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Teaching Strategies That Work | Podcast Ep. 91

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We all want to implement teaching strategies that accelerate learning. Finding the right methods, however, can be a challenge. We’re here to help, as TCEA’s professional learning experts dig into the research to find what’s most effective in teaching.

Homework

TechNotes: “Teaching Strategies That Work

Extra Credit

Learn more about the Research-based Teaching and Learning Conference.

Learn more about the 2022 TCEA Convention & Exposition.

Send your questions and ideas about future episodes to podcast@tcea.org.

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Music by Slynk

The post Teaching Strategies That Work | Podcast Ep. 91 appeared first on TechNotes Blog.


Summer Reading Suggestions for Educators

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summer reading

You probably don’t need to be reminded of the power of reading. It is, of course, a strong way to learn as well as a useful tool to relax, to be entertained, or even to simply fill time. 

So what are you reading this summer? For those having trouble finding the right read for the beach or the backyard, we have some suggestions.

Get Your YA On in Summer Reading

Young adult (YA) novels are not only wildly popular with adults and young people alike, they’re also written for young readers, meaning they may fit your teaching goals and grade level. Now’s a great time to crack the spine on some of the books your students might already be reading.

In this piece from EdSurge on teacher rejuvenation, author Kimberley Rues recommends a number of books, including the award-winning novels of N.K. Jemison. 

Over on the Teaching Channel blog, you can read about how YA books can help teachers explore the crucial social-emotional skill of empathy. 

Edutopia even shares a collection of YA books that can help students process the difficulties of the pandemic.

Something Just for You

Of course, sometimes reading is just for fun. Luckily for those still searching for their next page-turning enjoyment, there are plenty of suggestions out there.

  • Well-known publisher Scholastic shares their “Ultimate Summer Reading List for Teachers.”
  • Edutopia has also compiled a general list of the best reads for teachers this year.
  • This list, from the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, includes novels, thought-provoking reads, and professional learning picks.
  • The edmentum blog describes a number of useful teaching-related reads here

Reading to Learn

If you’re planning to do some productive, free professional learning-related reading, don’t fret. Check out TCEA’s free ebooks for educators, including Digital Icebreakers That Shatter and Ready, Set, Make! They’re packed with information and tips, but they’re also brief, so you can get back to that crime thriller collecting dust on your nightstand.

What will you be reading this summer? Sound off and share your favorites in the comments!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

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How to Learn about Other Countries with YouTube

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learn about other countries

Over the years, YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing site, has become a hub for more than just prank videos or cuddly creatures. Nowadays, there’s plenty of informative, documentary, and educational content. These videos range from tutorials on how to install a garbage disposal to in-depth history documentaries to primary sources like old films and newsreels.

Of course, any space on the internet that allows anyone to post means users should practice good digital literacy and have a sense of the creator of the video. And naturally, educators will always want to review and vet videos before sharing with their students.

With those considerations in mind, let’s explore how YouTube can help teachers and students understand countries outside of the United States, including daily life, historical information, cultural arts, and more.

Greetings (こんにちは) from Japan

North Americans living overseas can be a great video source, as many of the videos are in English and targeted at sharing foreign cultures with an American or Canadian audience.

The YouTube channel Paolo from Tokyo shares many videos about life and culture in Japan. The popular Day in the Life videos offer brief, entertaining insights on daily life in Japan.

Also from Japan, Life Where I’m From explores how kids and adults live, work, play, and eat, always working to share with the world by posing the question: What’s life like where you’re from?

Kids Teaching Kids

Young people love seeing how other kids experience the world; it’s one of the ways we grow as people. After a bit of digging and review, you can find useful videos on YouTube that feature children sharing their experience and culture with each other.

The Hiho Kids channel features the Show and Tell series, allowing kids to share their traditions and culture with each other. Above, students share their family’s heritage. Below, they share cultural traditions.

You can also look into the How Other Kids Live series from the channel Origins, which digs into questions like “How Easy Is It for Kids to Make Friends?”

Food Facts

Another great way to connect kids with their counterparts overseas? Food! An easy, engaging start would be exploring what school lunch is like in various countries. How does your cafeteria lunch stack up?

In this video from the UK’s Channel 4, kids sit down with a multicultural family for a meal, one of the best ways to connect with people.

What videos, shows, or other multimedia tools do you learn to share world cultures with your students? Let us know in the comments! And then think about how your students can share their culture with the world on You Tube!

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Ed Tech News Roundup: Tests, Tech, and the Supreme Court

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ed tech news

Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of periodic ed tech news roundups. We hope you enjoy this one, and if you have a story you’d like to see included, let us know.

Summer is a great time not only to recharge your batteries, but plan for the year ahead — all while juggling the responsibilities of summer learning and more. Here are some news stories to keep you up to date.

The Local News

In TCEA’s home state of Texas, test results and funding sources are shaping the school year ahead.

  • Earlier this week, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced the results of this year’s math and English STAAR tests. With learning disrupted due to the coronavirus, consequences for schools and students were lessened this year. [Texas Tribune]
  • You can read TCEA’s response to this year’s scores here.
  • Meanwhile, more than $11 billion in funding has been released for Texas schools through the ESSER program. Learn how you can effectively use that funding here.

The Tech Sector

After months of remote learning worldwide, ways of using ed tech are getting more scrutiny as best practices are being developed established and investments are being made.

  • TechCrunch reviews the big changes and big money in ed tech. [TechCrunch]
  • Philanthropists are also making investments in ed tech, including finding ways to develop social-emotional learning. [EdSurge]

Topping Up Our Batteries

It’s vital for educators to take a breath after so many stressful months. Here’s some insight for those having trouble unwinding.

… And Finally

A question surrounding a student’s behavior made it all the way to the Supreme Court this month, as the court ruled in favor of a student’s free speech rights in the case Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. [Education Week]

Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

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Seven Great Podcasts for Educators

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podcast

Sometimes professional learning comes from events, courses, and other organized programs. Other times, we can learn casually, perhaps even passively, with podcasts while commuting, relaxing on the beach, or whatever you’re up to this summer.

Podcasts are like little bursts of learning directly to your ears — that is, if you find the right ones. For those of you looking for powerful educational podcasts this summer, we have a few suggestions that can help you absorb useful information, no matter what else you’re getting up to.

The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast

Hosted by 2021 TCEA Convention & Exposition speaker Jennifer Gonzalez, this podcast focuses on ed tech (of course!), but also explores education policy, teaching strategies, and classroom management over a wide range of interesting interviews.

The House of Ed Tech Podcast

Chris Nesi’s podcast often includes live video streams, highlights from conferences and events around the country, plenty of guests, and naturally, the latest in educational technology.

The Shake Up Learning Show

This show is hosted by popular digital learning coach and speaker Kasey Bell, who you may also remember from the TCEA Convention & Exposition. She covers everything from coaching to tech tips each week.

The Creative Classroom with John Spencer

Former teacher and current professor John Spencer shines a light on new ideas, especially those meant to bring creativity, passion, and wonder into the classroom. Check this one out for your dose of big ideas and inspiration.

C3: Connecting, Coaches, Cognition

Violet Christensen and Courtney Groskin, who have previously joined us on our own TCEA podcast, host C3: Connecting, Coaches, Cognition. It’s a podcast designed to give quick bites of advice for instructional coaches, with many thoughtful guests and plenty of ideas for everyone in education.

Google Teacher Podcast

Also hosted by Kasey Bell and her co-host Matt Miller, this podcast is your key to unlock all the abilities, changes, and tools that the ever-present Google has to offer. If you use Google products regularly, you’ll want to keep up with the Google Teacher Podcast.

TCEA’s Ed Tech Club

Of course, no list could be complete without our very own offering, the Ed Tech Club, where we talk about everything from SEL to timely tips, share insights for TCEA events, and more. Our summer hiatus is a great time for you to catch up on our back catalog of more than 90 episodes.

What educational podcasts do you listen to? Share them in the comments!

Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels

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Ed Tech News Roundup: A Summer of Research, Outreach, and a Special Session

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a man rides a black horse across dusty terrain

Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of periodic ed tech news roundups. We hope you enjoy this one, and if you have a story you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments.

Developments in education, policy, and technology don’t stop just because it’s summer. Here are some top stories you may have missed.

Policy Updates

In our home state of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has called for a special session of the Texas Legislature. Some education topics are on the docket for legislators to consider.

  • Education policy made it onto the governor’s call in the form of issues relating to teaching critical race theory and the participation of transgender athletes in sanctioned competition. [Texas Tribune]
  • Meanwhile, most educators, parents, and students are planning for the return to in-person instruction, especially in areas that remained online during most of the previous waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. New information shows that, in Texas, students of color have returned to school at below-average rates. [The 74]

Research Findings

With TCEA’s Research-Based Teaching and Learning Conference coming up on August 3, now is a great time to catch up on the latest in education research.

  • Research can inform educational practices, and some teachers aren’t simply learning from the research, they’re helping design it. [EdSurge]
  • As researchers continue to develop machine learning and artificial intelligence systems, some are looking at ways these technologies, if properly implemented, can help reduce inequality and underrepresentation in STEM education. [Harvard]

High-Tech Summer

Keeping students engaged over the summer is always a challenge, but tech can help.

  • Some educators are meeting students wherever they can, metaphorically or literally. That means short sessions virtually or even meetups in the park. [EdWeek]
  • One way to keep students involved with learning during their break? Let them hold onto their devices. [K–12 Dive]

… And finally

While ed tech is certainly a major topic of discussion and an important tool today, the history of “teaching machines” goes much deeper. [EdSurge]

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

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Seven New Children’s Books for 2021

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Seven New Children’s Books for 2021

Children’s literature is one of the most prolific parts of the publishing industry. Besides tried-and-true classics, hundreds of new children’s books hit the shelves each year. That gives teachers and librarians the chance to find and share new stories and new perspectives — and potentially reach more students with compelling tales that build a love of reading.

If you’re looking to update your classroom or campus library, consider some of these recently published books from children’s authors, covering important social-emotional learning skills, lessons to take from the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, and more to help students make sense of a complex world while building a love of reading.

The Science of Surfing: A Surfside Girls Guide to the Ocean

For ages nine and up, this nonfiction graphic novel uses bright, flowing illustrations to explore ocean-centric STEAM topics like tides and marine life. If you like this one, you’ll be happy to know it’s the third in a series by author Kim Dwinell.

Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small

Physicist Jess Wade and illustrator Melissa Castrillón team up to engage readers with the science behind the very tiniest parts of our universe, like atoms, all while introducing students to the many scientific fields they might consider for a career.

Benjamin Zephaniah’s Nature Trail

The poet and titular author takes readers on a journey through the wonders of nature, imaging the tiny lifeforms you’d see on a walk doing various human activities. It all adds up to a lyrical book designed to get young people to take a closer look when they’re outside.

Rez Dogs

Told in verse, this book from Abenaki writer and scholar Joseph Bruchac tells the story of an eighth-grader who is visiting relatives on the Wabanaki reservation when the COVID-19 lockdown begins. The story reveals a “powerful message of family, friendship, community, and the bonds that connect us in the hardest of times” for ages nine and up.

The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife

This book, from Maz Evans and illustrator Chris Jevons, explores big feelings and how they can sometimes get us into trouble. For age eight and up, this funny, over-the-top tale helps students consider what can happen when we keep feelings bottled up.

When the Sky Falls

Phil Earle’s novel explores life in World War II during the London blitz through the eyes of Joseph, a 12 year old who’s dyslexia is poorly understood by the people around him. As the world grows more dangerous, he bonds with a zoo’s last gorilla, Adonis. When Adonis’ cage is taken apart by bombs, Philip has some very serious decisions to make. For ages eight and up.

When You Trap a Tiger

Tae Keller’s 2021 Newberry-winning book brings Korean folk tales to life as Lily meets the tiger from her grandmother’s stories — and the tiger offers a bargain that challenges Lily. This novel is about the impact storytelling can have and it’s for ages eight and up.

Photo by Lina Kivaka from Pexels

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Ed Tech News Roundup: Germs, Gaps, and the Texas Legislature

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a young woman stands in a field with a saddled horse

Howdy, folks! Welcome to another in a series of periodic ed tech news roundups. We hope you enjoy this one, and if you have a story you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments.

As summer zooms toward fall, new developments in the ed tech industry, education policy, and more are shaping the school year ahead. Here’s what you need to know.

A Clean Start

The coronavirus, and new variants of it, continue to spread. As schools look to reopen amidst the ongoing pandemic, educators and leaders are working to ensure learning spaces are as safe and hygienic as possible.

  • Writer Erin Cunningham explores how schools are developing strategies to keep classrooms accessible and safe and how to limit the spread of germs and the coronavirus. [EdTech]
  • This month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their guidelines for reopening, including best practices for different age groups and a summary of recent changes. [CDC]

Minding the Gaps

The pandemic has also heightened and underscored existing gaps and inequities in the world of education, while many consider how we can use these lessons to improve things.

  • The changes in education during the outbreak have highlighted many gaps in education, from tech to achievement. Jill E. Thomas argues that educators should also be aware of a “wellness gap” for teachers. [EdSurge]
  • Connectivity is one of the gaps educators were working to close when the pandemic struck. Here’s how teachers and leaders are working to keep closing that gap. [EdTech]

Theory and Practice

In Texas, legislators have battled to pass measures meant to limit the teaching of Critical Race Theory, an academic framework mostly used in advanced and post-graduate studies of American culture and history. Here are some reactions and explainations.

  • A team of reporters have gathered thoughts from teachers across the state. [Education Week $]
  • The bill advanced on the teaching of race relations sidesteps the term “critical race theory,” but has still courted strong resistance. [Texas Tribune]

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

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Celebrate 2021 System Administrator Appreciation Day

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a system administrator works amongst a tangle of cords

Let’s start with the basics. What is a system administrator, or sysadmin? In short, they’re professionals who maintain and configure computer systems, particularly multi-user systems, like servers or networks. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why sysadmins have a big role to play in ed tech, keeping up the tools and tech educators and administrators use each day and ensuring that learning can happen on campuses and in districts across the country and around the world.

That’s why July 30, 2021 marks the 22nd annual commemoration of System Administrator Appreciation Day. This event is an opportunity to express our gratitude to the techies who keep things running smoothly for all of us. Especially after semesters of flipped, blended, and remote learning, it’s worth taking time to thank our sysadmins for their expertise and dedication.

Origins and Ideas

The idea to celebrate sysadmins wasn’t part of a groundswell. Rather, it started as a joke. As we described last year:

It all started with a fruit basket. Sort of. In 2000, system administrator Ted Kekatos saw a magazine ad for HP’s then-latest printer, the HP LaserJet 4000. He’d just installed several of that model at his company. But the ad didn’t seem to match his experience.

Here’s how Kekatos described it in a 2011 interview: “The ad showed a sysadmin sitting in his cube. Outside of his cube was a line of users bringing fruit baskets and flowers. I tore out the ad and showed it to my coworkers. I thought ‘Hey this is great! A sysadmin is getting flowers, fruit and wine from his users!’ So that was how System Administrator Appreciation Day 1.0 got started.”

Kekatos meant it as a gentle ribbing to his coworkers, but soon the company’s annual July barbecue became SysAdmin Day, now formally known as System Administrator Appreciation Day. The idea caught on. 

Why System Administrators Matter

Traditionally, it’s a day to share your gratitude with the administrators at your school in the form of small gifts and tokens of appreciation. Consider small events, parties, cakes, cards, gift cards, and more. The official website for the celebration even suggests posting photos of your hard-working admins and your celebrations on “Facebook, Flickr, Reddit, Twitter, and your preferred social media.”

Resources for System Administrators

Find more ways to celebrate your system administrators — or promote and enhance their work. Check out some previous TechNotes posts below that are meant to offer fresh, practical resources for those who work in the tech trenches. But before you admins put these tips into practice, don’t forget to take a break. It’s your day, after all.

  • Looking for ways to treat your admin? Check out our 2017 SysAdmin Day post here.
  • For sysadmins, technology coordinators, and tech support workers interested in becoming a leader in the field, TCEA’s TEC-SIG special interest group might be for you.
  • You can also read about TEC-SIG events, resources, and engaged members here and here.

And don’t forget, TCEA’s own System Administrator and Technical Support Conference happens Oct. 21–22, 2021!

How will you be celebrating your system admins? Share your ideas and stories in the comments!

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

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TCEA Responds to Release of STAAR Test Results

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Note: This post was originally published on TCEA.org.

Texas educators provided heroic service to their students and communities over the last 16 months. In dire, ever-changing conditions, they responded with heart and hard work to a challenge that has changed all of our lives — and TCEA commends the remarkable things our dedicated educators continue to do, whether making learning work remotely or in person.

Today’s report from TEA, reviewing a set of results limited to math and reading STAAR tests for 2020-21, underscores the need for improved preparation and the coordination of best practices for learning with technology so that educators can be better prepared for the next challenge than they were for this one. 

Many educators were left with little guidance on implementing technology, constantly changing tools and requirements, and changes to many of the traditional incentives to test preparation. Notably, the consequences of state testing were relaxed, so that many students would not be held back due to test scores, all while students and families alike struggled with issues like limited access to high-speed internet, economic impacts, changes to daily routines, and even the death of loved ones lost to the pandemic.

When the pandemic struck, Texas schools and districts were already under-resourced to understand the ways technology could complement their teaching strategies, whether on campus or online. As health precautions initiated a necessary break from not only in-person schooling, but nearly all in-person interactions, educators were left trying to understand new and changing learning management systems, hunting for professional development that was up to the times, and having almost no time to acclimatize themselves to remote learning environments. During this time, schools implemented remote learning, in which the entire learning process occurs online. Many types of teaching with technology, like virtual learning and blended learning, involve a mix of in-person instruction and support through virtual tools. That means that the challenges faced with the unexpected move to remote learning cannot be understood as a general indictment of learning with technology.

Furthermore, educators were tasked with building positive relationships with students and families who were beset by rapidly-evolving circumstances, all while educators themselves were working through such a tough time themselves.

We’ve clearly seen the importance of social-emotional learning over the course of the pandemic. With loosened requirements, stressed educators, and students struggling with the life-altering changes of a pandemic, teachers and administrators should be praised for building positive relationships with students and helping prevent even greater learning loss.

At TCEA, we put our knowledge and our network into action, sharing free resources for remote learning, hosting successful professional learning events online, and developing dozens of new online, self-paced courses to help teachers gain confidence in research-backed instructional practices for technology use and integration, from effective math teaching to remote and blended learning. 

“In the past 16 months, we’ve seen a remarkable effort by teachers, administrators, parents and guardians, and entire communities all uniting to make learning happen in the most difficult and unexpected circumstances. Educators worked hard, despite these challenges, to prevent learning loss at a time when students and teachers alike were struggling with little time to implement new ways of teaching and learning, little guidance on the best practices of remote learning, and with their own lives turned upside down,” said TCEA executive director Lori Gracey.

“It’s my hope that greater focus and clarity can be brought to the ways we teach with technology. It’s one of many tools educators can use, and one that cannot be ignored. TCEA is working with a purpose to ensure that educators have the confidence they need to use technology to reach every student, no matter the conditions.”

As we look forward, we hope this report illustrates the need for greater resources, collaboration, and coordination when it comes to digital teaching and learning. The kind of remote learning put into place in 2020-21 was a stopgap, and not the thoughtful implementation of tested ideas that should define online learning, much less any kind of educational technology. 

Further, this time has shown us that technology is not going anywhere. In fact, it is growing. If we hope to truly prepare students for their lives after the test, we must understand that remote work is growing, and that technology literacy and skills are vital for our children — and their educators — to be prepared for whatever the future holds.

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