April, 2021

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5 Fab Ways to Make Sustainability Fun for Students Every Day

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Sustainability is a hot topic. In this blog post, we discuss ways to help students understand how to take care of the world and have fun at the same time. Simply put, show them other students who are doing heroic things that they can do, too. Then, let them have conversations.

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20 ideas for exit tickets in the classroom

Ditch That Textbook

Class is done. How can we end it effectively? Using digital exit tickets can bring closure to your day.Class is done. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve tried some new things. We’ve had some great discussions.So … now what?How can we make the most of the end of class? How can we tie a bow on […]. The post 20 ideas for exit tickets in the classroom appeared first on Ditch That Textbook.

Classroom 363
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Peer Feedback: Making It Meaningful

Catlin Tucker

Feedback is how students feel seen and supported. It is also how we communicate to our students that we value the process over the product. When we give feedback as students work, we signal that the work they are doing is important, and we care about their progress. Teachers want to give students timely, focused, and actionable feedback, yet it is easy to neglect.

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Maintaining STEM Engagement Requires Imagination and Creativity from Schools

EdTech Magazine

Cajon Valley Middle School in El Cajon, Calif., real-world relevance is a top priority. Using a curriculum called World of Work, or WOW, teachers guide students through experiences that make use of student interests revealed in research-based career assessments — setting them up to one day enter the workforce armed with an informed understanding of the options available to them.

STEM 538
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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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Using Feedback to Create a Culture of Excellence

A Principal's Reflections

Growth is a huge component of the change process. In order for each of us to pave a path for success, there must be feedback along the way. When it comes to navigating the process of change, this might be the most essential element to help individuals improve while also validating efforts made to get better. Cultures of excellence are created and fostered when feedback is used to commend effort while providing considerations for growth regularly.

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Spring into creativity with these 5 digital tools!

Neo LMS

As a language teacher, I am always looking for new ideas or tools for my students to try in our classroom that enables them to create something more authentic and personalized. Providing my students with different choices for creating with the language will not only help them build their language skills and foster creativity, but also with the development of technology and digital citizenship skills, as they post online and share their work.

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Leadership During Crisis: Lessons and Learnings from the League of Innovative Schools

Digital Promise

The COVID-19 pandemic may have disrupted traditional classroom instruction, but it has not stopped schools from fostering meaningful connections and engaging in robust, student-centered teaching and learning. As challenging as the pandemic has been, a common theme has emerged among the League of Innovative Schools: Embrace the innovations of the moment as designs for the future.

Learning 418
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Pile of Words: Drive Deeper Engagement with Vocabulary at the Beginning of a Unit, Text, or Project

Catlin Tucker

Each new unit, text, or project presents learners with vocabulary words that may be new and unfamiliar. So, how do we get students to think more deeply about vocabulary? How can we make learning new vocabulary more engaging and meaningful? Matthew Perini, Harvey Silver, and Jay McTighe propose a simple yet powerful strategy called “pile of words.” I love the pile of words strategy because it positions the students at the center of learning.

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Is Virtual Learning Here to Stay for K–12?

EdTech Magazine

Last year’s mass shift to virtual learning altered the landscape for K–12 education. Districts fast-tracked long-term plans for upgraded technology and teacher training. Educators and students worked together to troubleshoot technical problems as they arose, and companies innovated remote learning software to provide the best experiences. With all of the changes, adaptations and, in many cases, improvements, educators are beginning to wonder if schooling should return to the way it was.

Software 456
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Learning Recovery Through Acceleration

A Principal's Reflections

There is an emerging sense of relief amongst educators as more and more schools are welcoming back students or that the most difficult year is finally coming to an end. With this excitement comes renewed fears of where many of these kids are academically or will be by the beginning of the next school year. As such, the most common messaging has focused on the impending learning loss epidemic that is about to plague virtually every school.

Learning 443
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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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Podcast pedagogy: Leveraging audio programs for learning

Neo LMS

It was probably over ten years ago when our after-school multi-media club began creating podcasts for our school using GarageBand on our MacBook Pro. The students put a lot of work into each episode – adding intros and outros, recording segments of trivia and riddles, and playing around with bumpers and stingers. Unfortunately, our audience was small – basically the families of the students in the club and one loyal second grade teacher who played them for her class each week.

Learning 429
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How a Student Held a Virtual Summer Camp in Summer 2020

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Sophia is a student in Oman. During the 2020 shut down, Sophia wanted to help the children in her neighborhood have a fun learning experience — so she created a virtual summer camp online. We can learn about learning in this example where the teacher and students are kids and everything is optional.

Meeting 446
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Taking the Time to Reflect and Learn with e-Portfolios

Digital Promise

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the teaching profession is that there is always something to learn and refine. This year in my role as a trainer, I leaned into reading articles from outlets such as Edutopia, Education Week, and MindShift to increase my knowledge about effective remote learning strategies. In October 2020, I read an article in Edutopia which highlighted the importance and value of teachers creating an e-Portfolio for professional learning, especially while teaching during th

Learning 413
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Will Existing Mental Models Threaten Post-pandemic Progress in Education?

Catlin Tucker

Over the last 14 months, people have asked me, “What do you hope the silver lining of this tough year will be?” I hope educators and educational institutions use this year and the lessons learned to reimagine “school” and how we design and facilitate learning. Yet, I worry that won’t happen. I fear schools will revert to what is comfortable and what aligns with existing mental models instead of questioning the status quo, taking inventory of the lessons learned this

Education 533
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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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Should K–12 Schools Migrate to SD-WAN?

EdTech Magazine

Adoption of software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) solutions is on the rise as organizations look for ways to reduce complexity and improve performance across their IT stacks. K–12 schools also stand to benefit from the adoption of SD-WAN as they seek to manage both in-school and remote learning requirements. Yet, many schools still have unanswered questions about SD-WAN, beginning with: What is it, exactly?

Software 442
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Organize, Streamline, and Empower Learning with H?para

A Principal's Reflections

The world has radically changed in unprecedented ways. Educators navigate uncharted waters that continually fluctuate as a result of COVID-19 and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Even with all of these challenges, opportunities have arisen to take education in a different and better direction to create a new normal that better meets learners' needs.

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The uberization of Higher Education: fad or fab?

Neo LMS

With the enormous changes brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a new kid on the block that people seem to be talking about a lot lately: the uberization of education. The topic is not new. Once technology became part of our daily routine and online learning solutions (MOOC providers, learning apps, learning management systems , etc.) picked up, it was only a matter of time to see that education had to undergo some changes.

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Choose Your Own Adventure Professional Development

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Professional Development can be an adventure! Yes, you can create fun, exciting learning. In this show, learn how Laurie Guyon uses hyperdocs and a “choose your own adventure” format. Not only does this format excites teachers about learning new tools, but also many of them now use this method with students.

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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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Whiteboard Apps You’ll Love

Ask a Tech Teacher

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.

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Announcing the 2021 Cohort of HP Teaching Fellows

Digital Promise

We’re excited to announce the 2021 cohort of HP Teaching Fellows! The new cohort includes 26 educators from across the United States and Canada, selected for their excellence in powerful teaching and learning with technology. HP Teaching Fellows Exemplify Powerful Learning. HP Teaching Fellows are part of Reinvent the Classroom , a collaboration between Digital Promise, HP, Microsoft, and Intel.

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Roundtable: Focusing on Social and Emotional Learning for K–12 Students

EdTech Magazine

The signs are everywhere, once you start to look. For one student, it’s poor attendance; for another, a ­sudden drop in academic achievement. The third grader who used to be a star now seems more interested in ­interrupting class. A year and counting into the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly that long since the start of remote learning, many K–12 students are still struggling to adapt — and many teachers are at a loss for what to do.

Learning 439
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Game design in the classroom: 8 steps to get started

Ditch That Textbook

This post is written by Jon Spike. Jon is a Coordinator of Instructional Technology and Integration at UW-Whitewater, collaborating with preservice teachers and instructors to leverage technology in innovative ways. He teaches courses on topics such as Digital Tools and Video Games & Learning. He also hosts the LaughED podcast, where educators around the world […].

Classroom 363
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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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3 Ways To Teach Students Email Safety, Mass Emails, and More

EdTech4Beginners

Teach your young students how to protect themselves from phishing attacks and how to use multiple email features such as mass emailing. The internet can be an amazing place for your students to learn about subjects they may have never known about before, but there are still dangers online. It is crucial to teach your students at a young age the importance of staying safe online and on their own email.

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5 Ways to Teach About Earth Day with Monica Burns

The CoolCatTeacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter. Thursday, April 22 is Earth Day. As citizens of this planet, we should all care about caring for this world. Today, Monica Burns gives us practical ways to teach and encourage students to be good caretakers of the world we live in. Every teacher will find an idea they can use any time of the year to encourage sustainability and caring for our environment.

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The Importance of Play in Schools

Waterford

Beloved educator and children’s television host Fred Rogers once said , “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.”. There’s more truth to this quote than you might expect. Play can lead to social-emotional and intellectual growth, and it should be treated less as a break from learning and more as something just as essential.

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Leveling Up Computer Science Teaching through Micro-credentials

Digital Promise

As teachers, we are trained to encourage higher-level thinking skills, including meta-cognition, in our students. We teachers should also engage in that same exercise to strengthen our teaching practice. Micro-credentials helped me enrich and deepen my teaching by providing the opportunity to reflect on how I teach. I have taught math at a public high school in Connecticut for the past six years, and began teaching UTeach Computer Science Principles (CSP) the first year it was offered.

Exercises 310
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Building the Foundation for a Modern K-12 Classroom

K-12 looks different these days. But one thing remains the same: you need a reliable learning platform that serves as the foundation for teaching and learning––for all students, in a variety of learning experiences. Discover how the Instructure Learning Platform supports today's K-12 classroom through: A central, consistent, connected hub of the digital learning environment.

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EdTech Essentials: 3 Language Teachers Share Their Top Tools

EdTech Magazine

¿Cómo se dice EdTech en español? To get the answer, you might turn to Laura Boyd or Alberto and Mario Herraez. All three teach Spanish to middle school students, but their independent classrooms are unique. Boyd teaches Spanish to fifth through eighth graders at Poplar Grove Middle School. Her classroom in Tennessee’s Franklin Special School District is operating in a hybrid model, where students can choose whether they want to log in to class virtually or attend in person each semester.

EdTech 414
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Teacher Tech Tok: Seeking out opportunities for micro PD

Ditch That Textbook

This post is written by Lindsay Zilly. Lindsay is the Director of Professional Learning for Illinois Digital Educators Alliance. She is a Google Certified Educator, Apple Learning Specialist, Microsoft Innovative Educator, Seesaw Ambassador and Apple Teacher 2016. Follow Lindsay on Twitter and Instagram: @iCoachLindsay As a lifelong learner, we have to be open to learning […].

Microsoft 318
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Kidz Type – a great website to learn touch-typing skills

EdTech4Beginners

KidzType is a great website which has lots of fun, engaging games for all ages! When you enter the site, the main option is Dance Mat Typing. Level 1 starts you off with individual letters and spaces, and when you reach Level 4, you will be challenged to use semi-colons and the shift key. It is great for practice and really engaging. Sound effects and cartoon characters create a non-threatening, fun environment.

Learning 292
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Five Strategies for Combating Learning Loss

EdNews Daily

By Dan Hoppie As an Executive Director of Curriculum for Pasadena Independent School District in the greater Houston area, I have wrestled with two seemingly opposite forces during the pandemic. First, I recognize the many difficulties that exist in trying to intervene for students who are experiencing profound change in how they are accustomed to learning.

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Transform Your Classroom with Apple

Speaker: Aaron Webb, Jamf

Apple empowers educators and students by design. Whether using Macs, iPads, or Apple TV, Apple devices encourage creativity and can simplify teaching with apps to make the classroom more flexible, collaborative and personalized for each student. To unleash the full potential of the technology and create the best learning environment, you need to understand the tools and resources available, and develop an education-focused, comprehensive plan, from equipment purchase to deployment, management an