How Hands-On Projects Can Deepen Math Learning for Teens

In this article, teachers from Science Leadership Academy, a public magnet school in Philadelphia committed to project-based learning, share the benefits of hands-on projects in math class. Their experiences show that gathering and applying real data brings meaning to the purpose of math which increases engagement. They have also found that through problem-based learning, students… Read More ›

3 Steps to Rethink Failure

This article focuses on the important role failure plays in the creation of future success. It outlines three steps educators can use to help students rethink their negative associations with failure and see its more positive side. The suggestions are general and could be useful to any educator or parent who wants to instill a growth… Read More ›

How Can Your Schools Recruit and Retain More Black Teachers?

This article provides an overview of a report focused on recruiting and retaining black male teachers. The report, “Having Our Say: Examining Career Trajectories of Black Male Educators in P-12 Education,” was written by The National Network of State Teachers of the Year and the University of Phoenix. This article summarizes several of the report’s… Read More ›

Culturally Responsive Schools

This issue of ASCD Express focuses on ways to build culturally responsive schools. It features articles on several related topics including the importance of understanding students’ home culture, relevant lessons from the historical study of black academic excellence, and steps school leaders can take to encourage equity school-wide. It also showcases a video on supporting… Read More ›

The Best Edtech for Students Is Backed by Research

In this article, researchers draw on their experience studying technology and learning to offer advice on selecting effective ed-tech products. While there is a thriving marketing industry surrounding ed-tech, there are few resources to help teachers and school leaders determine which products have the evidence-base to support their claims of positive learning outcomes.  The authors… Read More ›

3 Steps to Supporting the Crusade for Better Student Collaboration

This article was written to help school administrators encourage and improve the quality of student collaboration school-wide. The author suggests several strategies for getting all teachers on board and making collaboration a priority. These include articulating desired skills for consistent assessment across classrooms and providing needed scaffolding to teach these skills. This consistent school-wide approach… Read More ›

Making Cooperative Learning Work Better

In this blog, a veteran teacher discusses solutions to many of the problems with cooperative learning in the classroom. Drawing on the research and feedback from fellow teachers, the author offers many concrete suggestions to address 4 common problems, including unequal contributions and interpersonal conflicts. The advice includes suggested activities and links to resources to… Read More ›

Spotlight on Collaboration

This spotlight issue from Education Week features several articles related to cooperative learning. Topics include assessing group projects, supporting team work, and encouraging collaborative experiential learning. Read in its entirety this collection provides a good overview of the benefits of collaborative learning for both students and teachers. Source Organization: Education Week Visit the Resource

20 Collaborative Learning Tips And Strategies For Teachers

This simple list of tips will help teachers implement collaborative learning strategies in the classroom. It includes suggestions for making group work more effective such as creating roles, building trust and norms, considering diversity, focusing on problem-solving and providing scaffolding. It also includes an infographic that teachers may find useful. Source Organization: teachthought Visit the… Read More ›

The Science of Talking in Class

In this article, one of the authors discusses the findings of a recent review of the research studies on the effectiveness of collaboration in the classroom. The study, “How effective is peer interaction in facilitating learning? A meta-analysis,” was published in the Journal of Educational Psychology. The author offers some take aways for teachers implementing… Read More ›

5 Worthwhile Augmented and Virtual Reality Tools

This article presents 5 free tools teachers can use to integrate AR and VR in the classroom to create engaging learning experiences without the addition of extra equipment or cost. With these tools, students can take a virtual reality tour of a national historic site or make their own VR or AR experience to share… Read More ›

This District Uses Micro-Credentials to Boost PL

This article describes the work of the Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC) education technology to provide more than 3,000 rural educators from southeastern Kentucky with personalized professional development. The article describes the unique challenges of rural communities and describes how their suite of micro-credentials has been used to meet the unique needs of the community.… Read More ›