While good news about how technology is positively impact student achievement in U.S. K-12 schools is in short supply, the fact is this: It is not a mystery how a school can use desktops, laptops and, yes, even iPads to increase student achievement. Check out our blog; we spill the beans on how Nan Chiau Primary School in Singapore is using smartphones and 1:1 to support increases in achievement -- especially in students' development of 21st century skills!
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 01/28/14
How many times have you lost a great idea for a lesson plan simply because you weren't able to jot it down right away? Capturing ideas as the develop can be inconvenient, but here are five easy steps for recording your "brain detours" using a tool that's already close at hand.
- By Ellen Zimmerman
- 01/23/14
Buffalo Public Schools CTO Sanjay Gilani and Director of Instructional Technology William Russo explain how desktop virtualization, implemented this school year, is allowing IT to provide around-the-clock access to learning resources and to help the district prepare for Common Core assessments.
- By Sanjay Gilani and William Russo
- 01/22/14
The data are clear: when using online resources such as the Khan Academy videos, videos from flipped classrooms, and in higher ed -- MOOCs, learners sitting at the kitchen table or in their room or on the family couch will at some point hit an "I'm stuck" bump. Instead of quitting, which is what usually happens, use YesWeKhan, an Android app, to collaborate with a buddy and work through the confusion. Currently, YesWeKhan VERYbeta supports watching Khan Academy videos -- collaboratively.
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 01/21/14
From Dewey in 1916 to PISA findings from 2012, with scientific research and personal experiences in between, we know that student ownership of their learning is absolutely key. In this week’s blog post, we explore how student ownership is facilitated in a direct-instruction school (Carpe Diem schools) and a project-based school (New Tech Network schools).
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 01/06/14
Where does IT sit in your district?
- By Therese Mageau
- 01/06/14
A classroom teacher speaks up about the difficulties of finding good iPad apps for her students' to use. Frankly, "we" could make it easier; "we" could address the difficulties she cites. So, why don't "we?"
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 12/11/13
A year in ed tech has taught me that the greatest gadget is only as good as the people behind it.
- By Christopher Piehler
- 12/03/13
From Smart Watches to Smart Margarine with Smart Bras in between, we are being inundated with smart objects. While the epithet “smart” may be overused, we argue that it is precisely this next generation of “smart” objects that will be the catalyst for the profound and fundamental change in education that we techies have been promising for the last 50+ years.
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 12/02/13
One hand washes the other; time for us to help each other in using mobile devices effectively in the classroom. Teachers, please, send us a curricular tip on how you use mobile devices in your classroom. We will publish your tips in our blog; thank you!
- By Cathie Norris, Elliot Soloway
- 11/13/13