digital learning

Personalized Learning

Smart Cities: Baltimore’s Digital Harbor

Last Thursday night a closed recreation center became a Tech Center in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood. When Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced the city was closing 25 of the 55 rec centers , Andrew Coy (@AndrewCoy) a teacher at Digital Harbor High School and Shelly Blake-Plock (@BlakePlock) faculty associate at Johns Hopkins University School of Education sought an alternative to the center closing. One of the rec centers was a block from Digital Harbor High School where Andrew was developing an after-school program in web design.

Personalized Learning

Is There Still A Gender Gap in Education and Technology?

The stereotype of technology as a male-dominated interest and career path is slowly fading. We no longer associate computers just with geeky, pale boys in thick glasses poring over gaming screens. Technology in schools and in daily life has become much more accessible and user-friendly for everyone. But do males still have an edge when it comes to technology in the classroom? Are there still gender differences in how educational technology tools are used?

Personalized Learning

7 Teacher Questions About Common Core State Standards

The Riverside Unified School District is taking a collaborative approach in the transition to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by bringing together teachers from different levels and disciplines to serve as Common Core Ambassadors. These ambassadors will work together to discuss ideas, and to provide input regarding district-wide implementation. We have our second meeting next month, and I am looking forward to the process.

EdTech

5 Virtual Field Trip Experiences

Today the field trip is not being used as it once was. Stories of my father being taken to the meat packing plant in his small town are old news. Even being taken to cultural museums are a thing of the past and are even considered safety hazards, because of the intrigue that students have in everything that is going on around them. Sharing a unique experience with classmates is being taken away. Luckily, we now have technology that is being implemented in the classroom that allows these students to go on a field trip anywhere in the world without leaving the classroom.

Personalized Learning

Smart Cities: San Francisco Schools Improving, But Impervious to Creative City Assets

San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) appears to be in a time warp. Yesterday, I outlined the leadership role that the Bay Area, especially the city of San Francisco, plays in learning innovation. However, the contrast between one of the most creative cities on the planet and the local school districts is stark. The district has higher test scores than other California urbans but it is small and has a relatively low level of poverty.

EdTech

12 Top eLearning Tools for 2012 and Beyond

What's new in learning technology? As we wrap up 2012 and head into 2013, there are a lot of lists out there to help us discover the latest tools and techniques. The Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies (C4LPT) conducts an annual study of learning tools, creating a list of the top 100 from votes submitted by learning professionals (i.e., educators and trainers at all levels) around the globe.

Personalized Learning

How We’ll Learn in 2013

Here are three big stories concerning education and learning that you'll be hearing about in the year ahead—and some pointers on how to think about them.