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OPINION: Why creating and maintaining accessible digital resources is neither easy nor optional

by Nancy Kopans   When a leading research university announces the removal of more than 20,000 course videos and podcasts from the public, in response to a U.S. Department of Justice ruling, such a move should not go unnoticed. The DOJ launched its investigation of the University of California, Berkeley in response to complaints from the National Association of the Deaf asserting that Berkeley’s online videos did not contain closed captioning. Under Titles II and III of the Americans with Disability Act ,public and private universities must ensure that any content made available is accessible, unless meeting accessibility guidelines would result in a …

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Do classroom clickers improve learning? It depends.

by Nichole Dobo Classroom “clickers” quiz students in real time, allowing instructors to gauge student learning and reinforce what is being taught. New research suggests that the effectiveness of these devices hinges largely on the teaching methods being used with them, not the technology, and that instructors would do well to think about why they are using the devices and whether or not they dovetail with their teaching style. “It’s super easy to just incorporate clickers into the classroom and to say ‘I am doing something new, something innovative,’ ” said Amy M. Shapiro, a professor of psychology at UMass …

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Make a match: How some schools decide what education technology to buy

by Nichole Dobo School leaders and teachers struggle to find the right education technology to suit their needs. Education technology makers can’t figure out exactly what schools need – or if their products can work as intended. LEAP Innovations, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization, works on both sides of the equation, providing a pilot network program that links schools and education technology companies. Schools say what they need and then get to test-drive programs for free. Companies get a real-life run and meaningful feedback on their offerings. This symbiosis helps schools cut through the clutter to find solutions that actually work …

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OPINION: The four ways we can train teachers to use technology that hasn’t been invented yet

by Candace Roberts   Education critics often see technology as unnecessary bells and whistles to a curriculum that has sufficed for decades. But the reality is that technological innovation today is opening the door to entirely new methods of teaching that have never before been feasible. New tools have changed how teachers interact with their students, and how the students interact with the materials being taught. More than 100 years ago, the chalkboard was a great teaching tool. It’s since been replaced by interactive whiteboards, document cameras, tablets and virtual reality headsets, each slightly more functional than its predecessor. Changes today …

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Schools must get the basics right before splashing out on technology

For years, schools and education experts have debated whether technology belongs in the classroom. Now the discussion has shifted and even schools that had thus far resisted the educational tech revolution are being swept into what’s become a multi-billion-dollar market. The question now isn’t whether technology has a place in schools, but which devices would work best: laptops, tablets, smartphones or something else entirely? However, maybe it’s not the device that schools should be preoccupied with – but rather how students use them to learn. Leaning back or leaning forward The “lean back” vs “lean forward” model was originally developed …

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