The costliest tornado in U.S. history descended without warning on the small community of Joplin, Missouri, USA, on May 22, 2011. People across the country watched the devastation on TV and YouTube. But the thousands of students and staff of Joplin School District lived through it. Recognizing the need to restore normalcy throughout the community,…

Technology is revolutionizing the way the world works, and there seems to be no end in sight. Information is everywhere and easy to find, so today's students will need to know what to do with it to be prepared for the overly stimulating, technology-driven, problem-riddled world they will soon face. That's why critical- and creative-thinking skills…

Educators often say that technology is more than a gimmick or add-on, and that it should engage, enhance, or extend learning in ways that traditional tools do not. Yet they seldom stop to define these terms, and they can be confusing, especially for teachers and preservice teachers. Recently, while collaborating on an English language arts and…

What will technology-based teacher professional development look like in the next few years? In this article, teacher training curriculum designer Mary Burns presents her 5 top picks from the professional learning technologies now emerging around the world: (1) IPTV; (2) Immersive Environments; (3) Video; (4) Social Media; and (5) Mobile…

A transformation is going on at Dunbar High School. Administrators, parents, teachers, students, and community partners are excited about the new opportunities offered to students enrolled in the award-winning technology programs. But this was not the case more than a decade ago. In the fall of 2000, Dunbar High School in Fort Myers, Florida, USA,…

Most would agree that iOS technology is downright cool. But it is more than cool for a person with a visual impairment--it is accessibility built right in. At first glance, an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPad, does not appear to be an appropriate tool for the blind. It has only a few physical buttons, and it seems to make sense only for…

Kids love augmented reality (AR) simulations because they are like real-life video games. AR simulations allow students to learn content while collaborating face to face and interacting with a multimedia-enhanced version of the world around them. Although the technology may seem advanced, AR software makes it easy to develop content-based…

In the impassioned debate about school reform, there is one point that all sides agree on: Classroom teachers have a huge impact on student success. Great teachers don't just teach. They inspire, they captivate, and they motivate their students to create, investigate, solve, and continue learning long after their school years are over. This…

Chicago Public Schools librarians have discovered that iPads engage students in developing their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while expressing their creativity. Their librarians embarked on a year-long experiment with the mobile devices that inspired them to completely reinvent the way they teach. This article presents tips…

It is known that every learner is unique and that one-size-fits-all instruction does not work for most. How can a classroom environment be created that gives each learner voice and choice? The co-founders of Personalize Learning, LLC, offer a detailed six-step approach. This article provides the background on what is and what is not Personalized…

Students 8 and younger have access to screens everywhere--on smartphones, tablets, handheld games, and laptops, to name just a few places. How do you know if students are using these tools effectively? Are the students participating in digital environments in ways that encourage critical thinking, active engagement, and contribution, or are they…

Educators recognize that they need to create new learning and teaching environments where the curriculum and instructional tools reflect today's world. Schools are full of students who want to engage, socialize, communicate, create, and collaborate in meaningful ways that reflect the world in which they live. How can education re-create itself to…

One of the larger shifts in education is evaluating teacher knowledge acquisition to determine if it is effectively changing the way teachers learn, teach, and bring about student improvement. In the effort to do this, teachers often spend much time on administrative duties, such as documenting what classes or workshops they have taken, and this…

MOOCs--massive open online courses--are all the rage these days, with hundreds of thousands of participants signing up and investors plunking down millions to get a piece of the pie. Why is there so much excitement about this new disruptive form of online learning, and how does this model apply to professional learning for teachers? Traditional…

International Society for Technology in Education's award winners exemplify what it means to be innovative, engaging, and connected. It is not difficult to find excellent educators among ISTE's membership. After all, people who join ISTE tend to be some of the most innovative teachers in the world. What is difficult is selecting the best from the…