Education 2.0 & 3.0

Education consultant and speaker Alan November says if we want to move education forward, school leaders must start hiring teachers who are globally connected,

High School Improving Discipline By Gamifying Good Behavior by TeachThought Staff Editor’s note: This is sponsored content By rewarding students for positive behavior, Kentucky’s Valley High School is transforming its culture—while recognizing students who do the right thing.

The Edvocate editorial team has exhaustively researched the movers and shakers of edtech and selected 20 global influencers.

"Contrary to popular belief, DNA is not a child’s destiny. IQ is not fixed. Cognitive skills can change. This is critically important in K-12 schools because of the poverty gap — the difference between a child’s chronological age and developmental age."

"When you are online you are shaping your reputation, whether you like it or not. It is sad but true that students are posting things that will come back to haunt them. As educators, we must inform our students about the digital fingerprints they are leaving behind."

Providing feedback with a report card alone is a thing of the past for 21st-century educators.

"Being a teacher and being a technology expert are two very different professions, and although some teachers are also technology experts, many teachers are left in the dark with regards to technology. Where can teachers go for technology assistance in our very technology heavy 21st century?"

"If technology amplifies human forces, then a good outcome with technology requires that the right human forces be in place first."

"Rapidly changing technology continues to make its mark on K-12 learning. Let’s take a look at the future and see how technology will improve education in the next 100 years. What will be the new innovations in EdTech?"

You know the tech, but do you know who's behind the innovation?

"Fail fast. Think big. These are the words that edtech startups live by, but schools and districts generally operate at a different pace. When it comes to our children’s education, there’s no room for failure—fast or slow—and layers of bureaucracy and tight budgets often make big changes impossible."

Play isn't just good for social emotional development and regulation, throughout history it has been a powerful driver of invention.

"The K-16 Instruction and Technology Integration Model is transforming teaching and personalizing learning. Find out more here."

High schools are catching on to the next new student trend--esports, driven by incredibly popular followings of online games.

"Technology is changing the landscape of teaching and learning. Textbooks are being phased out, makerspaces are becoming increasingly common, and communication between teachers and students has never been easier or more abundant."

How to implement Hattie’s visible learning in the Information Age without wasting time in the classroom.

"In today’s world, literacy goes beyond just the basic ability to comprehend text. Today’s students will also need to master a new skill—digital literacy. Cornell University defines digital literacy as “the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create content using information technologies and the Internet.”"

An innovative principal empowers her educators and students to take ownership of tech-infused teaching and learning.

"The key to unlocking a brighter future for students lies within the understanding and application of learning science. As a data scientist and edtech developer, I believe our job is not about inventing the next shiny digital device; it’s about improving education outcomes for students, and doing so demonstrably and empirically with research."

"Most discussions regarding the development of educational technology boil down to one key factor: How easy is it to use? Simplicity is often the name of the game when it comes to creating new technologies — any application or tool that doesn’t offer an optimal experience in terms of usability is usually rejected in favor of one that has a better user experience."

"Whether it is a new learning management system or a fleet of Chromebooks, providing new technology tools to teachers can be a difficult task for any school district. The cost, not just in terms of the financial commitment to the district, but also in terms of change management and training, can prove to be a massive undertaking."

"Vendors in the education industry should aim to understand administrators’ challenges and be helpful, not just make a sale."

"How is digital technology changing education? An easier question to answer perhaps is: How is digital technology not changing education."

While consensus and collaborative decision-making is important, waiting for full teacher buy-in can also be paralyzing to innovation.