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STEAM: Innovations That Solve Real World Problems

Six Strategies for Implementing STEAM as Your School’s New Approach to Learning

Apr 1, 2018

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) has become more prominent as an effective approach to interdisciplinary learning. However, implementation is not as simple as following a new curriculum or purchasing materials. During the edWebinar “STEAM: Innovations That Solve Real World Problems,” Cheri Sterman, Director of Education, Crayola; Lucie Howell, Director of Learning and Engagement, The Henry Ford; and James Wells, Innovative Teaching & Learning Manager, Crayola, explained the movement’s genesis and offered strategies for a successful transition.

teaching media literacy in the classroom

Give Students the Tools and Skills They Need for Media Literacy

Mar 23, 2018

Media literacy is more important today than ever. It is a critical skill for students of all ages, especially because teenagers spend an average of nine hours a day on media that doesn’t include schoolwork or homework. Educators must give students the tools and skills they need to decipher between reliable and unreliable sources of media. Susannah Moran, Senior Project Manager at myON, presented tips for providing students with these important media literacy skills in “Teaching Media Literacy in the Classroom.”

Achieving Media Balance in a Tech-Immersed World

Four Steps to Help Students Develop a Healthy Media Diet

Mar 13, 2018

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.

Preparing Students for Online Assessments with Digital Literacy Skills

Mar 7, 2018

Online assessments are becoming more common, and students who have strong digital literacy skills often score higher on them. Students who lack these skills may not be able to effectively demonstrate mastery of key concepts in math, reading or writing on online assessments. Technology and digital literacy specialists at Flagstaff Unified School District in Arizona reviewed the importance of teaching digital literacy skills and how their district is doing so in “Improving Student Performance on Online Assessments.”

edWeb Celebrates 10 years!

Mar 1, 2018

edWeb is 10 years old! It feels like such a big milestone, especially since it's been 10 years since the dawn of the "connected educator" movement. I still remember so well when the U. S. Department of Education issued the 2010 National Education Technology Plan. The...

Cultivating and Growing Your Personal Learning Network

Feb 28, 2018

Do you have a PLN? Those who do swear by it and live by the mantra “alone we are smart, together we are brilliant.” A PLN can help you find and curate the best ideas and resources, and build a network of supportive peers in a time of constant change. Steven Anderson, Digital Learning and Relationship Evangelist, and Shaelynn Farnsworth, Literacy Consultant, joined Lisa Schmucki, founder and CEO of edWeb.net for conversation with Larry Jacobs on Education Talk Radio on this topic. Larry kicked off the conversation with the question, “What is the value of a PLN and how has that changed over the past 10 years?”

Research to Empower Schools to Support Students with Reading Disabilities image

Research to Better Support Your Students with Reading Disabilities

Feb 22, 2018

Current approaches to identifying students with reading disabilities are often problematic and ineffective, and will not lead students to academic success. Significant improvements in identification and screening have been made to provide greater support, and earlier. In “Cutting-Edge Research to Empower Schools to Support Students with Reading Disabilities,” Rick Wagner, Associate Director for the Florida Center for Reading Research, discussed problems with current methods and how to better help students with these disabilities.

edWeb = “Free-Range PD” Teachers Love!

Feb 22, 2018

edWeb.net has free professional learning on such a wide range of topics that we call it “free-range PD!” Learn, share, and mentor with colleagues in your school and district, or meet up in edWebinar chats and in our professional learning communities with educators all around the world. Classroom teachers, librarians, and administrators can use edWeb to fuel their professional growth by viewing edWebinars live or on-demand, joining online discussions, accessing free resources, and creating a support network.

Shaping K-12 Learning Experiences with Online Mapping Activities

Feb 13, 2018

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.

Reducing Online Security and Privacy Risk in Your School

Feb 9, 2018

Student privacy and school security are growing concerns in schools that can have consequences from negative media attention to losing parent and student trust. Defining and assessing levels of risk in the school is a crucial part of online security and privacy. Although there is no such thing as zero risk, there are measures we can take to significantly reduce risk. Bill Fitzgerald, Director of the Privacy Evaluation Initiative for Common Sense Media, provided simple ways to assess online privacy and security in “Online Security, Privacy, and Risk: How to Avoid Becoming a Headline.”

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