Many teachers have found themselves adapting to teaching online almost overnight. Such a drastic change is wrong-footing everyone, especially those who aren’t familiar with computers. However, there are excellent, tailor-made online tools that make it easy to run your own digital classroom. Google Classroom is an especially simple, accessible tool for teachers. The first step… Read More

Fill in the blank: The culture of my class is _____________________________.  What came to mind? Was it easy to define, or did you struggle to describe it? The beginning of the new year is all about starting fresh and setting norms, guidelines, and defining your classroom culture with students. But what does that look like… Read More

If there’s ever been a time when school-to-home communication needs to be strong, it’s now. With many schools moving to distance learning, parents are the key in supporting students with successful at-home learning. And we know that strong parent engagement drives improved student outcomes and performance (WestEd, Parent Involvement Project). But nowadays, family engagement looks… Read More

We know that education loves its acronyms, and yet sometimes the hardest part is remembering what each stands for, never mind what each means! Recently we dived into the SAMR Model (pronounced “sammer”), to learn how technology can be used as a Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, or Redefinition when designing learning experiences. TPACK, which stands for… Read More

One of my favorite TV ads — one where I actually would laugh out loud — was from Best Buy a couple of years ago. In a snappy montage, they showed adults’ dismay at being behind the technology curve with outdated devices: one woman laments, “I just bought this one” as a new phone is… Read More

What if instead of ignoring the huge, white, social media elephant in the room, you embraced it? As teachers, it’s important to prepare students not only for the world they live in but also for the world that’s ahead. And since the influence of social media is likely here to stay, why not use it… Read More

Classroom capabilities are ever-changing and evolving. New technologies are constantly emerging — making our jobs as educators easier and often more fulfilling, and creating a rich learning environment for our students. From the super high-tech to the simplest of innovations, new products can create a world of difference in your classroom. Interested in making some… Read More

While Jan 1 marks the New Year for most, it kicks off the second half of the school year for teachers and students. Within the first month back, many schools celebrate with the 100th day of school. Around this same time, due to the cyclical buying cycles of schools, some of the larger education conferences… Read More

We know that many New Year’s resolutions center around the idea of balance: How can I have a more balanced life? How can I balance my personal and professional lives? How can I balance my screen time? Yep, that last one is not just an issue for kids. Guilty as charged! The statistics about screen… Read More

In the world of technology, it can be easy to gravitate towards what is new and shiny. The latest and greatest gadgets, apps, and platforms captivate us with updated features and functionality, just-in-time content, and oh-so-clever design. It’s hard to ignore the buzzes, chirps, and flashes! The same can be said of edtech in the… Read More

I did not begin my career as an instructional designer. Having spent several years in the classroom as a college- and university-level instructor of philosophy and logic, I stumbled into instructional design by way of educational content development as a learning design author and subject matter expert, combining my classroom experience and subject matter expertise… Read More

Not on Twitter? You should be! Twitter is an immeasurably useful tool for educators. Beyond building a network of educators from around the world, Twitter chats and free PDs are happening every day — literally — with some of the biggest and brightest thinkers and practitioners out there. Here’s a look at the most useful and… Read More

In higher education there is a cultural and psychological trend toward standardization and normalization. Certain ideas about education become socially reinforced and codified as norms and standards. This is, to some extent, to be expected. After all, educators and instructional designers should rightly be concerned with student performance and learning outcomes, the theory being that… Read More