How Can Technology Help Reach Stakeholders?
Angela Derr2022-02-22T17:17:23+00:00How often has a staff member or parent emailed to ask where an important video is housed? Was it on the Twitter post from 2 months ago? Or is it on the Facebook page? Perhaps it was emailed or placed on the district website? Having a reliable way for families, community members, staff, and students to access important district media is one of the most essential pieces of a well-run school district. Without an organized approach to sharing media, large problems occur for all stakeholders. However, many districts find themselves using methods of media sharing that don’t quite check all the [...]
Video Management: It’s Easier Than You Think
Angela Derr2022-02-07T22:08:09+00:00Did you know that February is National Library Lover’s Month? There are thousands of libraries across the United States, and each one has qualities that make them unique. In addition to the physical buildings that house various materials for reference and personal use, there are also digital libraries being used to house and organize electronic media. With the move by many school districts to remote and blended learning environments, video libraries have become an essential tool to provide meaningful and authentic instruction. So, what is a Video Library? Just like a brick and mortar library, it is a specific location to [...]
Creating Student Choice to Improve Engagement
Angela Derr2022-01-26T17:54:43+00:00Educators across the country are looking for innovative ways to increase student engagement and gauge mastery of content in the classroom. Assessments should be more than the traditional quizzes, tests, and essays that have been used for generations. Students should be challenged to tackle real world problems that they may face outside the classroom. Providing authentic assessments and lessons increases understanding of content, improves critical thinking skills, and increases student engagement. However, educators shouldn’t feel like they have to accomplish authentic lesson planning and assessment on their own! There are plenty of great creative technological tools out there to bring [...]
How Educational Technology Improves Instruction
Angela Derr2022-01-13T23:14:31+00:00As more and more school districts across the country move to 1:1 environments, the topic of whether technology enhances or hinders education has become a common conversation. Many believe that technology is a hindrance in the classroom. Students play games on their phones in class; there are constant dings and vibrations as students receive messages; and students are fixated on how they are perceived on social media. Why shouldn’t educators lock up their students' phones? Schools have become more reliant on technology and remote learning due to the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020. Students are immersed in technology now more than [...]
No, It’s Not Too Late to Try a Flipped Classroom This Year
Angela Derr2021-12-13T18:38:56+00:00This school year has been a strange and challenging one for many school districts so far, as educators, administrators, and students alike are discovering that many of the traditional models for learning and teaching are becoming less and less effective. Those who wish to meet the new and emerging needs of today’s students must find ways to adapt. One such technique that seems to fade in and out of the education lexicon is a flipped classroom. In this model, students learn new material at home by watching recorded lectures and participating in online discussions at home rather than listening to a [...]
Warning! Is Your School District Unknowingly Breaking ADA Requirements?
Angela Derr2021-12-13T18:32:27+00:00As a whole, educators tend to be good, law-abiding citizens who would never intentionally break any rules or regulations. However, many school districts across the country are currently breaking ADA and other compliance requirements in regards to closed captioning without even realizing it! There are several laws pertaining to the accessibility of electronic media and their use in schools, each of which have their own unique framework and guidelines and are subject to change. It’s no wonder school administrators can lose track of the requirements set forth for them by the law when there is so much to keep up with. [...]