Academic Achievement

Student success, special achievement, and honor roll.

David Lockhart looks at PD for educators in new ways to create better learning environments.

Shifting Professional Development in Education

How do we change professional development (PD) for educators to be personalized, equitable, and effective?
Our current methods of PD don’t check off all of these boxes at once and because they don’t, we are always throwing new things at teachers hoping something will stick.
AR

How Teachers Use Interactive Technology

Technology has the potential to improve student capacity to learn in new and exciting ways that promote interactivity and deeper understanding of a given topic. In a survey of K-12 Technology newsletter readers, we explored what types of technology tools are currently in use and for what purposes.
Project-based Learning

Aspects of Effective Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) is a topic many teachers are interested in, but are unsure of how to implement or understand if it is working. Long before my Epic Romeo and Juliet Project, the first major project I created was during my student teaching 10 years ago. I thought it would be a great idea to hold a mock trial in my class after reading Huck Finn. I wanted students to put Mark Twain on trial for being a racist. At the time, there was some uproar across the nation on whether or not Huck should be taught in schools. We had discussed the topic in class and I thought this would be an engaging way for students to explore both sides of the issue and make up their minds.
Literacy Learning Centers

Creating Learning Centers in a Blended Literacy Classroom

There has been no greater impact on differentiation and student achievement in recent years than the effective integration of technology in the classroom. Traditionally, literacy educators spent long hours gathering resources, developing tasks and extensions, and reading and analyzing assessments to determine if the instruction was meeting the needs of students. Now imagine doing this same routine three or four times over to cover all Lexile levels in one classroom—exhausting.

Innovative Leadership Exemplified

CoSN educators and technology professionals recently went on a trip to New Zealand to meet with government officials, local leaders and educators to get an insight into the country’s education system and its policies. Members of the delegation have been encouraged to document their experiences in a blog. These are some of the highlights and insights from an exciting and interesting trip.

Technology - Positive or Negative?

Is Technology Helping or Harming My Students?

When a new school year starts, it is not uncommon to see old computer labs converted to state-of-the-art STEM labs or Chromebooks, iPads, laptops, robots, and 3D printers throughout a building. There are many new and exciting technology tools continually at the disposal of educators. But before you partake in the latest tech tools, I encourage you to pause and reflect on how the technology impacts instruction.

Classroom Design Matters

Classroom Design Matters

As a classroom teacher, one of the most exciting aspects of starting a new school year is organizing the classroom learning spaces. Where should the desks go? Can everyone see the board properly? Can everyone move around the room easily?

Digital Citizenship

How Predicting the Future Can Develop Digital Citizenship Skills

In my last blog, we explored activities to help students “frame the system” rather than game the system in order to think critically about the rules that should govern their digital lifestyles. Now I’d like to discuss an activity that helps students develop digital citizenship skills by imagining new technologies. The goal is for students to take charge of their futures by inventing it. Digital citizenship is often approached from a reactive perspective in response to unwanted behavior like cyberbullying or cyberstalking. In contrast, this activity approaches digital citizenship proactively, casting students in the roles of leaders and “imagineers.”

Are You a Connected Educator?

Are You a Connected Educator?

Like many teachers, I am passionate about changing the world through connecting with our youngest citizens. My motivation stems from wanting the best for my students so they can succeed in their educational pursuits and find their place in the world. My passion drives me to help them develop lifelong learning as part of the fabric of their lives.