Posted on

Peering Past the ‘Pixie Dust’ of Technology

How schools can ensure that technology is used effectively to transform teaching and learning By Jill Hobson When it comes to technology use in schools, a persisting tendency exists to believe that infusing classrooms with new technology will miraculously change teaching and learning. Unfortunately, education technology isn’t like Tinker Bell’s pixie dust.  Sprinkling it in classrooms won’t magically transform instruction. The novelty of new technology simply doesn’t change instruction by itself. Teachers must have guidance and direction, as well as a model for effective edtech use, in order to truly transform teaching and learning. Today, many administrators expect technology to …

Continue reading “Peering Past the ‘Pixie Dust’ of Technology”

Posted on

Mainstream Technology Gives Lift to Assistive Learning

The concept of assistive technology to help special education students achieve more in K-12 classrooms is nothing new, but the portability of many of the devices is a relatively new trend that is making a big impact on the ways students with special needs learn. Assistive technology devices used to be big, clunky pieces of equipment that drew attention to learning and physical disabilities. Today, assistive devices are often the save types of technology K-12 students are using in traditional classrooms and there is a “coolness” factor in both instances. The way that assistive technology looks is just one aspect …

Continue reading “Mainstream Technology Gives Lift to Assistive Learning”

Posted on

Do Gamified Language Learning Apps Work?

Note: The following guest post comes to us courtesy of Santiago Montero, founder and director of Spanish Tutor DC. Santiago has spent more than fifteen years integrating the fields of education and mass media in Europe and Latin America. Gamified language learning applications are enjoying millions of downloads, and a certain degree of popular prestige, with Duolingo being named Apple’s app of the year for 2013. These apps use points systems, power ups and other game mechanics to make the memorization of foreign vocabulary and grammar rules more engaging and exciting, but are they able to make students proficient in …

Continue reading “Do Gamified Language Learning Apps Work?”

Posted on

3 Ways Mobile Technology Boosts Instruction

The conversation about the benefits of mobile technology is often centered on students. What do students get out of adopting mobile technology? But shouldn’t there also be a discussion about educator preference? After all, an Education Market Research post shows that educator enjoyment of technology is a major contributing factor to its ever-growing use in the classroom. The debate is always student-centric but for these students to excel, teachers need to thrive too. This means administrative plans beyond simply purchasing mobile devices, or implementing bring-your-device policies that include teacher empowerment of the technology. Mobile technology has potential to change the …

Continue reading “3 Ways Mobile Technology Boosts Instruction”

Posted on

Moving Beyond the “Cool” Factor in Mobile Learning

Note: The following post comes to us courtesy of Mike Broderick, Co-Founder & CEO, Turning Technologies. According to a Pew Internet survey on mobile device use, 35% of Americans age 16 and up own a tablet. K-12 districts, universities and corporate learning programs are also driving the tablet trend, with some purchasing iPads and other tablets to replace textbooks and expand education capabilities with the hardware students already use to communicate and access entertainment. But the experiment doesn’t always proceed as planned. A plan to distribute iPads to more than 30,000 Los Angeles students hit a speed bump last year …

Continue reading “Moving Beyond the “Cool” Factor in Mobile Learning”

Posted on

Using EdTech to assess small group instruction

A panel discussion with the teachers of Richardson ISD in Richardson, Texas PANELISTS: Caroline Canessa, Merriman Park Elementary, 5th Grade Reading-Language Arts Leah Janoe, Dover Elementary, 5th Grade Math Ashley Scott, White Rock Elementary, 3rd Grade Jennifer Looney, Wallace Elementary, 3rd Grade Alyson Hollon, Dover Elementary, 6th Grade Science   For those who may not know, can you elaborate on what your state standards ask teachers to assess in terms of small group discussions? Jennifer Looney: According to our third grade standards, students should be involved in teacher-led and student-led discussions. Leah Janoe: Students should participate in small-group discussions by …

Continue reading “Using EdTech to assess small group instruction”

Posted on

Seven deadly sins of online course design

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.** By Daniel Stanford I took my first online course in 2004 while pursuing my MFA. It seemed like a novel idea at the time, and I had no clue I’d be spending the next ten years up to my eyeballs in online courses. Since then, I’ve helped faculty design dozens of online and hybrid courses, …

Continue reading “Seven deadly sins of online course design”

Posted on

Fostering Global Citizenship through Skype

Guest post by Sarah Byrne CHAT to the Future is a growing registered charity based in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada committed to education, global citizenship, and ending the cycle of extreme poverty. They unify these three concepts through the integration of technology into the lives of North American students. CHAT itself stands for Care and Hope through the Adoption of Technology. CHAT runs a small orphans’ home in Kasangati, Uganda and uses the power of North American schools to fully fund everything from rent to education.   The real power in what CHAT does comes from Skype and their …

Continue reading “Fostering Global Citizenship through Skype”

Posted on

Why "anti-tech" teachers irk me

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.** A guest post by Lisa Mims The conversation went something like this: Teacher: Do you know he suggested using Tagxedo at Reading Night? Me: What a wonderful idea! Teacher: I don’t see why they want to use technology. (said with disdain) Me: Why not? The kids and parents would have a good time. Teacher: What if it doesn’t work? What …

Continue reading “Why "anti-tech" teachers irk me”

Posted on

Educational Technologies and Concepts that Every Teacher Should Know: Part IV

Click here to read all the pieces in this series.  By Matthew Lynch In the first three parts of my five-part series, I discussed educational technologies and concepts that every teacher should know about. Today I want to continue that conversation today and look at several more technology features.. Screen readers. This technology is slightly different from text-to-speech. It simply informs students of what is on a screen. A student who is blind or visually impaired can benefit from the audio interface screen readers provide. Students who otherwise struggle to glean information from a computer screen can learn more easily …

Continue reading “Educational Technologies and Concepts that Every Teacher Should Know: Part IV”