edWeb.net is delighted to announce that ClassLink will be hosting Technology in Schools, a free professional learning community on edWeb. Through the community and edWebinars, ClassLink will provide district administrators, school leaders, and all educators with an online space to share ideas, examples, and resources that relate to integrating technology effectively in schools.
Many schools and districts are prioritizing the adoption of digital content and curricula, but the challenges of effectively evaluating, selecting, and implementing solutions still persist. However, with the right tools, technology can improve student achievement and empower educators. In “The 21st Century District’s Framework for Evaluating Digital Curriculum,” Dr. Tim Hudson reviewed important steps in finding the right digital curricula for your students’ needs.
Research indicates that due to a heightened interest in visual materials combined with strong visual processing capabilities, many individuals with autism are attracted to and benefit from using technology. From devices, to apps, to smart home implementations, technology can help improve daily life for those on the autism spectrum immensely, and software and devices that are currently in development offer great promise for the future. In a recent edWebinar, Christian Karter, MA, Educational Technology Specialist at Monarch Center for Autism, reviewed the benefits of some of this helpful technology.
With the proliferation of technology in school and at home, parents are looking for direction on how to keep their kids’ media habits in check. Librarians, who are often at the front lines of media and tech in schools, can provide that crucial guidance. The discussions shouldn’t focus on denying technology, though, said Michelle Cooper, Library Media Specialist, White Oak ISD, TX in the edWebinar “Achieving Media Balance in a Tech-Immersed World.” Instead, librarians can help families learn how to maintain a healthy balance and become good digital citizens.
Maps tell stories, explain, illuminate, and inspire. Students of all ages and across subject areas can benefit from using interactive maps to gather, analyze and interpret data, and gain insight into our world. In “How Online Mapping Activities Shape Learning Experiences for K-12 Students,” Charlie Fitzpatrick, K12 Manager at Esri; and Mike Wagner, Teacher at Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, shared how online mapping can shape learning experiences for K-12 learners.
Common Sense examines the latest scientific research about problematic media use in their new report, Technology Addiction: Concern, Controversy, and Finding Balance.
The labels change from day to day and school to school — “hybrid learning,” “flipped learning,” “competency-based learning,” “project-based learning” — pick your favorite adjective and add “learning.” What do they all have in common? Learning — and behind it all, technology. School leaders are right to focus on the learning but sometimes forget to worry about the technology.
Waiting until learning is complete to correct gaps or misconceptions can sometimes be too late. Changing instruction in the moment as a response to how and what students are learning is the key to ensuring that all students succeed. Technology certainly makes the formative assessment process easier and more effective.
It’s time for our annual app review! Participants discovered apps that change the way students and teachers think about learning. The presentation featured apps that promote essential 21st century learning skills – creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.
Attendees of this webinar learned about the Visual Immersion Program by exploring its core beliefs: the 7 functions of communication, foundational tools, emerging familiarity, and emergent understanding. Participants learned about assistive technology tools, including low-tech versus high-tech, foundational apps/devices, emerging familiarity apps/devices, and emergent understanding apps/devices.