Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of periodic ed tech news roundups. We hope you enjoy this one, and if you have a story you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments.
Developments in education, policy, and technology don’t stop just because it’s summer. Here are some top stories you may have missed.
Policy Updates
In our home state of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has called for a special session of the Texas Legislature. Some education topics are on the docket for legislators to consider.
- Education policy made it onto the governor’s call in the form of issues relating to teaching critical race theory and the participation of transgender athletes in sanctioned competition. [Texas Tribune]
- Meanwhile, most educators, parents, and students are planning for the return to in-person instruction, especially in areas that remained online during most of the previous waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. New information shows that, in Texas, students of color have returned to school at below-average rates. [The 74]
Research Findings
With TCEA’s Research-Based Teaching and Learning Conference coming up on August 3, now is a great time to catch up on the latest in education research.
- Research can inform educational practices, and some teachers aren’t simply learning from the research, they’re helping design it. [EdSurge]
- As researchers continue to develop machine learning and artificial intelligence systems, some are looking at ways these technologies, if properly implemented, can help reduce inequality and underrepresentation in STEM education. [Harvard]
High-Tech Summer
Keeping students engaged over the summer is always a challenge, but tech can help.
- Some educators are meeting students wherever they can, metaphorically or literally. That means short sessions virtually or even meetups in the park. [EdWeek]
- One way to keep students involved with learning during their break? Let them hold onto their devices. [K–12 Dive]
… And finally
While ed tech is certainly a major topic of discussion and an important tool today, the history of “teaching machines” goes much deeper. [EdSurge]
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels
