Digital Learning Now

Leadership

Avoid Hit-or-Miss Professional Development

As a former principal and curriculum director, I can easily tell the difference between good and bad professional development. I’m embarrassed to admit that I have had my hand in delivering some poor quality events in my career. Some of my colleagues refer to past trainings as a “spray and pray” approach to learning something.

Personalized Learning

What Does an Ideal Learning Environment Look Like?

How would you describe the perfect learning environment? Yes, I realize the question is open-ended, and after launching Compass Learning’s Ideal Learning Environment Video Contest, it’s evident that plenty of people have very specific thoughts regarding their education. We received 100 video entries of teachers, students, and parents describing or showing us their vision of the ideal learning environment. And let me just tell you: I was shocked at the range of creative ideas submitted.

Personalized Learning

5 Instructional Shifts to Promote Deep Learning

Technology is a powerful tool for learning that can be used effectively to help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in school and beyond. Students can develop transferrable knowledge and skills as they engage in learning experiences that require them to construct knowledge. In order to facilitate these types of deep learning experiences, an adjustment in traditional instructional practices is necessary. These ideas are supported by the Common Core State Standards.

Personalized Learning

6 Trends at Virtual School Symposium 2012

More than 2,000 policymakers, education leaders, and education providers met in New Orleans this week for the International Association for K-12 Online Learning's (iNACOL) annual Virtual School Symposium (VSS) to discuss innovations and solutions to today's education challenges with the help of online and blended learning.

EdTech

10 Reasons Why I Want My Students to Blog

First of all, blogging is writing, 21st century style, plain and simple. Blogging is a massive genre. It comes in many forms, addresses myriad topics, and can certainly range in quality. For my money (which usually means free), blogging provides the best venue for teaching student writing. As bloggers, young people develop crucial skills with language, tone their critical thinking muscles, and come to understand their relationship to the world.

Ed Policy

Racing to the Top in Delaware

The Rodel Foundation hosted the fifth Vision 2015 Conference. The First State scored first in the Race to the Top (RTTT) grant competition largely because of the vision, organizing, and grantmaking of the Rodel Foundation and its Executive Director Paul Herdman.