Expert Perspectives


Computational Thinking: A Powerful Idea Whose Time Has Come!

In this week’s blog post, we explore the value of computational thinking, first as it helps to explain a 30-year old, "cold case," empirical finding, and second as it may well be a "disruptive education intervention!"

Making Space for Makerspaces

Pop-up makerspaces have allowed project-based learning to grow and blossom. Using higher-order thinking skills, students are given the opportunity to problem-solve, ask questions, think, create, innovate, fix and revise. A new set of learning theories have popped up as well. Innovation and design theory have become a way of learning, with entrepreneurship at the helm.

BLC18: Come to the Best Little Conference on Educational Technology!

Alan November has run the Building Learning Communities (BLC) Conference since 2000, each year drawing almost 1,000 educators from all over the world to "be challenged and be affirmed." In this week’s blog post we describe the "Pixie Dust," the formula, that Alan and his team use to create a unique venue for educators to come together and immerse themselves in "education and technology."

How California's Student Privacy Law Protects Against Targeted Advertising

In 2014, California signed into law the most comprehensive student-data-privacy legislation in the country. The success of this landmark legislation in California has sparked a national conversation on the importance of protecting our students’ data, and has been the inspiration for similar legislation across the country.

Student Data Privacy: Building Trust Through Collaboration

A community of trust encourages a healthy conversation between school systems and community members that moves from fear-based to fact-based about the school practices and educational progress of students. 

Face-to-face Universities Absolutely Still Have a Place!

Online — for all things, online — certainly looks like the right side of history. But, as we argue in this week’s blog, face-to-face universities offer undergraduates two unique opportunities that online universities simply can’t!

How a Humanoid Robot Enhances SEL Skills for Students with Autism

A special education teachers shares her best practices for connecting with challenging students and helping them develop the social skills they need.

7 Key Considerations for Online and Blended Learning Programs

How to set up and orchestrate a successful online and blended learning program for K–12

Mobile Learning: Now In the Hands of Teenagers

While "mobile learning" may be overshadowed these days by other tech trends, make no mistake: in the hands of today’s youth, mobile learning is huge! Data to back that claim up — and more like it — are in this week’s blog post, where we interview Dr. Julie Evans, CEO — and Diva Extraordinaire — of Project Tomorrow. Using their "phones" teens are absolutely exploring "socially-based, un-tethered and digitally rich learning."

Understand NGSS in 5 Minutes: Sort of

NGSS – The Next Generation Science Standards – is the hot new way to teach science in K-12. NGSS is a revolution in science education. In our blog, we briefly try to do that revolution justice by explaining its five key terms.

Whitepapers