Getting Smart Staff

EdTech 10: Students At The Center

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This is one of those weeks in EdTech news that we wish would be every week, because this week the top stories that emerged focused on putting students at the center.

For parents and educators, from recognizing student-centered learning to building student centered math classrooms, putting students at the center when making decisions that impact students is vital for schools and districts making the shift to personalized learning (like Fulton County Schools). This week, when it came to assessments, rights, parents, new videos, reports, and platforms, student learning was paramount.

Blended Schools & Tools

Pass The Popcorn. It was Susan Patrick who made the case that opportunity begins with the promise of student-centered learning (SCL). That said, with efforts like the Smart Parents series, opportunities for students are expanding. A new video on SCL has been released by the Smart Parents sponsor, The Nellie Mae Education Foundation. Titled “Transformation,” The animated short explains the four tenets of SCL and shares why SCL benefits students and our society.

Bullies Beware. In the past, that case has been made that virtual learning is the anti-bully. Until this week, there hasn’t been a solution for schools address the full cycle of an incident that utilizes tech. Bridg-it School by Bridg-it, is the only comprehensive solution to address harmful situations by providing access to curated content with restorative techniques that foster positive outcomes.  

Digital Developments

Getting The EDGE. As noted in Smart Cities, EdTech accelerators are one many ways cities can foster an environment of innovation. EdTech vets Don Burton and Jonathan Harber launched NYC-based EDGE EdTech which announced its 2015 EDGE Accelerator program aimed to support companies utilizing tech to improve learning opportunities.

Bringing Lit to Life. The responsibility to personalize literature instruction has largely been placed on the creative shoulders of educators like John Hardison. Tech platform Bublish announced they will partner with Edmodo to support educators in their efforts with Author Connect. The app will be available this fall and aims to change the way that students experience literature by creating virtual visits with authors and “author-classroom” discussions.

#KidsMatter. This week Getting Smart Advocacy Partner, Agilix launched a new landing page that’s a good reminder of the importance of letting a solid mission guide your work. Agilix powers personalized learning platforms that put students in the driver seat.

Smart Parents

Nick at Nite. Nickelodeon has entered the robust realm of homework help with the launch of its Homework Help Desk that’s aimed support parents around CCSS. As parents move into the role of chief advocates, parents can now chat live and receive customized support with certified teachers with the platform.

Research and Reports

Assessing Assessment. The future of assessment will be increasingly impacted by formative assessment tools that assess authentic learning experiences. Psychometric Considerations for the Next Generation of Performance Assessment is a new report from the K-12 Center at ETS that takes a fresh look at the state of performance assessment when it comes to critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills.

Teachers & Tech-ers

Read To Succeed. CCSS reading standards place an emphasis on the ability to comprehend increasingly challenging texts and skills and habits to unpack deep embedded meaning. The Habits of Close Reading from Curriculum Associates, Getting Smart Advocacy Partner, is a new resource that supports students and educators with close reading strategies.

MMOGing On Up. We’ve seen how MOOCs have impacted the learning landscape, but have you ever heard of MMOGs? If you aren’t in the gaming community, the learning opportunity brought about by Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) might seem new. Well, nows the time to get in the know because EdTech leaders like Next Generation Learning Challenges are working with teachers to integrate MMOGs like The Radix Endeavor that was developed MIT’s Education Arcade.

Student-Centered Hubbub. New from Jobs For The Future and The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is the Students at the Center Hub, an interactive, community-driven, web-based source of information, ideas, and materials for educators and advocates for student-centered learning.

Getting Smart Staff

The Getting Smart Staff believes in learning out loud and always being an advocate for things that we are excited about. As a result, we write a lot. Do you have a story we should cover? Email [email protected]

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