As the demand for STEM skills grows, so too does the question of if and why we need it in the classroom. During the edLeader Panel “Implementing Successful PBL + STEM Initiatives,” Jorge Valenzuela, education leadership coach, author, and Lifelong Learning Defined podcast host, talked with Superintendent of Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District (MI) Mark Whelton and STEM Facilitator at The Oakwood School (NC) Christopher Young about how to bring project-based learning+ and STEM to schools.
While artificial intelligence and machine learning are not new technologies, recent leaps in the technology driving these tools are rapidly transforming our day-to-day lives. From sophisticated software programs that amazingly interpret keystrokes before they are made to financial institutions predicting purchasing habits to tools like ChatGPT creating sophisticated marketing materials, AI, or rather, generative AI, has burst onto the scene seemingly overnight.
While similar numbers of students have dyscalculia in relation to dyslexia, the amount of research done for dyslexia far outreaches the other. In fact, it wasn’t until 1985 that researchers developed a cognitive model for numerical and calculation processing, and it wasn’t until the 2000s that students could be assessed for dyscalculia.
Approximately one decade ago, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were published, providing a new, hands-on way of teaching K-12 science. In the edLeader Panel “Next Generation Science Standards: Exploring Ten Years of Progress in Science Education,” four specialists in the field of science education took us through the history and impact of the NGSS, how assessments and educational practices have changed to work with them, and the challenges they pose.
The sudden release of ChatGPT to the general public in November of 2022 presented a number of new challenges to educational leaders, forcing them to add consideration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to their to-do lists, which were already too long.
One of the most important roles of a leader is the development and implementation of a plan. How good a job one does at that vital step can make all the difference in the plan’s success or failure.
Families are thirsty for information about inclusive technology that supports their children with disabilities. They want to understand and inform the tools schools use. They want to collaborate. Yet, while family engagement is essential—and promoted in the Every Student Succeeds Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—it is often not operationalized.
Both IEPs and edtech share a similar promise: helping deliver personalized learning so that every child reaches their potential. But while IEPs focus on reaching kids who have already experienced difficulties, edtech is supposed to level the field before students have issues.
You may have new ideas on approaching math curricula. Or you might know a better way to include bilingual students or rally parental support. If you’re passionate about influencing how students learn and want to address policy issues, leadership just might be your calling.
Multilingual students come to the classroom with unique cultural experiences and language practices. When recognized and built into instruction, learners see that their cultural and linguistic uniqueness is valued, relevant, and crucial to how and what they learn.