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.

Are substitutes the answer to the teacher shortage?

Key points:

  • Substitute teachers are already critical to the school environment
  • Could funds be allocated to help substitutes find a long-term path to teaching?

California is investing $350 million in teacher residencies, recognizing the need for effective teachers, which too many of our classrooms are missing. But this big bet isn’t working. Why? Too many people can’t afford to take on the financial liability to train for the position.  

If we know the approach isn’t working, we need to look toward another solution: Substitute teachers.  …Read More

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How my 5th graders are taking a stand against bullying

Unseen and often silent, the shadows of bullying loom within the walls of schools, casting a dark cloud over the lives of countless students. The PACER Center’s National Bullying Prevention Center engages and empowers kids to combat bullying in all its forms. Through the Students with Solutions contest, my 5th grade students worked together to raise awareness about bullying and encourage children to actively participate in addressing this issue. This challenge amplified their voices and empowered them to inspire and support one another, creating a united front against bullying.

The winning entry within the “Student with Solutions” national anti-bullying competition this year is a video by my two 5th grade classes within the Birmingham City Schools System. The students wrote, filmed, and edited the video. It inspires unity and support, drawing from the students’ experiences, with the main message being that bullying hurts and everyone matters.

Students enjoy technology, so being able to integrate technology in an academic setting is highly advantageous. In this instance, we were able to combine social-emotional learning and technology, which are both important in this day and age.…Read More

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Collaborative edtech tools are changing the game for student engagement

Key points:

  • Adopting collaborative edtech tools creates a dynamic classroom environment
  • Students often are more engaged when teachers take on a guiding role rather than a purely instructive one

What’s been lacking in education up to now? From secondary schools to master’s degrees, educators often adopt a unidirectional approach, where information flows solely from teacher to student. However, it is imperative for students to actively become part of the teaching process, and teachers must cultivate an environment conducive to peer-to-peer learning.

Edtech tools for teachers made mainstream during the pandemic have undeniably enhanced student collaboration and facilitated the creation of more modern learning classrooms. The projected growth of the edtech industry to $605.8 billion by 2027 is a testament to that.…Read More

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3 ways to leverage tech for better student mental health

Key points:

  • Students are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis
  • Technology can be a powerful ally in positive mental health

Researchers have long speculated that the increasing use of technology and social media among teenagers contributes to worsening mental health outcomes. Now, it can be an important tool to help schools address an unprecedented mental health crisis.

In addition to traditional triggers for poor mental health, like exposure to adversity, in-process coping mechanisms, substance use, and other factors, students are grappling with novel challenges. This includes the long-tail effects of a global pandemic, and frighteningly frequent instances of violence at school and in communities, creating a perfect storm for a mental health crisis.…Read More

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Outsourcing student assessments can revitalize teaching

Key points:

As a restaurant manager, how would you feel if you were suddenly tasked with inspecting the food in your own kitchen? Or as a gymnastics coach, how would you react if you were asked to score your own team’s performances in a competition? It’s clear that when one person is both a manager or coach and an evaluator, conflicts of interest can arise. Yet, in the field of education, it’s common for teachers to both instruct their students and grade their academic achievements.

In conventional K-12 education, teachers are expected to wear many hats. They must design and deliver effective lessons, assess student learning, manage classroom behavior, and build relationships with students and families. But what if we could unbundle the role of the teacher and distribute these responsibilities across a team of experts?…Read More

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Why SEL isn’t a dirty word—an interview with CASEL’s Justina Schlund

Key points:

The concept of social emotional learning​​ (SEL) has been around for 30 years—a bit of esoteric, if well-meaning, academia intended to improve the way kids are taught. Post-pandemic, the phrase has somehow entered the culture wars leaving educators with a delicate balance between implementing these essential concepts without becoming politicized. 

If the pandemic taught us nothing else, it’s that the mental health of students is the first and foremost concern to successful teaching and learning—not to mention their parents, teachers, and everyone else associated with that student’s learning experience. So how can educators and admins cope? We sat down with Justina Schlund, Vice President of Communications at Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) to bang out some specific strategies for schools to employ if this becomes an issue in your district. Scroll down for some of the transcribed and edited highlights:…Read More

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New Evidence for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Rating Reiterates i-Ready® Instruction’s Impacton Driving Student Outcomes

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass.— A research study from Curriculum Associates recently received a Moderate (i.e., Tier 2) rating from Evidence for ESSA. The study demonstrated that students who used i-Ready Personalized Instruction gained significantly more points on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in English Language Arts and Mathematics than those who did not use i-Ready Personalized Instruction.

Evidence for ESSA is intended to provide educators with reliable, easy-to-use information on programs and practices that meet the standards of evidence in the ESSA. This classification of Moderate by the organization, out of the Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins School of Education, demonstrates that i-Ready meets the standards of evidence in the ESSA as well as reinforces the validity of the program in driving significant positive student outcomes on rigorous state tests.

“Educators want—and need—to feel confident in the programs they are using to support their instruction and, in turn, student achievement,” said Dr. Kristen Huff, vice president of assessment and research at Curriculum Associates. “This latest third-party validation underscores the power of i-Ready Personalized Instruction and its ability to effectively support the teaching and learning process throughout the school year.”…Read More

ChatGPT is the shakeup education needs

Key points:

  • Education must evolve along with technology–students will expect it
  • Embracing new technologies helps education leverage adaptive technology that engage student interest
  • See related article: AI tools are set to impact tutoring in a big way

Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has dominated conversations in the media landscape and within the education industry. A key conversation focuses on weighing its benefits versus risks, and many education institutions have been quick to implement bans on the technology altogether for fears of plagiarism in written works. But is this the right course of action to take?

As technology evolves, industries must evolve alongside it, and education is no exception – especially in an era where students heavily and regularly engage in technology and its applications. Instead of being afraid of the unknown, educators and leaders should navigate these changes with curiosity and an open mind and embrace the shake up the education industry has been waiting for. ChatGPT can be the answer we’re looking for in our search for the ideal, personalized student experience–and ultimately student success.…Read More

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3 new trends in student assessment

Key points:

The National Council on Measurement in Education’s (NCME) annual meeting has always offered an opportunity to learn about innovative research and new trends in student assessment. It is a chance to get hints of where the field is moving and what will be available to school districts, teachers, and students.

This year did not disappoint. There were three notable topics at the conference that signal new directions in assessment: through-year assessment, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and individualized assessment.…Read More

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