Sat.Feb 09, 2019 - Fri.Feb 15, 2019

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Our Approach to Strategic Planning in Education

Education Elements

The year 2020 is shaping up to be a record year - Summer Olympics, a World Cup, a presidential election, and in the education world, the year many strategic plans expire. As districts gear up to write their next strategic plan, we have mixed feelings about the process. At best, the process provides an opportunity for district leaders to coalesce around a shared vision.

Education 104
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Are Students Off-Task in Class on Phones? There's an App for That!

A Principal's Reflections

As teachers and administrators, grappling with off-task behaviors and distractions when it comes to student phones in the classroom has occurred at some point. Recently I recently learned about Pocket Points , an app that educators are using to promote better decision-making amongst students with the goal of keeping them off their phones when not being used to achieve learning outcomes associated with the class.

BYOD 406
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Ask Yourself, Why Am I Grading This?

Catlin Tucker

“If I don’t grade it, students won’t do it.” This reasoning leaves teachers with piles of work to grade, but I wonder how much of that time spent assigning points to student work results in improved student performance. I fell into this trap at the start of my teaching career. I gave points for completing annotations, bringing books to class, and completing homework.

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Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams for Education: Find the Blended Learning Tool that Works Best

EdTech Magazine

Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams for Education: Find the Blended Learning Tool that Works Best. eli.zimmerman_9856. Wed, 02/13/2019 - 14:12. There are a number of digital classroom offerings available for K–12 teachers to use. However, none are more widely adopted than Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. . While both have similar features, they each offer unique tools that suit some classrooms better than others. .

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Quickly Create Personalized Learning Experiences that Work

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.

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Revealing the Heart to Breakthrough to the Unreachable Student

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Basil Marin’s story of struggle to success will inspire every teacher to reach the unreachable student. He is now an assistant principal and spreading the word of what happens when a teacher believes in the unreachable child. We all have unreachable stars in our classroom if we’ll just look for them.

Twitter 351
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Why teachers should consider differentiated instruction

Neo LMS

This post was originally published on September 26 2018 in The Teaching Factor. Students (like all people actually) have this paradoxical characteristic: they’re all the same; except when they’re not. They function the same from a physical point of view, they dress annoyingly the same (even when — or especially when — there’s no compulsory school uniform) they all have to learn almost the same things in school and they all use their brains to do that.

More Trending

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New Global Survey Offers Snapshot of Technology in the Classroom in 2019

EdTech Magazine

New Global Survey Offers Snapshot of Technology in the Classroom in 2019. eli.zimmerman_9856. Thu, 02/14/2019 - 11:21. As K–12 educators prepare students for a world where change happens at a rapid pace, they use multiple tools to communicate lessons. More often than not, new classroom technology is implemented in conjunction with, rather than instead of, more traditional classroom tools, according to a new report from Cambridge International , which is based on an online survey of nearly 20,000

Survey 353
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Fantastic Apps I Use Every Day

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter I have picked five of my essential classroom tools. Pick one today to try with your students. I’ve also added some of my favorite new productivity tools for my smartphone, iPad, and a few new ones for my Mac. Today’s Sponsor Thank you to Advancement Courses for making today’s show possible.

iPad 316
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How Wearable Technology is Changing Education and Easing Disabilities

Ask a Tech Teacher

Here’s an interesting piece from Ask a Tech Teacher contributor, Jane Sandwood, on the explosion of wearable technology and its place in the education ecosystem: How Wearable Technology is Changing Education and Easing Disabilities. As of 2015, 94% of K-12 students had a computer in their home, with 61% of the same demographic having internet access as well.

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10 educational podcasts you’ll love to listen to

Ditch That Textbook

There are hundreds of educational podcasts available to teachers on almost every subject you can think of. We see new podcasts launching all the time and some we have been hearing about for years but haven’t had the chance to check out. What are the podcasts that other educators love to listen to? And how can […].

Education 265
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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.

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Progress Made on K–12 Connectivity, But Work Remains

EdTech Magazine

Progress Made on K–12 Connectivity, But Work Remains. eli.zimmerman_9856. Tue, 02/12/2019 - 11:41. Teachers and students are well on their way to fulfilling the mission of seeing 99 percent of all schools connected to next-generation broadband, according to the “2018 State of States Report” from EducationSuperHighway. The nonprofit broadband advocacy group found nearly 45 million students enjoy in-school access to high-speed internet connectivity, up from 39 million in 2017.

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5 Ways to Battle Burnout

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Tired teachers need strategies to stay refreshed and feel good. Today, we talk about battling burnout. For over 30 years, Advancement Courses has been a leader in professional development, providing expertly-crafted, classroom-applicable courses to thousands of teachers across the country.

Secondary 297
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The very best videos on the future of education

Neo LMS

YouTube may be a rabbit-hole of clickable memes and fun compilations, but it’s also home to some essential watching for teachers and parents looking to understand not only key EdTech trends, but also the nuances of current K12 and higher education debates. After hours of digging into the video platform, here are the very best videos on the future of education I could find: Designing a university for the new millennium.

Video 237
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Purpose Driven Learning: Myths, Problems, and Education Applications

Ask a Tech Teacher

Purpose Driven Learning (or PDL) is a concept coined by Michael Matera and Adam Moreno to summarize the philosophy that each learner’s inner strengths can be unlocked by focusing with purpose and drive. By following the guidelines for Purpose Driven Learning, teachers avoid the biggest pitfall in many lesson plans — that they are theoretic without meaning in the real world.

Education 207
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Reimagining Chickering & Gamson's Principles Post-Pandemic: Technology's Central Role in Modern Edu

This white paper examines and proposes revisions to the "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" introduced by Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson in 1987 for today's technology-driven world.

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GoGuardian Develops a New AI-Enabled Cloud Filter for K–12 Schools

EdTech Magazine

GoGuardian Develops a New AI-Enabled Cloud Filter for K–12 Schools. eli.zimmerman_9856. Mon, 02/11/2019 - 10:40. GoGuardian has announced a new AI-enabled cloud-based filtering solution for K–12 schools designed to expand filtering capabilities to all mobile and personal devices connected to school networks. . K–12 students rely heavily on their mobile and personal devices, creating a challenge for school IT teams who need to be able to monitor and filter internet exploration as mandated under t

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Valentine’s Gift: Confessions of the Pain, Joy, and Love of Teaching

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Today’s show is different. I share some stories of insults, struggles, mistakes, and joys of teaching. The hope is that you’ll be encouraged, not feel alone, and remember why we do this profession. These are my stories digging back many years in some cases of the things that have changed my view and made me a better teacher – even when they were hard.

Course 243
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One story, MANY endings: A fun, creative Google Slides activity

Ditch That Textbook

Reading a story as a class is great. It transports everyone to a different world, to a different time, with a different set of characters. Solo reading is great for the same reasons. We learn great life lessons we can take with us for years — sometimes forever — from a good story. But we […].

Google 226
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Engineers Week — A Must for High School

Ask a Tech Teacher

Next week, February 17-23, 2019, is DiscoverE’s Engineers Week. Their tagline: “A week-long event, a year-long commitment” Do you wonder why anyone would be passionate about engineering? Forbes published three good reasons: The U.S. has approximately 1.6 million engineering jobs that pay $42 per hour in median. Job growth from 2010 to 2014 was in the double digits in several engineering occupations.

STEM 198
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Behind the Bell: The Underlying Impact of Tardiness in K-12 Schools

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

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Educator Micro-credentials are Grounded in Research

Digital Promise

Micro-credentials offer an important opportunity for educators to strengthen their professional learning. Accessed and awarded online, micro-credentials leverage an online technology platform to provide educators competency-based, on-demand, personalized, and shareable opportunities to demonstrate and be recognized for their professional learning. Grounding micro-credentials in research is central to their gaining acceptance in the field.

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This is What Happens When You Teach From Antarctica

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Developing an “explorer’s mindset” is the goal. To help nurture the explorer’s mindset in his students, Donnie Piercey traveled to Antarctica and connected with his students. For over 30 years, Advancement Courses has been a leader in professional development, providing expertly-crafted, classroom-applicable courses to thousands of teachers across the country.

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Your vibe attracts your tribe: 3 steps for building a Personal Learning Network

Ditch That Textbook

I can do this. I am at one of the biggest tech conferences in the United States, all by myself, and I have no one to eat lunch with, recap a great session, or explore the exhibition hall with. “I GOT THIS!”, I think to myself. I am here to learn and I will just […].

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15 President’s Day Activities

Ask a Tech Teacher

Presidents’ Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February–this year, February 19, 2018. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still unofficially called “Washington’s Birthday” by many. The holiday became known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers.

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The Battle of the Authoring Tools: A 10-Point Comparison for Picking the Right One

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.

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Developing Edtech Products to Support Learner Variability

Digital Promise

Each learner presents a unique reservoir of skills and challenges that can change among subjects and situations, throughout the day and year. Our goal with the Learner Variability Project (LVP) is to help educators support each of these individual learners—a task that we know is enormous, if not impossible, for a teacher to do alone. So, we are working with edtech product partners to help create research-based supports for teachers to turn to as they tackle this formidable challenge.

EdTech 189
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Free online PDF converter - EasyPDF - secure and free

Educational Technology Guy

EasyPDF.com is a new online PDF converter that finally addresses the needs of modern person - It is Secure, Anonymous and Free. EasyPDF.com is an all-in-one online tool that offers all types of PDF conversion to other formats and vice-versa. OCR conversion of scanned images is supported as well. Using this tool will make your PDF management easy. Main features: - Totally anonymous tool, without registration process - No ads, no limitations, 100% FREE - Fast, secure and reliable - Access via a br

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Playing Games Can Build 21st-Century Skills. Research Explains How.

Edsurge

As anyone who’s ever spent hours hunched over Candy Crush can attest, there’s something special about games. Sure they’re fun, but they can also be absorbing, frustrating, challenging and complex. Research has shown our brains are “ wired for pleasure ,” and that games are an effective way to learn because they simulate adventure and keep our brains engaged and happy.

Analysis 164
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You Don’t Have To Lie (Hire More Black Teachers, Maybe)

The Jose Vilson

On Friday, I had the honor and pleasure of speaking at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, NYC with student activists Xoya David and Joshua Brown and writer-friend-luminary Nikole Hannah-Jones. When I got the invite from Brian Jones, I was in the midst of finishing one of my more triumphant performances in service of the profession.

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The Roses and Thorns of an LMS Strategy: How to Flourish with the Right LMS

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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Empowering Educators of Refugees as Teachers and Learners

Digital Promise

For every lesson plan I toiled over while teaching English as a New Language for 16 years in New York City and Tucson high schools, there were at least 15–20 adjustments made as I enacted that lesson plan with real people in real time. The efforts I made in those moments—and in all the moments surrounding and contributing to those in-class moments—were largely unseen.

Education 173
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Five Takeaways From The Visible Learning Institute-Day One

The Web20Classroom

This week, roles were flipped as Shaelynn Farnsworth and I had an opportunity to learn from John Hattie at the Visible Learning Institute in San Diego. Hattie, a researcher in education, studied more than 150 million students, synthesizing more than 800 meta-studies to determine the effect size various influences have on teaching and learning. His work disaggregates not only what works in education but what works best.

Learning 111
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This District Rolled Out Minecraft and Teacher Collaboration Skyrocketed

Edsurge

When Roanoke County Public Schools gathered educators for their first training in how to teach with Minecraft: Education Edition (M:EE), “you could hear the rumble in the room,” says Jeff Terry, the district’s director of technology. That was early 2018. Today, his district is among the top ten for M:EE usage worldwide. While Terry was surprised to hear that stat, he was also excited.

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Writing as Threat

The Jose Vilson

On the Saturday after I spoke on a panel at the Schomburg , I attended the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators conference here in NYC. I supported my friends Julia Torres and Cornelius Minor as they gave a framework for authors and artists to ingratiate themselves to PK – 12 educators. After the spot-on workshop, Elizabeth Acevedo graced the ballroom stage.

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Enhancing HyFlex Education through the PowerTeaching Framework

This whitepaper explores integrating the PowerTeaching pedagogical approach within a HyFlex (Hybrid Flexible) educational model, focusing on employing cooperative learning strategies and efficient classroom management techniques.