Recent articles
Use badges to create self-paced learning experiences
04/21/2017
Topics: 1:1, Assistive and adaptive technologies, Augmented reality, BYOD, Computational Thinking, Curriculum, Gamification, Gaming, Makerspaces, Mobile learning, Personalized Learning, professional learning, Project-based learning, Robotics, STEM & STEAM, Technology infrastructure, Tools
Awarding badges is more than a way to recognize student accomplishments. For educator Michele Haiken, badges also offer a way to give students a self-paced learning experience.
“I looked to my gaming experience and I borrowed the idea of badging as I re-examined my curriculum…
What full-scale change looks like and how to get there
01/01/2017
It was a searing message from its own students that awakened a transformation using technology in one Alaskan school district.
“A few years ago,” says Superintendent Mary Wegner of the Sitka School District, “high school students approached the school board and…
8 new apps to test drive in your classroom
08/17/2015
Topics: 1:1, BYOD, Mobile learning, Tools
Kids tend to embrace apps, and thanks to initiatives and grants that bring mobile devices into the classroom, there are plenty of opportunities to use these mini-programs to amplify learning.
For educators, however, the challenge is finding apps that go beyond the cool factor to…
Should we limit kids' screen time? No
07/21/2015
Topics: 1:1, BYOD, Digital Citizenship, Mobile learning, Online learning, Parent engagement
I'm a mom of two and an educator. And I have to admit something right here, right now: I get bored easily when playing with my kids.
I try to engage with the little ponies, the fairies and the Tonka trucks, and for a while, it all works out. Give me 20 minutes and I am super…
Support your 1:1 program with a student tech team
04/21/2015
Topics: 1:1, BYOD, Education leadership, Mobile learning
Leaders who understand the landscape of our digital world know that they must involve a school’s most important stakeholders in their 1:1 planning and decision-making process. That stakeholder group is students. From determining the right device to recommending applications, leaders must listen…
Should schools monitor students' social media posts? Yes
06/09/2014
Topics: 1:1, Advocacy, BYOD, Digital Citizenship, Education leadership, Learning spaces, Mobile learning, Parent engagement
To allow students to set their own norms in a social world without modeling or guidance is to condemn them to a virtual Lord of the Flies situation, then cry out in frustration when they end up making bad choices. The adult members of the school community have a responsibility to…