There’s a reason why teachers don’t use the software provided by their districts
November 30, 2018 |Earlier this month, education news outlets buzzed with a frustrating, yet unsurprising, headline: Most educational software licenses go unused in K-12 districts. The source of the headline is a recent report by Ryan Baker, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Learning Analytics. Baker analyzed data from BrightBytes, a K-12 data management company, on students’ technology usage across 48 […]
Reimagining Math Instruction with Blended Learning
November 28, 2018 |“We need better tools that provide more reliable and detailed data about our students’ performance in math so that we can personalize instruction for each learner!” This was the resounding feedback we received from our grade K-5 teachers during our math instructional materials adoption process in 2015-16, which was spurred by our district’s implementation of […]
We’re showing our thanks to the blended-learning community
November 12, 2018 |This week, we’re expressing thanks to education leaders for being part of the Blended Learning Universe (BLU). Whether you’ve already joined the BLU Directory or not, we welcome you to enter our giveaway all week long for the chance to win some great prizes. Enter here. Every day from Monday, November 13th through Friday, November […]
Leave little to chance with a discovery-driven approach to blended learning
October 30, 2018 |Almost every educator I’ve asked about leading a blended-learning initiative has expressed that building a blended program is a process, not an event. That’s a big reason why the Blended Learning Universe (BLU) includes as a resource a 9-step design guide to support educators at every step in their blended journey. The design guide is […]
3 ways district cross-collaboration can support teachers
October 5, 2018 |Generally in education, we’ve found that initiatives and solutions can be siloed within one specific district. In a place the size of Rhode Island, it may surprise you that there are 66 individual local education agencies (LEAs), including traditional public districts and charter networks. It’s not uncommon for neighbors to confront the same challenges, with […]
Three common misconceptions that thwart school improvement
October 3, 2018 |Misconceptions are dangerous things. They shackle our visions of what’s possible and doom us to consequences we do not expect. For example, a student who believes her genes predetermine her academic abilities may avoid crucial learning experiences that are initially challenging. A student who believes his postgraduation success will flow from his intellectual prowess may […]