections, and foster long-term trust with families. Learn best practices for drafting enforceable agreements, communicating clear expectations, and navigating challenges like payment disputes, custody conflicts, and continuous enrollment.
Doing Things at School That Can’t Be Done At Home
User Generated Education
FEBRUARY 28, 2016
Many kids and teens are spending a lot of their time doing solitary screen-related activities. This most often occurs at home with their own devices. We are also living in an age where practically any and all content can be found via the Internet. The educator is no longer the gatekeeper to information. Internet resources can present and teach content better than a lecturing educator.
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Student 3D Printing Designs Help Those With Disabilities Tackle Daily Tasks
EdTech Magazine
FEBRUARY 25, 2016
By D. Frank Smith MakerBot showcases two students whose 3D printing designs give MS and Parkinson’s patients tools to open pill bottles, hold a fork.
Differentiate Reading with Rewordify
Catlin Tucker
FEBRUARY 1, 2016
In an earlier post titled How Challenging Is that Online Text ? , I shared the Readability tool that can help educators determine how hard an online text is to see if it is a good match for their students. Then in a training last week, someone asked me if there was a tool that could make a challenging text simpler. Yes, there is! Rewordify allows the user to: Simplify the wording of a text for improved comprehension.
Innovator’s Mindset: Teaching Students to be Problem Finders
The CoolCatTeacher
FEBRUARY 8, 2016
Every Classroom Matters Episode 215 From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Why are we giving kids problems to solve? Why don’t we help them learn to find their own problems? George Couros left an Innovation Day wondering if the kids tried to solve new problems or if they just copied what they saw other kids do.
The 5 Strategies States Should Pursue Now to Make the Most of Future EdTech Investments in ESSA
Doug Levin
FEBRUARY 2, 2016
The glasses have been raised. The speeches made, and press releases issued. It’s now time to get down to brass tacks and figure out how the implementation of the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) can best be leveraged by state and local officials to improve educational outcomes for children and youth. To that end, I recently had the pleasure of addressing a cross-section of state board of education members from across the nation – working together under the umbrella of the National
The Case for Game Design as an Innovative STEAM Teaching Tool
Speaker: Speakers:
Searching for innovative ways to deliver integrated STEAM education that also help students attain industry-ready skills? Then this punchy 30-minute thought leadership webinar is for you. Join fellow education leaders as we share: National data on STEAM performance and student engagement that indicates post-pandemic learners are craving inspired intervention 10 research-backed reasons why game design is the leading method for practically teaching integrated STEAM education An inside look at live
What My Parents Taught Me About Leadership
A Principal's Reflections
FEBRUARY 7, 2016
One of the best parts about blogging for me is that my parents read each and every post. My father takes a look at the content only, while my mom is my chief proofreader. During my early years of blogging I always posted each post to my personal Facebook page and emailed my parents a live link. It was at this time my mom got sick of all of the spelling and grammatical errors so she emphatically stated that I must send her each post to proof before posting.
It All Adds Up! 25+ Math Resources, Apps, & Tools
Teacher Reboot Camp
FEBRUARY 7, 2016
“It isn’t that they cannot see the solution. It is that they cannot see the problem.” – GK Chesterton. Math doesn’t live inside of a book. That is the wrong way to teach math. Math is useful for solving problems, and necessary to figure out the world around us. We can get our students to learn math in engaging ways by making sure each lesson gets to use the math for real-world learning.
How Affective Data Could Change Learning Outcomes
EdTech Magazine
FEBRUARY 17, 2016
By Eric Patnoudes Reading and responding to students’ emotions could help boost engagement levels and academic performance.
New Podcast from MindShift: Stories Teachers Share
Catlin Tucker
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
In the last ten years, the narrative about teaching and education has struck me as extremely negative. I hear about schools failing students and bad teachers hiding behind tenure. As an educator pushing for innovative change in this space, I recognize that education must evolve to prepare students for an unknown future. However, the wonderful work teachers are doing every day is often lost in the conversation about education.
Enhancing Higher Education with Generative AI: A Responsible Guide
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.
How Any Teacher Can Use Lee Sheldon’s Multiplayer Classroom Model
The CoolCatTeacher
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
Powerful Pedagogies for Every Teaching Professional From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Star Trek script writer and professional game author Lee Sheldon has designed his entire college course as a game. His book The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game is a favorite of many game based learning experts.
Join Maine’s Learning Through Technology Team!
More Verbs
FEBRUARY 22, 2016
The Learning Through Technology Team at the Maine Department of Education is looking for a high energy, entrepreneurial-thinking, collaborative educator who would like to work with us. Are you making great things happen in your classroom, school, district, or region? Consider joining us and make great things happen across Maine! We currently have one opening for a Regional Education Representative: Digital Learning Specialist (and anticipate two more in the coming months).
Future-Focused Leadership
A Principal's Reflections
FEBRUARY 14, 2016
The following is a guest post by Dr. Bill Daggett , Founder and Chairman of the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) and Dr. Guy Sconzo , Superintendent of Humble ISD in Humble, TX. In my last guest post , I outlined the ways in which the Every Student Succeeds Act, recently signed into law, gives us a unique chance to create the indicators of achievement that will mean and matter to us—indicators catered to the unique DNA of our states, districts, and schools.
From Tech Newbie to Ninja to Sensei
Teacher Reboot Camp
FEBRUARY 13, 2016
“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.” – Bill Gates. Recently, I conducted a webinar for SimpleK12’s technology day, Technophobe to Technoninja. I had a fun time creating the presentation, The Tech Ninja Guide , which is full of tips for integrating technology effectively.
Enhancing School Device Management for Improved Learning
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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.
A Brief History of the Evolution of Classroom Technology [#Infographic]
EdTech Magazine
FEBRUARY 9, 2016
By EdTech Staff An infographic dives into the technologies, from 1860 to the modern day, that have helped shape the classroom experience.
The NEW Google Forms: 9 classroom uses
Ditch That Textbook
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
For years, educators have been using Google Forms to gather data, assess learning and create fun techy learning experiences. Recently, Google Forms got a facelift, and even more recently, it added some new features. These features make some new things possible in the classroom, and they make some things easier — and prettier — than before. [.].
Edusketching: A Tool to Help Students Understand Complex Concepts
The CoolCatTeacher
FEBRUARY 3, 2016
Every Classroom Matters Episode 213 From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Your recall of information is up to 55% greater with the use of a picture linked to the content, according to edusketch expert and National Board Certified Teacher, Wendy Pillars. Wendy coined the term edusketch and authored the book Visual NoteTaking for Educators: A Teacher’s Guide to Student Creativity.
3 Whiteboard Apps for Teachers and Students
Ask a Tech Teacher
FEBRUARY 26, 2016
Whiteboards have long been a de rigeur staple in classrooms, occupying pride-of-place at the front of the room. Despite the popularity of hi-tech Smartscreens, the simple whiteboard remains the favored method of sharing information during class time. But one change has revolutionized their use: They can now be projected from your iPad. Before introducing three amazing must-have whiteboard apps, let me note that there are dozens of options , all with varied traits and prices.
Quickly Create Personalized Learning Experiences that Work
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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.
The Meaning of Words
A Principal's Reflections
FEBRUARY 28, 2016
Jargon in education is nothing new. Luckily there are so many resources available to make sense of it as it applies to our professional practice. Just check the Dictionary of Educational Jargon to get some clarity, then have some fun with the Educational Jargon Generator. Words are always flying around in education circles. Whether it is in person at events and workshops or in social media spaces, I routinely see conversations play out where educators take a certain stance on the meaning of spec
Three Lessons Ed-Tech Startups Can Learn From Innovator Sal Khan
Ed Tech from the Ground Up
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
I recently watched an interview with Sal Khan, founder of the extremely successful ed-tech non-profit Khan Academy, and he touched upon three ideas that should resonate with ed-tech startups. Click the headline to read the full post. Questions? Email websupport@epe.org.
What Obama's $4B Computer Science Initiative Means for K–12 Schools
EdTech Magazine
FEBRUARY 8, 2016
By D. Frank Smith President Barack Obama's new Computer Science for All initiative will give states federal funding to widen access to K–12 computer science lessons.
5 lessons to teach with timelines
Ditch That Textbook
FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Timelines are excellent tools for showing spans of time, but many people forget to use the tools for critical thinking and meaningful lessons. Timelines are great graphic organizers because of their linear, but discrete, nature. Each event is separated on the line itself – and two events can occupy the same time, just on opposite [.].
Can Brain Science Actually Help Make Your Training & Teaching Stick?
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.
8 Types of Blended Learning According to Research
The CoolCatTeacher
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
Design Your Classroom for Maximum Learning From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Blended learning happens when you mix the face to face classroom with online learning. While flipped classroom is a form of blended learning, it is not the only one. Today, researcher Thomas Arnett breaks down the eight types of blended learning and explains how they are being used to improve student outcomes.
A Conversation about Keyboarding, Methods, Pedagogy, and More
Ask a Tech Teacher
FEBRUARY 15, 2016
Dr. Bill Morgan and I have engaged in several months of spirited conversation about keyboarding, pre-keyboarding, and how it can best serve students. Bill is the brilliant creator of Keyboarding Arts and the giant floor keyboard for classrooms. His experience teaching keyboarding often informs me in my art as I adapt to the ever-changing needs of the students in my classes.
The Growing Potential of Micro-Credentials
A Principal's Reflections
FEBRUARY 21, 2016
There is a great deal of talk these days about micro-credentials and digital badging as a means to acknowledge professional learning of educators. While many organizations are trying to seize an opportunity to monetize this space for their own benefit, a pioneer in micro-credentials created a free platform for any educator to use over three years ago.
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