Expert Perspectives


Teacher Absent? How Tech Can Bridge the Gap

The teacher-absence policy at my school was clear: The teacher isn't coming to school? No technology for the class. The rationale is that it's just not worth it. Devices are too valuable to be trusted with kids when they don't have experienced supervision. Only the classroom teacher can manage classroom tech.

A Tale of Two Maker Cities: What One Silicon Valley City Learned from a Trip to Pittsburgh

Over the last few years, I've watched from afar as Pittsburgh's Remake Learning initiative has blossomed into a resource-rich network. Its 533-member organizations are striving to inspire and equip the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers and critical thinkers through hands-on, relevant learning.

How to Craft Useful, Student-Centered Social Media Policies

Whether your school or district has officially adopted social media or not, conversations are happening in and around your school on everything from Facebook to Snapchat. Schools must reckon with this reality and commit to supporting thoughtful and critical social media use among students, teachers and administrators. If not, schools and classrooms risk everything from digital distraction to privacy violations.

How to Bounce Back After an 11th-Hour Technology Switch

Five steps to finding, implementing, and rolling out a technology platform in a pinch.

Beyond Point and Click: Real Coding for Students Across the Curriculum

If we need students to be learning coding now, yet the schools are not ready for it on many levels, where does that leave us?

Teachers Learn Just Like Students: A Case Study From Singapore

Professional development is out; professional learning is in. In this week’s blog post we visit Singapore schools again. We describe how researchers and experienced teachers, there, scaffold fellow science teachers who are learning inquiry pedagogy through inquiry. In turn, those science teachers will use the same sorts of scaffolds to support their students who are learning science through inquiry.

Student Data Brokers: Shady Practices Put Private Student Data on the Open Market

The market for student data may be fed by unwitting students, who turn over sensitive information that they believe they must provide in order to learn about educational opportunities and scholarships.

Understanding Digital Transformation: Part 1 - Background

"Businesses will spend $1.1 trillion in 2018 on digital transformation…" Trillion. All in 2018. Phew! In this week’s blog post, then, we explore the notion of digital transformation outside of K-12 — what is "digital transformation?" What is its goal? Who is doing it? Armed with that understanding, then, in a subsequent blog post we will explore the "digital transformation" of K-12.

IT Leadership: Key Facts to Advance Ed Tech in America

CoSN CEO Keith Krueger shares insights from the 2018 National K-12 IT Leadership Survey Report.

As Demand for Online Schools Grows, So Does Need for Accurate Evaluation

In light of the scathing NEPC report on virtual schools, Kevin P. Chavous of K12 Inc. — whose partner schools account for more than a third of all online schools in the United States — argues for the need for meaningful measures of effectiveness ... and sets the record straight on student diversity.

Whitepapers