I am not a big advocate of movies. I tend to think of them as a 100 plus minute escape from reality. Moreover, movies tend to condition some minds for the oddness that will likely occur in the future. Despite my general disdain of movies, I was recently compelled to watch in its entirety, Bennett […]
Recommended books offer ideas for makerspace activities, insight into online teaching, a behind-the-scenes look at reform and philanthropy, and methods for teaching steam in elementary school. Meaningful Making:Projects and Inspirations for Fab Labs and Makerspaces Constructing Modern Knowledge Press From the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education comes this compendium […]
At Napa Valley USD in northern California, classroom technology integration has been a priority since 1997, when the district opened the country's first New Technology High School. So bringing in digital books in order to provide easily accessible content to the 18,000 students and faculty in 34 schools was a natural—and important—step. "The challenge was […]
Biology students in 13 Howard County public high schools have a new tool to study the Chesapeake Bay watershed. By using the survey tool, students help environmental scientists keep an eye on pollution and other factors that might harm the bay or its creatures, including Maryland's renowned blue crabs. Howard County sits southwest of Baltimore, […]
Invasive fish species can harm Florida's waterways. And now students from Miami-Dade County's BioTECH @ Richmond Heights work with Zoo Miami scientists to monitor the invaders and their effects on local lakes. The conservation-biology-focused STEM high school—which opened in 2014-15 with help from an $11 million federal grant—focuses on zoology, botany, genetics, ecology, chemistry and […]
Technology is a vital part of students' lives: 92 percent of teens say they go online daily and 24 percent say they are logged in "almost constantly" according to a 2015 report by the Pew Research Center. Most of that involves social media (Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram), which is sometimes used to bully, make […]
Integration and simplification top wish lists when it comes to website management tools. Administrators want tools to connect easily and effectively with parents and students as the variety of programs, platforms and devices grows. Many systems handle a range of functions, from overdue library books and bus routes to lunch balances and student assignments. Administrators […]
Platforms and apps that provide parents direct communication and unfiltered access to grades, schedules, school news and emergency announcements offer better access than ever before. Many districts keep parents informed with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media, but more sophisticated tools have emerged as technology has evolved. Platforms and apps that provide parents direct […]
Students will likely choose healthier meals if provided with more comfortable places to eat. Modern lighting and food-court style designs can draw students to dining areas while school gardens can provide learning experiences and also supply cafeterias with fresh, less expensive produce. Students will likely choose healthier meals if provided with more comfortable places to […]
Teenagers and young adults have higher STD rates than any other age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So Los Angeles USD started using an app this semester to better connect students to free HIV and STD testing. "The students can now find health services they need in their local area […]
