How schools can help families meet challenges of take-home devices While most schools are focused on implementing one-to-one technology programs on campus -- and the implications for students and staff -- they also should plan for the integration of those devices at home, suggests Jason Brand, a family and individual therapist. Brand writes in this blog post about how the devices will change home lives for students and their families. He also offers ways schools can prepare families for these challenges. Edutopia.org/David Brand's blog (8/6)
| Can cellphones boost classroom interactions for some students? More teachers are finding ways to boost lessons and classroom participation by using devices that were once banned from schools -- cellphones. Some teachers in Ohio are texting reminders about tests and homework, with students responding and engaging. "We had some students who maybe ... have said three or four words the entire semester," said Damon Mollenkopf, an Advanced Placement history teacher at Westerville North High School. "All of a sudden, they are giving me these fantastic contributions via [Twitter] or via texting or via email." WBNS-TV (Columbus, Ohio) (8/7)
Study: Blended learning boosts student performance in algebra High-school students who used a math curriculum, which teaches algebra using both in-person and computer-based instruction, improved 8 percentile points, according to a recent study of 18,000 students spanning 147 schools in seven states. The study -- conducted by RAND Corp. and the U.S. Department of Education -- seeks to offer an objective picture of blended learning that accounts for variability among states, districts and schools. KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog (8/7) | How teachers can avoid decision-making fatigue and remain productive Teachers can make as many as 5,000 decisions in a school day, leading to what award-winning educator Brian Page calls "decision fatigue." In this blog post, Page offers five tips to help connected teachers and administrators remain productive, including doing creative work first, setting an automated e-mail response that lists a later time when a response can be expected, along with scheduling time for social media. He also suggests making the most of downtime and completing one task at a time. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Education (8/7)
Other News | 8 Calif. districts granted first-of-their-kind waivers from NCLB The U.S. Department of Education has granted waivers from portions of No Child Left Behind to a group of eight school districts in California -- a new step for the administration, which previously granted such waivers only to states. These districts -- Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno and Sanger -- will operate differently than others in the state and have more flexibility on topics of spending, teachers' evaluations and testing. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (8/6) | Pa. district eliminates controversial social media policy The Bethel Park School Board in Pennsylvania this week eliminated a policy that restricts the use of social media by school staff. The action does away with the 2-year-old policy, which had been challenged by teachers and the American Civil Liberties Union in the state. Board members say they took the action to give them time to review the policy, which bans employees from using cellphone and online tools to engage in inappropriate communication. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (8/7) | Study: Social media has changed Americans' food culture The prevalence of social media in dining, including Instagramming meals and liking brands on Facebook, has changed America's conversations around food and allowed for the emergence of cultural trends such as the push for locally grown products, according to a study from The Hartman Group. Social media has affected "the way we think about, talk about and experience food," and 43% of Americans use it to plan meals, according to the report. Adweek (8/5)  | Read&Write GOLD from Texthelp Helps Students Succeed!
The award-winning text-to-speech software solution for individuals with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia or Dysgraphia, or reading and writing difficulties. Read&Write GOLD includes support tools for reading, writing, studying, and research. Download a FREE 30-Day Trial or order now to save 10%! Special IEP Pricing also available! |
 |  | The first man gets the oyster; the second man gets the shell." -- Andrew Carnegie, Scottish-American industrialist | | | Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions. | | Publisher, Education Group: Joe Riddle P: 202.407.7857 ext. 228 | | | | |
| Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment