As technology continues to evolve and expand, it is rare to hear of a school moving away from the use of new devices and programs. However, the South Bend School District, near Houston, Texas, recently abandoned a $16 million plan to incorporate iPads into classrooms.

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Whether you’re looking into flipping your classroom or you just want to spice up a lesson, short, content-rich video is the way to go.  If you’re looking for the perfect clip to get your students excited about your subject, check out this list of our favorite Youtube channels:   Continue Reading...

As virtual education continues to expand, teachers, administrators, and principals are constantly seeking ways to improve rapidly changing programs. While virtual schools provide students the opportunity to learn at an individualized pace, to attend school at a flexible location, and to fill in gaps in learning, educators are still working to decipher the best way to ensure academic integrity and to combat cheating.

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With the recent blog entry about using badges in the classroom, this seems a good time to write about how to leverage gamification in your classroom.  The two concepts often go hand in hand, with badges being an excellent way to add a level of gamification.

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Have you considered flipping your class this school year?  Perhaps even for a lesson or two?  Flipping has now been around long enough that we have some idea of things that do and don’t work in a flipped classroom.  If you’re going to attempt to incorporate this innovative technique at some point during this school year, consider the tips below:

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There's always a lot of talk about what apps are good for student use in the classroom – which apps teach math or reading the best or which apps students can use to make presentations. Well, as the school year begins, we thought that we'd recommend the best apps for teachers to use in their classroom.   Continue Reading...

 

With the constant influx of Apple products entering the market, it is often hard to decipher the best products for your classroom. In addition to iPads, lap tops, and tablets, a new product is quickly gaining popularity in the education sector – Google Chromebooks.

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More and more teachers are looking to online professional development courses as a way to keep abreast of current trends, hone skills, and fit their PD needs into an already cramped teacher schedule. The increase of offerings of online professional development is rapidly replacing older methods of having an expert come to your school, or attending workshops of a various topics. The shift can be seen on AAE's own Professional Development Calendar, where online offerings vastly outnumber in-person workshops or classes. Online professional development is cheaper, easier to fit into a teacher's schedule, and has the ability to be personalized to an individual teacher's need.   Continue Reading...

 

Ever since Google launched its Glass Explorer initiative, there has been one, and only one, teacher who has had access to this technology.

 

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Everyone is familiar with camera surveillance at banks, high-end stores, and office buildings. In a post-Newtown world, however, surveillance cameras are becoming increasingly familiar in neighborhood schools. In fact, after the tragedy in December, over 62 of the 400 bills relating to school safety nationwide, pertained to surveillance cameras.   Continue Reading...

Yesterday, Edweek published  an insightful article citing new trends in low-cost professional development courses. As professional development opportunities continue to expand via online platforms, "MOOC's" (massively open online courses) are now being offered to K-12 educators. Silicon Valley company Coursera recently partnered with seven universities to provide 28 free courses, with topics ranging from biology and literacy to lessons on how to structure classes and survive the first year of teaching.

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Digital Learning Now! (DLN) recently released the 2012 Digital Learning Report Card, a measurement of effective digital learning practices in all 50 states. The report highlights both recent advancements in digital learning and calls for states to modernize public education for the next generation of learners.   Continue Reading...

We recently introduced our new Professional Development Calendar, meant to be a single place where teachers can find a wealth of upcoming opportunities.   Continue Reading...

When you talk to educators about professional development, there tends to be a mindset that favors events like conferences, workshops, and webinars. Even though studies have shown that these forms of professional development are limited in their success, teachers still cling to them as ways to connect with other educators and get new ideas. That's not to say that these forms of professional development are entirely without merit, just that by relying on these staples we close ourselves to other opportunities.   Continue Reading...

While there is a plethora of research about the quality of schools in America, there is little information about the state of bricks and mortar school infrastructure across the country. According to a recent assessment from the Center for Green Schools, there is a $270 billion spending gap in repairing and maintaining school buildings. In order to update and modernize schools across the country, it is estimated that state and local officials would need to spend nearly $542 billion.   Continue Reading...

Looking for something new to spice up your lessons? Check out our top resources of the month!Storybird – This is such a great tool. Available in both free and pay versions, this website allows you and your students to create picture books with relative ease. Have younger students? They'll love selecting art from all the available options and watching their story come alive. Teach an art class? Your students can upload and share their own art. Seriously, the true potential of this tool is endless.   Continue Reading...

Technology in the classroom isn't just for catering to various student learning styles, nor is it simply engaging students through social media, YouTube, and email. Teachers across the country know that students must be prepared for a tech-integrated world and many are benefitting from professional development that incorporates 21st century technologies. In an effort to establish best practices for technology professional development, experts assert that we must research proper methods to benefit all stakeholders.   Continue Reading...

Teachers in the classroom today all remember being issued their textbooks in grade school year after year. Immediately outdated content accompanied by the occasional pencil drawing have been standard issue for generations. With the dawn of new technologies, textbook publishers are rushing to meet the needs of a new generation of students.   Continue Reading...

Technology is fundamental to our global progress. The forward charge of digital resources has forever altered how we communicate with each other and how we conduct our daily lives. Students are tethered to their iPads, smartphones, and laptops, while chalkboards, textbooks, and overhead projectors have become relics of the past. As educators, we must work to ensure that our students are prepared for our current digital world and, more importantly, the days yet to come.   Continue Reading...

Yesterday, AAE staff was in attendance for the Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee hearing about the improvements technological innovations are making for K-12 education.   Continue Reading...