Educational technology has, of course, completely transformed how today's K-12 students learn. From basic 3D printers and virtual reality systems to simple coding robots and screen-free building tools, countless numbers of educators have been able to affect education for the better and help children develop transferrable skills for the real world. Since EdTech now covers so many areas, however, there often remains a lot for teachers to learn about and explore. Not every technology tool will impact your students in the same ways, nor will they enhance every single lesson. It's more about finding the right solutions for the right situations and building high-quality instruction from there. In this section, we cover everything from specific classroom STEM kits to insights on integrating EdTech tools in teaching. And, we'll continue adding new resources with thoughts on the many branches of the EdTech tree.
EdTech resources are constantly impacting student development and redefining how educators can engage them. Besides those hands-on technologies, digital tools and platforms also play a huge role in learning. From coding or artificial intelligence to social-emotional learning, the instant availability of EdTech resources generates many revolutionary opportunities all throughout the world of K-12 and higher education. When it comes down to it, however, equitable access to technology can be a complete game changer. With these opportunities, students can build the hard and soft skills to navigate our increasingly complex world. And, no matter how complex or simplistic EdTech activities are, they can help catalyze that development. We encourage you to browse the content below and reach out to our team with any questions.
Educators are always wondering about the best technology for their classrooms and there isn’t always a definite answer. What’s best for one teacher and group of students depends on learning goals, classroom environment, and previous experiences with EdTech. Watch the video to learn why our Irina Tuule believes EdTech is simply like a pencil.
Formative assessments can be used to count as graded work or simply for teachers to gain a clearer understanding of student progress. They can be formal or informal and the best ones often lend ideas for how teachers can improve their instruction. This takes time, however, and that’s why Formative helps teachers in individualizing instruction.
We had a blast attending this year’s ISTE Conference in Philadelphia. It was a great couple of days and we truly enjoyed getting to catch up with a lot of our vendor and educator partners. The topics on everyone’s minds ranged from AI in education to creating more agency in professional learning with keynotes aimed at inspiring educators.
Though known for designing some of the most useful tools in robotics education in the Sphero SPRK and Sphero BOLT, this item from Sphero certainly has a different twist. We’re talking about the Sphero Specdrums—sets of music-making rings that kids (or adults) can place around their fingers and create music anytime and, more importantly, in any place.
Each month, we’re highlighting the efforts of an educator who is effectively using EdTech to empower his or her students. This month, we are featuring Mindy Adamonis, who has been using EdTech tools she’s received through our technology grant program to enhance some science and social studies projects for various students across different grade levels.
There is a lot of hype, information, pause, and even a bit of action being taken when it comes to virtual reality in education. While it’s true that we do not yet know its complete impact on academic achievement, there are some things we do know about VR’s potential in the classroom. Here are some beliefs about VR and reasons
With ISTE 2019 going on this week, we thought we’d take a closer look at one of today’s most popular classroom tools in Seesaw. Seesaw is essentially an application that allows classroom teachers to gain greater insights and organization when it comes to their students’ progress. It’s also free and a great way for students to demonstrate their learning.
Irina Tuule discusses how the roles for the teacher have evolved from what they once were into what they’ve become. Shifts in the resources available to educators and in the ways in which students learn have helped catalyze necessary changes to the very methods teachers use to teach. They’re no longer the sage on the stage and they’re typically not
In the last few years, more focus has been put on digital or technological equity and a strong push has been made to ensure that every student has access to tech tools that help them grow. This is important not only because technology affords students with enriched opportunities, but it also helps prepare them for a lot of the challenges
It seemed fitting to go with Braingenie to coincide with the release of Aladdin—yes, the new one. Although we’re fairly sure it won’t compare to the glory days of Disney movies, it is nevertheless a part of our lives now. Braingenie is an online resource through which math and science teachers can find games and challenges for their students.
