Coding is a necessary skill in today’s world, but it is relatively challenging to master, especially for kids. Its complexity is not necessarily because it is incomprehensible, but because it is a new concept for most students. This is especially the case for students in inner-city schools where technology is inevitably scarce due to systemic factors beyond the students’ control.

With numerous programming languages available, it can take time to pick a starting point. Educators have found a solution to this problem: gamification. Platforms like CoderZ offer virtual programming services where children can learn code through games. These games make learning code both fun and engaging for kids.

Through the CoderZ Robotics curriculum, kids learn to create, manage, and communicate with cyber robots in a virtual setting by inputting code. Block code is used because it is easier for children to understand and execute instead of complex text-based code. Learning is more accessible because virtual robots do not require hardware, space, or other associated costs.

I used the CoderZ League platform to help my students develop basic coding skills as they played their way through entertaining bite-sized missions. Once I saw how they possessed both drive and tenacity, they participated in a virtual robotics competition–the Fall 2022 CoderZ League Robotics Competition. The competition involved simple and complex tasks completed by the robot that the students programmed, such as direction of movement and angles of rotation to instruct the robot on how it should move to complete its mission.

Some of the missions the students completed during this competition:

• Robogolf – Students had to push golf balls into the golf holes. They used protractors in an applied setting to measure the angle the robot had to turn, and measured the distance to determine how far the robot had to move. The angular- and distance-value derived were not always whole numbers. Nonetheless, they had to beat a timer as well, which added to the complexity.
• Disco Blocks – Students had to get their robot to a target. They had to compute by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. The path they chose determined whether or not they would score as high as possible.
• Maze Madness – Students measured the distance the robot needed to move before it could turn to reach its target. This mission was challenging as the distance was not always a whole number. The value might have been a decimal, which was perfect because we started the school year off learning about decimals in 5^th grade. As such, integrating robotics and coding supplemented the standards-based instruction that was already occurring in my classroom and enabled students to apply the content. Nonetheless, students were exposed to content pertaining to the end-of-year standard of measurement because they needed to measure the distance or angle the robot had to travel. Consequently, on a recent benchmark assessment, students made significant growth within that domain, which is typically seen at the end of the school year after that unit is taught.

Applications

CoderZ League Robotics is founded on using block-based code and game-missions to engage and teach children about programming. Grounded in STEM, these exercises help kids develop computational thinking and technical ability, which improves their real-world problem-solving skills. Students must adapt to complete further missions and challenges, thereby strengthening their resolve and developing skills they can use beyond the classroom setting.

In particular, the CoderZ platform offers a complete curriculum for programming cyber robots. Educators who wish to teach coding can do so even if they are not skilled in programming or robotics. All they have to do is follow the curriculum and learn with their students. However, this is also limiting because educators cannot create new challenges for students to complete. They must stick to what is provided on the platform. Nevertheless, it is an engaging experience that helps introduce children to complex concepts in a fun way.

Programming: Efficiency, Automation, Replicable Actions

I found the CoderZ virtual robotics program to be an excellent teaching tool due to its carefully curated platform. A high-quality program should contain features that enhance its efficiency, automation, and replicable actions.

Related:
6 tools to help kids learn coding and robotics
This teacher uses story coding to spark creativity and collaboration

This program fulfills these criteria in the following ways.

• Efficiency – Code efficiency refers to the dependability, speed, and programming technique used to develop an application’s code. It is the most critical factor in ensuring peak performance as it minimizes resource consumption and completion time. On CoderZ, any changes to the code are reflected immediately on the simulation pane. This gives the students instant feedback on their projects.
  
• Automation – Automation uses technology to complete tasks with as little human interaction as possible. In computing, it is typically accomplished through a program, a script, or batch processing. Students learn automation on CoderZ as they can input code that operates the virtual robots without further manipulation.  Automation simplifies the processes, making it easier for the machine to complete repetitive tasks.
  
• Replicable actions – This term defines a sequence of actions that enables the efficient use of limited resources while reducing unwanted variation during program development and execution. CoderZ achieves this by color-coding its command-blocks making it easier for kids to identify patterns in the code. This differentiation enables inclusion among diverse learners (i.e., students with special needs, English Language Learners, etc.).  Replicating tasks using code helps students understand the basis of the simulated action, as they can match parts of the program with the actions they produce.

Block-Based versus Traditional Text-based Programming

In the past, programming involved using a mouse and keyboard to type out text-based code. This can be complex for children, especially when it comes to internalizing syntax. These are the rules that define the structure of a programming language.  Furthermore, traditional input can make programming abstract and challenging for young students who benefit from visual and auditory learning.

Block-based coding has emerged as a tool to introduce students to coding. It allows them to explore these concepts in a friendly environment. These systems use colorful, draggable blocks that simulate coded language. Students choose functions from color-coded categories and combine them in a canvas work area to create a sequenced program. The benefit of block programming applications or websites is that the categories are clearly defined. There are blocks for adding specific functions, such as movement, control, and other variables.

However, block-based programming is only useful to a point. Once students are comfortable with block-based code, it is crucial to introduce them to text-based code. While block-based code is fun and engaging, text-based programming languages have real-life applications in computer science.  Educators should let students experience both block-based and text-based coding. When students are ready, they should transition from blocks to text, as text-based code for projects will be the most marketable in the industry.

Other Lessons Learned

The CoderZ virtual robot competition is effective in helping students with STEM learning. However, I was surprised that the program also taught my students practical life-skills as well. They include:

1. Teamwork – The kids worked together to ensure they selected the correct functions for each mission to win. It involved collaborating to figure out the most efficient way to program the robot to complete the missions. The competition cultivated teamwork, which can apply to other activities both inside and outside the classroom as well as ultimately in the workplace.
   
2. Resilience – The missions were not always successful the first time or the way to program the robot was not always straightforward due to time-constraints or terrain, so the kids had to learn how to deal with frustration throughout this competition. In such instances, students had to revise the code as many times as necessary to get it working right. Frustration is a problem they will face when using language-based code because a minor syntax error invalidates the entire code. They are bound to face discouraging moments while learning and in life. This skill strengthened their resilience to such frustration.
   
3. Relationship Building – I built relationships with the kids by leveraging tech, which kids love, and talking about non-school things in this casual setting (i.e., not school or academic). This helps develop the whole child. It also leads to kids wanting to understand complex mathematical concepts like decimal-numbers, angles, patterns, and measurement because they feel as though they are in a safe environment where they can take risks. The notion of “it takes a village” was apparent because of the direct and indirect support from various administrators: Dr. Herbert Blackmon (Principal), Dr. Taylor Greene (Assistant Principal), Minnie Lawson-Cook (Technology Coordinator), Flora Maria Echols (Instructional Coach), Dr. Mark Sullivan (Superintendent), Dr. Gwendolyn Tilghman (Instructional Superintendent), and Dr. Marsha Savage (Learning Operations Specialist).

Next Steps

Now that the months of hard work and the competition has concluded, members of the school and greater community are trying to raise funds for the teams to visit the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. I hope the experience and opportunity will not only broaden their level of exposure, but will continue to encourage them to excel academically and to engage within the field of STEM.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be an ambiguous word in education circles, evoking images of machines replacing human teachers in the future. The truth, while less fantastic, is that AI is a solid tool that assists educators in the classroom right now.

Join experts during an eSchool News webinar to discuss the real-world ways AI operates and how AI systems enable teachers to better interact with students, simplify everyday classroom tasks, and improve overall efficiency and productivity.

Key takeaways include:

• How current voice-activated AI systems at home, in cars, and on devices can be put to use in classrooms
• How to use voice commands or a remote to control laptops, interactive displays, internet browsers, apps, and more
• How to scale AI pilot projects into true distinct implementations

When I started as a school counselor more than 15 years ago, technology in the classroom looked much different than it does today. Only a handful of students had their own personal device and the concept of one-to-one models, meaning every student is given a school-issued laptop or tablet, had not yet taken hold. At that time, students were accessing the internet or using digital tools sparingly throughout the school day, and typically only in tech-focused classes. Today, most teens have access to a smartphone and more than 80 percent of K-12 students use a school-issued device as part of their learning. Students are clearly more connected than ever, both inside and outside of the classroom.

This increased access to technology in school has had both positive and negative impacts on students. For some, the internet has proven to be an incredibly engaging and useful learning tool, while for others, the constant stream of information can be overwhelming. Because of this, it is important for educators to help students use technology in a purposeful way that supports learning.

While it might seem counterintuitive, technology and certain digital tools can actually help provide students with a sense of calm while enhancing in-the-moment thinking.

Here are five ways I have seen technology serve as a remedy for brain overload:

1. Mental health check-ins to start class

The short time between class periods is often hectic, with many students physically moving to different classrooms or mentally preparing to dive into a new subject. Hallway passing time can also be filled with stressful social interactions or glances at social media.

Well-being check-ins at the beginning of class can be a great way to help students regain focus and center their thoughts. Simple online tools that let you survey your class – like Pear Deck, Google Forms, or Kahoot – can be used to support these emotional checks. Asking questions along the lines of “How are you feeling today?” or “What color would best describe your mood today and why?” and allowing students to respond anonymously can be a game changer in the classroom.

2. Mindfulness apps

Helping students practice mindfulness, or the ability to be present in the moment and aware of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, can greatly benefit mental health far beyond the classroom. In addition to non-tech strategies like paper mood boards, mindfulness dice, or breathing exercises, there are free digital tools and apps like Calm, Headspace, and more that can guide students through mindfulness exercises in both a group or individual setting.

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How to identify student anxiety in the classroom
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3. Private, digital feedback

Some students are not comfortable raising their hands in class or asking for feedback in a group setting. Leveraging solutions that have chat features or allow for real-time digital feedback on student work is a great way to engage students who prefer more private communication.

There are also certain classroom discussions where anonymity is key. If there is a conversation of a sensitive nature, where not even the teacher needs to know whose answer is whose, anonymous feedback will help educators facilitate an honest, open discourse. This way, students will feel more comfortable sharing their responses knowing that they are anonymous. Try utilizing digital tools that support this kind of safe engagement.

4. Audio & visual tools

Classroom environments can directly impact students’ ability to learn. Adding calming music, videos, or lighting can help put students at ease and create a more peaceful learning space. Music has shown to help improve focus, and there are endless playlists with classroom-appropriate songs available through services like Spotify or YouTube. Projecting videos of a fireplace, waves on a beach, or slow-moving clouds to the front of the classroom during work time can also help create a more relaxing atmosphere.

5. Digital guardrails

When students are using their school-issued devices, it can be helpful to set thoughtful guardrails or parameters around which web pages they can or cannot access during class. Certain filtering solutions or classroom management products can help narrow or broaden internet access depending on what is needed for the day’s lesson. This helps students focus on the task at hand and reduces information overload or distractions.

For today’s students who often find themselves overloaded, a calming learning environment can serve as a much-needed moment of stillness. As classroom technology continues to evolve, educators and school mental health professionals can use strategies like the above to help students navigate their digital world with purpose.

Most high school graduates (75 percent) do not feel prepared to make college or career decisions after graduation, according to a survey from YouScience, a college and career readiness company.

The national online survey,  Post-Graduation Readiness Report, polled more than 500 students from the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 high school graduation classes.

There is a tremendous opportunity for high schools to impact students’ college and career readiness, and most of the respondents (62 percent) felt that it is one of schools’ responsibilities. Despite that, 41 percent felt unprepared to make a career choice or declare a college major upon graduation, and 30 percent were not following any planned educational or career path. For 57 percent of the graduates, family and friends had the greatest impact on their college and career decision-making.

At a time when many industry leaders report that their top challenge is the limited supply of talent and nearly six million people in the U.S. are unemployed, the survey highlights the opportunity to better inform and engage our future talent pool.

Representing our most recent graduates of the past four years, the survey found 42 percent of the respondents lacking confidence or only slightly confident in their chosen career or education, while another 33 percent felt only moderately confident. The survey also revealed that more than one-third (37 percent) of the graduates — regardless of their current education or career — are still not sure they are where they want to be.

Noteworthy survey findings include:

There are varying degrees of post-secondary education and career preparation in today’s high schools

• Of the 42 percent of graduates that felt unconfident or slightly confident upon graduation about pursuing their chosen post-high school educational or career pathway:
  • 72 percent reported that they were rarely or only sometimes exposed to a variety of career options that could be pursued
  • 64 percent had 5 or fewer conversations with teachers or counselors about the various post-high school opportunities available
    
• Of the 24 percent of graduates that felt very or extremely confident in their chosen career or educational pathway upon graduation:
  • 81 percent reported that they were often or sometimes exposed to a variety of career options that could be pursued
  • 47 percent had anywhere from 5-20 conversations with teachers or counselors about the various post-high school opportunities available

Aptitude assessments are still not widely available, but students feel they would be helpful to engage them in their learning

• Only 16 percent of graduates reported taking an aptitude assessment to help prepare them for “what’s next”
• Nearly 80 percent of graduates felt they would have been more engaged in their learning if they better understood their own aptitudes and potential career opportunities

“Education leaders and industry must come together to help our students better understand themselves and their opportunities beyond high school,” said Edson Barton, Founder and CEO of YouScience.

“Career guidance and exposure are a critical part of student development. We need to provide this support as early as eighth grade, beginning with helping students understand their natural aptitudes and talents, and how that translates to career fit. In addition, we need to showcase career opportunities beyond the obvious. If students rely on family and friends for direction, they can be limited in their dreams and fail to fulfill their potential. In large part, our talent gap is also a career exposure gap.”

This press release originally appeared online.

Related:
Why self-discovery increases college and career success
Arne Duncan: College completion–not simply access–critical to nation’s future

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 2nd most-read story focuses on creating an elementary esports program.

The benefits of esports are well documented. A significant body of research has found that students who participate in scholastic esports programs benefit from increased emotional regulation, academic achievement, and graduation rates.

These benefits only scratch the surface of the positive consequences for students participating in scholastic esports. Thus far, conversations around esports have centered on collegiate and secondary levels, however, a recent change in the winds has shifted the conversation to elementary esports. 

My question: Why haven’t we started this conversation sooner?

I’ve come a long way in my journey from a skeptic with a critical view of esports in schools to a fierce advocate. In one year, I shifted from being an educator who didn’t value an expanded role of video games in schools to a teacher developing an elementary esports curriculum, running multiple esports summer camps, and developing an elementary esports after school club. 

I teach an elementary STEM class called iCreate in South Haven Public Schools. We are a small community located on the “sunset coast” of Lake Michigan. Our economy is driven by tourism and agriculture. Nestled in Michigan’s fruit belt, South Haven is the Blueberry Capital of the world. Our small community hosts the National Blueberry Festival every year and countless high school students work the local u-pick blueberry fields.

My STEM class, iCreate, is a part of our K-12 STEM continuum. In iCreate, students develop problem-solving skills through engineering challenges, collaborative inquiry projects, and media creation. While I have long been a proponent of game-based learning, I had (up until this past year) been skeptical of the role of esports in education. 

Summer 2021: Farmcraft Summer Camp

As the summer of 2021 approached, the faculty at South Haven Public Schools was tackling the best way to address pandemic learning loss while keeping students connected to the one stable thing in their lives: school. An invitation for teachers to design and lead summer enrichment camps seemed like a good way to connect with students in a manner not afforded during the regular school year. I could design a camp without worrying about standards alignment, summative assessments, or grades.

After a year of remote and hybrid learning, leading a camp with any sort of technology was the LAST thing on my mind. In fact, I wanted to lead a camp about gardening, one of my favorite summer pastimes, but how do you get 10- and 11-year-old students to sign up for a camp about plants? 

Enter NASEF’s Farmcraft 2021. 

Our local esports league commissioner mentioned that the North America Scholastic Esports Federation had released a Minecraft world for esports competition called Farmcraft. The mission: work collaboratively to successfully farm in different biomes. While many of our community’s families rely on local farms for their livelihood, students understand very little about agriculture. Farmcraft would provide the perfect opportunity to draw students into a science camp; competitive video game play would interest students, and discussing healthy gaming habits would interest their grown-ups. Added bonus: I would have plenty of opportunities to get dirty planting and exploring farming with my students.

I organized my summer camp around three key concepts: healthy gamer habits, farming around the world, and the life cycle of plants. Every day, we explored plants through hands-on experiments, farmed in Minecraft, and stayed active with recess breaks. 

On the last day of camp, the head of the SWMI Esports League, a NASEF affiliate, joined us to oversee a friendly scrimmage. Students received team jerseys that were custom designed for the camp: shirts with our summer camp logo representing healthy bodies, healthy minds, healthy relationships, Farmcraft. 

Tip 1: Get started, then get better

Like any new venture, esports is something that takes time to fully understand. As the late Dr. Richard DuFour reminded educators, we have to be willing to “get started, then get better.” The beauty of esports is that there is a room full of experts to journey alongside their teacher. It is incredibly powerful when the classroom is flipped and students have an opportunity to share their passions and expertise with their teacher.

Related:
Build ‘beyond the game’ for max esports impact
How Minecraft and agriculture lead to an esports competition

Tip 2: Start small–and start with what you have

I attribute the success of our elementary esports program to what we learned during that camp. Students were surprisingly receptive to conversations around balancing media habits (including video game play) because we connected it to recess. We connected what we learned in science explorations to Minecraft, even developing our own aquaponics systems in Minecraft to compare them to crops that received water alone.

A trial run such as a summer camp or afterschool event (such as an Hour of Code family night) is a great way to determine viability of a more extensive program. Minecraft: Education Edition is a great title to start with. The controls teachers had, a wide variety of content and worlds, and Minecraft’s “low threshold but infinite ceiling” (as Microsoft says) made it a title that was accessible to nearly every student. It could also run on almost every platform, and both PCs and mobile devices.

Tip 3: Embed esports into existing curriculum

Esports can be a standalone unit (or class), however, collaborative gameplay, mindfulness, team building, and reflection are practices that can be embedded in countless curricular units. Esports worlds such as NASEF’s Farmcraft 2021 and 2022, NASEF and AEOP’s Junior Solar Sprint, and Random House’s League of Literacy are just a few examples of the possibilities of embedding esports and Minecraft: Education Edition into existing curricula. I redesigned digital citizenship lessons to provide ample opportunities for students to interact with one another in a digital environment at the same time as they worked collaboratively IRL (in real life).

Rather than a standalone lesson, we co-constructed classroom expectations to extend how we treat each other to include interactions in digital environments. I now observe fewer instances of rage quitting (leaving games angry), tilting (emotional dysregulation), and griefing (playing in a way that affects others’ gameplay and enjoyment in a negative way). We followed a very basic principle: video games are for everyone. 

Tip 4: Make it authentic

The worst activity in school is the “experiment” where every student follows the same steps and the teacher already knows the answer. That’s not authentic learning. 

Esports affords us an incredible opportunity to learn with and from our students. As teachers, we can facilitate learning and help students find the language to describe what they observe, learn, and wonder. Students, in return, can share their expertise of video games with their teacher and each other. Maya Angelou said, “The sum of us is greater than all our parts.” Some of the most memorable learning moments arise from a question and the response, “I don’t know, but let’s find out together.” Don’t be afraid to jump into esports without knowing all of the answers. There is nothing wrong with adjusting plans and going on “side quests” with students. 

Tip 5: Be intentionally inclusive

Diversity, inclusion, and access do not happen accidentally. To have a program that allows students to see themselves in nontraditional roles, teachers must be intentionally inclusive. Find role models and videos that feature people from marginalized populations in STEM careers. Personally invite students to participate in esports clubs and camps who might feel as though they don’t belong. Explore resources from The GameHERS, Women in Games, and other groups who are intentionally reaching out to marginalized groups.

Tip 6: Keep everyone on the same team

Competition in schools has been shown to have a negative effect on elementary-aged students. While some cultures value competition, others value collaboration. In elementary esports, inclusion and competition are mutually exclusive. Although students were divided into teams for gameplay, we learned from each other during Farmcraft Camp. Teams shared out new strategies and discoveries every day. There was no ranking system, no score keeping. Teams set goals for themselves based on performance from the day before. The only player a student should be competing against is themself. 

Elementary Esports in the Blueberry Capital of the World

The success of our elementary esports camp inspired me to apply to be a NASEF Scholastic Fellow for the 2021-2022 school year. As a Scholastic Fellow, I have continued to explore esports and develop materials for bringing esports into elementary. As a part of the Fellows Program, I am writing an elementary esports curricular unit for NASEF’s Community Library.

I’ve expanded the esports program in South Haven Public Schools to include an exploration of STEM careers in the esports ecosystem. I am adapting materials from the NASEF curricula to make key understandings in esports accessible to elementary students. This summer, I am leading two elementary esports summer camps. In the works is an after school esports club (requested by a parent!) and family gamer nights in which young gamers can play Minecraft with their grown-ups. The addition of a Nintendo Switch to our lab, made possible through a Meta Educator Grant from the LCG Foundation, will expand our titles to include Rocket League and Fall Guys. 

Located on the sunset coast of Lake Michigan, South Haven community members have always shared a love for fresh picked blueberries and the beauty of Lake Michigan in every season. Over the past year, the development of our elementary esports program has helped us see that we share a love for gaming, and I for one, can’t wait to see what the future holds.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Computer science teacher Shanua Newton-Rodriguez is hoping to lead by example. 

A woman of color who grew up in the Bronx, she wants to see more students who look like her learning Java, Python, web design, or other coding skills.

But for many students in the nation’s largest school system — particularly girls, Black students, and Latinos — by the time they get to high school, it’s too late. Many get turned off before they make it to the high-level courses Newton-Rodriguez teaches at the Bronx Academy for Software Engineering, or BASE. 

In the various computer science classes she leads this year, the number of girls ranges from just one to four. (Nearly 90% of the students at tech-heavy career technical education school are boys, Newton-Rodriguez said.)

“Some students don’t see themselves as programmers. They won’t take the first steps,” Newton-Rodriguez said. “It’s still taking some time, even for the adults, to validate computer science. It’s still seen as an elective.” 

Despite New York City’s 10-year plan to bring “computer science to all” students by 2025, equity remains a big issue, according to a recent report from New York University’s Research Alliance analyzing the program through the 2020-21 school year. 

Just 17% of schools were meeting the equity goals of reaching girls, Latinos, and Black students under CS4All, as the initiative is called. Schools that made bigger strides in building up computer science courses enrolled lower percentages of Black and Latino students on average, the report said, finding “persistent inequities” in access to computer science within and across schools. (Some schools saw a bit of a backslide in their computer science offerings most likely due to the pandemic stretching schools thin, but overall the city saw improvements toward equity goals, the report noted.)

“It’s not just about getting more seats in more classrooms. It’s also about representation,” said Cheri Fancsali, the report’s author and deputy director of NYU’s Research Alliance. 

To shift the culture in computer science classrooms, Fancsali said, educators not only need to emphasize the value of the subject, but also need to show how computer science can be a “tool for solving problems and issues in your own community and for social justice.” That also requires educators to think more “holistically” about computer science and embed it across disciplines, she said. 

Teacher training has remained a roadblock. While the CS4All initiative aims to reach 5,000 teachers through a two-week summer professional development session, more substantive courses have been sparse.

New York City is trying to address this through a program called “Computer Integrated Teacher Education” to help train more than 1,000 New York City teachers to integrate computing across subjects. The $14 million initiative, announced Monday, is funded through a public/private partnership with the education department, CUNY, Google, Robin Hood, and Gotham Gives, and is believed to be the largest effort of its kind in the nation, city officials said. The funding will cover scholarships for at least 800 teachers enrolling in the program as well as enable CUNY to design new courses. 

“We are focused on an ambitious goal to provide our students with a clear pathway to and preparation for a rewarding career and long-term economic security,” schools Chancellor David Banks said in a statement. 

Teaching culturally responsive computer science

For her part, Newton-Rodriguez — who last year was recognized with the Fund for the City of New York’s prestigious Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics – is doing what she can to get more students from underrepresented groups engaged in computer science. 

She talks about possible career pathways, or even ways to make pocket money, explaining that students in her user experience/user interface design class can make posters for their local pizza shops or religious organizations and charge $500 to $1,000 for their services. She embeds culturally responsive lessons in her classes, talking about “what happens if they are not there” contributing to top companies. For instance, she discusses how in the early days of Tesla, the camera technology used by the self-driving cars were not picking up pedestrians with darker skin tones, she said. 

“It’s trying to convince them why they are needed,” said Newton-Rodriguez, who worked as a graphic designer before becoming a public school teacher 17 years ago. 

She sees the possibilities of cross-discipline collaborations: For instance, a social studies lesson on Harriet Tubman could discuss what she could have done for the underground railroad if she had information technology, and what kind of problems that tech could have brought as well. But when she suggests giving computer science—related professional development to her colleagues, they push back, saying they have other topics to cover in those sessions, she said. And because it’s not a core subject, she can’t get a co-teacher to help her with students with disabilities, making it harder to differentiate and help students whose math skills need help.

She and other educators said that computer science training has to start when children are younger to give students a stronger foundation. Research has found that exposing young children to computational thinking is crucial to building future success in tech fields — and shaping early attitudes toward careers in technology — but a 2020 Center for Urban Future study looking at nonprofits running after-school and in-school programs, however, found relatively few of them focused on grades K–5.

Computer science teachers need peer support

While Newton-Rodriguez has helped her school build up its computer science program, including the Advanced Placement courses in the subject that she teaches, she also found a supportive community of computer science educators through Math For America, a nonprofit focused on connecting the city’s accomplished math and science teachers. Joel Bianchi, a computer science teacher at Energy Tech High School in Queens, said meeting colleagues through Math for America has been “life-giving,” since he had previously felt like he was on “an island” working on the subject matter.

New York State only created a license for computer science education a few years ago, Bianchi said, but there have been few pathways to get it. He’s in one of them, with about 60 other educators: a three-year-old free program through CUNY’s Hunter College for middle and high school teachers with other licenses to get a certificate for the subject.  

Bianchi — another winner of last year’s Sloan Awards for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics — created and taught a new AP Computer Science A course when he moved to Energy Tech in 2019. (AP Computer Science A focuses on Java and coding, while AP Computer Science Principles focuses on broader computing concepts.) The first year he taught the course, Bianchi had 10 girls and 10 boys, and the school received the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award.

But since the pandemic, the demographics have changed. This year, his course initially enrolled six girls. Three have since dropped it. (His school is also more than 80% male.)

“Almost every year I’ve had issues with really high performing girls feeling overwhelmed. And at the same exact moment, several underperforming boys feel completely confident,” Bianchi said. “I struggle with it … What are the things as a teacher I can control?”

He worries that female students hear messages that “subconsciously perpetuate the stereotype” that the course is too hard and technical, and he worries those messages start from a young age. 

He noticed that boys tend to speak over the girls in mixed gender groups, so he groups girls together. But the girls continue to struggle with feeling like they belong, and once one left this year, it was a domino effect. He tried to get ahead of it. When the students struggled, he had them go over and correct their tests, giving them a chance to learn from their mistakes and bump up their grades. (He even shared an article with his class last year about why girls excel in the classroom but boys excel in the workforce.)

“There’s a feeling in this particular class: It’s hard, it’s different from what you’re used to,” Bianchi said. “You’re gonna hit a wall. You’re gonna fail. And that’s OK.”

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education.

Related:
Give teachers ownership to make computer science a success
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Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 4th most-read story focuses on creating an online elementary program.

Elementary education is the foundation for early learning, providing students with the skills and community they need for future success in school and life. Thanks to today’s technology, helping them start on the right foot is easier than ever – especially with online learning opportunities.

Online learning has become a growing trend among K-12 students, including elementary students. In fact, we successfully launched our own online elementary schools, which grew by 10,000 students over the past four years.

If you are a school or district leader looking to build an online elementary program, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are five steps that helped our teams successfully build and maintain an online elementary program that drives student and parent engagement:

Step 1: Start with the Basics
First, determine the specific goals you want for your online elementary program. For example, do you want to expand curriculum offerings, provide effective flexible learning options for students, or build a personalized program that meets students’ needs? Or perhaps you have multiple goals you want to accomplish. No matter what your program’s goals are, determining and discussing them is the most critical factor when launching a new program.

Then, it’s best to decide how you want your program to incorporate digital learning. Do you want your program to be fully online? What about a blended learning model that combines the use of online courses and resources in a face-to-face setting? Or could hybrid be what works best for your students – combining in-person and virtual days?

Step 2: Focus on your teachers and staff
Your teachers and staff make the magic, so it’s important to focus on hiring staff and teachers who are passionate and excited about online learning. Then, it’s critical to ensure they have the resources, tools, and professional development they need to feel confident and prepared to teach in the online learning environment.

Throughout our FlexPoint and Florida Virtual School professional development, we show elementary teachers how to implement best practices in online learning and create fun and engaging activities for their students online. For example, we encourage our teachers to bring props into their lesson, like they would in a physical classroom. This could be using a guitar to sing songs, puppet animals, and more. The sky’s the limit.

Step 3: Utilize interactive curriculum and instruction
Elementary-age students have shorter attention spans, which is why it’s vital to provide them with group learning time, like a live lesson, as well as individual time. This also allows students to have more flexibility in their schedule so they can work on assignments at their own pace, or take a break if they need to. Additionally, our teachers provide instruction that requires interaction with onscreen content such as image markers and tabbed panels, so that students feel like they are part of the lesson.

Also, utilizing a curriculum that includes interactive elements such as videos, games, and more, can make all the difference. I highly recommend either creating your own curriculum with these elements, or partnering with an online learning provider, like FlexPoint, to license interactive curriculum.

Step 4: Build a strong community
Even online, it’s important for parents to feel confident that school leaders know their child as an individual and care about their success. There are many ways to build strong connections with parents and students online.

At Florida Virtual School we developed a self-paced onboarding course for parents and students to take before they start their classes to learn how to navigate the online learning platform, find their schedule, look up grades, and more. We also encourage our teachers to schedule welcome calls with parents and students to answer any questions they may have about the upcoming school year.

Step 5: Plan for all scenarios
There are situations that are unique to the online learning environment. For example, what do your teachers and staff do when a student stops responding or submitting assignments? Providing guidelines on how teachers and staff should approach a variety of scenarios it’s important so there is already a plan in place.

To start building guidelines and best practices, I would start by asking yourself and your staff questions such as, “do you have safeguards in place to ensure academic integrity?” or “how will you communicate with families and students who are actively participating in their learning?” And don’t forget questions about technical support and how to support students with IEPs or ESEs in the online learning environment.

Related:
5 ways to prep students for online learning success
4 blended learning strategies for better student engagement

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 5th most-read story features an episode of Kevin Hogan’s Innovations in Education podcast that focuses on the state of online learning.

In this episode of Innovations in Education, sponsored by Galaxy Next Generation, host Kevin Hogan explores:

• 5 steps to an engaging online elementary program
• 6 tips to begin an elementary esports program in your school
• What Tech Should Stay With The “New Normal”

When I was growing up, I assumed that my teachers knew everything, including all of the “right answers.” Now that I’ve been a teacher for 15 years, I know this simply isn’t true. In fact, some of the most powerful learning in my middle school science classroom has happened when I’ve pretended to NOT know the “right answer.” That’s when students take the lead and start to offer up their own ideas, share their experiences, and make powerful connections—sometimes amazing ones that I would never have thought of.

Teaching in this way requires a good deal of flexibility—including in your curriculum. A traditional science textbook doesn’t always provide educators the freedom to delve into topics that students bring up from their own lives or questions they have about the world around them. That’s why I’ve turned to open educational resources (OER).

OER are openly licensed, which means that educators can use, customize, and share these resources for free, allowing them to incorporate material that’s fresh and relevant for their students—all without having to worry about traditional copyright restrictions. I’ve been using an OER science curriculum called OpenSciEd for five years, and it has completely revolutionized the way I teach. It’s also transformed the way my students relate to and take ownership for their learning.

My students come from not only all over city but also all over the world. Our student population represents more than 30 languages, and many of them are new to learning English. They bring rich life experiences to the classroom, and OpenSciEd enables them to talk about those experiences and knowledge more so than any other curriculum I’ve used.

In a unit about mountain formation, we discussed how an earthquake shifted Mount Everest and made it taller. One of my students who came from Nepal shared that she had been to Mount Everest and was able to describe the environment and terrain for her classmates.

In another unit on ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity, students looked into how the harvesting of palm oil, a common ingredient in chocolate, can endanger the habitats of orangutans. One of my students came from Cameroon, which is one of the world’s top producers of palm oil. He spoke proudly of seeing orangutans and the palm trees that produced the oil, and he enthusiastically worked with his classmates to design a palm oil farm that benefited both the orangutans and farmers in his home country. All of this happened because I stepped back—and because the instructional materials gave my students opportunities to find meaningful connections to their lives.

In addition, because the OpenSciEd curriculum is fully editable, I’ve been able to make changes to meet my students where they are. For example, I’ve edited the student-facing slides to break up the language, and I’ve added sentence starters and “drag and drops” into our digital notebooks to scaffold the learning for our English learners. I also love that I can take this high-quality curriculum and rearrange the order of the units, remove material that isn’t as relevant to our school or students, and even add in other materials, like district-created units.

Having used OpenSciEd for five years now, I’m confident that I’ll never go back to teaching with a traditional textbook. My students are more excited about science than ever, and they’re connecting what they’re learning to their lives and experiences.

Open educational resources like OpenSciEd are a critical tool for teachers who, like me, want their students to see themselves and their experiences reflected in what they’re learning—and to find their own connections and “right answers.”   

Related:
How to find, curate, and assess OER
5 steps to implement OER in your LMS

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 7th most-read story focuses on a Hero Awards winner dedicated to STEM education.

One of three eSN K-12 Hero Awards winners and nominated by Bluum, Kim Leblanc was selected for the innovative STEM learning initiatives she champions in her district and for her students.

Conventional wisdom would say that economically disadvantaged schools across the country would need to think twice before making a major investment in technology. However, not all districts in that predicament have a technology director like Kim Leblanc.

Calcasieu Parish School Board is the fifth-largest school district in Louisiana, resting in the southwest part of the state. In total, the district serves 29,500 students across 60 elementary, middle, and high schools. It is a 100 percent CEP district, which means that every student is eligible for free lunch based on the economic poverty data submitted to the federal government.

However, Calcasieu Parish School Board’s Chief Technology Officer, Kim Leblanc, has developed a system for providing the type of technology in classrooms that one would only expect in affluent schools.

Related:
Meet the 2022 K-12 Hero Awards winners!

Behind Kim’s leadership, Calcasieu Parish conducted a thorough needs assessment before purchasing more than $4.1 million in technology and technology professional development with federal funds under Title I and Title IV to implement the technology within the existing curriculum.

The investment included 400 3D printers and the professional development necessary to advance STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education, most of which came at no cost to the district. It also is developing a STEM bus with fun technological gadgets to enhance student learning

“Technology is continuously evolving, so we need to give all of our students equal opportunities to succeed,” Kim said. “We wanted to provide them the technologies that enhanced their critical thinking, collaboration and creativity so that they can compete both academically and in the modern workforce.”

Calcasieu Parish’s Training Tech Center, led by Kim, was already instrumental in introducing new technology to its classrooms, including robotics and a computing device for each student and teacher. Armed with a philosophy to “make it happen in the classroom,” Calcasieu Parish and Kim are committed to preparing its students for STEAM careers, illustrated by its investments in student design competitions, summer tech camps and the STEM bus. The students are already utilizing the 3D printers in classrooms to solve real-world challenges and develop 3D designing skills within projects.

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 8th most-read story focuses on Black History Month resources educators can use throughout the school year.

During Black History Month, educators have the opportunity to delve into the difficult–and often uncomfortable–experiences of Black people in the U.S. and around the world.

Perhaps one of the most important “do’s” is this: Don’t limit your teaching of Black history to the month of February.

Check out these learning resources (last year’s resources are available here) to get started in February and to plan out how to include Black history in your teaching throughout the academic year.

1. The NEA’s site offers a great selection of resources to help students understand the Black experience in U.S. history. Lessons plans cover a number of subjects and can be adapted to fit multiple grade levels. A lesson on Musical Harlem for grades 3-5 lesson helps students learn about the Harlem Renaissance as they create original jazz artwork. In another lesson, The Illusion of Race, students in grades 6-8 investigate both genetic and societal consequences of the often-artificial and evolving classifications of race and ethnicity.

2. National Geographic is launching a powerful new podcast, Into the Depths, which uncovers the deep history of the transatlantic slave trade as it follows a group of Black divers who are dedicated to finding and helping to document slave shipwrecks. The podcast will also be accompanied by a cover story in the March issue of National Geographic magazine, available online on Feb. 7, and a National Geographic documentary special, Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship, premiering Feb. 7, on National Geographic and available to stream next day on Hulu. The podcast features over 40 voices, including underwater divers and archaeologists–descendants of those brought over on the ships, historians, and a variety of experts whom National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts works with to uncover these stories.

3. The Center for Racial Justice in Education believes that the histories, stories, and voices of Black people should be centered, honored, and uplifted in school curricula every day. The Center also acknowledge the importance, relevance and origins of Black History Month. Resources to use throughout the school year include those that celebrate Black History Month, tools that highlight the underrepresentation of Black stories and experiences in schools, how and why to bring attention to equality and racial justice movements, and more.

4. Black Lives Matter at School is a national coalition organizing for racial justice in education. The site encourages all educators, students, parents, unions, and community organizations to join the annual week of action during the first week of February each year.​ Educators and organizers from around the country worked collaboratively to curate a variety of classroom resources for every age group. These resources are all free of charge and meant to be shared and used. The goal of these lessons and activities is to challenge racism and oppression and providing students with the vocabulary and tools needed to take action.

5. The African American History Month’s website puts the power of primary sources to work in the classroom. Educators can browse ready-to-use lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids. Access thousands of primary sources and an ever-expanding collection of document-based activities spanning the course of American history created by the National Archives and teachers around the world. Discover the activities, such as Analyzing a Letter from Jackie Robinson: “Fair Play and Justice,” The Impact of Bloody Sunday in Selma, We Shall Overcome: March on Washington, and Examining Where Rosa Parks Sat.

6. Black history is American history, but finding (or creating) interactive lessons that help students draw connections between history and modern day can be challenging. That’s why WeAreTeachers offers the 306: African American History and 306: Continuing the Story high school curriculums from EVERFI. You’ll have everything you need to plan lessons and engaging activities for grades 8-12 that are meaningful, turn-key, and free.

7. The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration launched a Black History Month package of fresh and engaging virtual and interactive real-world expeditions for students that cover significant historical, cultural and societal events. CILC’s 10 virtual fieldtrips transcend other well-intentioned, but often one-dimensional and overly simplified narratives of African American historical figures by providing students with a detailed look at the encounters, achievements, and heroism of everyday African Americans throughout history.

Related:
3 ways educators can embrace and enable inclusive programming
8 ways I embraced mindfulness this year

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on innovative ways to engage students, digital resources, and online and hybrid learning strategies related to post-pandemic teaching. This year’s 10th most-read story focuses on creating a great hybrid learning program.

Over the past year and a half, “hybrid learning” has become quite the buzzword when it comes to education. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting learners across the world, we’ve witnessed the growing need for hybrid learning, an education option that combines the benefits of a traditional in-person classroom and online learning. But the need for this option won’t just be a fleeting trend. The future of hybrid learning is bright, and the benefits are unmatched. I’ve seen it for myself.

As an educator for 10 years, I’ve worked in in-person, online, and hybrid classrooms. I’ve experienced the dos and don’ts of creating learning environments where my students can not only learn but be their best selves. When my colleagues ask me for my secret for success, here are the tips that I share: 

1. Establish a positive hybrid learning culture and a strong learning community. 

A strong community is at the heart of every good classroom. While we can’t hug and high-five our students through a screen, a hybrid classroom can still foster a warm community of connected learners.

A great way to accomplish a positive environment is by first highlighting the benefits of this teaching method. Hybrid learning has numerous benefits for your students, parents, and teachers, including increased flexibility, accessibility, and the ability to use innovative learning tools. If you are switching over to a hybrid learning environment, ease any questions or concerns by communicating these benefits and encouraging your students to get the most out of this valuable learning experience.

Your classroom community will act as the foundation of your learning environment. You can keep your community strong by using connectivity activities like daily or weekly check-ins, small group activities, and full classroom discussions. Don’t be afraid to use your creativity and have fun with it, like asking your students to use emojis to check in on how they are doing. A strong, unified classroom (in person and virtually) is possible when you foster conversations, encouraging innovation, and establishing a safe and open learning environment.

2. Use hybrid learning to enhance educational experiences.

A hybrid learning environment has the potential to improve the educational experience for your students. This method allows for creative, innovative, and fun lesson plans that employ the advantages of both remote and in-person learning. When designing learning layouts, you should facilitate both remote independent learning and classroom collaboration.

Remember how you made friends in the classroom? For in-person lessons, focus on student collaboration and socialization activities, like creating pairs or small group team building activities. This is the chance for your students to gain deeper connections with their classmates and learn to collaborate in the classroom.

When crafting online learning activities, this is the perfect opportunity to create lessons that encourage independent thinking and student choice. For example, allowing students to draw their response and show it on camera, rather than typing it out, or utilizing tools like survey sites and online polls to ask questions to your students can help them stay active and engaged. These lessons will allow for students to develop their thought processes, self-confidence, and independence.

3. Make independent learning a key component.

With hybrid learning, there will be days when students participate in online learning. These are the moments you can encourage independent learning lessons that are essential to your students’ growth. Asynchronous online activities allow students to analyze and absorb the subject matter at their own pace, helping them gain the tools they need to think independently inside and outside of the classroom.

When it’s time to reunite as a class, encourage students to reflect on what they’ve learned independently through engaging, collaborative discussions with other students.

4. Students should have consistency.

For students to succeed, they need routines, resource availability, structure, and support. The last thing you want your classroom to be, whether online or in-person, is unpredictable. Successful hybrid learning environments have a consistent schedule. Whether students attend in person learning on Monday and Wednesdays each week, or half of your school’s students go in person every other week, the schedule should always be consistent and reliable.

5. Maintain continuous communication with students.

Communication is always key, but especially when teaching from a partially online classroom. Keeping a strong line of communication with your students is vital in ensuring your teacher-student relationships are strong, as well as your classroom community. You should consistently communicate with your students, both online and in person, whether it’s through one-on-ones, messages, or email.

Students like to feel seen and heard. Using a tool like Google Forms or another survey tool is an excellent way to communicate with your students while receiving feedback to better your classroom. You can ask about their favorite activity, their preferred way to learn, and what they believe could make your hybrid classroom better.

Always communicate with your students collectively and individually, encouraging them to feel safe to ask questions and take risks to improve learning. Whether verbal or through a creative technological tool, communication is essential to making your students feel connected.

Related:
5 ways to prep students for online learning success
A supe’s 6 back-to-school tips for virtual district leaders

Much like the return of Cabbage Patch Kids, He-Man, and the Lite Brite I saw at the store on Black Friday, we’re living in an era where what’s old is new. 

During the pandemic, renowned reading expert Lucy Calkins called for a ‘rebalancing’ of Balanced Literacy, alluding to an increased focus on linking letters with their sounds–or what those of us who went to elementary school in the 80-90s know as phonics class. 

While some teachers are not necessarily abandoning components of Balanced Literacy (like reading aloud, guided and independent reading, and word study) in favor of pulling out the old phonics workbook with the tear out pages, they are reconsidering the role phonics plays in modern elementary education and turning more often to a Science of Reading-based approach.

Because now, emerging from the pandemic, the nation’s report card published a sobering decline in reading and math scores among students. 

Reading coaches and teachers say the decline in reading proficiency and scores among kindergarten through third grade students was well underway before the pandemic.

So what does this mean for teachers who are struggling to fill reading gaps created during the pandemic?

And what should publishers who serve the education market do to help?

The Educational Book and Media Association hosted a webinar to discuss this very topic, seeking input from teachers, reading coaches, print and digital book wholesalers who sell to K-12 schools, and publishers on what’s needed now to begin remediation… to get our students reading.

Illinois reading coach Katie James began her career in education as a teacher spanning first, second, and third grades. James says the reading gap is a daily problem for teachers, which is why districts are adding new levels of intervention for more and more students who are reading at increasingly varying levels entering fourth grade. “The pandemic-created gaps are understandable,” James said. “In some cases, it’s decoding, others it’s comprehension, sometimes both. So, teachers can’t just start teaching 4^th grade content. They have to fill gaps between second and third grade but connect to the fourth-grade objectives. We have faith we’re closing those gaps but it’s going to take some time.”

Teacher Beth Heidemann agrees with James. “There was a trend in this direction pre-COVID. There’s been a devaluing of the teaching profession. Too often districts are hitting the easy button and introducing a program. But we need to say to teachers, here’s the training you need if you didn’t already receive it in college and here’s my trust that you’re going to educate these students. There is an issue with literacy. But it’s more than just reading. It’s writing and skilled questioning. And COVID accelerated it. Today, I’m teaching kids who don’t know how to play with each other. So, there are profound development gaps… not just education gaps.” 

Related:
3 reasons literacy is essential in child development
How an AI tutor more than tripled my school’s literacy rates during the pandemic

As members of the media have bemoaned the tragic results of students on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—also known as the nation’s report card—many have been all too willing to jump into the game of who is responsible. Yet, few have sought innovative solutions to change the fundamental underlying reality: today’s schools were not built to maximize each and every student’s learning.

Just weeks earlier, a new report titled “Out of the Box,” along with an accompanying afternoon of virtual programming, sought to introduce a way to change that reality through the use of “innovative model providers” to shift us away from the current paradigm of schooling and “support school communities in actualizing the visions they set forth.”

The solutions generally offered in the media to the challenges students face have revolved around things like tutoring, summer school, longer school hours, and more days. Although there’s nothing wrong—and some things right—with those solutions, what none of them do is upend the fact that today’s schools were not designed to optimize learning. Their time-based nature means that they were, in fact, built to embed failure for the majority.

Even worse, some of these ideas share the assumption that all students should just have more of the same type of schooling experience they’ve always had—a schooling experience that also wasn’t doing what today’s society needs it to do prior to the pandemic because of the way it was designed. Put differently, the schools we have do exactly what they were built to do—which is at odds with the society we inhabit today.

What if instead of layering tutoring on top of today’s schools, we instead took the principles of effective, high-dosage tutoring and embedded those in schools themselves?

Or, as the “Out of the Box” report says:

“Imagine, for example, elementary classes that deeply embed the science of reading, making use of phonics instruction to the degree appropriate for each student and using technology and artificial intelligence to support building the requisite vocabulary and content knowledge to access rigorous text. In middle grade math, imagine sophisticated diagnostic assessments generating a personalized learning plan that adapts daily and allows each student to drive their own progress using a variety of learning modalities. … Science and social studies classes could integrate combinations of text, virtual reality, group discussion, and interdisciplinary projects that extend beyond what an individual teacher could sustainably plan for each day.”

But the report then points out that, “Just as an engine has little value atop a horse and buggy, truly realizing new possibilities requires fundamentally reimagining elements of existing paradigms in order to transition to something new and better.”

So how do we do that?

Readers of my new book, From Reopen to Reinvent, know that I’ve pushed the importance of autonomy: arming a separate group of educators with the ability to rethink completely how school works.

The authors of “Out of the Box”—Joel Rose, Jenee Henry Wood and Jeff Wetzler—agree, but go even further in specifying what this likely means.

Related:
How relationship mapping supports your students
5 learner-centered education models to inspire reform

STEM education is in crisis in the United States. It’s predicted there will be 3.5 million STEM jobs in the U.S. by 2025–incredible news if not for the fact experts believe at least 2 million of those jobs will go unfilled.

However, the excitement of our nation’s return to the moon could help resolve this. NASA’s Artemis mission just launched its first of three rockets after several months of delays. The goal is to ultimately return humans to the Moon, including the first woman and the first person of color, by 2025. It’s an exciting time for space exploration and perhaps the launch pad American educators and employers need to renew students’ interest in STEM education–and in turn, create a pipeline of new technical talent in the U.S.

The Artemis Mission can bring students within the ‘orbit’ of NASA, so that it’s tangible for them. This is an opportunity, not just for educators, but for our whole community to harness the excitement like our nation did with Apollo decades ago and remain competitive with STEM powerhouses, like China and India.

When Neil Armstrong famously stepped foot on the moon as part of the Apollo program, our nation saw an explosion in STEM degrees over the next decade, especially among women. According to an NPR study, in 1981 there was a 250 percent rise in computer science degrees and a 100 percent rise in physical sciences from when Apollo first launched in 1969. We’re hopeful that Artemis will have a similar effect. And with today’s ability to record/broadcast events instantly sharing with millions via social media, perhaps we can create a groundswell.  

Representation matters  

It’s been 54 years since the Apollo mission first took man to the Moon. This time around, we hope young kids of all backgrounds will see someone who looks like them, with NASA making it a priority to ensure the crew of Artemis includes more diversity.

Currently, Hispanic and Black professionals are underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Additionally, women only make up about a quarter of workers in computing and engineering fields. A statistic that is further observed when we look back at the NPR study. We see that by 2010 the number of women working in computer science dropped nearly as low as before the Apollo program began.

Related:
The ups and downs of girls in STEM
3 ways to teach STEAM in a blended learning environment

Our first look at long-term trends in reading and math assessments since the pandemic began affirm what many education professionals were anticipating. 

The National Association for Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “The Nation’s Report Card,” recently issued its signature report, which revealed that students assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced significant declines in both mathematics and reading. NAEP’s 2022 data shows that “average scores at both grades [eighth and fourth] were not significantly different in comparison to the first reading assessment [20 years prior] in 1992.”

And while reading score declines as measured by various student assessments during COVID-19 are alarming, they are not unexpected given the profound obstacles students have faced.

Now, with data in hand, the critical work of getting students back on track toward reading on grade level by the fourth grade begins. The silver lining is: With a focus on creating more equitable opportunities for individualized support for students, they can and will catch up.

School systems have significant work to address inequitable opportunities and challenges that were already occurring prior to the time COVID-19 disrupted school operations in spring 2020, and we are aware that many students had inequitable access to the technology and quality instruction that other students received during the last two school years. Many other adults outside the school system can and must also play important roles in student learning and support, such as family members, tutors, counselors, and mental health professionals.

Certainly, addressing the needs of all students (especially after a global pandemic) could never boil down to a common formula, yet this is a critical time to ensure that proven methods for teaching foundational literacy skills enable educators, family members, tutors, and others to effectively support student literacy development.

1. Literacy instruction must be rooted in the science of reading

Reading is a vital foundational skill for navigating an increasingly complex world, yet it is not a natural skill. The process of making meaning from symbols on a page or a digital device is complex. For students who struggle with reading, it is even more crucial that they receive systematic instruction, consistent exposure to quality learning materials, and many opportunities for practice.

There’s a significant body of scientific research available to better understand how we learn to read. And the methodology with the most significant base of scientific evidence, often referred to as the “Simple View,” establishes that the process of comprehending what we read involves sounding out and recognizing words in addition to making meaning of the words strung together in a sentence. This process relies heavily on phonological awareness and phonics for word recognition and decoding along with explicit and consistent instruction.

Despite significant evidence showing that phonics-based instruction is the most effective method, it has not been broadly adopted within the U.S. education system. To get students back on track with their literacy development, science-based instruction should be central since it is proven to be the most effective path for most students.

2. Engaging and motivating students begins with a warm, positive, two-way relationship

Learning to read is not easy. It’s a skill that takes time, practice, patience, and structured support to become proficient. For this reason, students often respond well to positive encouragement and support from family members, educators, tutors, and other trusted allies. These trusting relationships may become particularly important when students develop negative feelings associated with reading, and could use some extra positive reinforcement.

Related:
How our reading platform changed our instruction
K-12 staffing shortages threaten reading instruction–AI can help

A 2019 Gallup study that included 128 schools and more than 110,000 students found that student engagement and hope were significantly positively related to student academic achievement progress in math, reading, and all subjects combined.

This is why it’s even more concerning that we continue to see student performance decline, with the National Assessments of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, reporting that students in the U.S. had the largest average reading score decline since 1990, and the first ever score decline in math in 2022.

Knowing that many students are struggling with learning setbacks can feel overwhelming, but we’re hoping we can help you look at these scores as an opportunity to implement new instructional strategies that engage students, and therefore, help mitigate learning loss.

Blended Learning Increases Student Engagement

A learning environment we recommend to increase student engagement is blended learning, which combines a mix of face-to-face and online instruction for students. Gen Z is the first truly internet-dependent generation – getting their entertainment, information, and socialization online, oftentimes from social media. Therefore, to reach these students where they are, we need to evolve our instructional strategies.

This doesn’t mean teachers need to utilize Instagram Reels or TikTok, bur rather use technology strategically to engage students in their learning.

Plus, according to Education and Information Technologies, when compared to traditional learning, 73 percent of educators believe blended learning has improved student engagement. As former teachers that have transitioned into a school leadership role, we hope these four blended learning instructional strategies help you maximize student learning and engage them where they are.

Blended Learning Instructional Strategies

Our instructional model at Florida Virtual School includes evidence-based approaches, professional development for teachers, curriculum specifically designed for the online learning environment, and flexibility for students and families to communicate with teachers to individualize learning and provide support.

With this in mind, we recommend starting by enabling your teachers to connect with students and their families one-on-one to truly understand their needs. By starting with what students need, it will be easier to determine which blended learning instructional strategy will work best for your students.

Related:
Tips for blended learning success
Blended learning models can help schools reopen–here’s how

Many high school and college students chose STEM as their No. 1 preferred career path, according to a survey of 11,495 Gen Z students conducted by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS).

The 2022 Career Interest Survey gives insights into what motivates an adventurous, civic-minded, concerned, vocal, tech-savvy, emerging workforce.

NSHSS is an academic honor society that recognizes and serves high-achieving student scholars in more than 26,000 high schools across 170 countries.

Born after 1997, Gen Z is significantly larger than the generations that precede it, with more than 90 million members, according to Pew Research. With its oldest members just 25 years old, many in this generation are making life-changing transitions: graduating high school, attending college, and starting their careers.

The survey highlights five themes that characterize Gen Z students: Equity for all, STEM and healthcare, love of learning, the world after COVID, and the setbacks of college debt.

Top findings include:

• Gen Zs are adventurers, but not crazy about the world we live in. Fifty-five percent are interested in living and working on Mars or the Moon
• 70 percent want to travel internationally despite tensions (87percent of responses came after the Russian invasion of Ukraine)
• Gen Zs want to work at Spotify (moves from #42 on the desired employer list – to #3)
• Fair treatment of all employees ranks #1 of all workplace preferences
• Forty-four percent of college grads expect employers to help pay their college loans
• Sixty-three percent say they expect employers to offer in-person training

Related:
The ups and downs of girls in STEM
Powerful strategies to motivate girls in STEM

Students who attend online school today range from homeschoolers, to those seeking an alternative to in-person public schools, to learners who want to mix virtual schooling with in-person learning. Also, some districts have decided to keep an online option open for students who choose that method.

And while numerous parents and students have chosen to make online learning part of their education, the transition can be challenging. As someone who’s been involved with online schools for more than eight years, here are five common areas of concern and tips for how teachers and parents can navigate these challenges successfully.

Organization and Scheduling are Vital

While the idea of controlling the time and pace of a child’s education sounds freeing, this can be a major impediment for students unused to making their own schedule. Studies show that students’ executive functioning, the part of the brain that governs planning, organizing, and paying attention, is not fully formed until high school or later.

The first thing a parent or teacher should do for students new to online learning is create some type of calendar, whether online or physical. This will give learners a go-to spot to view what’s due, when, and allow them to organize. A planner can also help parents track their children’s tasks, especially if they have multiple children in different grades.

Also, students need a routine that includes both time and place. Make sure your students have all the tools they need, from computers to notebooks to headphones, and a place that signifies it’s time to learn. Headphones are vital, especially if the learner will share space with other children.

Don’t Forget Manipulatives and External Rewards

Online learning doesn’t have to be only screen time. Students should incorporate manipulatives into their routines, from younger students learning math basics to older students who may be completing lab work. Scan Pinterest or other social media sites if you need examples. Also, note that these tools don’t have to cost a lot.

Related:
How to prepare new teachers for virtual learning
4 tips for online learning success in schools

As students return to class this fall, K–12 teachers and administrators face many challenges—and math instruction is high on the list.

Although state assessment data from the 2021–2022 school year suggest that students have begun to close pandemic-related learning gaps, the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results reveal that students’ math scores dropped seven points—the first-ever score drop for math in the assessment’s fifty-year history.

Educators now face the daunting task of making up for lost instructional time from the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time, addressing drops in math achievement and teaching grade-level content. Where do educators start?

At Belle Fourche Middle School in South Dakota, we’re fortunate to be able to provide 50 extra minutes of math enrichment per day for the students who need it. We’re also using technology to provide highly targeted and personalized math instruction and practice for our students.

With these measures, we’re ensuring that students who have fallen behind in math make measurable gains so they achieve grade-level proficiency. Here’s our approach, and three key recommendations for educators as they seek to close the gaps in students’ math skills this year.

1. Get personal
Due to the disruptions to learning over the last few years, students are at different places in their learning trajectories. Using data to pinpoint each child’s specific skills ensures we are able to meet their unique learning needs.

At Belle Fourche, we utilize a math practice tool called Get More Math. This program uniquely tailors math practice sessions to each student based on their progress and comprehension of previously taught and newly introduced concepts. By personalizing the learning and practice process to each student’s needs, I can spend the valuable classroom time we have together directing my instruction accordingly.

Related:
We can teach math better–here’s how
How I use digital curriculum in my math classroom