INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

It sounds crazy—to me, literally crazy! Crazy to think about how we organize and design learning most of the time. We have content or standards that we need to teach of course, but how do we go about arranging a lesson or creating an activity? 99.9% of the time, we use an adult perspective.

We might get ideas on Pinterest from other adults, we might use a textbook that was written and edited by adults, we might use strategies that we enjoy as adults, or—if we are really cutting-edge—we might organize around a topic that (adults think) will be relevant to our students. In the end, it’s all about the adults. How upside down is that?!

Now, it does make a lot of sense when you think about it. Adults are the ones spending the money on curricula. Adults are the ones scanning through Teachers Pay Teachers for a new classroom idea or bulletin board. If people want to make money in education, they need to market to adult tastes—not to what kids actually want, like, and need.

Allowing Student Choice

So, how important is it that we listen to kids when it comes to these decisions? Isn’t it possible that we have been doing a great job over the years by allowing teachers to make these decisions? I think the answer is complex.

Yes, teachers know what kids need—for the most part. We aren’t talking about allowing kids to decide which phonics rules they learn and in which order. We aren’t talking about students thinking that history is boring so they won’t need to learn about that. What we are talking about is allowing student choice in some aspect of the learning, and that those choices are a result of students’ reflection and feedback about their learning.

For example, when I was a teacher, I had what I felt was a great unit on Of Mice and Men. It was usually a story that students liked and could relate well to, plus it was short, which they also liked. I would set up my classroom in “bunks” like the bunkhouse, which is one of the main settings of the story. Each set of desks (bunk) had a character, who the students followed and studied. I thought it was wonderful, but after a few years of doing the lesson, I had some feedback from a student who didn’t think it made much sense. He said, “You just rearranged our desks, but the classroom didn’t look anything like the bunkhouse in the book. Why didn’t you actually create the setting?” What a great idea! This could have been much more impactful and a deeper aspect of learning for all of the students. “What if they could do the decorating?” I thought. They would really be thinking then!

This is just one small example of how I, the adult, thought I knew how the content/lesson was being received by the students. It only took me asking and being open to feedback to learn more about how this particular student thought we could learn better together. It wasn’t about a grade or an assignment—it was about collective learning as a team.

What Holds Us Back?

Why didn’t I do this more when I taught? Why don’t other teachers do this more? Here is a look at some of the reasons why we don’t look to the students as the ultimate “consumer” for our decisions on lesson planning and content activities:

• We don’t have time: This is always a number one reason for teachers to hesitate from making a change, and it’s a very valid concern. How do you plan for the week on a Sunday when you don’t have kids around to ask for input? Planning is almost always a solitary activity, or at least done with a team of teachers during a PLC, so finding the right time to seek student input about their learning can be tough.
• We can’t keep it all straight: We might get a different option from every different student in our room. Just this thought alone could make a teacher stop and abandon the idea that kids should have input in the process. Differentiating is hard enough when we just have one opinion in the mix—how much harder will it be if we add in a bunch more?
• We aren’t sure we trust students to know: The reality is that many students wouldn’t know what to do with this opportunity, especially if they are older. They will think it’s a trick or will just give answers that they feel are correct, trying to please the teacher. But even if students were in tune with their own learning and the classroom culture, teachers might find it hard to trust what they have to say about it.
• We might not be sure what we’re looking for: Some teachers will want to seek student input in their classroom design, but it isn’t just as simple as asking, “What do you guys want to do?” Students will need a base set of skills to work from in order to be able to guide and determine their learning. To do this well takes some skill from the teacher.

The truth of the matter is that good teachers do monitor how students respond to lessons. It’s usually much more of a trial and error approach than anything scientific. There are different research-based avenues for approaching our classrooms to become more student-centered.

Want to connect with fellow educators to discuss topics like this, share lesson plans, and get tips on classroom tech? Consider joining MimioConnect™, our interactive educator community!

Happy New Year! I can’t even believe it—where has half the school year gone? Hopefully, you have just enjoyed a restful holiday and are gearing up for the second semester. Resolutions seem to be a thing of the past these days, and focusing on a single word is now the way to go. It’s less pressure, but still gives you something to work toward.

What better word to focus on for the new year than the word “new” itself? Webster defines new as: not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time.

Here are a few ways to adopt some newness into your life in 2020:

New Routine: We all know our students thrive with routines and efficient ones can save a lot of valuable time, but maybe there are some routines that aren’t working for you (i.e., how your students sharpen their pencils or turn in homework). Perhaps you need to figure out a new routine for your practices as well. If you’re still bringing home bags of papers to grade, you may need to rethink things. Don’t feel like you need to grade all of your students’ work—you could grade only portions of the assignment or just give a completion grade. Using rubrics or peer grading can also help. And just for kicks, drive a different way to school or change another morning routine like drinking your coffee before you get to work instead of after. Changing a simple routine allows your brain to work differently and can aid with problem solving and creativity!

New Adventure: Find something you’ve always wanted to try and just do it (thank you, Nike)! Honestly, life is short and self-care is real. It’s the middle of the school year and the middle of winter, but it’s also the start of a new year. I’m a busy teacher and a busy mom, so I totally understand how sometimes we don’t feel like we have any time for ourselves. Last year, I joined an online writing class and was able to work from the comforts of my home. It was a wonderful experience—I learned a lot and met some amazing new friends. Making time for yourself and pursuing a new interest can ignite a passion that will leave you feeling happier and more self-confident. And of course, all this happiness will trickle down to those lovely students sitting in your classroom right now.

New Learning: We’re in the business of learning, so how can we expect our students to become lifelong learners if we don’t model that behavior ourselves? Whether you‘ve been teaching for four years or 24, there is always room for improvement. The only constant in education is change. Education is a science, and with any science comes observations, investigations, and experimentations. While there are some concepts and teaching strategies that have stood the test of time, there will always be some type of evolution. For example, forming relationships with my students has been important ever since I started in education, but I have since learned so much about being trauma sensitive, de-escalating a situation, and building resilience. We can’t be afraid to admit when we don’t know something, and we need to be willing to learn—after all, we expect our students to do the same. Having this growth mindset allows you (and your students) to become more successful. So, roll up your sleeves and let the learning begin!

New Attitude: There, I said it—some of us just need an attitude adjustment. You’ve been with the same complaining coworker for years, you have the super teacher next door who always makes you look bad, you have the most difficult student (or class!) you’ve ever had, you haven’t received a raise in years, you have so many complaining parents, you are constantly having to implement new district initiatives, and the list goes on. I get it, and I know I have said or thought these very things. But all that negative energy can get inside me and just weigh me down. It makes for a very long, excruciating year when you let pessimism take over. I’ve learned that I can either try to do something about it or let it go. I try to change the things I can and practice gratitude and kindness. It’s amazing what a little kindness will do! If I can’t tell the super teacher she’s making me look bad, I can suggest us teaming up to work on a classroom project together. If I can’t convince the board to give me a raise, I can cut back on my spending to save money. Creating a positive attitude is a state of mind. You need to be deliberate and calculated, but once you get started, it gets easier!

Happy New Year, my amazing teacher friends! I hope this year brings you new routines, new adventures, new learning, and a new positive attitude. With a little newness in the air, let’s go live our best teacher lives.

What are you focusing on in 2020? Let us know in the comments below. To stay up to date on the latest teaching tips and trends throughout the year, be sure to subscribe to the Educator blog!

Topics: STEM

In part one of this series, we reflected on the inadequacy of the professional learning model that we see most of the time in education. Teachers receive one day of learning and then are sent on their way. Instead of getting a chance to really work on the model with time to implement and then reflect on the learning, teachers are thrown right back into their classrooms.

Here are the top three issues that were discussed in part one:

1. Professional learning has to be more timely—teachers can’t wait to learn something they need to learn.
2. Professional learning should include opportunities for the teacher to practice and use the strategies, just like we have students do in the classroom.
3. Professional learning should be relevant to the learner. If the teacher believes something doesn’t really apply to them, the leader of the professional learning should work to make it relevant to the audience.

First, we are going to think about how we can make professional learning more timely for staff. It’s true that bringing in a speaker for an entire staff development day is very efficient and can be very impactful, but if your district is like mine, we have these spread out throughout the school year. Teachers often comment that certain times of the year aren’t convenient to be learning something new. I respect their opinion—to an extent, there is never adequate time to practice and implement new things. I think what they mean is that this strategy would have been better earlier in the year or during a period with less going on. There is probably no perfect time for all teachers, so what do we do?

If we take the “I do, we do, you do” instruction model from Explicit Instruction that we discussed in part one, we can think about it in terms of making learning timely for teachers. We can ask ourselves how the “I do” portion can be more timely, and then do the same with the “we do” and then the “you do” portions of this model.

Here are some tips to help you achieve timeliness for your teachers:

I do: This part of the learning is when the teacher gains the knowledge. While full-day workshops are often great for this, they can lack the timeliness that is needed for our teachers. For example, when a teacher would like more information on a topic—like classroom management or an instructional strategy—they have to wait until a local training is available, which can take a while.

One solution is to use online resources for teachers to learn new information. This can be effective in that these can cover just about any topic, are usually professionally made, and are able to meet the needs of teachers in a timely way.

Another opportunity for being more timely is to create on-demand video resources yourself for teachers. I often use this strategy in our district if there is something simple that can be demonstrated over a screencast video. Teachers can watch it when they have time and revisit as needed.

We do: Teachers need the chance to practice and implement the strategies that they have learned. When they return to the classroom, they usually jump right into the next school day and put the new materials to the side. How can we help to prevent this?

First, we can help them to plan and process the information they have learned. When I travel to a conference with others, I sometimes schedule time at the end of the day for us to discuss our next steps and plans. This helps put a timeline to the learning so we don’t put it to the side.

Another model that is very impactful is professional coaching. Some schools have instructional coach positions who do this full time. This is really an ideal way to do “we do” practice in the classroom. The coach can model, co-teach, or just provide feedback to the teacher.

You do: Depending on the topic, the steps above might not be necessary. There are times when the professional learning is something that a teacher can easily implement quickly into the classroom. Even so, it’s good to have a plan or timeline for the “you do” portion of the teacher trying the strategy. This can come from a principal creating a deadline for implementation or from the teacher’s individual plan for how they are going to use it. Essentially, some kind of accountability can be created to ensure that the learning isn’t pushed to the side and not used by the teacher.

Hopefully these tips can help us think differently about how we make professional learning a timely experience for our teachers. Did you miss the first part of our Professional Learning That Works series? Be sure to check it out here.

While you wait for part three, be sure to check out Boxlight’s training and professional development opportunities.>>

You’ve probably heard of STEM—you may even teach STEM in your classroom. The key to students’ success is not only to learn science, technology, engineering, and math, but also to understand how those disciplines apply to the world around them. Students need to develop the critical skills that will prepare them for beyond the classroom, enabling them to be tomorrow’s engineers and innovators.

To help you further your STEM efforts in the classroom, our new and improved STEM guide is now available! We’ve updated the stats, included new articles, refreshed our top ten lists, and added two new lists featuring robotics and coding as well as space. Plus, we dive into the many ways you can bring STEM learning into the classroom, how to engage students in STEM subjects to ensure they’re prepared for careers in these fields, and take a look at the STEM products that are changing the way we teach and students learn.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in our new and improved STEM guide:

• Articles: From branching out STEM concepts and creating STEM-focused lessons to why it’s critical to involve girls in STEM, our articles provide valuable insight into STEM learning.
• Top 10 lists: Looking for the best STEM events, tech products, apps, and resources for teaching about space? We’ve got you covered! We’ve also included a list of available funding to help you bring STEM into your classroom even if you’re on a tight budget.
• Infographic: We need a STEM workforce, and our STEM by the Numbers infographic shows just how important STEM learning is for today’s students.
• Robotics: Interested in incorporating robotics in your lessons? Check out our top three considerations for bringing this popular activity to your classroom.
• And more!

STEM occupations have grown 79% since 1990, so it’s imperative that we make STEM a priority for all students. Download our valuable Big Guide to STEM Volume 2 today to discover the many ways to incorporate STEM learning in the classroom!

Many of us probably remember wonderful days in our elementary classroom listening to stories read by our teacher. These stories, whether they were picture books in kindergarten or chapter books in fifth grade, were a major part of my upbringing in elementary school and one of my favorite times of the school day. I distinctly remember in fourth grade listening to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and being sorely disappointed when we watched the movie and the details had changed. I had such a vivid picture in my head of the characters and setting. Our entire class had the collective language of the story that we could talk about and discuss.

Sadly, some teachers see classroom read alouds as a waste of instructional time. And just like everything else in the classroom, if done poorly, these sessions can be very ineffective. So, while it is true that it can be a waste of instructional time, when done well, it is not a waste at all.

More often than not, I feel that classroom read alouds are well worth the investment of time. Everyone loves to be read to—even adults. Look at the popularity of audiobooks and sites like audible.com. These demonstrate that people of all ages love to listen to stories.

So, what makes a good read aloud effective instructional practice? And why should we encourage teachers to read books aloud to students? Here are some of my thoughts:

• Reading fluency is more than just reading quickly: Good readers are able to use timing, tone, inflection, and pausing to make the written word easy to listen to. Students do not come by these skills naturally—they have to learn and practice them. Teachers can model this so that when students read, they can transfer the ability to read with emotion and effect, both orally and when reading silently. In essence, hearing good reading helps students to become better readers themselves.
• Comprehension questions can be embedded: As teachers read the story to the students, they can seamlessly work in comprehension skills. Things like making predictions and drawing inferences can be modeled for all of the students. It’s a great way for the teacher to show students how stories have clues that can help lead us to understand a theme or draw a conclusion.
• Students are exposed to books they might not normally read: Read aloud books are typically rich in some way, shape, or form. They might be full of historical references, rich imagery, or silly humor. Often times, this will ignite an interest in an author or series that the student had never experienced before.
• It gives students a break: This might not be the best reason to do it, but it does serve a purpose. Read alouds fit in well before or after recess and in the spots in the schedule that don’t allow for long periods of instruction. It gives students a way to relax and passively listen for a few minutes in a typically work-filled day.
• It creates a shared love of literature: Most teachers read books aloud that they really love. To spend that much time with a book requires some commitment, so teachers are usually all-in with their selection. By reading something hilarious like the Junie B. Jones series or something emotional like Where the Red Fern Grows, teachers can share their love of the story with their students. The last two pages of To Kill a Mockingbird get me every time, but I loved reading them to my students every year.
• Teachers can model a growth mindset: Even teachers make mistakes. As I read the books aloud to my high school students, I would make mistakes from time to time. This allowed me to model that I wasn’t perfect—mistakes are signs of growth, and we can roll through anything that might come up.

There are other good reasons to read books and stories aloud to students in the classroom. Pure enjoyment should be reason enough to kick back and read a great book, but it is also a great practice educationally for a number of reasons. Hopefully, our students have wonderful memories of being read to just as I did when I was a student.

Want to connect with fellow educators to discuss topics like this, find engaging lesson plans, and share your ideas? Consider joining MimioConnect™, our interactive teaching community.

As we inch closer to 2020, we can look back at the significant strides and innovations in educational technology and the ways EdTech has redefined traditional education in the first two decades of the 21st century. Technology has become an integral part of the everyday learning process, with students, teachers, parents, and administrators all using important devices and software each day to increase efficiency and improve learning outcomes.

After so much growth in the EdTech industry and the creation of a surplus of EdTech products, it’s hard to imagine how much room the industry still has to grow. Yet new educational technology solutions are being discovered every day to help educators and students improve the learning process and achieve success. These emerging trends are the EdTech solutions of the future and will have a bold impact on the industry in the next decade.

Here are five emerging EdTech trends you should watch for this year:

1. Alternate Realities: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality

The first educational stride in the alternate reality trend came with the affordability and accessibility of Google Cardboard, which allowed students to convert their personal devices into virtual reality (VR) simulators. This enables students to visually experience valuable learning opportunities—such as observing a surgery or exploring a historic monument—as if they are actually there. Augmented reality (AR) is currently a hot topic in the EdTech space, with many innovative resources popping up on the market for students and teachers to take advantage of all of its possibilities. AR is technology that digitally places interactive elements in the real world, simulating objects that are right in front of students, typically through the camera of a smartphone or other handheld personal device. Finally, mixed reality (MR) has begun to make its debut in the classroom, enabling students to experience a virtual environment that is superimposed on the physical environment. MR shows great potential for the educational technology market, with predicted global growth of 90% until 2021.

2. On-Demand Education and Independent Learning

Students—particularly those in high school—have begun taking greater ownership of their education, becoming more independent as learners. In the classroom, this has resulted in an increase in blended learning models, allowing students to complete online work in their own time. Additionally, teachers have had to rethink their lesson plans in order to engage Generation Z students, who rank video lessons as their preferred learning tool over learning apps and printed books. Greater student autonomy has also led to an increasing population of students who choose to attend online or blended learning schools, along with a greater social acceptance of these alternative learning paths.

3. Digital Security and Student Data Privacy

Student safety is always going to be a top priority in schools, and many new EdTech solutions have emerged to support schools’ missions to keep students safe. From fingerprint and facial recognition software to digital student safety monitoring services, schools are striving for ultimate digital security to protect students and faculty both in and out of the classroom.

Student data privacy is also a top concern for schools, especially amid countless cybersecurity breaches and ransomware attacks on schools within the first half of 2019. Districts and administrators are searching for new ways to protect sensitive student data from being breached in a hack—especially their personally identifiable information such as name, address, and birth date. An ever-growing collection of resources to support student data privacy have also emerged, such as the Education Privacy Resource Center, FERPA|Sherpa.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the use of computer programming to imitate human thought and decision-making by analyzing data, solving and anticipating problems, and learning and adapting to different tasks through another computing process known as machine learning. Other than being a complicated concept to grasp, AI has critical uses in the education space, including personalizing learning for every student, analyzing and interpreting student data, and improving teacher efficiency. Machine learning—an aspect of AI that is also seen in learning analytics—also has an important place in the future of EdTech, particularly in its ability to decrease teacher time spent doing administrative tasks, predict future student outcomes, and develop personalized learning plans for students.

5. Robotics and Programming

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects are the foundation of the future careers of today’s K-12 students. With careers in STEM fields on the rise faster than the average growth for non-STEM jobs in the US, students will have to step up to higher-level technical careers in order to feed the growing market. With this in mind, it’s important that students are learning the STEM skills necessary today to be successful in college and future careers, including fundamental coding and programming skills and their functional connection with robotics. Many innovative products and software have been designed to aid teachers in supporting students’ programming and robotics journeys, such as the Mimio MyBot educational robotics system, which offers a digital programming interface along with physical robotics and engineering elements.

These topics are just a few of the big trends that will become the EdTech solutions of the future, changing the educational technology space for years to come. What trends do you expect to emerge and have a significant impact on EdTech in the future? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to subscribe to our Educator blog to receive the latest news and trends!