eSchool News | online page 1

5 tips to keep online students motivated

Key points:

Educators must support efforts that boost online student motivation

Peer mentors, change of scenery, and spending time with students are important for online students

A student’s motivation in school is a key driver of their academic success. Yet, the demanding nature of high school classes, mixed with a teenager’s natural craving for independence and individual identity, can stand in the way of that motivation. COVID-19 took a toll on student motivation, and 80 percent of educators are still feeling the effects. Following the rapid and sudden shift to online learning, parents and educators remain concerned about keeping online students motivated and engaged.

As we move past the pandemic and rethink the role of online education, it’s vital to education reform that teachers remain focused on fostering student motivation. …Read More

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How online learning changed the post-covid era

Key points:

The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated the introduction of new learning technologies into the mainstream

Educators and students were forced to adapt to new edtech tools, which now have a permanent place in today’s classrooms

It goes without saying that the Covid-19 pandemic affected every aspect of our lives in one way or another. The world was forced to adapt to a new reality to overcome the numerous challenges and hardships brought by the virus.

The field of education was affected like no other. More specifically, online education saw massive changes and transformations that were accelerated by the pandemic. Without further ado, here’s how pre- and post-Covid education differs and how online classes changed.…Read More

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6 ways AI tools will impact tutoring

Key points:

AI tools can greatly personalize and individualize tutoring

ChatGPT brings new perspectives to old problems and helps students think outside of the box

As the layers of post-pandemic classrooms are peeled back and learning losses become more evident, schools are searching for effective means to improve student achievement. Tutoring plays a major role in these efforts–and now, advances in AI are taking tutoring to a new level.

As the NAEP results made clear, students lost an alarming amount of progress in reading and mathematics. Already-overburdened teachers are scrambling to play catch-up and fit entire months of lost learning into their instruction.…Read More

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Breezeline Promotes Online Safety Awareness

QUINCY, Mass. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Breezeline, the nation’s eighth-largest cable operator, has partnered with CyberSecurity NonProfit (CSNP) to create a series of blogs, videos and social posts to inform and educate the public on ways to protect against cybercrime and to promote online safety.

Recent educational materials created by CSNP staff and experts from the cyber security profession include ways to keep children safe in public online spaces, the benefits and concerns with authentication methods like two-factor and facial recognition, the benefits and risks of location services, identifying cryptocurrency scams, password tips, and Internet of Things (IoT) safety.

“Easy access to online content provides tremendous benefits to society for learning, work, and keeping connected to the world around us,” said Andrew Walton, a spokesperson for Breezeline. “Awareness of online best practices will help reduce risk and ensure that content can be enjoyed safely.” …Read More

5 long-term benefits of our online literacy programs

Key points:

Online literacy programs help educators differentiate instruction

Engaging literacy solutions help students absorb learning material

When we started using a new literacy program 10 years ago, our reading scores were mediocre. Within a few years we had moved up to being a Level 1+ school, which is one of the highest rankings for Chicago Public Schools’ rating system (which is currently being replaced with a new system). We’re using the literacy program as a main component for grades K-5 in addition to another program for fifth graders.

We really like how both online literacy programs differentiate instruction for students, identify learning gaps and place students at the right levels for their individual needs. This functionality also lets teachers know when to pool students for the offline Skill Builders to help move past specific challenges students are facing. Additionally, the data that we get from the platforms is invaluable; we’ve become so used to looking at it and then using it to help inform our instruction.…Read More

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SIIA Announces Education Technology Finalists for 2023 CODiE Awards

WASHINGTON (PRWEB) — In celebration of the 38th annual SIIA CODiE Awards, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) announced Education Technology finalists. Finalists, selected by expert reviewers, represent the most innovative and impactful products from education technology developers, online learning services and related learning-focused technologies.

“The 2023 CODiE Award finalists are some of the most inspiring products, services and leaders who are blazing a trail in the education technology space,” said SIIA President Chris Mohr. “Their innovations stand to improve the teaching and learning experience for teachers and students here in the U.S. and globally. Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists.”

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. Educators and administrators serve as judges for the first-round review of all nominees. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80 percent of the overall score. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products. The scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. Details about each finalist are listed at https://www.siia.net/codie/codie-finalists/. The category winners will be announced June.…Read More

Flexible, hybrid learning is key to student success

Key points:

Virtual learning expanded access to student mental health support

Hybrid learning offers improved satisfaction during IEP meetings

In the business world, we’ve seen a sea change in the way people work. While some have returned to the office full time, some are still working remotely, and others are opting for a hybrid approach of being in-person just a few days a week. If the pandemic showed us anything, it is that flexibility is in the best interest of the employee and the company in a competitive marketplace.

The same lessons are true in schools. Forced to go online, in some cases for a year or more, schools quickly turned to video conferencing and online tools to facilitate the development of Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) and even deliver mental health services to help students cope with the changes resulting from the pandemic. These new approaches offered ways to reduce many of the traditional barriers to services and support. Plus, they provided flexibility to create individualized plans that best meet the needs of students and their families. …Read More

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Are educators using ChatGPT to write lesson plans?

A whopping 97 percent of respondents in a recent survey say they ‘frequently’ or ‘sometimes’ use ChatGPT to write lesson plans. Likewise, 93 percent of teachers say they use the AI platform to grade and provide feedback for students, 91 percent say to write emails, and 89 percent say to write letters of recommendation.

A survey of 1,000 high school, undergraduate, and graduate educators who are aware of ChatGPT, from online degree ranking and higher-ed planning site Intelligent.com, examines the prevalence of ChatGPT usage among both students and educators.

Among the top reasons for using the tool, 42 percent of teachers say it saves them time, 41 percent say it provides good suggestions, and 17 percent say it helps them understand ChatGPT’s capabilities.…Read More

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6 ways to transform district communications with tech

When I joined our district in 2021, I was asked to review its overall communications and ensure that we were communicating effectively both with our families and with the surrounding community. Across our 13 schools, it was immediately apparent that our current platform wasn’t meeting expectations.

That platform didn’t have the features and resources we needed to be able to reach our communication goals. We started looking for a better option by researching online and speaking with other districts about what they were using.

Through that exercise, we learned about ParentSquare and decided to implement it. Here are six ways that our new approach to communications has transformed our district:…Read More

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Online tutoring is changing how we support our students

As the latest results from the National Assessment of Academic Progress (NAEP) make clear, we have a long way to go to ensure that our students are achieving at grade level in reading and mathematics.

Yet, we don’t just want to address the gaps in students’ learning—we want to make sure each one of our students grows and advances.

At Baker Charter Schools, we’re a K–12 public charter school with students all over Oregon. Online tutoring gives our students access to the critical academic support they need, even outside traditional school hours. By making this support available to all our students, we’re not only closing opportunity gaps but helping students reach their full potential.…Read More

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