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ed tech news

Ed Tech News Roundup: Progress, Policies, and Prom

by Andrew Roush June 11, 2021

written by Andrew Roush

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.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Over the course of pandemic lockdowns, many people have taken up gardening, a great way to build skills, relax, and take a crack at self-sufficiency. Those are personal ways to grow, but educators can also use gardening to cultivate important learning outcomes like SEL, STEAM, and more.

In Longview, students and teachers are growing a school garden now full of tomatoes, tomatillos, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, turnip greens, mustard greens, carrots, garlic, blueberries, blackberries, pears, and squash — and they’re giving it right back to students. [Longview News-Journal]
Wisconsin officials have even proclaimed a School Garden Day in their state. [The Capital Times]

Talkin’ Texas

Here in TCEA’s home state of Texas, a number of policy changes and plans are being developed and rolled out as this spring semester winds to a close. Here are some stories you might have missed.

It’s officially Atlantic hurricane season, a major concern for the U.S. eastern seaboard population centers and Gulf-adjacent Texas cities like Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, and more. The Texas Education Agency has new guidance to help schools and districts plan for hurricane season. [TEA]
Meanwhile, Texas families who relied on the Pandemic EBT card for pandemic food aid are eligible for more support in the 2021-22 school year. [Texas Tribune]

Industry Insights

After many months of remote, blended, or otherwise changed learning environments, many are looking to see how the ed tech industry is responding — and how it’s growing.

Frederick Hess writes that avoiding bad tech-related habits is key to advancing the positive use of ed tech as we move back to an in-person world. [Education Next]
Forbes explores new teaching models using tech that we could see grow in coming years. [Forbes]

… And Finally

Cecilia “Ce” Richard had a tough and isolating school year during COVID lockdowns. When she didn’t have an escort for prom, three teachers stepped up to give her an ideal celebration. [Hometown Life]

June 11, 2021 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: Summer’s on the Way

by Andrew Roush June 4, 2021

written by Andrew Roush

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.

Summer’s right around the corner. As we prepare to take a much-needed deep breath, here’s what’s happening in the world of ed tech.

Looking Back, and Ahead

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be measured for years to come. As we look ahead to what appears to be a fully in-person fall semester in much of the U.S., educators are reflecting on the immediate effects of the lockdown, remote learning, and the loss that comes with a virulent outbreak.

Math teacher Karen Atkinson explores the changes she saw during remote learning — and some of the benefits, especially for girls in STEAM subjects. [THE Journal]
Researchers at Texas A&M University are working to understand the effects of remote teaching and the pandemic generally, and beginning to develop insights and host discussions on these topics. [Texas A&M]
Around the world, the pandemic caused the deaths of many, including educators. Citing a lack of tracking by state agencies, a Dallas news station set out to document the lives of teachers lost to the disease. [WFAA]

Ed Tech Topics

Ed tech took a starring role in education in 2020 and the first half of 2021. As we head toward the fall, it’s important to reflect on how, not simply if, we will use educational technology in the future.

Devices keep getting smarter, and there seem to be new gadgets and apps all the time. But without the media literacy skills needed to navigate the internet, students may not benefit. [Ed Tech]
Further, Rick Hess notes that it’s important to monitor and understand “how bad ed-tech habits that formed during the shutdown risk compromising instruction and even slowing the return to school next fall.” [Education Week]
Some analysts note that ed tech resources could be going the way of many media businesses by adopting a subscription-based model. [Education Technology]

Taking Tech Back to the Classroom

While the world focused on technological solutions to the challenges of lockdown, questions remain about how specific technologies might be integrated into traditional learning, considering all the lessons learned during the pandemic so far.

Florida educators reflect on how the “pandemic proved technology’s worth,” and how they hope to use ed tech in the future. [K–12 Dive]
Some important factors to note? Flexibility, power consumption, and cloud computing. [Ed Tech]
For ed tech companies and tools to thrive, custom solutions to local problems may be a key factor in success. [eSchool News]

… And Finally

The Roman orator Circero once said that “if you have a garden and library, you have all you need.” One school in Maine is putting that to the test, using gardening to engage students in a variety of subjects. [The Daily Bulldog]

Photo by Vlad Chețan from Pexels

June 4, 2021 0 comment

Top 10 Episodes of TCEA’s Ed Tech Club Podcast

by Andrew Roush March 23, 2021

written by Andrew Roush

The Ed Tech Club is TCEA’s weekly podcast all about the intersection of education and technology. And we’re not just discussing the nuts and bolts of tech tools, we’re going even deeper to uncover strategies, methods, and more.

Each week, we’re joined by educators and experts to talk about everything from big ideas to useful tips for your most-used ed tech resources. Along the way, we’ll introduce you to some of the most exciting trends in ed tech.

Looking for some learning-centric listening to relax with during your spring break? Check out our top 10 most popular episodes below. And don’t forget to subscribe to get the latest episodes each week.

Gerry Brooks on Comedy and Community | Ep. 24

In this episode, we chat with viral sensation Gerry Brooks, a TCEA 2020 Featured Presenter, on his path to national recognition and using comedy to connect.

Michael Cohen on Empathy and Design Thinking | Ep. 25

The “Tech Rabbi” joins us to explore how to ignite innovating thinking.

Elementary Ed Tech with Jenallee | Ep. 39

The education duo known as Jenallee takes us on a journey to make tech work in the elementary classroom.

Fake News and Digital Literacy with Jennifer LaGarde | Ep. 27

The Library Girl herself, Jennifer LaGarde, takes us through the challenges of building digital literacy.

Art and Student Empowerment During Remote Learning | Ep. 33

Art teacher Galen McQuillen discusses teaching art remotely, responding to the changing education environment, and how to build student agency no matter what.

Leading at Every Level with Principal Baruti Kafele | Ep. 34

School leadership expert Principal Baruti Kafele reveals the power of communication and rediscovering your “why.”

Amazing Educational Resources with Nick Hoover | Ep. 59

In this episode, we talk about Nick’s website, Amazing Educational Resources, and how remote and hybrid teaching might affect teaching and learning in the long term.

Millennials, Gen Z, and Lifelong Education | Ep. 21

Andrew Savikis of getAbstract stops by to delve into the results of the company’s 2020 survey and what it can tell us about generational attitudes toward learning.

Establishing Remote Learning Norms w/ Diana Benner | Ep. 52

TCEA’s own Diana Benner takes us through ways to set up expectations while teaching and learning remotely.

Fliphunts for Remote Learning | Ep. 47

Our professional development team returns, this time with Dr. Bruce Ellis exploring creative ways to use fliphunts.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

March 23, 2021 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: Starting the School Year, Startup Companies, and More

by Andrew Roush August 7, 2020

written by Andrew Roush

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.

Tech Talk

As remote learning continues, and educators work to deliver hybrid and online learning, ed tech companies are hoping to find practical solutions — and growing quickly.

While the U.S. saw a precipitous drop in GDP in the second financial quarter of the year, educational technology firms raised more than $800 million in the first half of 2020. [EdSurge]
The U.S. isn’t the only place seeing growth either. With ed tech being “no longer optional” ($) and ed tech startups are seeing potentially explosive growth ($), a Brazilian company is looking to raise a whopping $300 million. [EdWeek MarketBrief]
As the ed tech industry grows, writer Doug Bonderud considers practical ideas to help make technology accessible to and useful for all. [EdTech]

From Tech to Texas

In TCEA’s home state, the conditions and guidelines around reopening schools are taking shape.

Last week, Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement that local health authorities can mandate school closures “if there’s evidence of an outbreak after students have already returned to campus — but cannot shut them down weeks before schools open,” according to the Texas Tribune.
Abbott’s statement comes days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a much-publicized but non-binding guidance to schools stating that local health officials have “some authority to order schools closed if people in it are infected by COVID-19, but not as a preventive measure.” [Texas Tribune]
Paxton’s guidance also caused course corrections and changes in plans to delay school in some Texas school districts. [NBC DFW]

Bridging the Digital Divide

The COVID-19 pandemic has helped highlight the digital divide in American schooling, which is described by Stanford emeritus professor Eric Roberts as the “growing gap between the underprivileged members of society, especially the poor, rural, elderly, and handicapped portion of the population who do not have access to computers or the internet; and the wealthy, middle-class, and young Americans living in urban and suburban areas who have access.”

With a rush to remote learning, many local school authorities are working with tech companies to expand access. [Axios]
Meanwhile, partnerships are forming between state and local entities to tackle the connectivity gap, exemplified in Texas’ “Operation Connectivity.” [Government Technology]
Also in Texas, legislators are working to fund mechanisms already designed to spread internet access to rural parts of the state. [Texas Tribune]

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

August 7, 2020 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: 5G, Accessibility, and Profitability

by Andrew Roush February 14, 2020

written by Andrew Roush

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.

The Next Generation

Wireless providers have been rolling out 5G networks for a few years. This fifth generation of wireless transmission is poised to bring more devices into the world of cellular communication, and with faster speeds. What will that mean for education? A lot.

The new cellular technology will expand access to educations, as well as create more immersive learning experiences, according to former teacher and writer Larry Bernstein. [EdTech]
Meanwhile, the rollout of 5G networks requires the installation of new cellular towers, a move that has seen pushback around schools and in residential areas across the country, notably in Chicago, South Carolina, and Los Angeles. [CBS Chicago, Post and Courier, Los Angeles Times]

Access Granted

Accessibility is one of the most vital and powerful uses of ed tech. As technology advances, new ways of making learning available to all students are growing along with it.

In their look ahead to 2020 trends, EdTech sees continued creativity and utility in tech for accessibility. [EdTech]
Among all the spaces being opened by technology, the gaming industry is making a major push to create games that are designed around special-needs learners. [EdWeek Market Brief]

Market Forces

Educational technology has not only become a day-to-day part of life in education, it’s become a big business. Here’s how the ed tech market is growing into a new decade.

U.S. ed tech firms closed out the previous decade with a whopping $1.7 billion raised in funding in 2019. [EdSurge]
A review of ed tech trends suggests continued growth in the market in the coming years — including the minting of more billionaires in the industry. [Forbes]

…And Finally

Trading Valentines in class is a time-honored tradition, and most people can remember collecting cards from classmates in little construction-paper boxes. A small Illinois museum is currently recreating a 1950’s Valentine’s Day celebration, letting visitors step back into a vintage classroom party.

Photo: James Wainscoat

February 14, 2020 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: Digital Citizenship, Rural Schools, and More

by Andrew Roush January 17, 2020

written by Andrew Roush

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.

Digging Into Digital Citizenship

Today’s students will grow up in a world full of technology. Knowing how to safely navigate that world requires good digital citizenship, and schools and districts around the country are making it a major focus.

Massachusetts curriculum and instruction director Matthew X. Joseph shares his “R.E.A.D.Y.” strategy for nurturing responsible digital citizens. [District Administration]
Want students to have ownership of their cybersecurity and digital footprint? Try giving them experience — and even certifications — as IT support. [EdTech]

Connecting with Rural Schools

Rural school districts often share a particular set of challenges, not least of which is keeping schools connected. Connecting rural communities with broadband access can have an impact in the classroom and well beyond it.

Think your school is remote? Try administering a district on an island off the coast of Alaska. Here’s how one administrator does it. [Education Week]
High-speed internet isn’t just useful to instruction — it’s vital to the kinds of careers students will take on after they graduate, even in remote areas. [Broadband Communities]

Face to Face

Safety is a top priority in every school. Now, some are turning to facial recognition technology to keep kids safe, but critics warn it may lead to violations of privacy.

Earlier this month, Lockport City School District in upstate New York activated AEGIS, a facial recognition system, but some students and civil rights activists are wary. [edscoop]
Vox’s Recode takes a deep dive into the history, uses, and concerns over student facial recognition. [recode]

… And Finally

Many students may puzzle over their physics textbook, convinced that the day they understand the subject will be the day pigs fly. And in one case, it just might be. [WGME Portland]

January 17, 2020 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: Charts, Graphs, and a Message

by Andrew Roush January 3, 2020

written by Andrew Roush

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.

Visualization Nation

One skill all informed people need is the ability to read, understand, and interpret data. Often, this data comes in the form of graphs, maps, and charts, known as data visualizations. At every level of education, educators are working to bring the power of data to bear, and prepare students to comprehend and use those tools.

Researchers are taking a close look at what works in teaching data visualizations — and why it’s important. [Quartz]
Here in Texas, historian Julie Hardwick is teaching history to college students, and organizing masses of historical data using a common tool: Google Sheets. [UT Austin]
Plus:
- Washington Post data reporter Christopher Ingraham reveals how the pros read charts.
- The New York Times provides an on-demand webinar to help educators teach with graphs.

Tricks of the Trades

Career readiness is an important part of K-12 education. As more Americans join a seemingly ever-changing workforce, some programs are aiming to help students get on track for skilled work in a number of trades through the revival of the apprenticeship model.

In Washington state, a new apprenticeship model is being put in place, but a number of implementation questions remain. [Seattle Times]
America’s leading community college association, the American Association of Community Colleges, has announced an initiative to create 16,000 new apprentices in three years. [Inside Higher Ed]

Stopping Cyberbullying

Each year at this time, we commit to improve something about ourselves, our communities, and the world. One place to start is with cyberbullying. Here are some ways schools and even companies are working to end online harassment.

Writer Vicki Vila’s extensive commentary covers the modern landscape of digital citizenship and the tools needed to protect student safety and combat cyberbullying. [Dallas Morning News]
On the corporate side, Instagram is piloting the use of AI to warn posters about captions and content that may be offensive. [engadget]

… And Finally in Ed Tech News

Think a message in a bottle is just a storytelling trope? These students in North Carolina might beg to differ. [Winston-Salem Journal]

Photo: Hristina Šatalova

January 3, 2020 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: Google, Student Health, and the Census

by Andrew Roush December 6, 2019

written by Andrew Roush

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.

The Census and Schools

The 2020 federal census will have substantial impacts on American schools. Learn how the once-a-decade count could affect education.

The U.S. Census Bureau explains how the census can determine the future of many programs, including technology applications. [U.S. Census Bureau]
In advance of the census, the bureau is launching a new program called Statistics in Schools. [EducationDrive]

Ed Tech News about Google Growth

Google’s everyday tools for spreadsheets, slide presentations, word processing, forms, and more are in use on campuses across the country. But the search and web service giant is also pushing into new educational areas in AI (artificial intelligence) and student self-assessment.

Now Google tools can empower students to track their learning. Here’s how Sheets and Forms can be transformed into tools for self-assessment. [edutopia]
Google is also expanding the capabilities of Teachable Machin. A webcam-based AI learning program has been relaunched with the ability to integrate AI to design web pages, apps, and more. [engadget]

Health Beyond Health Class

A school’s work often goes beyond education, ensuring that students are, for example, fed, cared for, and kept healthy. Here, too, technology can help.

In Wisconsin, elementary students are using tech not only to make math learning more efficient, but to learn more about self-esteem and mental health. [Chippewa Herald]
In our home state of Texas, one school district is helping students with free, digital doctor’s visits. [Valley Central]

…And Finally in Ed Tech News

ed tech news

Want to feel old? What NPR has called “perhaps the most popular educational computer game of all time,” The Oregon Trail, debuted in an eighth grade history classroom in Minnesota on December 3, 1971 — that’s 48 years ago!

Photo: Siora Photography

December 6, 2019 0 comment

Educational Trends

Ed Tech News Roundup: Screen Time, Aesop’s Fables, and Fall Foliage

by Andrew Roush October 18, 2019

written by Andrew Roush

Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of biweekly 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.

Branching Out with STEM

Understanding science, engineering, and technology is vital for students, regardless of what they hope to pursue in life. Educators are working to keep up with that demand, and do so in ways that benefit students with genuine learning and life experience.

Middle school tech and computer teacher Robin Corbeil was struggling to connect her students with practical STEM skills. Then they started coding robots. [Education Drive]
For students interested in science and engineering, a program in Wisconsin is helping them prepare for college and earn college credit, one of many examples across the nation. [Wisconsin State Journal]

Screening the Future

Connected devices open a world of information to just about anyone. As screens become a required part of daily life, new perspectives are emerging on the potential — and potential pitfalls — of an always-connected generation.

Technology use is commonplace in higher education, even during lectures. A new study of college students from the University of Waterloo finds that students “think it is instructors’ responsibility to ensure they don’t surf the web in class.” [Ladders]
Matthew Howell’s middle school students all had devices, thanks to a 1:1 program. Now, they’re making a point to consider their use by having regular screen-free school days. [edutopia]

Reading with Tech

Ed tech can improve many learning processes, including in non-STEM subjects. Educators are using technology to build literacy, tell stories, and even teach across subjects.

In language arts, the “old essay model” is being reinvented with technology. Here are five ways educators are inspiring literacy through tech. [THE Journal]
In Colorado, ancient fables are getting new life through students’ smart use of digital platforms. [CU Boulder]

…And Finally

The changing of the seasons governs much of the world around us. For students, it can be a prompt for learning. Whether it’s a salmon festival in California, an agriculture education day in Maryland, or a traditional fall festival in Florida, young people around the country are finding educational opportunities outdoors as the weather turns and autumn arrives.

Photo: David Anderson

October 18, 2019 0 comment