The basic principle for nurturing innovation is simple: teach students not just “how” but also “why.” For example, a student who memorizes the procedure for dividing fractions knows the “how” and will probably pass a test, but if the student does not know the “why” they are unlikely to develop the ability to think mathematically and to be innovators themselves. In all disciplines and for all ages, teachers need to be sure that students learn the “why” as well as the “how.”

One way to do this is by adopting elements of the maker movement in the classroom. For the uninitiated, the maker movement is an effort to provide students with the tools they need to physically create objects of their design and for their purposes. Many schools from elementary through the university level have created maker spaces so that their students will have a dedicated space, with all of the required materials and tools, to exercise their creativity and practice innovating.

These maker projects can be low tech (think: cardboard and tape), but they usually have high tech elements as well, such as circuits. The best-equipped labs will have 3D printers and ample tech and construction tools. A variety of traditional educational objectives can be accomplished in maker spaces, and websites such as Instructables have a nearly infinite variety of project ideas to help teachers and students get started. Maker spaces allow students to innovate and create, and so they are ideal for helping teachers nurture innovation in the classroom.

Another way to nurture innovation is to give students opportunities to learn how to code. Fortunately, there are many programs designed to teach coding that are available for free. For too long, topics that were perceived as difficult or purely scientific have been viewed as anathema to creativity, but coding is the language that will allow students to innovate and express their creativity in the digital sphere. Not only will they learn essential career skills, but they will have the ability to make their ideas a reality, whether their inspiration is practical, social, or otherwise.

While it may be easier for teachers to organize maker spaces and coding opportunities, parents and other stakeholders can ensure that these experiences extend beyond the school day by creating other maker spaces and encouraging students to learn to code on their own time.

The post Nurturing Innovators in the Classroom and Beyond appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Any brand must develop an authentic relationship with its consumers. That means having a presence in their lives by not only creating a product they want to use but also developing a strong sense of community in doing it.

Your passion for what you do, your brand image, and your ability to communicate will create that fiercely loyal community around your edtech product.

Fan the flames of your passion

Inspire your community with your passion.

If you developed an edtech product with the hope that you finally caught the elusive unicorn that will generate millions of dollars, you’re in it for the wrong reason, and your community will be the first to call you on it.

Taking an edtech product from conception to implementation requires grit, determination, and passion for what you do. If you can’t be passionate about your product, who else will be? Interest and passion are contagious.

The contagion the passion flames will buoy you through some of the obstacle you’ll face, including limited budgets, political power games, intense competition, and plenty of red tape.

Create a relatable brand image

An affinity for a particular brand comes from the perception its use creates. Just think about the perceived differences between Apple and PC people.

Your consumers develop perceptions about your product, too. It’s one thing to have professionally written web content and formal headshots of you and your team, but user-generated reviews, comments, and pics will win the day whenever you are trying to build a loyal following in the edtech industry.

Keep the conversation going

Your edtech product launch isn’t the end of your work; it’s just the beginning.

Most consumers today are connected with each other through several social media platforms. It’s not enough to find out what those platforms are and show up in the feed. You will develop a fiercely loyal community if you engage in the discussion by thanking people for following you and joining their conversation.

Don’t let your community talk about you. Be part of the community and talk with those in it.

You’ll build loyalty through trust.

Final words

Loyal communities follow brands they love and trust. Your edtech product has a far better chance of succeeding because or your brand image, passion for your work, and willingness to communicate.

The post How to Build a Fiercely Loyal Community Around Your Edtech Product appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Students who don’t understand what’s involved in a chosen career may find themselves in the group of Americans disillusioned with their jobs and careers. Wouldn’t it be better if an aspiring doctor discovered sooner than later that their real passion consisted of cutting-edge research rather than working with patients?

In the past, students explored potential careers by picking several pathways and researching the answers to questions like what education is required, how long it takes to complete the degree, and what kind of money they can expect to make.

AR and VR benefits

Versatility is what makes AR and VR technology attractive to schools and the students using it. Most tech equipment has multiple uses in a classroom.

Goggles, for instance, can be used to explore a variety of  CTE career pathways, such as practicing welding techniques or conducting chemistry experiments. Students get hands-on experience, and the school can provide diverse experiences without the prohibitive costs of setting up individual workspaces for each pathway.

AR and VR can help schools maximize course content and offer career exploration.

Get started

Virtual Job Shadow brings careers alive by letting students search for future jobs in which they might be interested. Students in elementary, middle and high school, and higher education can explore further training and education, create resumes, and see people in the chosen career doing their jobs.

The VR and AR you’re already using

Incorporating AR and VR in the classroom isn’t as far-fetched as you might think. Teachers already take advantage of virtual field trips offered by museums and historical sites, and Google Earth provides instant access to many of the wonders of the world.

Why not take technology one step further and connect with the people and jobs in these locations?

Focus on futures

By using AR and VR as a portal for career exploration, students have the opportunity to determine before spending money and time on training whether or not their chosen profession is the right one for them. It’s possible that students will spend less time trying to decide on a career path. Instead, they’ll launch their futures much quicker because of the head start this new AR and VR approaches to technology provides.

The post How Students Can Use VR to Explore Career Pathways appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

But What about the Data?

Because it is so easy to perform data analysis with an edtech product, every vendor is able to claim impressive numbers about their products. Of course, there is absolutely no external vetting needed in order to be able to make a claim in promotional material. The process for getting the work into a peer-reviewed, top-notch academic journal is entirely different, and virtually none of those exorbitant claims would survive such scrutiny. The wise consumer of edtech will need to consult a database of legitimate research in order to determine what does and does not actually work.

Where Are the Reviews?

Of course, not every edtech product has been reviewed by an academic journal, which can make the vetting process pretty difficult. There are still resources that can help, such as Common Sense Media, which offers reviews of apps and websites geared to kids, with an eye to the pedagogical implications of the educational offerings. It’s an excellent clearinghouse for bringing information about a wide variety of digital tools to the end user.

But How to Keep Up?

It seems like every day brings a new edtech product into existence; even the most diligent teacher will have a hard time keeping up with what is out there, let alone vetting it the way that an educational researcher would. There are some tools that can help. For example, MERLOT is an aggregator of vetted digital tools, and it is easily searchable. It features not only a user rating but also a peer review. They tag items as editor’s choice and “classic” materials in order to further guide users, and the peer reviews are particularly helpful.

It can be easy to give in to the hype and will yourself to believe everything that a manufacturer claims about their edtech product. After all, the latest generation of edtech contains stunning advances over what the technology allowed as recently as a decade ago. But flash and sizzle are no substitute for solid research. It can be a daunting task to dig into the data and investigate whether a product actually lives up to the hype surrounding it, but there is no doubt that the effort is worth it since the success of our students depends on it.

The post Bridging the Disconnect Between Edtech Research and Educators appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Parents and children are addicted to their mobile devices more than ever. In fact, half of parents and teens report that they are addicted to mobile devices, and more than 65% check their devices every hour.

We have become a society dependent on digital devices. This dependency has created a parent-teen paradox: how do you tell your children to limit their exposure to digital devices when you can’t control your impulses.

The problem

Teens feel compelled to respond immediately to every message, text, email. Their compulsive behavior makes them susceptible to addiction.

The teenage brain is a still-developing organ, not yet fully capable of responsible decision-making. As Eric Jensen explains, the teenage brain is busy building myelin, the fatty insulation that allows the brain to develop its networks of connected neurons. Most importantly, brains work from the back to the front, and it is the front that forms last. The front of the brain, the pre-frontal and frontal cortexes, do not develop until teens reach their twenties.

Until then, all learning experiences help to develop the connections the brain will need. Unfortunately, the dopamine reward system in the brain can make some learning – like quick responses to digital messages – an addiction.

The parent-teen paradox of dealing with devices means limiting engagement with the tools parents encourage their children to use for staying in constant contact.

So what’s a parent to do?

The intervention plan

Boredom isn’t an excuse for turning to a mobile device for entertainment. It may be impossible to turn off technology entirely, but you can reduce reliance on it.

• Limit the time spent with mobile devices.

As difficult as it may seem, it’s possible to live for a little while without a smart phone or tablet. As a family, determine the times during the week you can put away the tech toys. For example, what would dinner look like if no one brought their phones to the table?

• Engage in alternative activities

Some of the most enjoyable activities do not involve using technology. Find something fun to do that doesn’t require a mobile device, whether that’s romping in the yard, tackling chores, or playing a board game. Set clear expectations about the time: ask everyone to commit to 60 minutes of tech-free time.

• Put away your own devices.

You are your children’s role model. Before asking them to commit their undivided attention to a family meal or pastime, put down your mobile devices and show your children that there is plenty to do, even without technology.

If you’re willing to address the parent-teen paradox dealing with digital devices, you’ll be helping your children develop better thinking skills. Perhaps more importantly, you’ll all enjoy the social interaction.

The post Dealing with Devices: The Parent-Teen Paradox appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Research Data

It doesn’t really matter how new, exciting, or interesting the product is: if it can’t produce results, it shouldn’t be promoted. And “results” doesn’t mean that the marketing department was able to massage some data to show a small improvement for a small subset of students.

Rather, it means that rigorous testing shows that the edtech product actually benefits all of the student populations for whom it is marketed. There are clearninghouses designed to make it easy for non-specialists to access data about what actually works in education, and edtech should be created in such a way so as to merit a place in those listings.

No Assumptions

There is certainly no lack of confidence in the tech sector. For the most part, this is the deserved and natural result of a field of endeavor that has revolutionized virtually every aspect of the world. But what it hasn’t done is to change basic human nature. And that means that there are some principles of educational psychology that need to be reflected in any instructional materials—even the digital ones—if they hope to be successful.

Sometimes, it seems, edtech advocates simply assume that their product will produce the desired educational results, even if they haven’t put in the time to be sure that their product meshes well with what we know about how people learn. It is probably this dynamic that is responsible for the somewhat depressing history of the results of edtech.

Edtech designers can no longer just assume that because their product engages students, it will generate improved educational outcomes. And they certainly can’t assume that just because it pleases investors, it will improve outcomes. In fact, those two dimensions—outcomes and investors—are likely to be at cross-purposes, since the best edtech requires a concentrated, often expensive, effort to ensure that it is aligned with what we know helps students to learn.

It’s long past time to be sure that we keep the “ed” in “edtech” in pride of place.

The post Edtech Should Be About Learners, Not Investors appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Rubrics

The National Education Association recommends using rubrics to keep students accountable. It seems that students are more likely to stay on task when they know precisely what that task is. They devote more effort to a project when they feel that they control the outcome of their grade. Tools such as Rubric Maker can be used to make it easier to design rubrics that are personalized, customizable, and easy to change in the future. A teacher can then use rubrics to help keep students accountable.

Voice

Students are more likely to be engaged in their work and eager to complete it when they have some choice in what they are doing and when they are able to bring their own distinct personality to the project. This means that student voice is one of the keys to keeping students accountable. Edtech offers many ways to amplify student voice in the classroom. For example, students learning about government or about environmental science can be encouraged to use their social media presence for information and for advocacy. This kind of engagement can keep students focused and accountable, especially as they work to motivate others.

Data Analytics

Sometimes, students will disengage to protect their egos if they feel that they cannot be successful. This might drive their teachers and parents crazy, but it is an understandable defense mechanism: students are likely to minimize the importance of something rather than admit that it is important but that they are not good at it. One way to avoid this downward spiral is with data analytics. If a teacher closely examines student performance to target weak spots and help the student be successful, then the student is less likely to disengage as a defense mechanism and more likely to succeed in their future efforts.

As with every topic in education, there are no easy answers. Student accountability will always be a challenge, and teachers will always need to innovate and think hard about how to be sure that all of their students are performing as well as they possibly can. But some tech tools—including rubrics, social media to amplify student voice, and data analytics—can help maximize student accountability.

The post Using Tech to Keep Students Accountable appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

The language that kids use for informal chatting and messaging in their digital devices is only one type of writing. Are these digital devices the reason why kids can’t write?

If you’re thinking about handwriting, maybe. Cursive handwriting has advantages over typing and IMing, but we’re talking about writing instruction that fosters communication skills and develops critical thinking – and whether or not digital devices help or hinder writing instruction.

Communication skills

Taking out a blank piece of paper and writing on it terrifies many students. The written word’s sense of permanency can stop inspiration in its tracks, and that’s why traditional writing is difficult for many students. What if it’s wrong? It can seem like the mistakes are set in stone.

Yet kids love communicating with digital devices because the task of writing is more authentic. Students can Google information that will add to class discussions or maybe the word they’re looking for is on the tip of their tongues and OneLook Reverse Dictionary will help them find it.

Struggling writers may find assistive technology useful in improving their ability to communicate.

Critical thinking skills

Writing requires critical thinking.  Most writers will tell you that they seek first to understand a concept before they can explain it in writing, and that takes analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Having the right tools can facilitate the thinking process during writing.

If tools can strengthen writer skill, why not give kids the tools they need for writing at every stage of the process? Digital devices can get kids thinking critically from the very beginning of their writing. Popplet is a mind-mapping tool for prewriting, and Sentence Builder helps students formulate complete thoughts.

Writing correction apps require sophisticated critical thinking. For example, grammar and usage apps like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor are quick to point out possible mistakes in writing, but the writer must analyze each suggestion, accepting it or ignoring it based on intended meaning.

In summary

Kids can do a lot more than some adults give them credit for. If we teach students how to use digital tools at every step in the writing process, they will learn to write and think critically, and they’ll master formal writing just as quickly as they have mastered informal writing.

Digital devices are the reason kids can write!

The post Are Digital Devices the Reason Why Kids Can’t Write? appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Teach Parents How to Use Digital Tools

First, teachers need to start where families are. For example, this means having an understanding of the types of digital tools families have and use at home. For those families that are not as familiar with digital tools, it is helpful to hold training sessions for families. For example, the school librarian can hold a parent meeting that teaches parents about the digital tools their children are using.

Explain the Importance of Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship

Next, to teach students how to be digital citizens, we need to include their families. Parents need to understand what their children should and should not be doing with digital tools. For instance, if students complete a digital responsibility contract for your classroom, the parents should be informed. Additionally, when teachers become aware of safety issues or concerns regarding student’s digital behavior, parents need to be made aware immediately.

Use Digital Tools for Communication

Also, digital tools are a great way to engage families by strengthening the lines of communication. Instead of sending home tons of paper, use digital tools to provide families with all the important information they need.

Share What Students are Doing with Social Media

Next, consider embracing social media for the classroom. As more parents are using social media to communicate, this is a great way to engage families. You can easily share pictures or videos of classroom activities as they occur. If you choose to use social media to interact with the parents of your students, then you must make sure you get approval from your principal and that you set up a private classroom social media account.

Provide Suggestions for Educational Apps and Digital Tools

Finally, provide families with suggestions for educational apps and digital tools. Parents often do not know what digital tools are being used in class, so if there is an app they can download onto their family’s devices, it will be helpful. If you know of digital tools that will help individual students, you should also communicate this information with families.

The post Engaging Families as Learning Partners Using Digital Tools appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Fortunately, you can get started as soon as tomorrow with these four low-tech strategies:

1. Build a community.

The first step in community-building is to provide a safe place for all learners. Create an

environment of trust where students can take learning risks without fear of harsh judgment.

2. Flex your room.

You may see a classroom full of tables and chairs or plenty of student desks, but your students see an opportunity for learning in a variety of nooks and crannies in the room. Provide several seating alternatives for students who can’t stay in one place for long, and remember: at the end of the day, you can always move your furniture back in place.

3. Opt for project-based learning.

    Some of the best learning experiences are more about the process than the product. By having

to develop a project, students learn to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize.

4. Allow for collaboration.

When given choices about their learning, students are more likely to take ownership and engage at a deeper level. Students who have voice and choice in their assignments are more successful.

You can also implement any of these of tech-centric ways to personalize learning:

1. WeVideo. Give students the tools they need to capture their explanation on video and share them with their peers and parents. Students learn to record and edit video while practicing communication and creativity.
2. Cloud computing. Whether you use the district cloud computing platform or opt for a specialized service like ExplainEverything, your students can find learning partners who share the same interests and goals, and they can work together on learning projects.
3. Formative assessment. Autonomous learners still need feedback on how they’re doing. Take the pulse on learning mastery with curriculum-based assessments along the way.
4. Seesaw. You’ve asked your students to maintain portfolios of their work, and the result is a disorganized mess of random papers. Have you tried a digital format? Seesaw lets your students develop their portfolios in digital file form.
5. Class Dojo. This one’s for you, because you’ll need a way to keep track of the personalized learning experiences in your classroom. Class Dojo will help you track and monitor behavior and academics, and you can share the results with parents through the platform.

Personalizing learning in your classroom is as simple as taking the first step toward individualizing instruction based on student need.

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