Professional Learning
7 Creative Ways Schools and Teachers Can Fundraise
By Vlada Lotkina and Marcia McInnes. Teachers who pay out of pocket for school supplies are, sadly, the norm. But where public funding fails, digital innovators are stepping in with fresh ideas. These seven tools can help alleviate this burden.
Reflections on #HowIKnow: A Formative Assessment Project
Since the kickoff of the #HowIKnow project last fall, we have been working with district teams in Austin, Dallas, and Tulsa to design and implement professional learning plans with 60 pilot teachers. Here are two key lessons we've already learned about PD for formative assessment.
Deeper Learning 2018 | Powerful Adult Learning
While words can’t even being to describe the energy and awesomeness of Deeper Learning 2018, I spent time thinking about what makes this conference so different (and why you really ought to go next year). Here, I share a few of my biggest reflections…
The Power of Visiting Schools –  How to Plan Your Next Visit
By: Loretta Goodwin. Organizing an effective tour takes time and effort. Going along on a tour requires dedication to one’s craft and a willingness to be open to new experiences. Here are some ways that tour organizers can optimize the experience.
InquirED Combines Curriculum and PD To Support Inquiry-Based Learning
InquirED is an unusual EdTech startup in several ways. It combines curriculum and professional learning in ways that support teachers. It’s female-led. Shanti Elangovan is a scrappy entrepreneur with three master’s degrees (education, business and health).
Place-Based Professional Development in the Water Systems of California
By: Stacey Rafalowski. Whether it’s a student excursion or an educator expedition, bringing the excitement of discovery and the thrill of first-hand experiences to learners helps to engage, inform, and expand the classroom into the real world in a deeply empowering way.
Let’s Meet Up at SXSW EDU!
This year we’re excited to be a media partner for SXSW EDU, and as part of that we’ll be on the ground live reporting on Twitter and recording audio for upcoming podcast episodes. Here are some of the panels we're most excited for--we hope you'll join us!
The Six Flaws of “Traditional” Professional Development
The majority of teachers have experienced bad PD, but many can also name an instance that actually worked for their practice and improved learning for their students. In this post, we look at six aspects of PD that can be reworked to provide more beneficial PD experiences.
Keys to Success for Formative Assessment: A Professional Learning Guide
In order for formative assessment to be effective, several conditions must be met by and for practitioners. This new guide, designed to be a tool for enhancing formative assessment in an easily sharable and printable format, outlines these conditions.
6 Creative Ways to Revamp PD in 2018
By: Amy Jenkins and Kelly Freiheit. If we want learning experiences to change for students, we have to change them for teachers too. In this post, we look at 6 creative ways to revamp PD for teachers.