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VOLUME 38 / NUMBER 4

TECHLEARNING.COM

IDEAS AND TOOLS FOR ED TECH LEADERS

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NOVEMBER 2017

BLENDED LEARNING GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS SEE PAGE 28

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BADGE OF HONOR

HOW TO USE FOR PL PROGRAMS See page 38 for more.

THE PERFECT TOOLKIT FOR HOUR OF CODE See page 40 for more.

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FEATURES

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TOP 10 FOR PLNS

Here are 10 approaches to build or expand your PLN.

22 SEEING MATH IN NEW WAYS

These innovative educators share how they add edtech solutions to the equation in K–12 math classrooms.

28 STIR IT UP

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Blended instruction takes on many forms, but districts agree that it’s a winner for teachers and students. Here are some inspiring blended models.

36 USING AN LMS FOR BLENDED LEARNING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ONLINE TEACHING

38 THE NEWEST BADGE OF HONOR

Although digital badging isn’t mainstream yet, the districts that are already doing it say that their teachers are responding quite favorably.

40 PRODUCTS PERFECT FOR THE HOUR OF CODE

Here are some of the many options available for educators to bring Hour of Code activities into their classrooms this December.

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PRODUCTS

42 WHAT’S NEW: NEW TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS 4 EDITORS DESK: THE PERFECT BLEND 6 TRENDING 16 BIG IDEAS 10 Reasons to Love Lists; Rethinking the Core Curricula; Why We Need Coding; Why Are Schools Still Using Rules from 1893?; Blended Learning Creates Active Learners

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Scan here to access the digital edition, which includes additional resources.

Tech & Learning (ISSN-1053-6728) (USPS 695-590) is published monthly (except July and December) by NewBay Media, LLC 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tech & Learning, PO Box 8746, Lowell, MA 01853 Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices.

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EDITOR’S

note NOVEMBER 2017

THE PERFECT BLEND

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elieve it or not, the question “Should computers be in classrooms?” used to be a hot topic. To be fair, the particulars were legitimate: How do you cram those giant monitors onto desks? Where do you plug them in?

How do you manage all those 5 1/4-inch floppy disks?

But that was last century. Thanks to the constant evolution of hardware and the incredible advancement of wireless and Internet technologies, we don’t talk about that anymore.

Instead, we tackle how best to use these fantastic tools. For this month’s cover story, Stir It Up (page 28), contributing editor Ellen Ullman spans the country for best practices in blended learning.

From Farmington NM, to Colorado Springs CO, to Lancaster TX, administrators, faculty, and students have taken edtech to the next level. Software is embedded into curriculum (and sometimes vice versa.) Lesson plans are dropped into learning management systems and shared over the Web. Students work remotely and then gather face-to-face to do lab work.

The most exciting thing for me when I read these stories is that for students all these advancements are second nature. As Google Education Evangelist Jaime Casap likes to THE MOST EXCITING remind us, these technologies are the most basic THING FOR ME WHEN I that these kids will ever know. These are their READ THESE STORIES IS green-screen Apple 2IIes. It won’t be long before THAT FOR STUDENTS ALL we won’t distinguish “blended learning” from THESE ADVANCEMENTS plain old learning.

ARE SECOND NATURE. Sure, there are still some troublesome issues IT WON’T BE LONG with which to wrestle—data privacy, cyberBEFORE WE WON’T bullying, screen addiction, to name a few. But IMHO, the pros far outweigh the cons. Besides, DISTINGUISH “BLENDED much like the question of computers in the LEARNING” FROM classroom, I don’t think we really have a choice.

PLAIN OLD LEARNING.

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VOL. 38 NO. 4

Publisher: Allison Knapp aknapp@nbmedia.com; (650) 238-0318; Fax: (650) 238-0263 EDITORIAL Content Director: Kevin Hogan khogan@nbmedia.com Executive Editor, Content: Christine Weiser cweiser@nbmedia.com Senior Art Director: Nicole Cobban ncobban@nbmedia.com Associate Art Director: Walter Makarucha, Jr. Contributing Editors: Ellen Ullman, Judy Salpeter, Gwen Solomon Tech&Learning Leader Editor: Annie Galvin Teich Editorial Interns: Diana Restifo and Dom Saunders ADVISORS Carl Hooker, Andrew Wallace, Marianthe Williams, Steve Baule, Leo Brehm, Jean Tower, Hank Thiele, Jenith Mishne, Frank Pileiro, Patricia Brown, Phil Hintz, Ken Wallace, Rick Cave, Chris Aviles, Diane Doersh, Mike Jamerson, Rico D’Amore, Todd Dugan, Grace Magley, Andrew Marcinek, John Marcus, Laura Chesson, Jon Castelhano, Karen Fuller ADVERTISING SALES National Sales Director: Katie Sullivan ksullivan@nbmedia.com Account Manager: Joanne Melton jmelton@nbmedia.com MARKETING AND EVENTS Marketing Manager: Stephanie Rubin srubin@nbmedia.com Director of Events: Diana Milbert diana@dmeventspro.com Production Manager: Fred Vega fvega@nbmedia.com AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Corporate Director, Audience Development: Meg Estevez mestevez@nbmedia.com LIST RENTAL MeritDirect: (914) 368-1024; jganis@meritdirect.com REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS Wright’s Media: newbay@wrightsmedia.com; (877) 652-5295 EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016 Phone: (212) 378-0400; Fax: (650) 238-0263 For general editorial correspondence: techlearning_editors@nbmedia.com NEWBAY—CORPORATE President & CEO: Steve Palm Chief Financial Officer: Paul Mastronardi Chief Content Officer: Joe Territo EVP, Content and Business Operations: Carmel King Vice President of Production & Manufacturing: Bill Amstutz bamstutz@nbmedia.com Vice President of Digital Media: Robert Aames Vice President of Content & Marketing: Anthony Savona NEWBAY K-12 EDUCATION GROUP Executive Vice President/Group Publisher: Adam Goldstein Publisher: Allison Knapp Editorial Director: Kevin Hogan Online Production Manager: Rob Granger Web Director: Ragan Whiteside

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NEWS TRENDING ANDTRENDS THE LATEST NEWS & STATS AFFECTING THE K-12 EDTECH COMMUNITY

top10 WEB STORIES

From techlearning.com

student success?

1

Integrate Technology Effectively! Tip: Inspire with Student Examples Inspire students to do great things with technology by showing them digital projects created by learners just like them.

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6

Jeopardy Rocks

7

Students Need Coding in Schools

4-H STEM Students Building Wearable Fitness Trackers

All schools need to focus on three essential areas to help students develop the wide range of skills they will need.

Learn how 4-H STEM students designed, built, and refined their own wearable fitness trackers.

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A Woman’s Place Is in Science

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With increasing awareness, women are bridging the gap—but there’s still room for improvement.

10 Ideas for the Computing Curriculum Make computing interesting with ideas that you could realistically implement tomorrow.

D is for Developmental and Formative: The ABC’s of PBL … Building Blocks to Transform Learning

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Create Interactive Worksheets Wizer.me will help you to create online, engaging, and visually appealing worksheets.

Education must be developmentally appropriate while also providing formative learning experiences and assessments.

5

Revise and reinforce content and motivate students with this helpful online game builder.

10

Music—Tool of Engagement or Weapon of Mass Distraction?

Find out what the research says—can music actually support

Geographia This rich resource offers interesting facts and statistics to help students delve into different cultures.

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BLOG BITS “How can you make an educational technology project successful? In a sense, the fact that it’s to do with ICT in education is irrelevant.”

—Terry Freedman “By this time, most everyone understands the ‘why’ of technology in the classroom, but many don’t always have the answer to ‘how.’”

—Adam Phyall “Messages in your schools and classrooms that come from those who work and study in these spaces help build culture.”

—Lisa Nielsen

TOP TWEETS Sakon Kieh @OneTechChic: Access+opportunities+family engagement+curriculum integration = bridging the digital gap. @DCPSedTech @ dcpublicschools #TLTechLive Heather Callihan @hcallihan: Technology allows opportunities to enhance learning and teaching.

Technology is not a “time” in the day, it’s an opportunity. #edtech @OfficeofEdTech: Technology doesn’t transform learning, but can help enable transformative learning! Learn more: tech. ed.gov/netp #satchat #edtech

Join the Country’s

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Don’t miss the chance to join Tech & Learning magazine for a high-end, information-packed one-day event designed especially for district and school administrators and technology leaders like you. This is your chance to network with others who care deeply about the future of education.

Share your successes and address challenges in an engaging and intimate setting, and leave with practical tools and key contacts for continued rich communities of practice.

BreaKout session toPiCs May inCluDe: • Blended and Personalized Learning • coding & computer Science • Gamification and Game Based Learning • Building successful academic coaching programs • Digital citizenship • Successful PD models • Growing & Sustaining 1:1 Programs

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new: Workshops & demonstrations to try out the latest edtech tools Playgrounds: interactive exhibits including makerspaces, 3-D printing, ar/Vr, new gadgets, and more.

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For More inForMation, visit www.teChlearning.CoM/live T&L0617_TechForum_T&LLIVE_2018.indd 1

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TRENDING

THE GLOBAL STATE OF DIGITAL LEARNING IN K–12 EDUCATION A new survey of 3,000 educators sheds light on the current state of K–12 digital learning.

THINKSTOCK/WILDPIXEL

Benefits and Obstacles  95% believe digital learning increases student achievement  92% say digital learning improves teaching effectiveness  81% consider PLC and PLN collaboration to be effective PD  43% note lack of time as the biggest obstacle to integrating technology  40% report that student access to technology is the top challenge  46% of institutions still don’t use their LMS to model best practices The Top 5 Challenges Facing Administrators in 2016–17  41.8%—providing relevant and effective PD  32.4%—technological infrastructure (wifi, security, etc.)  29.9%—lack of staff or faculty collaboration  28.2%—device management  26.2%—assessing and reporting on teaching strategy and effectiveness Device Usage  69.9%—Windows laptops and desktops  39.6%—Chromebooks  38.9%—iOS tablets and devices  24.0%—Mac laptops and desktops  11.2%—Android tablets and devices  6.2%—Microsoft Surface Books 1:1 or 1:Many?  33.0% use shared carts of devices  25.4% have 1:1 but students cannot take them home  24.7% have 1:1 and students can take them home  9.2% have BYOD  7.7% only allow students to use their own devices at home SOURCE: MARKETS INSIDER

Types of Digital Resources in Use  89.9% use PDFs, Word docs, and other static, text-based resources  70.2% use videos hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, Khan Academy, etc.  41.7% use online games  39.3% use publisher content  36.9% use videos created by respondents and colleagues  36.7% use online discussions  26.6% use digital simulations  20.1% use open educational resources (OERs)

T&L READER SURVEY

DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR SCHOOL IS SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING AND UTILIZING ITS STUDENT DATA?

30% Yes

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35% No

35%

Somewhat

TRENDING

2017 STATE OF THE STATES: CONNECTION TO EDUCATIONSUPERHIGHWAY

APPS OF THE DAY FROM TECHLEARNING.COM App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education.

 39.2 million students are connected  2.6 million teachers are connected  74,000 schools are connected

 6.5 million students still left to connect

Powerful History App Teaches Through Gameplay, Critical Thinking

 2,049 schools still need fiber  10,000 schools still need wifi  85% of the 900 largest districts are buying more than 100 Kbps per student  22% of school districts now meet the FCC’s 1 Mbps per student goal  77% of schools without fiber are located in rural or small-

For flexible classrooms, creative teachers, and sharp students, Civilization V is the perfect platform for making rather than memorizing history.

town communities THINKSTOCK/JOHAVEL

SOURCE: EDUCATIONSUPERHIGHWAY

A new report illustrates how educators are incorporating gaming into their lessons using Minecraft: Education Edition to support SEL growth. Educators report Minecraft’s support of a range of SEL skills:  98%—problem solving  96%—creativity  93%—critical thinking  91%— collaboration  89%—decision making  87%— communication abilities  51%—empathy

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“We found that the most critical component to connect gaming and student SEL outcomes is the teacher,” says Caroline Vander Ark, Getting Smart COO. “The educators we visited and spoke with were transparent about learning objectives, promoted student agency and independence, and acted as learning guides.”

| WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

THINKSTOCK/KASEZO

HOW MINECRAFT SUPPORTS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)

Help Teens Become Enthusiastic Readers

Using Goodreads can enhance teens’ reading experiences and help them become thoughtful, enthusiastic readers.

Create Learning Activities, Inspire the Four Cs

Spiral is an engaging, easy-to-use tool that supports both formative and summative assessment while allowing for student collaboration.

Tech & Learning Leader

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6/6/17 2:02 PM

TRENDING

WHAT DOES A SUCCESSFUL EDTECH INTEGRATION LOOK LIKE? ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK

Successful technology implementations don’t happen by accident. A unified vision, collaboration, comprehensive PD, leveraging of existing tech, and assessment are all part of the formula for success. In addition, SMART Technologies has found that applying the ADDIE model (analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate) is helping educators implement edtech successfully.

As a result, individual schools have seen, for example:

increase in the total percentage pass rate in science scores on state * 31% standardized tests

* 55% increase in addition skills * 69% increase in subtraction skills * 18.4% increase in the overall average on the state English language development test * 14% increase in students’ spelling and vocabulary test scores * 12% average grade increase on social studies chapter assessments.

THE STATE(S) OF TECH ADOPTION How does your state procure tech tools and resources for schools? SETDA, the principal membership association representing the US state and territorial digital learning leaders, wants to share. Its new report, “State Procurement Case Studies: Spotlight on Digital Materials Acquisition,” highlights best practices from California, Indiana, Louisiana, and Utah that can provide roadmaps for other states that are implementing digital learning materials policies and procedures. “This paper shows that there is no one-size-fits-all for the procurement process,” states Dr. Tracy Weeks, executive director of SETDA. “However, this important work provides strategies that states can leverage to provide leadership for their LEAs.” Download the report at www.setda.org/ priorities/digital-content/procurement.

Want to contribute? SETDA hosts an online community for policy makers, school administrators, leaders and educators. It provides an opportunity to discuss the shift to digital learning, including the vetting process, professional learning, OER, policy, and infrastructure. www.edweb.net/digitalcontent

CLASS TECH TIPS

5 Ways to Update Your Google Slides with Spark Post Design This super-simple design tool lets you create beautiful graphics and support student storytellers.

4 Reasons to Check Out Participate Collections

7 Apps and Websites for Reading at Home

This free tool gives teachers a space to keep favorite resources organized and also enables them to share and collaborate.

Use this list of reading apps and websites to quickly locate a few resources that are a good fit for the families of your students.

F O R M O R E O F M O N I C A B U R N S ’ C L A S S T E C H T I P S , V I S I T T EC H L E A R N I N G .CO M

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Become a Velocity Innovator Today Join an elite group of educators who accelerate learning in their classrooms with true innovation.

Register to start a free 60-day trial of Velocity® by November 30, 2017 and you’ll be entered to win one of three great prizes: • Year of Velocity for up to 25 students and a teacher (value of more than $600) • Chromebook™ • Earbuds for your classroom Winners also will be featured in the Tech & Learning December/January issue.

“Velocity is as close as I can get to having another teacher in my classroom.”

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This unique adaptive learning program revolutionizes 1-to-1 instruction by serving as an extension of the teacher’s presence in the classroom.

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TRENDING

BACK OFFICE BUSINESS THE FIRST MAKERBOT K–12 INNOVATION CENTER TEACHES STUDENTS STEAM SKILLS Mount Olive High School in New Jersey has opened a 3D printing lab with MakerBot technology and support. The 33 MakerBot printers in the new Innovation Center are part of the Marauder Innovation Learning Lab (MILL), built in a former auditorium at the school. The MILL is designed to be a space for educators to teach science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) courses. Students can develop engineering ideas and then use the 3D printers to print and test them. “We pride ourselves on the variety of paths our students can pursue here on their journeys of selfdiscovery,” Principal Kevin Stansberry says. “They have the ability to take courses that will lead them to careers they may have never thought of before, some that might not even exist yet.”

PORTLAND (OR) PUBLIC SCHOOLS RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH EDTHENA TO DELIVER VIDEO COACHING TO DUAL LANGUAGE TEACHERS Video coaching will be used in Portland Public Schools to help teachers continuously improve targeted instructional skills during the 2017–18 school year.

Instructional coaches work with bilingual teachers on three main instructional practices—landing the objective, gradual release of responsibility, and student interactions. “With Edthena, coaches and small groups of teachers watch four- to five-minute videos of these instructional practices in action and discuss strategies for improvement,” says Debbie Armendariz, senior director in the department of dual language for the district. With the Edthena platform, teachers can quickly and easily upload videos of their classroom instruction from any video camera and then share those videos with coaches and colleagues who provide time-stamped comments categorized as questions, suggestions, strengths, and notes. Reports and graphs help identify teaching trends, determine if the professional development is improving teaching practices, and provide a basis for ongoing dialogue about instructional best practices.

COUNCIL BLUFFS (IA) COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PREPARES FUTUREREADY GRADUATES Council Bluffs CSD is using Panorama Education for Social-Emotional Learning to provide research-backed measures of social-emotional learning that align with the competencies they want students to master in order to graduate with the knowledge, skills, and character necessary to become responsible citizens and succeed in a changing world.

Panorama helps educators use data to improve student outcomes. The socialemotional indicators of a FutureReady Graduate in Council Bluffs are inspired by the five core social-emotional learning competencies defined by CASEL, a leading national organization promoting academic and social-emotional learning. Those competencies are: self-management, self-awareness, social

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awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

The academic indicators of a FutureReady Graduate include grade point average (GPA), attendance, credits earned beyond the minimum, community and activity involvement, and planning for school and beyond. The academic data points indicate students’ readiness to graduate and to thrive in college, career, and community life.

MATH PROGRAM BECOMES A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS AT ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL Two years ago, it became clear that the 6-8 math curricula at Berwick Alternative K–8 School in is Columbus, Ohio, did not align with the CommonCore standards. This prompted school leaders to lookfor a more effective alternative. Their choice was a combination of Glencoe Math with ALEKS, a personalized, adaptive online math program. Teachers began using Glencoe Math and ALEKS together on a regular basis in their 6–8thgrade classrooms, and they continued to see saw impressive gains. Having a curriculum that was completely aligned with Ohio state standards was a big deal, and Glencoe Math’s write-in student textbooks were very popular. But it was the combination of Glencoe Math and ALEKS that truly changed the way math is taught at Berwick Alternative. “We’ve really seen our largest growth in math in the last year,” says Keith Emrick a 6th-Grade math teacher. “It’s become a competition with students to show the topics they’ve mastered.”

Emrick and his peers continue to discover new ways to utilize Glencoe Math and ALEKS to track and support student progress. “My advice to anyone using these programs is to play around with how you use them,” says Emrick. “I don’t use everything, but there is always something new to discover online.”

THE UTAH EDUCATION AND TELEHEALTH NETWORK (UETN) TEAMS WITH INSTRUCTURE TO EMPOWER UTAH EDUCATORS WITH CANVAS LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS All Utah K–12 school districts and charter schools now have access to tools that accelerate digital teaching and learning.

UETN is collaborating with Instructure to provide statewide access for all public and charter schools to Canvas, a popular and fast-growing learning management system (LMS). UETN will offer the online learning platform to every teacher, administrator, parent, and student in Utah to enhance K–12 instruction. UETN will cover the cost of Canvas subscriptions for the 2017–18 school year. Canvas provides quick access to digital resources, facilitates the delivery of personalized learning, and helps teachers with administrative tasks such as centralizing assignments and resources. Canvas by Instructure assists students and parents by providing simple, intuitive tools such as real-time chats, audio and video messages, collaborative workspaces, and course updates by email, text, or social media.

Innovate learning.

TRANSFORM the future.

The 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition empowers educators at all levels with exciting new ideas and best practices for engaging students and innovating teaching and learning. By providing you with the latest in learning strategies and educational technology tools, we’ll help you transform learning so your students are equipped to transform our future.

This year, TCEA will showcase over a thousand sessions for educators to choose from, so you can discover exciting new ways to implement technology and enhance learning in your school or district.

8,000+

1,000+

5

ATTENDEES

SESSIONS

DAYS

450+ EXHIBITORS

Who Attends: • District and Campus Administrators

• Technology Leadership

• Curriculum and Instructional Leaders

• Ed Tech Supporters

• Classroom Teachers

• Education and Technology Change Agents

• Librarians/Media Specialists

Make your plans today! Register now.

February 5–9 | Austin, Texas | convention.tcea.org | #TCEA

BIG IDEAS

10 REASONS TO LOVE LISTS

By Terry Freedman

L

ists are a great format for a variety of reasons.

1. A list provides structure and makes a blog post easy to write. If I’m stumped for ideas, I start with something like “X ways to keep kids engaged” and go from

there.

2. Lists are easy to read and helpful for readers, too. If you see a blog post called “10 must-read blogs about online safety,” you know exactly what you’re going to get.

3. Lists can convey a great deal of information in a digestible form—especially if you’re pressed for time.

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4. Writing a list post helps to ensure that you don’t leave anything out. I usually draft my list articles with the title “X ways to ...” or “X reasons that ...” because I don’t know how many points I’ll have. As I jot down points, others come to me.

The list format is conducive to developing ideas as well as coming up with them in the first place.

5. List posts are good for search engine optimization (SEO). They lend themselves to the inclusion of key words without artificially stuffing them in (which Google frowns upon anyway). A post entitled “10 useful apps for getting kids to write,” for example, is clearly going to be SEOrich. The title has two of my keywords, apps and write. And each app I mention will be a keyword or phrase.

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6. Lists can help kids, especially boys, to write. Asking someone who doesn’t find writing easy or enjoyable to write a story called “Why I like X” may be too much of a challenge.

But if you ask them to write “5 things I like about X,” you’re providing a structure and a task that seems more doable. It’s less openended, and therefore less frightening.

7. All the top bloggers recommend writing list posts. A well-known proponent of the list format in edtech is Larry Ferlazzo. Check out his websites of the year, for example, and see his website for other brilliant “best of” lists.

8. Atul Gawande’s book, The Checklist Manifesto, provides plenty of examples of how a simple checklist, whether in an operating room or an airplane, can save lives.

9. Lists are great for making sure you don’t miss any vital steps when performing tasks such as installing new software (e.g., 1. Make a restore point; 2. Save your work, etc.) Lists like this also make it possible for others to do these things if you don’t have time or are out sick.

10. Finally, if you teach writing or programming, knowing about lists can be very useful. It’s commonly accepted that if the order of items in a list doesn’t matter, bullets are good to use (e.g., a shopping list). Numbers should be used when the order is important, as in a computer program. That’s useful information for kids to have.

LISTS ARE GREAT FOR MAKING SURE YOU DON’T MISS ANY VITAL STEPS WHEN PERFORMING TASKS SUCH AS INSTALLING NEW SOFTWARE. LISTS LIKE THIS ALSO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR OTHERS TO DO THESE THINGS IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME OR ARE OUT SICK.

ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK

BIG IDEAS

TECH LETS STUDENTS SPEND MORE TIME ON PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

By Carl Hooker

I

remember arguing with my fourth-grade teacher about simple calculations.

I was using my new Casio calculator watch to complete a worksheet and she told me, “You know, when you grow up, you won’t be walking around with a calculator in your pocket all the time.” Little did she know we’d be walking around with supercomputers in our pockets. While we still need to know the process behind mathematical calculations, this does mean we can spend less time on memorization and more on practical application.

Flash-forward to Google’s recent announcement of their Pixel Bud headphones,

which can translate between 40 different languages, and we can see some implications for world languages classes in the future.

Why spend countless hours remembering the conjunctive or past tense of a Spanish verb, when in a couple of years, we’ll all be able to freely speak to each other and instantly pick up the translation? Just like with the calculator, though, the Pixel Buds won’t give you insight into culture, idioms, and intonation of another language.

Technology will continue to tackle the low-hanging fruit on the Bloom’s taxonomy

tree. We can already get an answer from Alexa or Siri or Google to just about any basic fact-based question we ask. Schools need to realize this now and begin to transition teaching and learning to incorporate more application, analysis, and creative uses for knowledge—instead of focusing only on internal memorization. After all … Se non cambiamo, il mondo cambia senza di noi.

Carl Hooker (@mrhooker) is the director of innovation and digital learning at Eanes (TX) ISD. Read more at hookedoninnovation.com.

TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUE TO TACKLE THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT ON THE BLOOM’S TAXONOMY TREE. WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

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BIG IDEAS

ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK

LOOK BACK TO HEAD FORWARD

By Steven Baule

S

TEM and STEAM initiatives are similar in many ways to previous efforts to value and order what students should focus on in Pre-K–12 education. Educator preparation programs often give short shrift to the history of educational development in the US. (Maybe we need SHTEAM—but that would take me off topic). Many people today want to reform and restructure education to be more efficient and successful. Some reformers seem to want to start over; others resist any change.

I challenge all educators to step back and review some of the fundamental documents of

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our profession. Starting with the true classical education of Rome, the most valuable subjects were referred to as the liberal arts, and by the ninth century they took the form of the Quadrivium and Trivium. Many educators remember the concept of the “tabula rasa,” which John Locke, one of the key writers who influenced Jefferson’s work on the Declaration of Independence, proposed. It’s important to understand that the Carnegie unit, which effectively gives schools the seat time requirements with which we often struggle, was developed in part to encourage universities to conform to a single nationwide credit system in 1902. The carrot for the Carnegie unit was the pension system currently known as TIAA-CREF.

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Probably one of the key documents for K–12 education is the NEA’s Committee of Ten report from 1893. It’s often credited with giving us the alphabetic arrangement of highschool science courses—biology, chemistry, and physics. In fact, that more accurately came from the 1920 Committee on Reorganization of Science in Secondary Schools. About the same time, a second NEA Committee, the Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education, produced a report that significantly downplayed the aspirational nature of the Committee of Ten report from 1893. This was in part due to the theory that most “new students” entering the expanding ranks of high-school students were more suited to vocational pursuits and needed more civilizing influences, since many were recent immigrants. As we navigate through the obstacles of current reform, it might make sense to become familiar with what our predecessors thought about these same issues.

The Committee of Ten did give American high schools the algebra—geometry—algebra sequence still found in most high schools today.

Einstein stated that “theoretical physics outgrew Newton’s framework, which had for two centuries provided fixity and intellectual guidance for science.” Is it time for educators to step back and review many of the fundamental principles used to establish and maintain education today?

Steven Baule is superintendent at Muncie (IN) Community Schools.

EINSTEIN STATED THAT “THEORETICAL PHYSICS OUTGREW NEWTON’S FRAMEWORK, WHICH HAD FOR TWO CENTURIES PROVIDED FIXITY AND INTELLECTUAL GUIDANCE FOR SCIENCE.” IS IT TIME FOR EDUCATORS TO STEP BACK AND REVIEW MANY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES USED TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN EDUCATION TODAY?

BIG IDEAS

ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK

STUDENTS NEED CODING IN SCHOOLS—AND MORE—TO FILL STEM JOBS OF FUTURE

By Maria Flynn

T

here’s no question that expanding our K–12 students’ proficiency in STEM is critical to preparing them for careers in fast-growing sectors of our economy. But top candidates for the jobs of the future will require much more. As my colleagues and I applaud the administration’s focus on boosting STEM education—and private-sector promises to help pay the bill—we urge that these efforts reach far beyond teaching coding in schools.

Today’s young people must receive a full complement of educational experiences that enable them to develop the wide range of skills they will need to adapt to the jobs of tomorrow and succeed in the STEM economy.

The priority list is long, especially for the leastserved students, who may not have Internet access in school, let alone a single computer science

course. But based on Jobs for the Future’s 35 years working to increase economic opportunity for lower-income youth and adults, I’d like to highlight three essentials for schools of all backgrounds: 1. Incorporate key employability skills into learning, such as communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork.

2. Provide real-world work experience, such as internships and other forms of work-based learning. Students learn countless intellectual, personal, and social skills when on the job with experienced workers.

3. Develop youth-friendly career navigation resources. Learning about career options and making smart choices to reach one’s goals can be daunting for most people.

Creating better education and training pathways to the jobs of the future is a national imperative. We encourage the administration to think boldly and expansively about the full range of educational experiences our students need to

help build a vigorous American economy—and thrive in it.

Maria Flynn is president & CEO of Jobs for the Future.

TODAY’S YOUNG PEOPLE MUST RECEIVE A FULL COMPLEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT ENABLE THEM TO DEVELOP THE WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS THEY WILL NEED TO ADAPT TO THE JOBS OF TOMORROW AND SUCCEED IN THE STEM ECONOMY.

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BIG IDEAS

BLENDED LEARNING CREATES ACTIVE LEARNERS

By Matthew X. Joseph

O

ver a year ago I took on a new professional challenge as the director of digital learning, technology, and innovation in the Milford (MA) Public Schools after 11 years as a school principal. At first it was difficult to sift through the buzzwords and jargon to focus on tools and strategies for bringing about the shift to digital learning. I kept hearing very different definitions of blended learning. Over the past months I’ve learned a lot from other staff members and have attended multiple blended learning sessions, in addition to reading on the topic. And I’ve come to the conclusion that giving educators strong support and examples is the best way to support a blended learning instructional strategy that will create active learners.

I’ve seen that the more engaged students are, and the more active a part they take in their own learning, the more likely they are to earn higher grades and test scores. It makes perfect sense that students who are participating more and involved in active learning will have higher content retention. Knowing this, teachers can

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shape curriculum and instruction to maximize engagement by increasing student participation.

One of the keys to academic achievement, then, is active learning. Research tells us that personalized, collaborative, and connected learning experiences enhance student engagement, which in turn drives student success. By integrating blended and digital learning into the classroom, educators can take learning experiences to the next level and improve student performance.

According to its most basic definition, blended learning is an instructional methodology that combines face-to-face classroom methods with digital activities. Ideally, in a blended classroom students will be able to learn according to their unique learning styles.

Students often take different approaches to interacting with the same curriculum. Some are happy to express themselves verbally, while others prefer to write. Some don’t like to be in front of a camera. When teachers can use a variety of instructional tools and apps, they can help every student focus on his or her strengths.

Educators can use the following blended learning tools to increase engagement and help create active learners.

EDpuzzle: EDpuzzle enables users to select

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a video and customize it by editing, cropping, recording audio, and adding questions to make an engaging presentation or lesson.

EDpuzzle is an easy-to-use video platform that helps teachers save time, boost classroom engagement, and improve student learning through video lessons. EDpuzzle also collects data as students watch and interact with the video. Best of all, it’s completely free. n Poll Everywhere: This versatile, clickerfree classroom polling tool can be used to encourage student participation and gather instant responses and data for discussions. n Popplet: Popplet can be used with an iPad or on the Web to capture and organize ideas. As anyone working with middle- and high-school students will know, any help with organizing ideas is useful. n Kahoot!: Kahoot! is a game-based blended learning tool that’s easy to use and enables educators to assess learners on a visual bar graph while students take control of their own learning. The platform is entertaining and encourages student creativity. n Screencast-O-Matic: This powerful screen recorder allows users of the free version to capture anything happening on their screens, as well as voice and video from their webcams, for up to 15 minutes. Students can record videos describing, for example, how they solved a particular problem step by step.

Screencast-O-Matic could also be helpful for delivering lessons, for student projects, or for allowing students choice in an assessment of knowledge. n Write About: One key to improving student writing is to have students write more often, and this tool can assist with blended writing lessons. While time constraints often limit the amount of feedback teachers can provide, Write About provides students with an online space to write on high-interest topics and get feedback from their peers. Write About can also be combined with G Suite so teachers can use the Write About prompts and Google Docs to share content, give feedback, and watch student writing evolve over time in response to real-time feedback.

Blended learning is an instructional strategy that equips teachers with technology tools to enhance learning, engage students, and create active learners.

Matthew X. Joseph Ed.D (@milford_tech ) is the director of digital learning, informational technology, and innovation at Milford (MA) Public Schools.

TOP 10 FOR PLNS

By Lisa Gonzales

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ost of us are no strangers to Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) and their significant advantages. Those who follow amazing educators and their blogs gain support, resources, ideas, and inspiration.

PLNs also enable educators to learn about the latest educational trends, collaborate globally, flatten school walls, and try new ideas.

So where can educators go to build their PLNs? Here are 10 approaches to build or expand those networks.

1. Twitter is really the be-all and end-all for building and connecting online, due to the overwhelming amount of free professional development it offers—particularly around the vast array of Twitter chats.

2. Instagram is a great place to gather information, and particularly photos, for learning environments, teaching resources, learning activities, inspirational quotes, and overall cool ideas. Instagram is also a great place to tag and save photos.

3. Similar to Instagram, Pinterest hosts a vast worldwide community of educators who are finding inspiration, resources, professional

development, and research articles on a myriad of topics.

Using the “pin” feature allows for easy cataloging as you peruse the Internet.

4. LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with educators. I highly recommend that you check out and join a few of the many LinkedIn groups that focus on specific areas of leadership and information sharing. It’s also a great way to explore the bigger picture of learning and student achievement through different national and international perspectives.

5. Are you a member of your professional organization, like the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), Phi Delta Kappa (PDK), or one of your state’s professional organizations for educators?

Each has resources to share and online groups for continuing conversations, especially after conferences and trainings.

6. Edweb.net offers a plethora of specialized communities for educators to engage in focused learning and collaboration. Is STEM your thing?

What about mobile learning, the brain and learning, or early learning book chats?

Edweb.net has something for you.

7. For those of you on Facebook, following professional groups or websites with a Facebook presence, such as Edutopia, allows you to use an

existing platform to continue the learning.

8. Connected Learning STL (connectedlearningstl. org) is a nonprofit that connects like-minded leaders. What’s unique about the site is that it connects educators worldwide to take risks, learn, and think differently about how we deliver educational programs to students.

9. Have you considered an alumni group from your university? Most colleges and universities have groups to connect fellow educators who are also graduates of the credentialing or advanced degree programs where you learned. You can tap into these groups where you’ll find common ground on which to build further connections 10. While Flipgrid isn’t a place to connect, it is a video discussion platform that’s an ideal communication tool for collaborating with your PLN once it’s established.

Building a community of learners with whom you connect and collaborate doesn’t happen overnight. The best tip is to start slowly and find what works best for your learning style. This helps build your own capacity as you continue to deepen and broaden your use of technology and connect with the village that will help you learn and thrive.

Lisa Gonzales is the assistant superintendent of educational services in the Dublin (CA) Unified School District and president of the Association of California School Administrators. She was selected by the US Department of Education and President Obama as a #FutureReady Superintendent.

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SEEING MATH IN NEW WAYS

Left: Gilmer County High School students working on technology-based projects.

Right: Gilmer County High School students engaged in Quizizz, an online review game.

By Tara Smith

A

dding edtech solutions to the equation in K–12 math classrooms is helping students achieve new levels of mastery and confidence.

Here some innovative educators share ideas and best practices.

EVERYONE EXCELS Since implementing a blended learning model in her seventh-grade math classroom at Gilmer County High School in Glenville, West Virginia, Kelly Barr’s students have had the highest WV General Summative Assessments math scores in the school.

INDEPENDENT LEARNERS

The blended model allows special education students in her inclusive math classes to excel, Barr says, because “they can see the math through a more visual way.” In addition, tutorial videos enable all students to become more independent learners. “Students know where to seek the information and will make more of

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an attempt to solve the problem on their own,” she says. “Through the differentiation that Accelerated Math provides my students, I am remediating and enriching them at the same time.”

The result? Students of all abilities have “a better grasp of often difficult and abstract topics.” They’re “able to manipulate objects or use math manipulatives” and receive instant feedback, and they benefit from “assignments specifically tailored to their needs.”

Barr says focus can be a challenge in the blended classroom, but with a solution called AB Tutor she can monitor all the computers in her classroom simultaneously, message students, and open and close programs—all from her desktop.

PRODUCERS, NOT JUST CONSUMERS

The school’s technology integration specialist (TIS) Traci DeWall helps both teachers and students make the most of technology tools.

Barr and DeWall co-teach eight times a year,

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TOOLS THEY USE GILMER COUNTY 4 AB Tutor 4 Discovery Education 4 ExploreLearning Gizmos 4 Formative 4 Khan Academy 4 Microsoft Office365 4 Padlet 4 Piktochart 4 Quizizz 4 Renaissance Learning Star Math, Star Reading, and Accelerated Math 4 Schoology 4 Tes Teach with Blendspace 4 Virtual Nerd

Every Student Is Different Each student walks into your class with different needs and learning styles. That’s why Glencoe Math offers differentiated instructional resources to help you customize learning for every student.

Remediate or accelerate learning with ALEKS® adaptive, online math instruction Personalize year-end test prep with LearnSmart® adaptive technology Support unique learning styles with additional print and online resources

Visit mheonline.com/PersonalizedMath for details.

SEEING MATH IN NEW WAYS THE PURE JOY OF LEARNING Lesser teachers might run a mile from a kindergarten classroom composed of 95 percent ELL students who speak six different languages.

But Greg Smedley-Warren (or “Mr. Greg,” as he is known) embraces the challenge of this class at J.E. Moss Elementary, a Title I school in Metro Nashville (TN) Public Schools, with joy and enthusiasm—and some exciting AR tools.

With everything going on in his classroom, the tech tools he uses need to be easy to set up and use. “An edtech tool isn’t going to be an asset to my students if they can’t use it independently.

And I won’t bring an edtech tool into my classroom if it means more work for me!”

His students’ joy, excitement, curiosity, and willingness to take risks, Mr. Greg says, “make our classroom fun and innovative. They arrive each day with a smile “because they love learning and they love being in our classroom.”

SQUEALS AND GIGGLES: LEARNING COMES ALIVE Moss Elementary kindergarten students celebrate the letter J for “jeep.”

Moss Elementary kindergarten students work on a science project about the digestive system.

TOOLS THEY USE MOSS ELEMENTARY

The iPads and interactive whiteboard in the classroom literally come alive as Math alive’s 3D animals jump off the screens to teach lessons on greater than/less than, addition, and subtraction.

And the students’ improved skills reflect their engagement.

Mr. Greg also uses Letters alive to supplement ABC BOOTCAMP, a component of his TKS (The Kindergarten Smorgasbord) BOOTCAMP curriculum. The goal is to master all 26 letters and sounds in 26 days. “Each day, we introduce a sound and letter and make a silly hat,” he says. “As part of this introduction of letters and sounds, we use the zoo animal AR cards from Letters alive. The AR animals get the kids excited and engaged, plus they’re fun.

Each animal makes the kids laugh and squeal and giggle. Using Letters alive to supplement our research-based ABC BOOTCAMP has helped our students succeed as readers and writers

4 Bloomz 4 Interactive whiteboard 4 iPads

Moss Elementary kindergarten students use Learning alive Plus to build sentences.

4 iTunes 4 Laptops 4 Learning alive Plus (from Alive Studios), including Letters alive and Math alive 4 QR codes 4 SMART Notebook 4 Starfall

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when students create and share technologybased projects (from PowerPoint presentations to Blendspace lessons to Discovery Education boards). Through these projects, Barr’s students “become producers with technology and not just consumers,” and they look forward to these opportunities “to show off what they know.”

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Fourth-grade students in Springfield Public Schools collaborate.

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SEEING MATH IN NEW WAYS TOOLS THEY USE SPRINGFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS 4 ALEKS

4 GoNoodle

4 Nearpod

4 BrainPOP

4 Google Drive

4 Newsela

4 Canvas

4 i-Ready

4 PebbleGo

4 Code.org

4 iCivics

4 READ 180

4 Desmos

4 Kahoot!

4 ReadWorks

OVER 150% GROWTH ON MAP

4 Discovery Education Streaming

4 Learning A-Z (Reading, Science, and Raz-Kids)

4 Scholastic News

4 Discovery Education Techbook

4 Lexia

4 Seesaw

4 MathXL

4 Starfall

4 DreamBox

4 Mathalicious

4 StudySync

The student body at Saint Lucas Lutheran School, a private K–8 school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is highly diverse. When middle-school math teacher Chris Luebke arrived last year, he found that his students’ math skills were “all over the map.” But he didn’t want to just “teach to the middle.” He wanted every student to grow.

4 Ellevation 4 Glencoe Math

4 SchoolDude

4 Music Studio

4 System 44

4 My Math

4 TenMarks

4 MyMathLab

4 WeVideo A first-grade student in Springfield Public Schools solves a problem on the board.

while having fun in the classroom! This laughter and joy is what learning should be!”

Learn more at thekindergartensmorgasboard.com

LOTS OF TOOLS, USED WELL Springfield (MO) Public Schools has just completed a three-year 1:1 rollout with Chromebooks for grades 3–12, and the district’s rich technology resources are enhancing both teaching and learning.

“We want teachers to see technology as a means to increase engagement and amplify the great teaching practices they’re already employing,” says Catherine Castillo, coordinator of 21st-century numeracy. Many of them are using (and making) videos to flip instruction in

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activity in which everyone can participate. “It’s so awesome to walk into a classroom and see all students (with or without IEPs) engaged and contributing to the lesson. Hearing students proving their thinking to each other … is very powerful. That is the ultimate win!”

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mathematics, giving them more time to meet with students and ensure they’re receiving personalized instruction and intervention when they need it most.

In addition to using adaptive programs such as DreamBox and ALEKS for personalized practice, students have access to digital curricular resources and can collaborate online using tech tools such as Dotstorming, Padlet, and AnswerGarden for problem-solving and feedback.

Castillo has seen improved engagement, and many students are even leading their own conferences with parents, discussing the skills they’ve mastered and their goals.

LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD

Many teachers are integrating coding, engineering, and robotics into their instruction as well, Castillo says. “As a result, minority groups and girls, who are statistically less likely to enter STEM fields, now have access to opportunities that could potentially lead them down a STEM pathway.”

Using 3 Act Math tasks to show a multimedia clip and then asking students to formulate questions is one example, Castillo says, of an

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FILLING IN POTHOLES

When the school agreed to invest in IXL, Luebke used NWEA data to determine where each student should begin. He’s now able to monitor and provide tailored instruction for every student. Students work at their own pace, learning and practicing the skills they need. “It’s like filling potholes in a road,” Luebke says.

“It’s been really eyeopening for students when they can see where the disconnect Chris Luebke has happened and go back and correct it.

Sometimes, it’s just one or two skills they missed in third grade that are holding them back.” Luebke sometimes uses the platform for whole-class instruction, projecting practice problems on a SMART Board.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF

Students love that the program is “useful and purposeful” and they appreciate the immediate feedback. Seeing improvements in their SmartScores also motivates them. “I tell my students that it’s hard work that makes the difference,” Luebke says. On average, his students grew 150% on the MAP benchmarks over the last school year. He’s especially pleased that both accelerated students and those who had started the year from behind made strong gains.

BUILDING STRONG FOUNDATIONS Students who lack key foundational skills will not be successful in algebra, says Patrice

Kentner, special education instructor at the City School District of New Rochelle (NY).

HUGE GAPS

Kentner’s seventh- and eighth-grade students struggle with various disabilities including

learning and developmental disabilities, autism, and speech and language impairments. Others, she says, “are very fragmented or have huge gaps in their foundation.” Many students come to her without having mastered multiplication tables, division, or even place value. The fact that these students are also struggling readers further compounds their difficulties with reading directions and solving word problems.

Since the City School District of New Rochelle began using TransMath, student confidence and class participation has improved.

CONFIDENT AND EMPOWERED

The City School District of New Rochelle focused on building foundational skills using TransMath

by Voyager Sopris Learning.

Kentner describes Voyager Sopris Learning’s TransMath as “like a Christmas present.” The program is great for multi-sensory learners and provides pacing to allow students to close the achievement gap in a timely manner as well as “additional practice without the issue of cognitive overload for struggling students.”

She also finds the ongoing assessments (both informal and performance) particularly helpful.

Growth in math skills has led to growth in students’ class participation and confidence as well. “I love when I overhear one student offering help to another student who may have made an error or is confused,” Kentner says.

the Power

TOOLS THEY USE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF NEW ROCHELLE 4 Voyager Sopris Learning’s TransMath 4iPads 4Chromebooks “It empowers them … if you can teach the skill, you have mastered the skill. My students may be struggling learners, but each day I see an improvement I am thrilled.”

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STIR IT UP Blended instruction takes on many forms, but districts agree that it’s a winner for teachers and students.

By Ellen Ullman

W

hether they’re using an adaptive product to offer some blended opportunities or are redesigning the entire day to deliver a comprehensive blended experience, many schools are seeing positive results from combining online and offline instruction. Here are some of their stories.

A BLENDED APPROACH LEADS TO IMPROVED PERFORMANCE At Mesa View Middle School in Farmington, New Mexico, the focus is on center-based instruction. “The whole key, which we knew going in, was to set our teachers up to be successful,” says Principal Jay Gardenhire. “You can’t just say you do center-based learning three times a month and that’s it. You have to give them the tools and ongoing training.” They started out slowly and have brought in a center-based learning expert for three successive years to work with staff. There’s a six-person centerbased leadership team that communicates with and mentors teachers, and trainings are held throughout the year and during the summer.

“As a result, teachers are comfortable with not lecturing the whole time and using laptops to chunk instruction, check understanding, and do exit tickets and bell work. They can check for understanding right in the moment instead of seeing it at night.”

Because every student has a laptop, a large portion of the instruction has been embedded into the Tier 1 curriculum, including programs like ThinkCERCA, a personalized literacy platform that teaches critical-thinking skills through argumentative writing across the curriculum. “Our language arts teachers

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Mesa View students enjoy their center-based instruction. started using ThinkCERCA last year and our proficiency in reading and writing doubled in all areas,” says Gardenhire. Teachers use PlayPosit to create videos that they can embed with animations, questions, and activities, and students watch the videos at home or during the day, when teachers divide classes so that one group watches instructional videos while the other receives direct instruction. For math, teachers use Agile Mind, a rigorous program that infuses social and emotional learning into core curriculum.

For classroom management, teachers use LanSchool to make sure students are accessing what they need on their devices. In addition, Mesa View uses Edsby, the learning and analytics platform. Students use Edsby to download worksheets and activities, access lessons they’ve missed, and check their grades.

Teachers drop their lessons plans into Edsby and post which tools they’re using in the calendar section so that other teachers who want support with those tools can reach out.

All of the data from this technology helps teachers provide students with the instruction they need at the proper level, whether that’s more time on a program, one-on-one tutoring, or something else. Gardenhire is pleased with the progress and believes that the blended environment is a success. “I think teachers are feeling good,” he says. “It’s a lot, but I think they recognize they’re getting a lot of support. As

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TOOLS THEY USE MESA VIEW 4 Bose speakers 4 Edsby 4 Epson projectors 4 FirstClass 4 Gizmos 4 HP desktops 4 Kahoot!

4 LanSchool 4 MacBook Airs 4 Nikon cameras 4 PlayPosit 4 PowerSchool 4 ThinkCERCA long as they know they have the support, they’ll be comfortable and confident with what they’re doing.”

FROM VIRTUAL TO BLENDED In 2010, Falcon Virtual Academy opened in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as a virtual school. In 2014, it became the Spring Studio for Academic Excellence, a K–12 school that expanded the virtual concept into something else. “We wanted to bring students into the

TOOLS THEY USE ICONNECT ZONE 4 Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and CAD 4 ALEKS 4 Apple TV 4 Arduinos 4 Chromebooks 4 Edgenuity/Pathblazer 4 eDynamic Learning 4 iPads 4 MacBook Airs

School are the two other blended schools in the iConnect Zone. Pikes Peak partners with Pikes Peak Community College to offer college courses to its high school students, who are in the building Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for F2F lessons and do their online work at home or elsewhere on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Patriot is an alternative high school with a robust CTE program. Students are at the school to complete their online and F2F lessons five days a week because they require more structure.

All three schools use Edgenuity for their online core curriculum and eDynamic Learning for electives. Spring Studio also uses ALEKS, an adaptive math program, and Reading Horizons for reading and literacy instruction.

TEACHERS LEAD THE WAY

4 Ozobots

At Claude Elementary School in Claude, Texas, students spend up to 100 minutes each week on online math and reading programs, either in the computer lab or at kiosks set up in classrooms. After these sessions, teachers pull up students’ portfolios to check their progress and highlight any problem areas. If necessary, teachers meet with students for reinforcement or clarification. Principal Doug Rawlins is a huge fan of this process. “Digital platforms help teachers find gaps in student learning and provide targeted intervention,” he says. “I’ve seen it work in the last four elementary schools I worked at.” After students are assessed using NWEA products, they use Edgenuity Pathblazer

4 Raspberry Pi 4 Reading Horizons 4 Show Me 4 Swivl 4 XBox 1 building because being completely virtual was isolating,” says Rochelle Kolhouse, instructional coach for School District 49’s iConnect Zone, which includes Spring Studio and two other schools. “Based on feedback, we decided to create something that would be exciting, handson, and motivating.” That’s how they developed iLearning, an interdisciplinary project-based curriculum comprising themes like the Renaissance Era, which incorporates science, math, social studies, and English as students do writing assignments and design buildings and costumes. To go from virtual to blended, teachers figured out what made more sense to do face-to-face (F2F). Kolhouse, Colorado’s Online Teacher of the Year in 2013, had science students come in to do labs in groups. The school continued to evolve, and today they use Schoology to create, manage, and share the curriculum.

Spring Studio students attend F2F classes on different days: grades 6–8 come on Mondays and Wednesdays, K–5 on Wednesdays and Fridays, and high school students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “When students come into the building they do project-based, hands-on, deeper learning—the things they can’t do online at home on their own,” says Kolhouse. “What they do online is expanded upon, enriched, or taken to a deeper level when they are in the building.”

Pikes Peak Early College and Patriot High

TOOLS THEY USE CLAUDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 4 Bookshare

4 Ollies 4 PhET

(a math and ELA program) or Imagine Learning.

Rawlins says students who spend the required time on Pathblazer always improve. “We can’t check out the pedagogy on every single lesson, but with a digital platform you can monitor the time students are spending on the platform.”

In addition to working on their districtprovided Chromebooks or at classroom work stations throughout the day, students do literacy circles, math circles, and other group activities.

Because the teachers know what level each student is at, they can let the students work

4 cloudLibrary 4 Edgenuity 4 G Suite for Education 4 Imagine Learning 4 Kahoot!

4 Learning Ally 4 Lone Star Learning 4 Pathblazer math and reading 4 Quizizz 4 Read2Go 4 SMART Boards 4 STEMscopes

Teachers know where each student is at, thanks to a variety of digital platforms.

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STIR IT UP

At Lancaster ISD, teachers implement blended learning in the way that works best for their students. independently or meet with a child one-onone. “Teachers manage their classes in diverse ways, whatever works for them,” Rawlins says.

“They’ve taught us how to make it work.”

LESSONS LEARNED FROM A BLENDED DISTRICT Kimberly Lane Clark, blended learning specialist for Lancaster (TX) Independent School District and an ISTE 2017 PLN Computing Teachers Network Excellence Award winner, shares a few tips from her teachers’ forays into blended learning.

First step: Choose an LMS. “We use Google Classroom for grades 3–8 because we’re a Google district, and Canvas for grades 9–12 because it’s used on a lot of college campuses.”

Work with curriculum and technology specialists to determine what will work in your class. “Don’t hone in on a blended model; instead, figure out when to use tools versus direct instruction versus whole-class instruction.”

Planning is crucial. “Blended takes trial and error. You may find that some students can’t learn online or that you need to set up dedicated stations.”

Blended takes different forms, depending on the class. A high-school world history teacher in the district does F2F teaching on Mondays or Tuesdays. On the other days, students do the online modules he creates in Canvas and come to him only if they have questions or need something retaught.

Blended does not have to be 50/50. “Think about what works best for your students,” says Clark. “A 50/50 mix of online and offline might

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TOOLS THEY USE LANCASTER ISD 4 Achieve3000 4 Apex Learning 4 Blendspace 4 Canvas 4 ClassDojo 4 Dell Chromebooks 4 Dell laptops 4 EDpuzzle 4 Gizmos 4 Google Classroom

4 G Suite for Education

4 Pearson Online

4 iPads

4 Quill

4 Istation

4 Quizlet

4 Kahoot!

4 Raz-Kids

4 LessonPaths

4 Screencast-O-Matic

4 Nearpod

4 Seesaw

4 Newsela

4 Study Island

4 NoRedInk 4 Odysseyware

not be the best.”

Blended takes time to implement. Clark and one of her teammates, a secondary science school-support officer, are working on a blended pilot with a group of eighth-grade science teachers. They plan out lessons every six weeks.

Don’t forget to ask for feedback. “When you look at data, you get to see what works and what doesn’t and are able to use the tools that are benefiting your students.”

BLENDED LEARNING HELPS AT-RISK STUDENTS REACH THEIR POTENTIAL Bishop Hall Charter School in Thomasville, Georgia, serves at-risk students in grades 8 through 12. In the last three years, the graduation rate has more than tripled, and Principal Chris Huckans believes that’s largely because of the blended program. “Everything we do is truly

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4 Pear Deck

4 TED-Ed lessons

blended,” says Huckans. “Some students are on campus all day every day; others are here some days or parts of some days. Every student’s plan is different.”

The school uses D2L’s Brightspace as an LMS. Teachers like building their own curricula and use Khan Academy or create their own videos. Class discussions and lectures are recorded and added to the LMS, along with PowerPoints and class notes. Because of this, students have round-the-clock access to their work. Huckans estimates that close to 90 percent of the curriculum is online.

When students are on campus they follow a schedule, but because it’s a small school they may have multiple classes with the same teacher.

“Teachers can do one-on-one work with small groups or whatever is needed. It takes a ton of work and concentration, but they do a great job with it.”

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Overall, Huckans says blended learning is the right choice for Bishop Hall. “Many of our students have medical or other struggles and have gotten behind. Using a blended model allows all 200 of our students to follow their own path and work at their own pace.”

4 Brightspace

BLENDED IS JUST THE BEGINNING

4 Launchpad

The first thing Genevra A. Walters, superintendent for Kankakee (IL) School District 111, did when she came to the district was to redesign general education for grades K–6

4 PASCO labs

4 Chromebooks 4 Glogster 4 GoGuardian 4 G Suite for Education 4 Microsoft Office

The graduation rate has tripled at Bishop Hall Charter, largely because of the blended environment.

4 SoftChalk 4 WordPress

A BLENDED JOURNEY

BY LYNN BRADLEY At Clevelend Elementary School, part of Rowan-Salisbury (NC) Schools, we’re disrupting traditional classroom practices by introducing our students to many different and engaging ways to learn, and blended learning is our approach to create a seamless learning experience for our students. Our teachers are facilitators of the learning experience and become coaches who encourage and expose children to learning paths with many different options.

Our first-grade students experience everything from Bee-Bots to virtual reality to help bring their learning to life. Students use Bee-Bots to blend programming and curriculum standards. They work collaboratively in groups and use critical thinking and problem-solving strategies to make decisions, debug, and answer grade-level challenges that incorporate math, literacy, social studies, and science skills.

Elementary students use programs such as Nearpod, CoSpaces, and ThingLink to demonstrate mastery of content. These tools help immerse the students in virtual worlds and give them experiences that they would not otherwise be able to experience. With these tools, students can walk inside a Native American home, walk on the surface of Mars, tour the White House, or walk the decks of the Titanic.

We must give our students choices in their learning, but they must also be guided and encouraged to stretch their thinking beyond what they already know. This is the only way to ensure that our learners are prepared for an unknown future filled with devices and careers that have yet to be invented.

Our goal with blended learning is to try to be as student-centered as possible and to provide many different opportunities for choice. One way teachers do that is by finding

children with common abilities to work on a specific goal. They break students into groups and have them rotate through stations. Each day, every student cycles through different learning activities. Every lesson on a playlist has been developed to help students acquire a specific skill or achieve a curricular goal. The students cycle through the stations, work collaboratively, work with the teacher, read independently in Achieve3000, or complete one of the activities that have been designed to help them build mastery. All of the stations align with the prescriptive and personalized goals. Students know their assignments, which are posted in the classroom and on each student’s playlist.

I believe it’s becoming necessary for students to learn to code—it’s as fundamental as learning the ABCs. Most jobs will require a basic knowledge of computer coding.

Have you been to McDonald’s lately? Employees must be able to perform many different functions that already require these skills.

Just imagine what it will be like when our fifth graders are in high school, preparing for their first jobs.

—Lynn Bradley is technology facilitator for Cleveland Elementary School.

Here are some of the collaborative spaces at Cleveland Elementary.

TOOLS THEY USE CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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4 3Doodlers

4 Discovery Education

4 PodPi

4 Achieve3000

4 FrontRow

4 Schoology

4 Aurasma

4 Google Classroom

4 Skoolbo

4 Bee-Bots

4 iPads

4 Storyboard That

4 Bloxels

4 IXL

4 ThingLink

4 Brackitz

4 Makedo

4 Tinkercad

4 BrainPOP

4 Micro:bit

4 Tynker

4 Buncee

4 Nearpod

4 CoSpaces

4 PlayPosit

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STIR IT UP TOOLS THEY USE KANKAKEE SCHOOL DISTRICT 111 4 Apex

4 GeoGebra

4 Ozmo

4 Chromebooks

4 GlogsterEDU

4 Padlet

4 Chromeboxes

4 Google Classroom

4 Peardeck

4 Class Dojo

4 G Suite for Education

4 Prodigy

4 Code.org 4 Defined STEM 4 Discovery Education

4 Read 180, Math 180 4 iPads 4 IXL Math and ELA

4 Edpuzzle

4 Khan Academy

4 Educreations

4 Learning A-Z

4 envision Mathematics

4 MathXL for Schools

4 Epic Books 4 Flocabulary 4 FrontRow

4 MobyMax 4 Mystery Science 4 Nearpod

4 SeeSaw 4 Screencastify 4 Socrative 4 Story Bird 4 ThingLink 4 ToDo Math 4 Voki 4 We Video 4 Wordle

4 Newsela

into college and career academy classes. Now, each grade level focuses on a career strand, such as human services in education, health sciences, or communications and information systems.

Walters partnered with Defined Learning and developed a project-based learning platform using Defined STEM, a Web-based application that helps students connect classroom content and careers through project-based tasks and reading and writing activities.

Now that teachers have grown comfortable with Defined STEM, they’re working on creating personalized learning environments. “The only way to be effective with class sizes of 20 and 30 is by using technology, and I encourage teachers to have it as a station or center,” says Walters. That way, some students can work in small groups while others are on their Chromebooks.

As the district continues to evolve (middle and high schools are next), Walters will continue

4 Read Works

4 YouTube to focus on inquiry- and project-based learning.

She wants students to be able to explore and she continues to help teachers integrate technology to enable that exploration. “We want learning to be personalized so that children get what they need, when they need it. For that to happen, you have to have tech-infused instruction on a daily basis.”

BLENDED CLASSES RESULT IN GREAT INDEPENDENCE A couple of years ago, Hermiston (OR) School District began experimenting with flipping and blending classes as part of the district’s Flex Program. Several high-school English, US government, and US history classes now use a combination of FuelEd online courses and teacher-curated materials to deliver a new kind of learning experience. Students can work at their own pace and are not always required

Students at Hermiston School District love the flexibility and freedom of their Flex Program.

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to attend class because they’re allowed to work independently. “Students love the freedom and the fact that this college-like atmosphere requires them to be more responsible for their learning,” says Mindy Barron, guidance and career coordinator. As a result, teachers plan their classes differently, put more thought into what happens during class time, and have transformed themselves to better meet students’ needs.

Nearly 200 high-school juniors and seniors have taken one or more FuelEd online electives such as Latin, computer science, and fashion design. During the elective class period, students complete online assignments in the computer lab. They can also do some of their work at home, which allows them to work on other projects during the day.

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TOOLS THEY USE HERMISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT 4 Brightspace 4 ClassFlow 4 Chromebooks 4 FuelEd 4 Google Classroom 4 Google Sites 4 iPads 4 Kahoot!

4 Khan Academy 4 Newsela 4 NoRedInk 4 Promethean Boards 4 Quizlet 4 Remind 4 Socrative

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USING AN LMS FOR BLENDED LEARNING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ONLINE TEACHING

By Michele Eaton

A

t the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township (IN), we offer students a variety of blended and online learning opportunities.

The district also administers Indiana’s only public, non-charter virtual high school, Achieve Virtual, which is open to highschool students across the state. Achieve Virtual employs about 60 part-time teachers who have full-time positions in other schools across the district and the state.

Because it’s difficult for teachers to be effective online instructors unless they’ve experienced good online learning themselves, I began delivering professional development to our teachers through our LMS, itslearning (now called the Wayne Learning Hub), so I could model good online practices.

First, I set up a course called the Achieve Virtual Teacher Workroom and created selfpaced, asynchronous PD modules, employing the same tools teachers use with students (including discussion boards, peer assessments, online surveys, etc.) Almost immediately, teachers began transferring what they learned to their online classrooms. And, in turn, students became increasingly engaged with their lessons and activities.

Online learning can be socially isolating, so I nurtured an online community among the teachers. I encouraged anyone who emailed me a question about online instruction to post the question to our online teacher workroom. The feedback from teachers with similar experiences led to some valuable insights.

Teachers at our night school, Ben Davis Extended Day, wanted to make instruction personalized for their students, who were already working on online courses at their own pace. After researching strategies and ideas, the teachers chose individualized learning plans (ILPs). ILPs are built right into our

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Wayne Learning Hub, so the platform organizes all the information about students’ competencies, goals, and tasks.

We’ve also rolled out PD ILPs for all of our teachers. The Hub’s ILP creation tool shows the teachers’ professional learning objectives and progress as interactive column charts.

The chart’s first column contains school improvement plan goals, and the second column has metrics for individual teachers so we know what progress toward those goals looks like for each teacher. While metrics don’t have to be quantitative, we do need to know how teachers are going to measure success. The third column displays the professional learning tasks that the teacher has selected out of the choices I’ve given them based on their unique interests and needs as learners. I’ve found that choices are good, but

too many can be overwhelming. Finding the right balance for your staff is critical.

Keeping the focus on teacher voice, which includes building in regular opportunities for dialogue and reflection, has been critical to the program’s success. Based on teacher feedback, the initiative continues to evolve and grow. Our teachers are participating in synchronous online meetings and completing online mini-courses at their own pace in addition to researching, discussing, and building content for their courses.

Now that teachers have experienced blended and personalized learning themselves, we have rich dialogue about what personalization means for students and how we can improve the learning experience.

Michele Eaton is the director of virtual and blended learning for the MSD of Wayne Township in Indianapolis, Indiana. Follow her on Twitter at @micheeaton.

Educators in the Metropolitan School District of Wayne County learn ways to expand use of LMS platform for blended and online learning

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THE NEWEST BADGE OF HONOR Join these pioneering districts and modernize your professional learning (PL) program

By Ellen Ullman

H

ave you heard about digital badging?

Although it isn’t mainstream yet, the districts that are already doing it say that their teachers are responding quite favorably. First, however, you should be aware of the two types of badges. Regular digital badges are locked into a particular system or platform; open badges are a special type of digital badge that follow the open badges standard and are learner-centric and flexible. “Open badges contain information about the achievement as well as evidence for that achievement and the issuing organization,” says Jeff Bohrer, technical program manager for IMS Global Learning Consortium. “Also, the learner can take an open badge and extract it, email it, or post it on social media.”

A BADGING PIONEER When Laura Fleming, librarian at New Milford (NJ) High School, started her school’s PL badging platform in 2012, there weren’t many options to develop an open badging system. But that didn’t stop her. Fleming built a website in WordPress and then discovered Credly, an end-to-end solution for creating, issuing, and managing digital credentials that has a free WordPress plug-in.

New Milford’s badging platform is all about how teachers integrate Web 2.0 and online tools into their instruction. Fleming intentionally kept the number of badges small—launching one new badge at a time—so that teachers never felt overwhelmed. She also started with tools that have a very low barrier of entry, like Wordle.

“Each badge is quick and easy to learn, which is the point,” says Fleming. “Once teachers learn a tool, they log in and submit evidence that they have integrated their learning into their instruction.” Fleming evaluates the evidence and either helps the teacher fine-tune or issues the badge. Evidence can range from a lesson plan describing how they use the tool to photos

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particularly their power, potential, and impact.

“I want districts to realize that the strength of digital badging lies at the local level. When it’s branded at the school level and geared toward your district’s wants and needs, it takes on a different meaning.”

BADGING SPARKS FRIENDLY COMPETITION A sampling of New Milford’s badges.

of the tool in action or samples of student work.

Fleming says some teachers submit narratives because that makes the most sense.

The badging campaign has been incredibly successful. When Fleming started tweeting about it five years ago, the reaction was overwhelming. “I received more emails than ever in my life!” she says. “People were saying, ‘I want to do this, too!’” To help others get started, Fleming wrote “District Level Micro-Credentials” (worlds-of-learning. com/2016/04/27/district-level-microcredentials/), an instructional blog post that includes downloadable files and a database.

Once you install the files, Fleming’s framework pops up and lets you customize and create your own badging program. Pretty cool, huh?

But creating the program is only the beginning. As Fleming says, you need to build an ecosystem so that people will be motivated to earn badges. “I wanted it to be both a safe place for those who are scared of technology and a challenging place for teachers who are techproficient. Everyone has the freedom to learn on the platform.” Teachers became enthusiastic about badging when they saw how serious she was about letting them learn. And even though it has turned into a district-wide initiative, teachers are not required to participate.

Fleming wanted to build awareness in the education community about digital badges,

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When Rogers Middle School in Prosper, Texas, started a 1:1 Chromebook program in 2014, it was a challenge to train all 120 teachers how to use the devices effectively. Now that there are Chromebook carts at all ten Prosper ISD schools for grades 2 through 12, training the staff is even more demanding. “We had to come up with a way to provide PD without asking for more of a time commitment or stressing them out,” says Miranda Hansen, instructional technology specialist (ITS) for Prosper ISD. That’s how Michelle Phillips, lead district ITS, started a badging program.

The program began with Google badges.

Badge competition is fierce amongst Prosper ISD teachers.

Using Camtasia and Google Slides, Phillips created five-minute video tutorials that covered how to do basic tasks in all the Google tools.

Teachers earn badges by watching a video and passing a Google Forms quiz, which they can re-take until they pass. If a teacher doesn’t want to watch a video, she can meet with her campus’s ITS for a private tutorial or attend a Lunch ‘n’ Learn session. The ITSs hand out laminated badges, which teachers post on their doors. The badges serve two purposes. They indicate that the teacher is willing to help colleagues with that tool, and they also serve as bragging rights. As Hansen says, “It quickly became a competition to see who could get the most badges!”

Once teachers started earning badges, everyone quickly got on board. “We had campusto-campus competitions and a leader board on the website. The campus with the most badges earned in one week won prizes like being able to wear jeans to school,” says Hansen. Teachers who didn’t earn badges faced a little peer pressure, and pretty soon, there was no teacher without at least one badge. “Everyone— including office staff—saw the value of learning these tools, especially Google Docs,” she says.

Once the district had 200 Google-certified educators, Phillips and Hansen invited teachers to request additional badges, which included iPad apps, communication tools, Web tools, and assessment tools. To earn these badges, teachers learned about a tool, used it in class, and submitted evidence of how they used it, such as a link to a student project and lesson plan, a video, or photos. Teachers also hosted their own Lunch ‘n’ Learns for their colleagues.

Now that so many teachers have earned all 50 badges, the district has moved into phase two of its badging program. Starting with Google

tools, teachers show how they’re using the tools at the SAMR levels and can earn an S for substitution, A for augmentation, M for modification, or R for redefinition.

“Instead of handing out individual badges, we made a poster and give them stickers to display. Teachers go to each other for support as they go up the SAMR ladder,” says Hansen.

Today, badges play a very important role in the district, especially when other schools visit and see them plastered around a teacher’s door. More and more teachers are also adding their digital badges to their email signatures.

According to Hansen, “Our ultimate goal is to have our students use technology to enhance their learning. To do that, teachers need to be proficient enough to make the technology use meaningful.”

SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE In 2014, when a new leadership team started at West Aurora (IL) School District 129, this team was not impressed with the PL offerings. “Most of it was one-stop, with no follow-up or results,” says Brent Raby, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning. “We had to tweak and modify if we wanted to make good teachers great.” He began offering one-hour, after-school sessions on

topics like balanced literacy, Next Generation Science Standards, and tech integration, and he received great feedback from the thousands of teachers who participated. To his delight, teachers requested for the classes to go deeper.

Next, the team used key pieces of the Danielson Framework to develop a series of 15 face-to-face classes that cover instructional practice, assessment, whole child, English language learners, and technology integration.

Then they created a badging structure. Every badge is divided into 100-, 200-, and 300-level classes and includes five essential learning outcomes. Classes are offered throughout the year and during the summer, and teachers can take classes in any order. After finishing the classes in one area, teachers complete a research project and show their work to prove they understand the concept.

“Every district I’ve worked in speaks a different language,” says Raby. “The beauty of our badging program is that we all speak a common instructional language now.” To encourage collaboration, an online database shows who’s earned which badge so teachers can direct their questions to the right colleagues.

Last year, the first year of the digital badge program, 37 staff members earned a badge.

The district prints fatheads for badge earners; they also earn feathers that they display in their classrooms.

At first, the district ran the program by hand, but now they use the Performance Matters platform, which includes tools for student assessment and PD. “It has a slick microcredentialing program that lets teachers add badges to their to-do lists and then see which courses they need to take,” says Raby.

PD sessions lead to badges.

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PRODUCTS PERFECT FOR THE HOUR OF CODE

By Shannon Mersand

O

riginally launched in 2013 by brothers Hadi and Ali Partovi, the Hour of Code was designed as a way to get students interested in computer science by providing a basic introduction to coding during Computer Science Education Week. Since its launch, the Hour of Code has grown into an annual international event with hundreds of partners and hundreds of thousands of educators and students taking part. The Hour of Code engages students of all ages in computer programming and computer science, showing them that coding is accessible to everyone. This year, Computer Science Education week takes place from December 4 through December 10, but students and teachers can participate in the Hour of Code at any time throughout the year.

Companies from all over the world design activities for the Hour of Code so students can experience an hour of computer science. From skating with Ana and Elsa to building a galaxy with Star Wars, there are Hour of Code activities to pique every student’s interest. In addition to the more than 200 tutorials and lesson plans available on hourofcode.com, there are many apps for tablets and phones as well as unplugged activities and a number of games and products you can use with students to help teach basic

Bits and Bytes (above) and littleCodr (right) introduce computer science principles as unplugged card games computer science concepts. Computer science is not just about programming and coding; it requires students to think logically and build problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Here are some of the many options available for educators to bring Hour of Code activities into their classrooms.

UNPLUGGED CODING (NO DEVICE REQUIRED) If you’re looking for activities that don’t require a computer or tablet, you may want to

Robot Turtles, Code Master and //Code On the Brink are just a few of ThinkFun’s array of computer programming games

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consider Bits & Bytes, littlecodr, or ThinkFun games for your students.

Bits & Bytes ($26) is a card game for two or more players that teaches the fundamentals of computer programming. Bits & Bytes is appropriate for ages four and up and introduces beginners as well as slightly more advanced students to conditional statements, loops, and nesting functions. (www.bitsandbytes.cards/) littlecodr ($19.95) is another card game

appropriate for ages four and up. littlecodr helps students learn about computer programming and computational thinking by completing missions that involve creating step-by-step instructions for another player to follow. (littlecodr.com/) ThinkFun offers an extensive selection of online and offline games appropriate for tea/ching computer science skills. If you’re looking for a game for the younger crowd, Robot Turtles ($24.99) is designed for two or more preschool players (ages four and up).

ThinkFun has also created a website with challenges and ideas for use with older students. Clue Master Logical Deduction Game ($9.99), a single-player board game appropriate for ages eight and up, is a great way to introduce students to logical thinking—a cornerstone of computer programming. Code Master Programming Logic Game ($19.99), another single-player board game appropriate for ages eight and up, takes students a step further and combines logic with coding. ThinkFun recently released the //CODE programming series, which is a series of three single-player games designed for ages eight and up. //CODE: On the Brink ($14.99), the first game in the series, introduces players to the basic skills necessary for coding, such as logic and problem solving, by asking them to determine the proper “code” to get their robot to the finish line. The game is designed to be a step up from Robot Turtles. The second game in the series, //CODE: Rover Control ($14.99), is a step up from Code Master and challenges players to determine the proper color sequences to get their robots from start to finish. //CODE: Robot Repair ($14.99), the third game in the series, asks players to fix malfunctioning robots using a series of clues. All three games are played offline and are great for building logical thinking, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills. (www.thinkfun.com/)

HANDS-ON MANIPULATION WITH ROBOTS AND GAMES If you want students to see a physical enactment of what they’re writing, you may want to check out some of the hands-on games and robots such as Bee-Bot, Blue-Bot, Osmo Coding, Dash and Dot, Sphero, Puzzlets, SAM Labs, Ozobot, littleBits Code Kit, and Itty Bitty City.

Bee-Bot ($89.95) and Blue-Bot ($119.95) from Terrapin (the creators of Logo programming language) are robots that introduce students ages four and up to basic programming and logic. Users

Dash and Dot (left), Sphero SPRK (above), Osmo Coding (above right) and Puzzlets (below) bring coding to life with easy to use interfaces and activities for all ages.

control Bee-Bot by programming it using the buttons on its back, and Blue-Bot adds Bluetooth capability so students can program it using a dragand-drop language as well. There are a variety of add-ons for Blue-Bot, including the TacTile Reader, which allows students to program the robot using tiles, and they can command Blue-Bot using Logo. (www.bee-bot.us) Osmo Coding ($49) is a great physical manipulation coding game designed for ages five and up that works in conjunction with Apple products. Students manipulate game pieces to guide the character through the game collecting strawberries. Osmo is a great way to practice problem solving and combining commands to create the optimal command sequence. (playosmo.com/en/coding/) Dash and Dot ($199.95) are a sassy duo of robots designed for ages five and up that make it fun to learn programming with a suite of five free apps that utilize block-based programming at a variety of skill levels. The apps are designed to build students’ programming skills step by step, walking users through performing various tasks. (www.makewonder.com/) Sphero offers a number of robots that help bring programming to life. The SPRK Edition ($129.99) is designed for ages five and up and allows students to see robotic parts function as the robot performs the program students have

created. With over 30 apps, SPRK provides variety for programmers of all levels. (www. sphero.com/sphero-sprk) Puzzlets Starter Kit ($99.99) allows students ages six and up to experience programming by physically manipulating pieces on a game board connected to a tablet or computer. The Cork the Volcano app asks students to navigate through a game, collecting raindrops before time and the number of moves available run out. (www. digitaldreamlabs.com/) SAM Labs STEAM Kit ($599.00) combines wireless “SAM” components with the SAM Space Education app and any medium (including LEGOs) to create interactive projects.

Designed for ages seven and up, SAM Labs allows students to program the components’

SAM Labs Steam Kit allows students to create interactive projects using Bluetooth components

WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

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HOUR OF CODE actions using a drag-and-drop interface as well as JavaScript. (www.samlabs.com/education) Ozobots are tiny robots with the power to make coding come alive. The Ozobot Bit ($59) is the original Ozobot, designed for ages eight and up, and allows learners to program using OzoBlockly (a graphical dragand-drop language), a tablet, or a simple marker and paper, which the robots read using color sensors.

The Ozobot Evo ($99) offers more features than Bit, including proximity sensors and sounds. Evo can also be programmed using tablets, phones, computers, OzoBlockly, or Program the markers and paper. (ozobot.

OzoBot Evo with com/) apps, markers and littleBits Code Kit proximity sensors ($299.95) uses a dragand-drop programming environment and allows students to explore functions, algorithms, loops, conditionals, variables, operators, and complex conditionals while building games using littleBits pieces. As they combine coding and game design, student are immersed in real-world application of the skills they’re learning. The Code Kit is designed for students ages eight and up. (littlebits.cc/code-kit) Itty Bitty City ($139.00) is a kit designed for ages eight and up that utilizes Arduino-based mCookie modules and editors to bring creations to life. Students are able to build using the included LEGO-like bricks or use LEGOs to create projects from their imagination. After building, students are able to program the included sensors and trinkets using Mixly,

MicroDuino’s Itty Bitty City is a great introduction to programming a microcontroller

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littleBits Code Kit allows students to create their own games

Edison can be programmed with barcodes, markers apps and more, and allows students to build their own robot with available materials Arduino IDE, or Scratch editors. (www. microduinoinc.com)

ROBOTICS For students who want to build their own robots, you’ll want to explore robotics kits like Edison, LEGO EV3, VEX IQ, and Hummingbird Duo. Edison ($49) is a robot that can be programmed in a variety of ways, including using barcodes, a drag-and-drop language, and now Python. Edison robots can also communicate with each other through infrared sensors and can be combined to create more complex robots and vehicles. One of the benefits of Edison is that it allows students ages five and up to build a creation in addition to learning to code. (meetedison.com/) Hummingbird Duo Premium Kit ($269), designed for ages eight and up, is a robotics kit that allows students to experience building and programming their own robots. The Duo can be programmed using a range of programming environments and languages, including drag-and-

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The Hummingbird Duo Premium Kit is a robotics kit that allows students to build and program from the ground up drop as well as more advanced languages and interfaces. (www.hummingbirdkit.com/) VEX IQ Super Kit ($299.99) is a snap-together robotics kit. Students ages eight and up can program the VEX using Robomatter’s ROBOTC 4.x, which is available as drag-and-drop programming or industry-standard text-based language as well as Modkit for VEX, which is a graphical drag-anddrop programming language. (www. vexrobotics.com/) LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Core Set ($379.99) is designed for students ages ten and up to explore building their own robots, then programming LEGO Mindstorms them to do the EV3 is the newest tasks they want.

LEGO robotics kit

EV3 can be programmed in a number of ways, including using LabVIEW software, a tablet app, or the buttons on the Intelligent Brick. (www.

LEGOEducation.com)

PHYSICAL COMPUTERS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMMING If you’re ready to take coding to the next level, you may want to look for a product that combines physical computing with programming. Products like Let’s Start Coding, Snapino, BBC micro:bit, HyperDuino, and the Kano Computer Kit give students the opportunity to make the connection between hardware and software.

Kano Computer Kit ($149.99) is a build-yourown computer that enables students ages six and up to learn about computer science while building a minicomputer and then programming it. This is a great tool to help students see the physical part of computing during the Hour of Code, then follow along with the coding tutorials to learn how to program it. (kano.me/) BBC micro:bit ($16.50) is an open development board designed for users ages seven and up. Students can explore programming using a variety of languages and interfaces while designing their own unique creations that make use of all of its bells and whistles, including 25 red LED lights that can flash messages, two programmable buttons, motion detection, onboard light, and Bluetooth low-energy connection. (www.microbit.org/)

Kano Computer Kit (top left), Snap Circuits Snapino (top middle), microBit (top right) and Let’s Start Coding (left) all offer opportunities for students to explore computer programming and physical computing at the same time.

Let’s Start Coding ($40) is an excellent introduction to programming an 8-bit microcontroller using basic Arduino programming language.

Appropriate for ages thirteen and up (younger if tech savvy), Let’s Start Coding uses hands-on electronics projects to teach students how to code, and it’s a great next step up from drag-and-drop coding. There’s also an advanced kit available ($94) that includes more components and more advanced projects. (www. letsstartcoding.com) HyperDuino ($94.95) is a shield that can be added to an Arduino, or to an Arduinocompatible board, that adds functionality and enables students to create interactive multimedia presentations, posters, and displays.

HyperDuino

The HyperDuino, designed for students ages seven and up, allows them to bring their presentations to life. (hyperduino.com/) Snapino ($49.95) is a Snap Circuits kit that combines circuitry with computer programming.

Designed for ages twelve and up, the kit teaches programming through the use of an Arduino Uno microcontroller. Step-by-step instructions lead students through creating programs—from simple to more complex. (www.snapcircuits. com)

ADVANCED If you have more advanced programmers in your classroom, you’ll want to explore products like the Onion Omega. The Onion Omega ($7.50) is an advanced hardware development board for teaching about computer programming and the IoT (Internet of Things). Designed for users ages sixteen and up, the Onion is flexible in terms of the languages it can run and allows more advanced students to explore something new. (onion.io/) Regardless of the ages or skill levels of your students, exposing them to computer science during the Hour of Code is a surefire way to engage them in learning. With the right projects, any student can learn to code.

Shannon Mersand is pursuing her Ph.D. in Information Science at the University at Albany, with a focus on Makerspaces and perceived effects on users. She is a School Media Specialist at Yorktown High School, where she built and runs a makerspace for her students who have participated in the Hour of Code since its inception.

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WHAT’SNEW TECH & LEARNING ROUNDS UP A SUMMARY OF NEW TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Epson (www.epson.com) announced the Epson

PowerLite 685W Ultra Short-Throw Presentation Display for SMART (home.smarttech.com).

The PowerLite 685W for SMART leverages Epson’s proprietary 3LCD technology which offers up to 3x higher color brightness than competitive models. The new presentation display offers seamless integration with the SMART Extended Control Panel (ECP), delivers 3,500 lumens of color and white brightness, and offers WXGA resolution versatile connectivity to meet a variety of classroom needs.

Shure (www.shure.com) is shipping the ANIUSB-MATRIX and the ANI22.

The ANIUSB-MATRIX connects four Microflex Advance or Microflex Wireless microphone channels to a room’s audio/video conferencing system or a PC-based soft codec through USB or analog. The ANI22 can connect up to two line/mic signals to a Dante network for easy audio routing and convenient browser-based remote control.

The ANI22 features a compact form factor and Power-over-Ethernet eliminates the need for an outboard power supply.

NEC Display Solutions of America (www. necdisplay.com) announced updates to its line of Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) compliant computers that integrate directly into displays to produce rich content and expand functionality. The OPS computers now include 64-bit Windows 10 Pro as well as updated Intel dual and quad-core processors, among other features.

In addition, the OPS-TCISPS includes Intel’s powerful Vpro technology, providing hardware-enhanced security with multifactor identity protection and remote access to help reduce IT operating costs.

Lumens Integration Inc. (www.MyLumens. com) introduced the new VC-B30U HD PTZ USB 3.0 camera. The PTZ camera comes in Full HD, 1080p, 60fps resolution and a 12x optical zoom lens. The camera comes with a 72° horizontal view angle to cover the span of medium to large sized rooms. The HDMI and USB interface is able to output video simultaneously. The camera is applicable for educational classrooms, meeting rooms, medical facilities and other environments.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

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software & online 11TREES ANNOTATE PRO

(www.11trees.com) 11trees.com announced new versions of their Annotate PRO apps for Office365 and Google Chrome, making it easy for teachers to create impactful feedback for learners. Optimized for Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Canvas, Google Classroom - the platforms you already love - Annotate PRO brings lightning fast access to comment libraries so you can write once, mindfully, and reuse forever. Collaborate to share libraries meaningful to your curriculum or select from a growing selection of 11trees’ content.

ALMA MODERN SIS AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE PLATFORM

(www.GetAlma.com) & (www.schoology.com) Alma Technologies, Inc. announces it has

WHAT’S NEW

BENCHMARK EDUCATION SOUND SPELLING TRANSFER KIT

integrated its K-12 student information system (SIS) with the learning management system (LMS) from Schoology. The new partnership enables schools and districts to customize a solution that supports their unique teaching and learning needs and helps them achieve their progressive educational goals. The solution unites SIS and LMS capabilities along with reporting, analytics, grades and assessment tracking, scheduling, enrollment, school-to-home communications, and more to support the entire learning community.

(www.benchmarkeducation.com) Benchmark Education Company (BEC) announced a new Sound-Spelling Transfer Kit to support students in grades K–2 as they become bilingual readers in English and Spanish. The crosslinguistic Sound-Spelling Transfer Kit provides routines, literacy manipulatives, picture-word cards and other resources to facilitate intentional, strategic and systematic cross-linguistic instruction.

Assessment tools are included as an online, downloadable print resource to facilitate monitoring students’ biliteracy trajectories.

Each lesson includes suggestions for formative assessment and dictation.

Reach the Summit C

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MA-808 Portable Wireless PA System Versatile Sound Amplification The MA-808 innovatively integrates wireless microphones, speakers, CD / USB player and a Bluetooth interface for wireless music streaming into a sturdy, compact case that offers an entirely portable sound system anywhere it is needed.

MIPRO supplies UHF and 2.4 GHz receiver modules options and matching handheld or bodypack transmitters, as well as the exclusive miniature transmitters for musical instruments, such as violin, saxophones, erhu, guitar, cajon, and so on, thus the instrument players could experience convenient wireless amplification via the MA-808 portable wireless PA system.

The Ultimate in Convenience Lightweight with built-in pull-up handle and sturdy wheels for easy transport, the economical rechargeable battery system enables operations indoors or outdoors without AC power and cumbersome cables. Even handheld & bodypack transmitters can be stored within the sleek cabinet.

MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM. Distributed in USA by StarinFOR Marketing 136 Venturi Drive Chesterton, IN 46304 Phone: 800.846.5606 | sales@starin.biz | www.starin.biz

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software & online

BOXLIGHT MIMIOCONNECT

(www.mimioconnect.com) Boxlight’s has announced MimioConnect, a website for thousands of free lesson plans and activities, many of them teachercreated. The lesson plans span the preK-12 curriculum and include world languages, history and social studies, and much more.

Additionally, MimioConnect users have access to monthly calendar and morning meeting packs, which are content bundles that contain lessons, activities and other materials that support instruction for that particular month.

CAPSTONE COMMUNITY

(www.myCapstone.com) Capstone announced Capstone Community, an online forum for educators to find resources and communicate with a community of PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next users. The forum includes a “Resources” section which features lesson plans, activities, videos and more. The “Discussions” board connects users with each other and is a place for them to post questions and discuss ideas. The “Find Answers” section offers technical support with answers to FAQs and allows users to create new cases.

CEV MULTIMEDIA CTE COURSE FOR ASPIRING TEACHERS

(www.icevonline.com/courses/ instructional-practices-education-training) CEV Multimedia announces the release of an instructional practices in education and training course to enable future educators to begin preparing for

their careers sooner. Offered through iCEV, an online learning platform, the instructional practices in education and training course offers 20 lessons which cover educational assessments, learning styles, special education and more. This course also identifies ethical conduct, professional development, career preparation, and the many opportunities for students in the teaching and training industry.

CLASSFLOW IKEEPSAFE STUDENT PRIVACY CERTIFICATIONS

(www.classflow.com) ClassFlow was recognized by iKeepSafe for its compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA). As part of this achievement, ClassFlow will display both the FERPA and SOPIPA badges to note that the software has been assessed and approved by iKeepSafe. In order to keep the badge, iKeepSafe conducts an annual renewal to ensure that ClassFlow remains in good standing with FERPA and SOPIPA.

CLEVERBOOKS AR GEOMETRY WORKBOOK

(www.cleverbooks.eu/cleverbooks-argeometry-app/) CleverBooks presented to the public their Geometry Workbook for Primary school that has Free Augmented Reality (AR) Learning solution incorporated to it and announced the launch of a new product – free Geography App with AR. CleverBooks aims to complement traditional teaching with innovative technology and focusing on primary education sector. The application

for all subjects is free to use to provide all children with access to innovative technology and help them exceed their learning.

DREAMBOX LEARNING ASSIGNFOCUS BY PRINT PROGRAM

(www.dreambox.com) DreamBox Learning announced AssignFocus by Print Program, a new capability that provides teachers with a strong connection between DreamBox Learning Math and their classroom curriculum. With AssignFocus, educators can create comprehensive and differentiated math experiences for students by blending the power of DreamBox Learning’s online K-8 math solution with popular print programs like Eureka, EngageNY, and Contexts for Learning Mathematics. This represents the newest application of DreamBox Learning’s technology to support teaching and learning.

DISCOVERY EDUCATION AND TATA CONSULTANCY

(www.discoveryeducation.com) and (www. tcs.com) Tata Consultancy Services and Discovery Education have partnered to launch Ignite My Future in School, an initiative aiming to prepare one million students for 21st century careers by 2021. It will equip over 20,000 teachers nationwide with resources to get students solving problems at an advanced level through computational thinking. The initiative will connect

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software & online teachers to leaders in education and technology, providing them with hands-on experience they can bring back to their classrooms.

EMMA IDENTITY

(emmaidentity.com) Emma Identity is a brand new product from the developers of Unicheck, professional full-fledged plagiarism checker for higher education and K-12. Emma technology utilizes Natural Language Processing (NLP, the field of the AI) to learn a person’s individual writing style and determine whether all the subsequent texts you upload belong to the same author. Effective authorship attribution with regards to the students’ papers could become a unique

solution to detect and prevent contract plagiarism.

GOZEN! OCD ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

(www.gozen.com) GoZen! has unveiled an animated, online educational program that teaches kids how to manage and understand Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The online program serves as an approachable mentor and speaks to kids in a way that is engaging,

What the Classroom Can Be. Interactive Fun Collaborative Effective Uncomplicated

WHAT’S NEW

entertaining and compassionate. The unique animations are designed for use at home, schools, and by therapists and keep children wanting to learn more while striving to allow them to embrace their individuality.

HOONUIT EARLY WARNING SOLUTION

(www.hoonuit.com) The Hoonuit Early Warning solution helps educators identify at-risk students early and integrate the intervention workflow to track the progress of each implementation.

The solution uses predictive analytics based on proven research to streamline the execution of intervention strategies through a user-friendly interface. The solution’s user experience fits into

Helping you create the classroom your schools, teachers, and students want.

Boxlight products are designed to help students learn more effectively and develop the essential skills they need for success.

Students respond to this enhanced way of learning, and teachers find it allows them to do more in the classroom—with less time and hassle.

Our technology and software empower both educators and students in all forms of learning, enabling real understanding and enhancing student achievement. Whether it’s whole-class learning, small-group collaboration, formative assessment, or STEM-based learning, Boxlight offers services, software, and hardware that enable teachers to easily and effectively enhance student success. What’s more, our solutions help build essential skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity.

Experience what the classroom can be.

Boxlight.com/classroom or text “CanBe” to 51555.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM. WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM

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WHAT’S NEW

software & online NETSUPPORT DNA VERSION 4.5: EDUCATION EDITION

an educator’s workflow, giving the visualization on mobile and desktop devices, identifying where to provide additional support to specific students, and then track each strategy’s effect.

IXL LEARNING IXL SPANISH

(www.ixl.com/spanish/level-1) IXL Learning introduced IXL Spanish as its first world language curriculum. IXL Spanish covers Level 1 Spanish curriculum

and is geared towards middle and high school students. In addition to Spanish, IXL covers math, English language arts, science and social studies, and is aligned to the Common Core and all state standards.

IXL offers 10 free practice questions each day for students not subscribed to IXL; subscribers can practice unlimited questions across all grade levels.

INSIGHT ADVANCE

(www.insightadvance.com) Insight ADVANCE announced the launch of powerful real-time data and data management features to complement its ADVANCEfeedback solution, an online tool used in K-12 and higher education for educator self-reflection and evaluation.

ADVANCEfeedback allows teachers to record and upload video to share with peers and request feedback through embedded notes at key moments in the video.

Administrators can also track observations in progress, ensure teachers and observers are paired appropriately, and more.

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LEGENDS OF LEARNING & PHET INTERACTIVE SIMULATIONS

(www.legendsoflearning.com) & (phet. colorado.edu) Legends of Learning and University of Colorado Boulder’s PhET Interactive Simulations project announced a partnership that will bring thousands of educational games, assessment items, and simulations to middle school science students. Ten interactive simulations for middle school sciences will be hosted on the Legends of Learning platform this month with more coming in the future.

Teachers now have a comprehensive library of engaging content and interactive exercises for their classroom as well.

MICROSOFT EDUCATION

(www.microsoft.com/en-us/education) Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Education – a single, affordable technology solution built for education. Microsoft 365 Education brings together Office 365, Windows 10, Intune for Education, Minecraft: Education Edition and Enterprise Mobility + Security, getting schools up and running faster through simplified acquisition and deployment, eliminating wasted time and delivering new capabilities to teachers and students to help them learn and work in new ways.

Additional management and security features are also included.

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(www.netsupportschool.com) NetSupport has announced the latest update to its IT Asset Management solution, NetSupport DNA: version 4.5 – Education Edition. Having extended its support to include iOS and Chrome as well as enhancing Mac OS X, the Education Edition of NetSupport DNA can now monitor and support users in a multiplatform environment. It also features real-time monitoring, internet metering, internet safety tools, keyword alerting, new user management features, and more.

NWEA AND PEARSON SUCCESSMAKER

(www.nwea.org) & (www.pearson.com/us/) NWEA announced a partnership with Pearson to provide individualized instructional opportunities in math and literacy to students on Pearson’s SuccessMaker.

SuccessMaker is an adaptive digital learning platform where instruction adjusts to reflect student responses and guide each learner toward targeted performance goals. SuccessMaker also gives real-time feedback to educators. With insights from MAP Growth and RIT scores, SuccessMaker can generate a customized instructional path in math and literacy designed to support each student’s success.

ORIGO EDUCATION EARLY GEOMETRY CONCEPTS

(www.origoeducation.com) & (www.edweb.net) ORIGO Education introduced Early Geometry Concepts: Making Connections to the Real World,

software & online the fifth in the series of free, live stream videos posted on edWeb.net, a popular web community for professional development and networking among PreK-12 and post-secondary educators. Mathematics for Young Learners, is part of ORIGO Education’s professional learning community about mathematics. Educators may join ORIGO’s community to watch previously recorded sessions and receive notifications about upcoming edWebinars.

SIEMENS AND HP SIEMENS NX AM FOR HP MULTI JET FUSION

(www.siemens.com) and (www.hp.com) HP Inc. and Siemens have announced a new software module, Siemens NX AM for HP Multi Jet Fusion. The NX software module will allow customers to develop and manage parts in a single software

WHAT’S NEW

environment for their HP 3D Printing projects, avoid costly, time-consuming data conversions and third-party tools, and improve workflow efficiency. Siemens and HP are also helping enable designers and engineers to expand opportunities for the industrial 3D printing of innovative designs.

SECOND STEP PROGRAM AND PANORAMA EDUCATION

(www.secondstep.org) & (www.panoramaed. com) The Second Step Program and Panorama Education announced a new partnership to help schools and districts nationwide understand and develop students’ social-emotional skills. Now schools and districts that use Panorama can administer social-emotional learning

assessments and reports that align with the social, emotional, and relational skills fostered by the Second Step Program.

The partnership between these programs supports district administrators, principals, counselors, and teachers who are focused on growing students’ social, emotional, and relationship skills.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (REQUESTER PUBLICATIONS ONLY) 1.

Publication Title: Tech & Learning

2. Publication No.: 695590

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

15. Extent and Nature of Circulation

3. Filing Date: 9/27/2017

a. Total number of copies

4. Issue Frequency: Monthly

b. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution (by mail and outside the mail)

5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 12

(1) Outside-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541.

6. Annual Subscription Price: $29.95 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: NewBay Media L.L.C., 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016-7959; Contact Person: Kwentin Keenan 703-852-4604

44226

43457

26265

27143

(2) In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541.

(3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid or requested distribution outside USPS (4) Requested copies distributed by other mail classes through the USPS c. Total paid and/or requested

26265

27143

17023

15821

d. Non-requested distribution (by mail and outside the mail)

8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: NewBay Media L.L.C., 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016-7959

(1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541

9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Publisher: Allison Knapp, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 125, San Bruno, CA 94066-3040; Editor: Kevin Hogan, 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016-7959; Managing Editor: Christine Weiser, 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016-7959

(4) Non-requested copies distributed outside the mail

(2) In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541 (3) Non-requested copies distributed through the USPS by other classes of mail 284

321

e. Total non-requested distribution

17307

16142

f. Total distribution

43572

43285

g. Copies not distributed

654

172

h. Total

44226

43457

i. Percent paid and/or requested

60.3%

62.7%

10. Owner: NewBay Media L.L.C., 28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016-7959, wholly owned by the Wicks Group of Companies—400 Park Avenue, Suite 702, New York, NY 10022

16. Electronic Copy Circulation

11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders: None

d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print & Electronic Copies)

12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies c. Total Requested Copy Distribution + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies 17 Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requester Publication is required and will be printed in the November 2017 issue of this publication.

18. Signature of Executive Vice President/Group Publishing Director: Adam Goldstein, September 27, 2017; I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading on this form or who omits material information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions FOR MORE OF THE LATEST information PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT USor ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM. (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: October 2017 13. Publication Title: Tech & Learning

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software & online

ON DEMAND

STUDYSYNC

Check out the following resources from our partner sites:

(www.studysync.com) StudySync has two new additions in its array of teacher tools. An embedded gradebook provides a user-friendly format for analyzing students’ progress on assignments. Users can filter gradebook entries and view student grades. An enhanced StudySync search tool makes it easier for teachers to search StudySync’s lessons library for specific standards.

Teachers can use the tool to view how often a standard was covered by assignments as well as individual student mastery of the standard.

WEBINARS

Fostering Skills for Successful Learning in a Blended Environment Sponsored by: itslearning

Mobile Device Management – Strategies for Success Sponsored by: School Dude

Motivating Struggling Adolescent Readers: Try Relevance and Success Sponsored by: Voyager Sopris Learning

Solving the Digital Equity Puzzle Sponsored by: Comcast Business

Leading and Learning: Collaborative Leadership for K-12 Education

TEXTHELP AND DESMOS

Sponsored by itslearning

(www.texthelp.com) & (www.desmos.com) Texthelp announced its partnership with Desmos, which will integrate Desmos’s graphing solution into EquatIO, the tool that makes it easy to create equations, formulas and other mathematical expressions digitally. With the addition of Desmos’s API, EquatIO users can add graphing to its list of capabilities. Desmos’s graphing solution will be integrated into the web app, ‘EquatIO mathspace,’ followed by ‘EquatIO for Google,’ the Chrome Extension, and ‘EquatIO for Windows and Mac,’ the desktop offerings.

Check techlearning.com for updates

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TINYBOP SCHOOLS

(tinybopschools.com) Tinybop, Inc. has launched Tinybop Schools — web-based interactive STEM for the classroom — to make science more accessible to young students, on any computer or device. Suitable for grades K-5, Tinybop Schools teaches science literacy through exploration and discovery in interactive STEM models. The models

MiPro 45 PowerGistics 2 TCEA 15 Tech & Learning Leader

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Tech & Learning Live

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cover a variety of topics: anatomy, zoology, geography, physics, geology, meteorology, engineering, and astronomy. Tinybop Schools also offer data-driven metrics to help teachers keep track of their students’ progress.

THE BEACON PERIODIC TABLE OF TECHNOLOGY

( fios.verizon.com/beacon/periodic-tableof-tech-intro/) The Beacon at Verizon Fios have created a periodic table of technology to teach about science and technology by showing how elements are used in everyday tech-use. By clicking on the table, users can inspect the list and find a brief description next to each element detailing its applicability in technology. For example, users can learn of hydrogen’s use in clean energy tech, helium’s cooling properties when applied to satellite instruments, and more.

UL XPLORLABS

(ulxplorlabs.org/fire-forensics/) UL Xplorlabs has released its new module, Fire Forensics: Claims and Evidence.

The interactive module is designed to give students a first-hand look at what it takes to read a fire scene and build a claim for the fire’s location of origin and cause.

Detailed teacher guides, interactive videos and investigations, and student worksheets to deepen understanding of the principles of fire. A fun, interactive environment for students to learn from scientists solving real-world problems.

Vernier 51 Voyager Sopris Learning

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Stellar Service Makes a Measurable Difference When you’re teaching students to collect and analyze scientific data, count on Vernier.

Innovative Technology

Experiments

Technical Support Team

Technical Information Library

Webinars

Grants

Workshops

Innovative Uses

Supporting Research

Newsletter

Warranty

Tech Tip Videos

Founded by a science teacher, our company puts student understanding and teacher support first. So when you use Vernier data-collection technology, you always get educator-developed solutions, resources, and support. From professional development and personalized customer service to grant opportunities, online training videos, and more, you’ll always find what you need for hands-on experiments and learning.

When science teachers succeed, students succeed—and that makes all the difference.

Discover the Vernier difference at www.vernier.com/stellar-service Vernier Software & Technology 888-VERNIER (888-837-6437) www.vernier.com

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