Empowering Teachers With Tech-Friendly Formative Assessment Tools

by Monica Burns, Edutopia

Formative assessment is an important part of effective instruction. Teachers can use observations, checklists, and quick quizzes to gather data that will inform their instruction. Formative assessment identifies areas where students are excelling and struggling so that teachers can best alter their instruction to meet the needs of all students. Technology can make formative assessment a seamless part of everyday activities. Online tools and mobile devices can help teachers stay organized when collecting data that will make analyzing information easier and more meaningful. Formative assessment can take place throughout a unit of study during daily lessons that incorporate technology. As you examine the systems that work for you in your classroom, technology tools can make this process easier and seamless when used effectively.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/tech-friendly-formative-assessment-tools-monica-burns

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14593

PC and Tablet Growth Predicted

by Whatech

Report delivers insight into the education PC and tablet market in the US to grow at an impressive CAGR of approximately 21% to 2020. The introduction of stringent government initiatives that focuses on the deployment of educational hardware in K-12 schools is expected to spur the adoption of PCs and tablets in the education sector during the forecast period. The K-12 educational segment accounted for more than 69% of the overall market share during the forecast period. The high popularity of blended learning in the K-12 segment is an important factor that impels the prospects for growth in this segment during the predicted period.

https://www.whatech.com/market-research/it/116032-report-delivers-insight-into-the-education-pc-and-tablet-market-in-the-us-to-grow-at-an-impressive-cagr-of-approximately-21-to-2020

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14590

Schools to offer full-time virtual learning

by Rhonda Siebecker, Baraboo News Republic

Some Baraboo students will have the option of attending classes online after the Baraboo School Board approved a full-time virtual learning program Monday. Part-time online courses have been offered for several years at Baraboo schools, but the district is prepared to take it a step further. “The state now provides new flexibility that allows us to go full-time,” District Administrator Lori Mueller said. She said the full-time online education component is a “tiny sliver” of the school’s personalized learning strategic plan. Participants will be chosen by a “problem solving team” that will include online coordinator Shelly Gillmore, other school district officials and the student’s parents. They will be required to apply for the full-time virtual learning program by filling out a questionnaire.

http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/local/article_b94aa23d-5ef0-5eb4-a9cf-3da0ac130b4b.html

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14587

Step-by-Step Lessons in Overcoming Obstacles

by eSchool News

As leader of one of the poorest school districts in the US, Dr. Darryl Adams is undaunted and tireless. His charge? Support 20,000 preK-12–100% qualify for free or reduced lunches and 60% are English language learners–spread over 1220 square miles in the Coachella Valley Unified School District. Faced with alarming graduation and college competition rates, low achievement, and rampant poverty in his district, Dr. Adams took a step-by-step approach to devising a truly 21st century learning environment.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/ercs/creating-21st-century-learning-environments/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14585

Best Practices for Integrating Chromebooks

by eSchool News

Chromebooks—the lightweight laptops that run software from the Internet instead of a local hard drive—have skyrocketed in popularity within the last few years. In the second half of 2014, Chromebooks surpassed iPads as the most popular devices sold to U.S. schools. Why have Chromebooks become so popular in education? What do you need to know before adopting chromebooks in your institution? Explore the information linked below to learn the greatest benefits and challenges to implementing Chromebooks in education—as well as best practices and keys to success.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/ercs/best-practices-for-chromebook-adoption/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14583

21 education technology recommendations for 2016

By Converge Staff

The new National Education Technology Plan offers a vision and roadmap for technology-supported learning.  A new federal National Education Technology Plan reveals 21 recommendations for policymakers, administrators, teachers and teacher preparation professionals. The 2016 Plan, Future Ready Learning: Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education, articulates a vision of equity, active use, and collaborative leadership to make everywhere, all-the-time learning possible, according to the plan’s website. While acknowledging the continuing need to provide greater equity of access to technology itself, the plan goes further to call upon all involved in American education to ensure equity of access to transformational learning experiences enabled by technology.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2015/12/15/education-technology-recommendations-749/

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14581

Report Examines School Internet Connectivity State by State

By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal

An organization that monitors Internet connectivity to schools has reported that while 20 million additional students have been given access to high-speed Internet, a comparably high number “still don’t have the speeds they need.” EducationSuperHighway’s 2015 “State of the States” report has found that more than three-quarters of school districts (77 percent) meet the widely accepted goal of 100 Kbps per student. That count was only 30 percent in 2013. The remaining 23 percent of districts leave 21 million students lacking the connectivity required for digital learning.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/12/15/report-examines-school-internet-connectivity-state-by-state.aspx

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from Educational Technology http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/et/?p=14579