At the first meeting of a districtwide committee on integrating 21st century teaching and learning in their schools, the author asked the committee members if they thought educators could provide a 21st century education if all of the computers and devices suddenly broke. They agreed that teachers do not need computers to provide 21st century…

A dramatic shift is sweeping through the schools. Third graders texting on their cell phones. Kindergarteners who can navigate an iPod Touch better than educators can. Middle schoolers who already have an Internet following on their blog or YouTube channel. These are not the same 21st century learners people came to know over the first decade of…

Schools have struggled for decades to provide expensive augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) resources for autistic students with communication challenges. Clunky voice output devices, often included in students' individualized education plans, cost about $8,000, a difficult expense to cover in hard times. However, mobile technology is…

Social networking is more than catching up with family and long-lost friends; it's turned into a professional resource for educators to exchange ideas and expand their professional learning network (PLN). According to the report "School Principals and Social Networking in Education: Practices, Policies, and Realities in 2010," most responding…

The task of hiring special education teachers may seem daunting because they serve in what is undeniably the most complex of teaching roles. This article provides guidance and suggestions for identifying key competencies that a viable special education teacher candidate should possess. Although many building leaders may still subscribe to gut…

Schools across the country are investing millions of dollars every year in technology, and statistics show that technology in schools has grown at an exponential rate (Dirksen and Tharp 2000; Heath et al. 2000). But are schools getting the most from their technology investment? In this article, the author cites research literature to support his…