Higher Education

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters M-Q

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best blogs in education, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters I-L and in this one, I will discuss letters M-Q.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Magical Maths

What started out as a blog about maths has become a blog for teachers to post various opinion pieces, as well as practical ideas and exercises to implement in the classroom.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 18, Helpfulness 20, Authority 25

Total Score: 81

Twitter: @magicalmaths

MiddleWeb

MiddleWeb provides resources for the middle grades. They focus on five streams of content: Resource Roundups, Themed Blogs, Articles, Interviews and Book Reviews. Co-teaching, how to help students crush math anxiety, and opening your classroom doors to family audiences are all recent topics that have been covered on their very active blog.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 19, Helpfulness 20, Authority 20

Total Score: 78

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @middleweb

MindShift

This is an extremely exciting blog as it explores anything and everything that is proven to help learning, be it technology, games, or new teaching methods. For teachers looking to incorporate helpful tools and techniques in the classroom, this is blog is a must read.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 25, Helpfulness 25, Authority 24

Total Score: 99

Twitter: @MindShiftKQED

Email: [email protected]

Moving at the Speed of Creativity

If you’re very into edtech, then this is a blog by Wesley Fryer is for you. Engaging posts about advancement in edtech and how to use various tools, as well as book reviews.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 24, Helpfulness 20, Authority 25

Total Score: 89

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @wfryer

Ms. Cassidy’s Classroom Blog

Ms. Cassidy has a love of teaching that comes across in her blog posts, which describe activities she’s done with her class. It will provide you with doses of inspiration and ideas for activities you can use in the classroom.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 20

Total Score: 76

Twitter: @mscassidysclass

My Paperless Classroom

A tech integration specialist presents his real-life trials and triumphs. He also shares ideas for unique Makerspace projects.

Score: Activity 17, Originality 18.5, Helpfulness 18.7, Authority 20

Total Score: 81.2%

Twitter: @SamPatue

NACAC Admitted

The NACAC (or National Association for College Admission Counseling) is the place to go if you work in admission, or if you (or your kids) are getting ready to take the plunge into the admissions process.

Score:  Active 25, Original 22, Helpfulness 24, Authority 23

Total: 94

Twitter: @NACAC

NAFSA: Association of International Educators

NAFSA focuses on the latest in news, from politics to holidays, around the world. They also offer advice on a number of different topics through guest bloggers.

Score:  Active 22, Original 24, Helpfulness 22.5, Authority 25

Total: 93.5

Twitter: @NAFSA

NEA Today

NEA Today provides News and features from the National Education Association. If you like to keep up to date on what’s going on in the field of education, including research and some theories and ideas to implement in the classroom, then this is an excellent blog.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 25, Helpfulness 23.5, Authority 25

Total Score: 97.5

Twitter: @NEAToday

On an e-Journey With Generation Y

An Australian Information Technology teacher shares her ideas and experiences around fostering global connections in the classroom. She is especially masterful in her use of Skype as a tool to teach about culture.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 20, Helpfulness 19, Authority 19

Total Score: 76

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @murcha

On Campus

Covering the latest information on campus, this blog is a treasure trove of the latest news, trends, and statistics. It is a great resource for students, professors, and staff, and gives you a way to connect with others to get more information.

Score:  Active 22, Original 16, Help 22, Authority 17

Total: 77

Twitter: @OnCampusWGBH

Prof Hacker

This blog focuses on teaching, technology, and productivity within academia, but it does occasionally stray into politics when the latest news affects higher education.

Score:  Active 25, Original 24, Helpfulness 22, Authority 25

Total: 96

Twitter: @ProfHacker

Pearson Teaching & Learning Blog

Pearson provides products and services in the educational field and their Teaching & Learning PreK-12 Education blog is very informative, with useful tips and thoughts to ponder.

Score: Activity 23, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 22.5

Total Score: 85.5

Twitter: @PearsonNorthAm

Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo

Larry Ferlazzo is an award-winning English and Social Studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif. He’s also an author of several books related to teaching and is big on using goal setting to motivate students. His blog often offers Q&As with other writers on topics surrounding education. It’s a blog that definitively provides a fresh look at teaching and education as a whole. As Larry also answers readers questions regarding teaching, you’re welcome to contact him.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 23, Helpfulness 21, Authority 25

Total Score: 93

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Larryferlazzo

Well, that’s it for letters M-Q. Did we miss any?

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters I-L

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters F-H and in this one, I will discuss letters I-L.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

IIE Opening Minds

The focus of this particular blog is on the various international learning experiences, such as studying abroad and latest learning theories around the globe. It takes a unique look at how to open minds through higher education on the international stage.

Score:  Active 16.9, Original 23, Helpfulness 22, Authority 24

Total: 85.9

Twitter: @IIEglobal

Email: [email protected]

iLearn Technology

Kelly Tenkely started out as a teacher and turned into a technology integration specialist who started her own school, implementing all the inspirational new educational techniques available. The blog focuses mainly on implementing technology in the classroom using various tools, but also ideas around education. As with any blog you will use whatever material and ideas you see fit to implement in your classroom.

Score: Activity 21, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 21

Total Score: 83.5

Twitter: @ktenkeley

I’m a Girl Who Codes

The site is full of inspiring stories about young women who have found success in the world of coding. You will find stories of young women who used coding to start businesses or to find hope in homelessness.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 24, Helpfulness 24, Authority 25

Total Score: 98

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @GirlsWhoCode

Instructional Tech Talk

Jeff Herb presents a potpourri of videos, podcasts, and articles about the effective use of technology tools. Recently he has shared strategies for using Ozobot, as well as tips for the use of online videos in the classroom.

Score: Activity 17, Originality 21.5, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 20.5

Total Score: 80.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @jeffherb

Inside Higher Ed

This is a site that everyone in higher education should bookmark because it has posts about virtually everything in the field. With an area that goes to other blogs and articles, it is like a search engine just for those in the industry.

Score:  Active 25, Original 20., Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total: 88.5

Twitter: @InsideHigherEd

Inspired Instruction: Videos from the Teaching Channel  

This excellent blog shares useful videos from the teaching channel, offering ideas for what to incorporate into your classroom. One of the best blogs for easy implementation of tools shared thanks to the videos that make it easy to see exactly how to implement it.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18

Total Score: 72

International Student Blog

Designed to help international students, this blog focuses on the issues, concerns, and news specific to the niche. Whether you need advice on socializing in a new country, tips on traveling, or what to expect over the various holidays around the world, it is a great place for those who are learning outside of their home country.

Score:  Active 22, Original 23, Helpfulness 21, Authority 19.7

Total: 85.7

Twitter: @IntStudent

ISTE EdTekHub

A recognized leader in educational technology, ISTE analyzes current trends in areas such as coding and Virtual Reality. Updated daily, the blog will keep you up-to-date on the changing world of edtech.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 23, Authority 24.5

Total Score: 95.5

Twitter: @isteconnects

Kathy Schrock’s Kaffeeklatsch

Educational technologist Kathy Schrock shares her discoveries and insights about educational technology and its impact in the classroom. Recent blog posts offer ideas for using Pokemon Go in the classroom and for creating 360° images with a cell phone.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 23

Total Score: 90.5

Twitter: @kathyschrock

Email: [email protected]

Kleinspiration

Author and award-winning educator Erin Klein provides practical strategies to increase student achievement and engagement with technology. She earns top marks for her engaging and relevant website.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 23, Helpfulness 22.9, Authority 24

Total Score: 92%

Twitter: @KleinErin

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day

Larry Ferlazzo has another blog and this one, too, is helpful for teachers. Especially if you want to stay up to date with the latest news regarding teaching practices and studies on what’s effective in the classroom as Ferlazzo scours the net on an almost daily basis for news to share and also expresses his own opinions. The focus is ESL, ELL and EFL.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21, Authority 25

Total Score: 92

Twitter: @larryferlazzo

Learning in Hand

Tony Vincent’s technology blog has been around since the 1990s, and it’s still a treasure trove of advice and resources today. Recently he provides tips for teacher iPad use and formative assessment tools.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 20.5, Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total Score: 87.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @tonyvincent

Learning with ‘e’s

Steve Wheeler, a professor of educational technology, explores our changing culture and the ways teachers must adapt to it. His blog features periodic interviews with education influencers.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 20, Helpfulness 22.5, Authority 23

Total Score: 85.5

Twitter: @timbuckteeth

Logorrhea

As the name suggests, this is a blog that tends to go all over the place, hitting both high profile and more obscure topics in higher education. There is a lot of advice in that can help you keep things in perspective through some of the most difficult situations.

Score:  Active 17, Original 23, Help 18, Authority 17.5

Total: 75.5

Twitter: @DavidJHinson

Well, that’s it for letters I-L. Did we miss any?

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, International Education

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters F-H

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters D-E and in this one, I will discuss letters F-H.

Faculty Focus

Dedicated to professors, assistants, and anyone who teaches in higher education, this blog provides a lot of information on a regular basis. It also stays focused on this area so you will not get sidetracked by news and other topics that tend to dominate other sites.

Score:  Active 25, Original 19.5, Helpfulness 21, Authority 20

Total: 85.5

Twitter: @FacultyFocus

Free e-Learning Resources

Advice and practical suggestions for instructors of online courses. This blog will be helpful for administrators seeking meaningful professional development opportunities for staff.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 24, Helpfulness 24.5, Authority 25

Total Score: 97

Twitter: @elearnindustry

Free Technology for Teachers

Richard Byrne provides an array of resources, such as free apps and other tools, to help teachers find cost-effective solutions for introducing technology in the classroom.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 22, Helpfulness 22.9, Authority 24

Total Score: 93.9

Twitter: @rmbyrne

Frontiers

If you are interested in staying current with the latest in elearning, this is the blog to bookmark. With several posts a week, the site covers a range of elearning topics, such as adaptive learning, policies, and the use of the latest virtual tools.

Score:  Active 20.5, Original 21, Help 23, Authority 22

Total: 86.5

Twitter: @WCET_info

Getting Smart

This is an interesting blog covering a range of ways to incorporate innovative ideas in the classroom, as well as various topics related to education that will spur your mind into action.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 24, Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total Score: 91

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Getting_Smart

Hack Education

This blog discusses how current policies and issues impact the future of education technology. Recent articles ponder the potential effects of the Trump presidency on edtech.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 18.5, Helpfulness 18.5, Authority 20

Total Score: 81

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @hackeducation

HEDDA

HEDDA stands of the Higher Education Development Association, and their focus is on helping instructors and administrators. With postings about once a week, they provide details on events and news that can help you plan for future conferences or take lessons learned from recent academic events.

Score:  Active 23, Original 16, Help 18, Authority 19

Total: 75

Twitter: @HEDDAhigher

Higher Ed Live

The weekly posts to this blog cover the entire higher education gamut. From how to relate to students to dealing with social media to helping get parents engaged, this site has something for everyone who works in academia. They also offer a “Best of” list at the end of the year to help you sift through the wealth of blogs for the highlights.

Score:  Active 19, Original 20, Help 18, Authority 16

Total: 73

Twitter: @HigherEDLive

Higher Ed Management

With a focus on those in the management of higher education, this blog is a great read even if you are not in management. It can give you advice if you are a higher education leader, or it can let you see how to better work with the administration at your school.

Score:  Active 10, Original 18, Help 16, Authority 20

Total: 64

Twitter: @HigheredMgmt

Higher Ed: NPR

Managed by NPR, this is a blog that covers all of the latest news, both highly publicized and little-known topics, making it a must read for anyone in higher education. It has something for students, staff, faculty, and administrators, and can help you keep current with the rapidly changing world of academia.

Score:  Active 25, Original 25, Helpfulness 24, Authority 24

Total: 98

Twitter: @NPR_ED

High Ed Webtech

For administrators and staff who manage their school’s tech, this site is invaluable. Regular posts cover the latest trends, how to do them right, and what to avoid.

Score:  Active 20, Original 23, Help 18.4, Authority 19
Total: 80.4

Twitter: @mrichwalsky

History Tech

Social studies teacher and technology guru Glenn Wiebe ponders the many ways in which technology can give students a deeper understanding of history. Among other things, he offers ideas to help students understand the interconnectedness of history and current events.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 17, Helpfulness 15.5, Authority 16

Total Score: 73.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @glennw98

HomeRoom

This is the official blog of the U.S. department of education. Whilst the blog isn’t always geared to K-12, nor always providing insightful information for things to implement in the classroom it’s the one blog you need to follow for the sake of knowing what’s going on related to government initiatives, rules and regulations. And from time to time there are blogs that contain information you can implement in the classroom, or advice that will help you in your career as a K-12 teacher. Also, there is a button to the right, under “archives” that lets you search all topics related to K-12.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 17, Helpfulness 18, Authority 20

Total Score: 74

Well, that’s it for letters F-H. Did we miss any?

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters D-E

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced the letter C and in this one, I will discuss letters D-E.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Daily Edventures

Anthony Salcito is the Vice President of Education for Microsoft Corporation’s Worldwide Public Sector and he’s the man behind Daily Edventures – a 365-day look at global heroes in education. You will find thoughts about education and technology from teachers all over the world on this blog, which is a unique and interesting concept. Possibly a bit biased in favor of Microsoft, but an all-round amazing blog.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 25, Helpfulness 23.5, Authority 25

Total Score: 98.5

Twitter: @MicrosoftEDU

Dangerously Irrelevant

This blog addresses issues of social and ethical concern as they relate to the use of technology in the classroom. Frequent topics include the development of self-actualization and leadership.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 21, Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total Score: 88

Twitter: @mcleod

Email: [email protected]

Discovery Education

As the name implies this blog covers various topics about educational development, including practices to implement in the classroom and digital content. As with so many other blogs there’s a strong focus on edtech and STEM. A big plus is that they have free teacher resources – from lesson plans to brain boosters.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 24.5, Helpfulness 25, Authority 25

Total Score: 99.5

Twitter: @DiscoveryEd

Ditch That Textbook

Ditch That Textbook is Google certified innovator and teacher Matt Miller’s take on how to implement tech in the classroom. The focus seems to be on high school and up.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 24

Total Score: 86

Twitter: @mattmiller

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

This blog provides a look at diversity in higher education from many different angles. As the name suggests, it highlights the issues of concern to minorities in education.

Score:  Active 24, Original 25, Helpfulness 24, Authority 24

Total: 97

Twitter: @DiverseIssues

Dr. Doug Green

After over 30 years in education Dr. Doug Green left his job as an elementary principal to care for his ailing wife. After her death he decided to do something to help parents and educators and started scouring the net and reading books, which he then summarized in bite sized nuggets.

Score: Activity 16, Originality 17, Helpfulness 17, Authority 17

Total Score: 67

Twitter: @DrDougGreen

EdTech for Beginners

This blog by Neil Jarrett, a Google certified teacher who teaches at an international school in Thailand, does what it says on the label: teaches edtech for beginners. It also offers tools and updates for teachers already well versed in edtech however and is worth a visit if you’re looking for new edtech tools for your classroom.

Score: Activity 16, Originality 17, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18

Total Score: 69

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @edtechneil

Ed Tech Review

The EdTechReview, not surprisingly, reviews anything to do with edtech. They also offer reports, studies, insights, webinars, etc. It’s one of the best resources for all things edtech and how to incorporate it in your classroom. However, not all content is for K-12 as they also cater to higher ed.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 21

Total Score:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @etr_in

EdTech Roundup

Just as its name implies, this is a weekly “roundup” of all the latest edtech news and developments. This blog is ideal simply for staying informed about breakthroughs and trends.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 17.5, Helpfulness 16.5, Authority 17.5

Total Score: 75%

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ETRoundup

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

This blog covers everything and some when it comes to teaching using technology. It doesn’t follow some sort of set how to guide focusing on one thing, but rather anything covering educational technology and how to incorporate it in the classroom.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 21, Authority 18

Total Score: 87

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @medkh8

Ed Tech Strategies

Doug Levin blogs about the current legal and political scene, and how policy affects the availability of technology in the classroom. Most recently, he discussed possible FCC changes and how schools will be affected.

Score: Activity 15, Originality 20, Helpfulness 21, Authority 21

Total Score: 77

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @douglevin

EdSurge

This blog is updated daily with the current edtech news. Recent articles explored the role of teachers in the evaluation of technology and the role of edtech in educational research.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 24, Helpfulness 25, Authority 25

Total Score: 99

Twitter: @EdSurge

Email: [email protected]

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Med Kharbach shares free tutorials and reviews of apps and tools. Topics include how to convert PDFs to editable text and basic Google Classroom tips.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 18, Helpfulness 21, Authority 21.5

Total Score: 84.5

Twitter: @medkh9

Educational Technology Guy

David Andrade shows teachers a variety of options to access free tools and resources for effective technology use in the classroom. Recently he shared a framework to help education leaders pilot new technology.

Score: Activity 23, Originality 18, Helpfulness 16.8, Authority 17.5

Total Score: 75.3

Twitter: @daveandcori

EDUCAUSE Blogs

This blog has a focus on legal and administrative concerns. There is a hefty dose of privacy related information posted on a regular basis, which is great as it is one of the fastest changing areas of technology. There is also a considerable amount of policy issues addressed, making it a great site for admin and staff.

Score:  Active 22, Original 21, Helpfulness 15, Authority 23
Total: 81

Twitter: @EDUCAUSEreview

Edudemic

This blog contains topics both for teachers and students and is an awesome resource when it comes for anything related to technology and teaching. There are also certain other topics discussed on the blog from time to time. There are several “teacher guides” also available, such as The Teacher’s Guide to Twitter, the Teacher’s Guide to Flipped Classrooms, etc.

Score: Activity 23.5, Originality 24.5, Helpfulness 25, Authority 25

Total Score: 98

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Edudemic

Edutopia

In their own words: “You’ll find practical classroom strategies and tips from real educators, as well as lesson ideas, personal stories, and innovative approaches to improving your teaching practice.” And those words are accurate indeed – if you’re looking for interesting articles raging from helping students improve their mindset to high school book recommendations, this is an excellent blog to visit. What’s more, it’s well designed.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 25, Helpfulness 25, Authority 25

Total Score: 100

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @edutopia

edX Blog

The blog provides free courses and other professional development resources for technology leaders. Recent topics include the future of artificial intelligence and the use of social media in job searches.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 24, Helpfulness 24.5, Authority 25

Total Score: 98.5

Twitter: @edXOnline

E-learning Provocateur

Australian e-learning manager Ryan Tracy blogs about e-learning as a route to deeper thinking. He frequently ponders “cognitive reality” and the influence and potential of Virtual and Augmented Reality.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 20.5, Helpfulness 20, Authority 20.5

Total Score: 79%

Twitter: @ryantracey

e-Literate

For the latest in initiatives, news, edtech, and other concerns in higher education, this is a great blog to visit often. With daily posts, there is a wealth of information on this site. When you have some extra time, dig into the archives for some additional learning.

Score:  Active 22, Original 18, Help 19, Authority 17.5
Total: 76.5

Twitter: @mfeldstein67

Emerging Ed Tech

Daily posts include thoughts on how to use technology to improve reading. Articles focus on edtech as a vehicle to drive meaningful learning.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 18.5, Helpfulness 19, Authority 18.5

Total Score: 80

Twitter: @EmergingEdTech

EricStoller.com

This blog highlights many different conferences, technologies, and methods that are instrumental to being successful in the academic world. As it is managed by a consultant in the UK, you can also find some wisdom and words about how to successful work for others around the globe. There is a nice dovetail between the two areas, making it a blog that is great for educators and business professionals.

Score:  Active 18, Original 25, Helpfulness 18, Authority 23
Total: 84

Twitter: @EricStoller

Erin Klein

Whilst the blog isn’t terribly prolific, it’s terribly well known and there’s a live streaming every first Tuesday of the month. The focus of the blog is the power of student voice, how technology can positively influence teaching and how classroom design impacts teaching.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 24, Helpfulness 24, Authority 25

Total Score: 93

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @KleinErin

eSchool News

Their slogan reads “daily tech news and innovation” and that pretty much sums it up, though not all articles are related to tech and innovation, but simply education in general. Definitively a great news feed for interesting articles/blog posts about education and various tools to implement in the classroom.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 23, Authority 23

Total Score: 94

Twitter: @eschoolnews

Well, that’s it for letters D-E. Did we miss any?

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: The Letter C

In this multi-part series, we are profiling the best of the best education blogs, in alphabetical order. In the previous article, I introduced letters A-B and in this one, I will discuss the letter C.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Catlin Tucker

This blog offers a candid exploration of different solutions for blended learning. Recent offerings explore the pros and cons of co-teaching.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 22, Helpfulness 20.5, Authority 22

Total Score: 83.5

Twitter: @Catlin_Tucker

Campus Grotto

A great blog for students and educators, this site provides a lot of information on pretty much anything related to higher education. It is geared more towards those who are new to the arena, but it can give you some great insight no matter how long you have been in academia.

Score:  Active 19, Original 20, Help 20, Authority 15
Total: 70

Twitter: @CampusGrotto

Email form:  http://campusgrotto.com/contact-us

Campus Overload

This is the site to bookmark if you want to stay current on any news that is either related to higher education or that can have a serious effect on the field. Many of the issues posted are related to activism and concerns on campuses across the country.

Score:  Active 24, Original 15, Help 22, Authority 15
Total: 76

Email:  [email protected]

Campus Technology

For the latest in news about available and upcoming technology on campus, you should have this blog bookmarked. Multiple posts are added daily, making it something you can make part of your regular routine.

Score:  Active 21, Original 24, Helpfulness 23, Authority 25
Total: 93

Twitter: @Campus_Tech

Center for Digital Education

This blog offers regular updates to news about efforts to implement technology in public and private schools. Warnings about email scams and posts about mobile devices in schools will keep you up-to-date on issues affecting edtech.

Score: Activity 23, Originality18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 17.5

Total Score: 76.5

Twitter: @centerdigitaled

Christensen Institute

The Christensen Institute is a think tank on the topics of education, healthcare and economy. They post several interesting blogs about development in education and how it applies to teachers.

Score: Activity 21, Originality 21, Helpfulness 16, Authority 25

Total Score: 83

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ChristensenInst

Class Tech Tips

Edtech consultant Dr. Monica Burns provides a rundown of all the latest technology tips and tricks. Recently she demonstrated an app called Kinvolved for taking attendance, as well as the annotation of images using an iPad.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 20, Helpfulness 21.5, Authority 22.5

Total Score: 86

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ClassTechTips

Competency Works

This blog, as the name suggests, is about competency education and how to transform your teaching to take this into account. They post almost daily and the blogs, if nothing else, will make you contemplate how education is constantly being transformed and how you can participate in the transformation.

Score: Activity 17, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18

Total Score: 71

Twitter: @CompetencyWorks

Confessions of a Community College Dean

Followers of this blog get a look into the life and experiences of a dean. With facts, answers, tips, tricks, and the occasional touching tribute, this blog is great for anyone in academia. There are also details about how he balances work with family life so you will get a look into his wit and witticisms on a wide range of subjects. It is done somewhat anonymously, so if you want to contact the blogger, you will have to go through the comments section of the blog.

Score:  Active 25, Original 25, Helpfulness 15, Authority 23
Total: 88

Cool Cat Teacher

Vicki Davis interweaves her practical suggestions for student engagement with profound reflections on what it means to be a teacher. For a shot of affirmation, this is the blog to visit.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 23.9, Authority 25

Total Score: 96.9

Twitter: @coolcatteacher

CoSN Blog

The official blog of the Consortium for School Networking presents occasional “Trusted Learning Environment” articles, in which they focus on the technology implementation efforts of member school districts. This will inspire you to think of ways you can make your own school a “Trusted Learning Environment.”

Score: Activity 18, Originality 21.5, Helpfulness 20.5, Authority 21.5

Total Score: 81.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @CoSN

Coursera Blog

Though not specific to higher education, this site covers a lot of related areas (as well as a lot that specifically address higher education issues and ideas).

Score:  Active 23, Original 20, Helpfulness 23, Authority 20.8

Total: 86.8

Twitter: @Coursera

Curriculum Matters  

As the blog suggests the focus is on how curriculum changes are affecting classrooms. Two classroom teachers turn educational journalists, Liana Heitin and Jaclyn Zubrzycki, run this blog on Education Week and also include topics coving social media and STEM. It will certainly provide you with food for thought about what should and shouldn’t be included in your curriculum.

Score: Activity 19, Originality 17.5, Helpfulness 18, Authority 19

Total Score: 73.5

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Twitter: @LianaHeitin

Cult of Pedagogy

An excellent blog with up to date information about teaching and easy to implement tips for the classroom. The topics covered are very varied – from dealing with youth running away from home from a teacher’s perspective to edtech tools you need to try. The blog was developed due to the author, Jennifer Gonzales, thinking it takes too much time for the average teacher to stay up to date with everything happening in the educational field, so she wanted to pull together the information on one site.

Score: Activity 20, Originality 21, Helpfulness 23, Authority 21

Total Score: 85

Twitter: @cultofpedagogy

Cycles of Learning

Ramsay Musallam relates how he uses unique approaches to technology to make instruction more meaningful to students. Definitely a blog worth checking out.

Score: Activity 18, Originality 20, Helpfulness 20, Authority 20.5

Total Score: 78.5%

Twitter: @mneedleman

Well that does it for the letter C. Did we miss any?

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, K-12

The A-Z of Education Blogs: Letters A-B

Staying abreast of the constant changes in education is almost a full-time job on it’s on! That’s why subscribing to a few good education blogs is a convenient and time-saving way to remain knowledgeable about this constantly evolving landscape.

Click here to access all of the articles in this series.

Education blogs exist for almost every purpose you can imagine. There are blogs dedicated to edtech, higher education, early childhood education, the teaching of math, reading, science and virtually any other discipline that you can think of. There are blogs about coding and blogs about blogging, geared towards every grade level from kindergarten all the way up through the terminal and professional degree levels.

But how do you know which of these are worth your time? We decided to do this work for you. In this multi-part series, I will profile the best of the best blogs in education, in alphabetical order.

Although we did not rank the blogs, we did evaluate them using the following categories as a rubric:

Activity (25%). Information should be updated regularly to reflect the very latest trends.

Originality (25%). It should add value with content that’s different from all the other blogs out there.

Helpfulness (25%). A good education blog should teach you a new skill, direct you to a useful resource, or at least get you to think in a new way about something.

Authority (25%). The author/authors have the authority and credentials to blog about the topic.

Each category was assigned an equal weight in our evaluation. They were averaged together to determine the final score. This score is meant to provide you with information about the overall quality of each blog. Let’s begin by tackling letters A-B.

A Millennial Professor’s View of Higher Education

The blog focuses on many of the different aspects of higher education administration and staffing, from finding a job to creating and maintaining long-term relationships in the academic world. If you are an administrator, this is definitely a blog you should be checking out regularly.

Score:  Active 18.3, Original 22, Helpfulness 23, Authority 22

Total: 85.3

Twitter: @drjtedwards

A Principal’s Reflections

Eric Sheninger reflects on digital leadership and how it affects parental communication and student and faculty engagement. He connects trends in technology with changes in the larger culture.

Score: Activity 25, Originality 23, Helpfulness 23, Authority 25

Total Score: 96

Twitter: @E_sheninger

Academic Computing

A new blog posts about every other month, but it well worth the wait. The focus is on coding in higher education and new technology. It also touches on topics that matter to professors and students who would like to keep up with the way colleges are teaching computer basics and coding.

Score:  Active 10, Original 25, Help 20, Authority 25

Total: 80

Twitter: @neilccbrown

Academic Tech Tips

This blog takes a look at the newest tools and trends that professors and administrators can use in schools. It also provides some help on common tools and how to get the most out of them.

Score:  Active 23, Original 19, Help 20, Authority 17

Total: 79

Email: [email protected]

ACRLog

The blogs focus on things that matter to both librarians and academics. It takes a look at how best to reach students through the library setup, how to manage events and a host of other items that you may not think about when you talk about libraries. It is a niche subject, but it is incredibly helpful to those who need their libraries or who are interested in seeing how best to utilize them in a higher education setting.

Score:  Active 23, Original 25, Helpfulness 19, Authority 22

Total: 89.

Email: [email protected]

A.J. Juliani

A.J. Juliani is the Director of Technology & Innovation for Centennial School District and blogs about anything and everything related to innovation. Not unlike other blogs on this list a lot of the posts focus on project based learning, edtech, implementing design thinking in the K-12 classroom and designing the future of education. However, there are also plenty of other topics covered and the blog offers interesting thoughts to ponder and ideas to implement.

Score: Activity 21, Originality 21, Helpfulness 19, Authority 22.5

Total Score: 83.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @ajjuliani

Ask a Tech Teacher

Technology teacher Jacqui Murray provides lesson plans for technology integration and tips on practical matters such as backing up files and speeding up your computer. She also curates a variety of helpful resources.

Score: Activity 22, Originality 18, Helpfulness 17, Authority 17

Total Score: 74

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @AskATechTeacher

assorted stuff

 Educational Technology Specialist Tim Stahmer reflects on the need for change and reform in public schools and suggests relevant literature.

Score: Activity 16, Originality 19, Helpfulness 20, Authority 18.5

Total Score: 72.5

Twitter: @timstahmer

Blogging Through the Fourth Dimension

This blog, by Pernille Ripp, offers a lot of ideas as to how to tackle different things within the classroom and offers teachers a plethora of resources, from ideas for bookclubs, to lesson plans. Pernille is an educational influencer, and the’s creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, a global literacy initiative that has connected more than 500,000 students and Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI.

Score: Activity 24, Originality 21.5, Helpfulness 21, Authority 22

Total Score: 88.5

Twitter: @pernilleripp

Blog High Ed

Blog High Ed pulls blogs on higher education and puts them in a single space. The topics cover the gamut of what you need to know in higher education, from Google Analytics and teaching in the classroom to graduation to the latest news. Anyone attending, teaching, or attached to a college or university should bookmark the site and check back regularly for new information.

Score:  Active 25, Original 10, Help 20, Authority 18.5

Total: 73.5

Twitter: @mherzber

Email: [email protected]

Brilliant or Insane

Their tag line is “education on the edge” which is a good sum up as to what’s posted on this blog. The blog mainly offers tips and tricks to implement in the classroom (from classroom cleaning hacks to how to implement PBL), as well as a few articles surrounding research in the educational field. They also publish up to date teaching hacks books.

Score: Activity 22.5, Originality 24, Helpfulness 25, Authority 25

Total Score: 96.5

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @markbarnes19

Bryan Alexander

One of the best-known authorities for technology in higher education, this blog covers a wide range of tech-related topics that can be inspirational and informative. From finances to international higher education to the latest news in the US, it is always worth a look to see what he has to say on a weekly basis.

Score:  Active 22, Original 23, Helpfulness 21, Authority 25

Total: 91

Twitter: @BryanAlexander

Busy Teacher  

This site offers articles, lesson plans, creative writing prompts and worksheets centered around teaching English. The content is varied age wise – some is suitable for the little ones, some for high school students and beyond. There are also helpful articles about classroom management, which applies to any teacher. It’s definitively a blog worth visiting due to all the different resources available.

Score: Activity 17.5, Originality 18, Helpfulness 18, Authority 18

Total Score: 71.5

Email: [email protected]

Well, that does it for letters A-B. Did we miss any?

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Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Higher Education

Diversity In Higher Education Should be More than a Buzzword

Diversity is often spoken of as a goal of leadership in some of the country’s most prominent higher education institutions. But paying lip service to the concept doesn’t always translate into action. The problem is that, by failing to take action, a lack of diversity means college students are missing out on unique opportunities that may only present in environments that promote racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and even socio-economic diversity within their constructs.

However, as a term, “diversity” often brings anxiety. There is little agreement about which methods actually promote diversity in higher education, as well as for measuring the outcomes associated with a more diverse educational environment.

In some research, diversity within social groups can lead to decreased communication, discomfort, greater perceived interpersonal conflict, and other issues that lead to more challenging interactions. But, diversity is also recognized to bring something very important to the table: creativity.

More Experience, More Innovation

A diverse group, such as a student body, class, or work group, has a larger range of personal experience. This widens the cumulative perspective of the participants, giving them a larger frame of reference when solving problems. Additionally, there is an increased likelihood that the strengths of one member will balance the weaknesses of another.

As a whole, a diverse population often has access to more information than a similarly sized, but homogenous group. That allows a more diverse group to reach greater levels of innovation and problem-solving.

For example, if the goal was to design a new skyscraper, choosing a team of students who all major in architecture could lead to shortcomings. Even though knowledge of architecture will play a key role, involvement from other majors, like engineering, would lead to a better end result.

Often, it can be challenging for individuals to account properly for the needs or preferences of those not like them. It isn’t intentional so much as a lack of differing perspective. When asked to solve a problem, an individual only has their own experience and knowledge with which to work. Since that leaves them operating in an inherently limited fashion, their response will reflect only their personal narrative.

Diversity Implies Differences

In some cases, the simple implication of diversity being a factor can produce more favorable results. It isn’t uncommon for individuals to assume that an apparently more diverse group will have key differences in experience and perspective.

Often, these unconscious assumptions (or biases) are automatically considered negative as they are the results of judgments made on limited information. However, when a group that perceives itself as diverse works together, the assumption of differences can actually lead to great innovation when the group is motivated to work together. Since the participants assume it will be more challenging to reach a consensus, most unconsciously prepare to work harder than if they were faced with the same task with a more homogenous team. And, ultimately, increased effort often yields better results.

Diversity Supports Diversity

People automatically feel more comfortable when there is someone like them already in an organization, including educational institutions like colleges and universities. In fact, minority populations often cite diversity as an important factor when evaluating employers, and likely have a similar sentiment when selecting colleges or universities.

When schools are working to attract the most talented students from across the country, having a more diverse student body and faculty can be a benefit that attracts the best and brightest regardless of their background. And once diversity is established as part of the paradigm, it is often self-perpetuating.

 

 

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E.T.Wilson published in Early Childhood, Education Leadership, Elementary Education, Higher Education, K-12,

What Preschool Can Teach Us About Choice and Opportunity

There is a pantheon of sitcom cliches that, no matter how many times they’ve been done before, always turn up in new ones. Among the repeat offenders: outrageously stressful wedding planning, pregnancy and baby delivery hi-jinks, new parents shopping for the “perfect” preschool, arguments over dolls vs footballs, and how these early childhood influences will determine the baby’s entire future from school choice to occupation and social status.

The sad reality is that the last two of these absurd situations have a kernel of truth. Does getting into the right preschool really determine whether a given child will go to the best university? Probably not; but when everything from friend groups to hobbies can factor into college admissions — and attending college can determine future career opportunities and professional networks — it is easy to see how major decisions can blur into the web of minor decisions surrounding a child’s future.

Early Childhood Competition

Everything concerning kids in America has gotten more competitive, starting early in their lives. Competition for better-paying (and future-proof) careers leads to more intense competition for any professional advantage at school. Getting into the best schools (by any of a number of definitions of “best”) heaps more pressure on kids while they are still in high school. From participating in sports to getting into AP classes, high school today eschews recreation in favor of workaholism and manicured student resumes.

Altogether, life for modern kids looks less like a series of choices and opportunities, and more like a long line of dominoes, set up and and sent cascading over within weeks of their birth, if not before. How can parents possibly hope to line them up just right for success and happiness?

But the problem isn’t just the hyper-competitive atmosphere surrounding the university system, and all the inputs considered in admitting or rejecting students; it is the preoccupation with the importance of college education in the first place.

When it comes to preparing children for the challenges and opportunities of adulthood, part of the messaging we need to fix — and soon — is the idea of ”college above all others”. Tuition prices have exploded in part because demand has exploded. Even historically mid-range schools face a demand beyond their capacity. For-profit schools have had lucrative success in taking advantage of this gold-rush mentality toward degrees, even as their students fail to graduate and default on their student loans in droves. More than a third of all defaults can be attributed to students from for-profit schools, even though they are just 26 percent of borrowers.

Trading School for Something That Works

The most common jobs in America today are retailers, cashiers, and fast-food workers. None of these requires any advanced education. Even filtering opportunity in terms of careers which require some minimum of post-secondary schooling and licensure, there are nearly as many truck drivers as there are nurses. If that comparison seems inappropriate, consider that trucking can be as essential to providing healthcare as nursing: nurses can hardly hope to treat a patient if they lack the necessary supplies and equipment on which they rely.

Trucking actually exemplifies the disconnect we, as a nation, have between the pressure we put on our youth to get educated, and the limitations we construct around how they “contribute” to our collective wealth and well-being. Without truck drivers, there is no clean water, no medicine, no food, and no consumer goods for a vast majority of Americans. But the career path into trucking — as with most skilled trades — takes people somewhere outside the world of universities and degrees.

The same impact trucking has, collectively, can be attributed to electricians, plumbers, and other skilled trades on which the modern world relies, yet bestows no particular social capital. Without electricians, all the gizmos and apps of Apple and Google, two of the world’s wealthiest corporations, would be useless. Without plumbing, our entire healthcare industry would be less preoccupied with inventing the next miracle pill or pushing the boundaries of surgical medicine than it would be with mitigating disease spread by poor sanitation. We are not so insulated from these alternatives as the popular imagination would assume; just ask the folks in Flint, Michigan whether plumbing is a worthwhile vocation.

The Value of Education

None of this disputes the intrinsic value of education, or the importance of giving students opportunity by expanding their access to learning. Rather, it points out how we’ve undermined our own drive to provide kids with the best chance in life by undervaluing the careers, and educational pathways, they might well follow to find their own form of success.

Trade school isn’t just a viable option, it can be downright lucrative, as well as rewarding, secure, and meaningful. But, as with all other things, planting that idea means having the conversation earlier, and undoing the damage of generations of parents and professionals marginalizing the trades that keep America running. Universities aren’t a solution to any of America’s challenges. They are merely one of a spectrum of options people face in deciding where they want to make their mark on the world, contribute to the maintenance and advancement of society, and find both purpose and acceptance among their peers.

The more parents encourage their kids to see the alternatives to college as equally worthy, the more the national conversation will pivot away from how we can give kids a leg up on the competition. At a time when our nation’s youth could feasibly have more options to learn, create, and work than at any time in history, it is absurd that they should be under such extreme pressure to conform to the parameters of a few selective universities.

The old sitcom trope of shopping for a prestigious preschool needs to die — not just for the sake of television comedy, but to reflect a society that celebrates the diversity it already possesses.

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Matthew Lynch published in Digital & Mobile Technology, EdTech & Innovation, EdTech Policy & Reform, Higher Education

What Would Happen if Learning Materials Were Provided to All Students on or Before the First Day of Class?

Mike Hale, Ph.D.  VP Education North America

VitalSource

 

Why Doesn’t this Happen?

If all required learning materials, including textbooks, were provided to all students on or before the first day of class, the average price per student of learning materials would drop and students would be more successful.

Then why is it the vast majority of college students do not come to class with required content on the first day of class, and a significant number never get their core textbooks at all?

First, because required doesn’t actually mean required in higher education. Is this because colleges and faculty do not care about the success of students? Of course not. Ask any academic leader on a college campus if students would be better off if they had all required learning materials and the answer will be a resounding, YES. Faculty spend valuable time planning their courses and choosing resources; however, in the end, after all that work, most institutions and most professors are willing to leave it up to the student whether or not they actually acquire and engage with the content.

The actual content domain to be mastered in the course is, astoundingly, practically the only thing left to the whims of student choice. It is absolutely required that all dental students MUST have an articulator for class (an instrument for studying tooth and jaw). You cannot pass; you cannot even come to class, without one. But is it absolutely required that students possess the material detailing the various bones, muscles, nerves, and tendons involved? It is not.

Traditionally, little thought was given to the price of the resources or whether the students will purchase them. Why didn’t professors pay attention to price if they are so carefully choosing these resources?

One reason is that resources used to be reasonably priced and another is that professors don’t have to pay for the content. Economists call this the Principal Agent Problem, meaning that the decision-maker (agent/faculty) is not the one affected (principal/student). This doesn’t mean that faculty don’t care about the price of textbooks, it is simply that it has not been the predominant factor in their equation for determining course materials. Certainly some instructors care strongly about cost, but the means they use to address the problem—think third-generation scans of articles, not properly licensed, or two copies of a book in the library for a class of 400 students—reduce the quality of instruction and are in the long term not effective against cost.

What is preventing all colleges and universities from including the course materials in the cost of the course given that is guaranteed to cut student costs of learning materials and increase student success?

Ironically, one reason is that institutions are sensitive to the perception of adding any cost tied directly to the institution. The cost of tuition has more than doubled (measured in constant dollars) over the past 30 years and institutions are reluctant to be perceived as increasing student costs. However, students spend an average of $1300 per year on textbooks and supplies alone. That’s the equivalent of 39 percent of tuition and fees at a community college, and 14 percent of tuition and fees at a four-year public university on average. Including textbooks in tuition would save students at least $800 per year, a more than 60 percent reduction in cost.

Rather than consider the total cost of education, which includes required learning materials it is easier to give students a list of “required materials” and leave that decision-making to them on how, when or whether, they get them. While conveniently allowing institutions to wash their hands of the costs of course materials, this model has directly led to the massive increase in cost of learning materials: an 82 percent increase in the cost of textbooks over the last 10 years. This number is more than three times the rate of inflation.

How can this be? The economics are simple. Education publishers invest tremendous resources into the creation of textbooks working with experts in the field – often leading professors – to author, curate, organize and deliver content and assessments in a package designed to facilitate learning. They then sell this print book into the market to students through a variety of channels including student bookstores and online sellers. However, unlike the food these same students may have purchased, that book does not get consumed and most students sell this book back into market. Sure, some students do keep for future reference and I do have a section on my personal bookshelf dedicated to titles from my formal studies. However, a quick review of that shelf will find that most of these were actually used when I purchased them.

The other issue here is scale. A textbook, regardless of how widely adopted, has a limited market. A New York Times bestseller has to hit an average of 9,000 copies a week to make the list. That is about 500,000 books a year. For a book to reach Amazon’s top seller list, that number is about 3,000, which equates to approximately 150,000 copies a year. A college textbook would be lucky to sell one-tenth of that number, concentrating the development cost across fewer anticipated sales.

This textbook, for which the publisher received revenue one time, may then be resold another six times without the publisher receiving any revenue. Making matters worse, rental textbook programs have grown significantly over the past five years as well, reducing the sell through of “new” titles even further. As a result, publishers have to maximize the price of their initial sale to cover the lost sales. It also reduces the number of years between new editions, since a new edition represents another opportunity for publishers to make a sale again before that title enters the used and rental markets.

When publishers sell new textbooks at absurdly high prices, it is easy to make them out to be the greedy villain in this story. However, publishers are just responding to the economic realities of their business and they are ready to participate in a better solution.

That solution is absurdly simple. Breaking the cycle and lower the total cost of education by eliminating the print textbook. Do this and students will benefit both economically and educationally.

With a digital learning solution, there is no used or rental market, so the publisher gets paid for every student and can significantly lower the price of the content. You might say, digital textbooks are available today and students can simply choose them and that is true. However, the retail price of digital textbooks is simply not as competitive with rental and used. Again, this is due to the market…if institutions ensured every student had access to the content, the publishers would make the sale on every student, and they can significantly lower the cost of the content. Education publishers can then go back to what they were originally founded to do: compete to create the most effective learning solutions.

A quick note about Open Education Resources (OER), which have been touted as an answer to the high cost of course materials. Without question OER materials can significantly lower the cost to students. However, no materials should be adopted primarily because of cost. We want students to get the best materials available, be they OER or commercially produced. Students shouldn’t receive inferior materials just because they are cheap or free.

By far the most important reason to provide students with the required materials they need is to level the playing field for success in college. According to the last data from the National Center for Education Data, the six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students at four-year degree-granting institutions is 60 percent. Thirty-nine percent of those enrolled in two-year programs complete within three years. These statistics are worse for students who are the first in their family to go to college or have financial challenges. The high cost of course materials is particularly egregious for lower income and disadvantaged students. Fifty-two percent of those whose families earn less than $50,000 feel that avoiding or delaying purchasing the materials negatively impacted their grades, compared to just 39 percent of those whose families make more.

Beyond lowered costs and assuring the students get their materials, there are many other educational benefits to providing digital learning materials on or before the first day or class. Once all students and faculty are in a digital learning environment, the content can evolve from static pages to interactive learning solutions providing formative and summative feedback opportunities as well as insight into student learning behaviors. There are fantastic digital learning solutions available and in use today that I will discuss in a future blog post.

What would it take to implement a program that significantly lowers the cost of learning materials and ensures all students get them at the beginning of the course? Nothing more than institution to simply say yes to a course fee model. The federal government has responded to the rise of these programs and by publishing new rules that allow any institution to include learning materials in a course provided students are given the option to opt-out on a per course basis.

These programs have been implemented in pockets around the country and VitalSource is powering them at more than 400 institutions around the United States saving students more than $100,000,000 in the past 12 months. To break that down a little bit, students are saving an average of $60 per title and we delivered more than 1,700,000 titles through inclusive access programs at traditional 2/4-year programs. Our technology powered these savings through our VitalSource Access program, but also through programs run by some of our partners Barnes and Nobles Education, Pearson, Follett, and more than 20 other partners serving higher education institutions.

Beyond the cost savings, all of these students received the content on the first day, and their faculty and institutions now had brand new insights through our analytics product as to exactly what each student was doing with the content. Print can’t do that, and students choosing digital won’t either.

Everything is in place to improve learning and cut student costs. If just half of all universities implemented these programs across campus, no less than $1 billion dollars could be cut from student costs. What are we waiting for?

 

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Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation, Higher Education

How Technology Can Expand Creativity and Innovation in Education

 Creativity has always been a part of a successful classroom, however recent advances in technology are making it possible to increase the ability for students to use their creativity in academia. With the ability to take and store thousands of pictures and videos, and listen to music in the palms of our hands, our students have the ability to be more and more creative in their projects, assignments, as well as group and individual tasks. As universities are encouraging the expansion and use of technology in the classroom, many professors are also encouraging the development of their students’ creative minds.

  1. Getting Creative Through Photographs and Video Projects

One way many professors and teaching assistants are using technology to help students get creative is through the use of devices and media that students already have! Almost all, if not all of today’s students have access to a photo and or video recording device. Professors can use digital media in projects for their students, regardless of the subject. By asking students to step outside their comfort zone and produce their own piece of media, we are asking students to be creative, to think in a variety of ways, and to apply their learning through the use of technology. Nicole Flynn writes on Cielo24 that the concept BYOD (or bring your own device) to class will increase the concept that students can use technology to enhance their own learning. The BYOD idea will likely take hold immediately within the next one to two years, states Nicole Flynn.

  1. Innovation and Creative Design in STEM Subjects

 In STEM subjects, the use of technology and the need for creativity go hand-in-hand. Technology provides the opportunities for learners of STEM students to be more creative than ever before. Students have the opportunity to build virtual models of their devices, programs, robots, and other gadgets. According to Meghan Cortez, of EdTech Magazine, technology has enabled engineering students more opportunities than ever before to create and innovate. In the future, we can look for advances in robotic technology through “Generation Z,” the name of our current generation growing up with technology. The article “Technology Can Help Expand Creativity,” discusses how Generation Z students believe that learning to use technology in a creative way is essential to being career-ready.

  1. Video Game Design, Film Animation and Media Development

As professors are being given more freedom in the classroom to design lessons, learning materials, and assignments, professors are also able to encourage and support students in the dual use of technology and creativity, according to Norman Jackon. Technology is also advancing growth in the gaming industry, as technology related to game design and program development is developing at a rapid pace. Video game design students, computer programming students, and students are able to access today’s technology and information about programming to create and innovate new ideas, games, and solutions to every-day problems. In game and software development, technology thrives where creativity is present, and vice versa; creativity thrives where technology is present.

  1. The Makerspace Movement: Changing Our Creative Spaces

Another way that technology is changing our classrooms in universities and colleges is the recent trend called Makerspaces. Makerspaces are designated spaces in libraries, in labs, on college campuses, and in other learning centers for artisans, scientists, and learners to engage using given space, materials and supplies. Makerspaces, according to Nicole Flynn, will become a significant part of the learning process in academic spaces within the next three to five years. Makerspaces will provide space for students and teachers to collaborate and learn by engaging with building materials such as advanced 3D printers and laser cutters and even simple tools such as plywood, a hammer, and nails.

  1. Encouraging Ideas and Growth Through Social Media

Social media is also encouraging creativity among our current generation of students. Through social media programs such as Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram, students are combining technology with inspiration, to create a wealth of resources and information available globally. Students in higher education are able to innovate, engage in online discussions, and share creativity through social media platforms. Through these platforms students can share ideas with each other, collaborate, and keep even their professors on their toes!

Regardless of the types of media that professors introduce, and students suggest, use, and implement, technology is taking hold in our universities to expand opportunities for the use of creativity inside and outside the classroom. Often times students can contribute new ideas to discussions and development regarding creative design, STEM learning, robotics, film animation, game design, and other arts. As we advance into the 21st Century, we are all learners. We can all make use of both the left and right sides of our brain to advance the technology we already possess by using our creativity.

 

 

 

 

 

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