Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Illinois’ Geneva School District 304 Renews Longterm Partnership with Discovery Education Supporting Science Education

Charlotte, NC — Illinois’ Geneva School District 304 (Geneva CUSD 304) today announced it has renewed its multi-year partnership with Discovery Education supporting science education in grades K-5 through the year 2026. This continued collaboration ensures K-5 students and teachers districtwide will continue enjoying access to Discovery Education’s award-winning Mystery Science service, which is helping drive deeper engagement in science instruction. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports instruction wherever it takes place. 

Each day, Geneva CUSD 304’s teachers, administrators, and staff seek to educate the nearly 5,500 students they serve within an environment that encourages the desire to learn and meets the unique academic, personal, physical, and social needs of each child. In 2016, district educators selected Mystery Science to support hands-on elementary science instruction and foster within each student a love of science. Today, Mystery Science continues to fulfill that mission as it helps district students develop into complex, creative thinkers. 

Mystery Science, which joined the family of Discovery Education services in 2020 and is a winner of SIIA’s Best Science Instructional Solution CODiE Award for Grades PK-8, provides K-5 educators simple-to-use, open-and-go, hands-on lessons that inspire students to love science. Each lesson begins by posing a question commonly asked by young students. Students then explore these questions through interactive videos featuring real-world visuals fostering a sense of wonder and actively supporting student engagement in the accompanying discussion prompts.  …Read More

New Mexico’s Aztec Municipal School District Renews Multiyear Partnership Driving Student Engagement in Science  

Charlotte, NC — New Mexico’s Aztec Municipal School District (AMSD) today announced the renewal of its multiyear partnership with Discovery Education supporting science education in three district elementary schools. This renewed collaboration ensures students and teachers in the district’s K-5 classrooms will continue to use the company’s award-winning Mystery Science service to drive deeper student engagement in science instruction. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports instruction wherever it takes place. 

AMSD serves 2,800 K-12 students in a rural community located in the northwest corner of New Mexico within the “Four Corners region” where New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona meet. AMSD’s diverse student population is approximately 63% Anglo, 22% Hispanic, and 13% Native American. The district employs over 200 certified staff members and a support staff of more than 150 to provide transportation and educational services to students. The family-oriented district is a nurturing learning community in which everyone has a job title, but their key role is to improve learning for all students.  

AMSD’s talented team of educators are dedicated to ensuring all learners develop a strong educational foundation that will serve as a launching point for future success. In 2021, the district selected Mystery Science to help teach students how to think like scientists and develop a life-long love of learning. This year, following a careful review of the district’s usage and success with the Mystery Science service, school administrators elected to renew for two additional years the partnership with Discovery Education that brings Mystery Science to ASMD’s elementary school classrooms. By doing so, the district believes they are helping build young learners’ knowledge of the scientific fundamentals that will drive future success in the subject in middle school, high school, and beyond.  …Read More

Vernier Science Education Updates Vernier Graphical Analysis® Pro to Further Meet the Needs of Educators and Students

BEAVERTON, Oregon — Vernier Science Education has updated Vernier Graphical Analysis ® Pro to further meet the needs of high school and college educators and students. This award-winning app, which helps students engage in advanced data analysis as they think critically and make real-world connections, now includes even more features to deepen and extend learning—including an annotation feature, which enables students to comment on a region or point of a graph.

“Technology, such as our newly updated Graphical Analysis Pro app, can support students in building STEM literacy and forming critical connections between abstract scientific ideas and the real world,” said John Wheeler, CEO of Vernier Science Education. “With Graphical Analysis Pro, students can visualize and interact with experiment data they have collected via nearly 50 of our sensors. At the same time, educators can use the app to enrich their live instruction and provide even more opportunities for students to interact with and analyze data outside of the classroom or lab.”

Graphical Analysis Pro lets educators and students easily view and sync a video to sensor data, which enables them to replay, speed up, slow down, and pause recorded experiments at key moments in time. Whether learning happens remotely or in person, students can perform live experiments and share data over the internet in real time as they analyze and graph data and experience three-dimensional learning. …Read More

Helping students understand the Nature of Science

Science is more than just a body of knowledge; it is the process of discovering new knowledge. Therefore, science education needs to involve more than just memorizing what scientists have already figured out. Students also need to learn about the processes that scientists use to generate new understandings about the universe. In other words, it involves understanding the Nature of Science.

The Nature of Science is what distinguishes science from other methods of knowing such as art, philosophy, or social science. The Nature of Science includes understanding that while scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence, it is also subject to change based on new evidence. Science is a human endeavor that requires creativity, but also objectivity.

The importance of the Nature of Science is reflected in state science standards. For example, in Florida, the science standards have the Nature of Science as one of the bodies of knowledge alongside Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science. The Nature of Science is further delineated into three big ideas: the Practice of Science, the Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge, and the Roles of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models.…Read More

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What is computer science education lacking?

The evolving needs of the IT workforce are constantly discussed–even people who are far from it understand the constantly growing needs for computer science. And yet, U.S. high schools don’t consistently offer computer science education and IT classes.

Current situation

According to CSTA reports, a little over half (53 percent) of U.S. high schools offer a single computer science course–a fundamental subject critical to the nation’s economic and security health. Modest yet significant growth is being observed–in 2018 this index was 35 percent.…Read More

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Vernier Software & Technology is now Vernier Science Education

BEAVERTON, Oregon, August 17, 2022 — Vernier Software & Technology has changed its name to Vernier Science Education. This new name reflects the company’s commitment to provide educators with the tools they need to engage all students with hands-on, socially relevant STEM education and build a STEM-literate society.

“For more than 40 years, we’ve been dedicated to providing holistic, high-quality, and reliable solutions for STEM classrooms,” said CEO John Wheeler. “We’ve always been more than a software and technology company—we’re a science education company with a deep commitment to being an authentic partner to educators.”

“With this name change, we want to make it clear that we’re dedicated to using our experience in science education to partner with educators and communities to develop the next generation of knowledgeable citizens who can solve problems, contribute to their communities, and drive innovation.”…Read More

VHS Learning Extends Commitment to CSforALL Movement

Boston – Nov. 9, 2021 – At the fifth annual CSforALL Summit, VHS Learning announced its plans to further its commitment to expanding student access to computer science education. The longstanding nonprofit revealed its new statewide initiative with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. A total of 115 organizations disclosed commitments during the CSforALL summit, which took place October 19-20, 2021.

CSforALL commitments are new, specific, and measurable actions aimed at advancing the goal of rigorous and inclusive computer science education for all U.S. youth. The commitments grow support and momentum for a sustainable K-12 computer science education system in and out of school. VHS Learning has been making annual commitments since the inception of the national CSforALL movement.

In 2021, VHS Learning, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, will create a statewide initiative to increase the capacity of schools to offer coursework that prepares students for postsecondary education and STEM careers. Through this grant, Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles will be offered at no charge to students at high schools across Massachusetts, to increase student access to computer science education.…Read More

Easy Science Experiments for Kids at Home

A collection of fun, safe, and easy science experiments for your students and parents can do at home. Science education does not have to stop while learning from home or with the end of the school year. Upparent has compiled a list of easy science experiments for kids that are perfect for hands-on learning over the summer! A little fun goes a long way to helping our kids keep learning while on break.

Browse the list to discover some really cool science experiments that educate and encourage STEM learning. This is a great way to plan simple and educational indoor activities for kids.

View the complete list at Upparent.com…Read More