Teachers and social media: trekking on treacherous terrain

Social media has pros and cons when the classroom is involvedWhen news broke last month that Newark teacher Krista Hodges used Twitter to express her desire to stab some of her students and pour hot coffee on them, the questions arose quickly: Aren’t there rules about that? Why wasn’t she fired?The answer is that teachers who use social media are living in the Wild West:...

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16 educators new teachers should follow on Twitter

During Connected Educator Month, do just that—connect with teachers on TwitterIt’s no secret that new teachers need lots of support, and these days, teachers often find support online and through social media. In fact, following just a few inspirational educators on Twitter can help new teachers start their classroom careers off on the right foot. Data shows that many...

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Schools begin teaching kids to cope with life online

Students are learning how to manage social media, online behaviorLike many kids her age, Bloomingdale High senior Tranae Robinson has dozens of social media applications at her fingertips and routinely logs into at least seven of them on her smartphone–Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest included. She admits teens could be more mindful of Internet safety and how they present...

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5 Twitter hashtags you should be searching

Regularly searching education-related Twitter hashtags can help educators expand their professional growthSocial media remains a game-changer in education. Through platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, students are able to collaborate on projects or discussions about assignments. Educators connect with peers across their district, state, or, in many cases, across the...

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10 ways to use social media to pass bond issues

School leaders share social media strategies that successfully support district effortsAs the fight to get voter approval for bonds becomes more challenging, school district leaders and their supporters are tapping into Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media to win their campaigns. “Schools that don’t use social media are missing out on one of the most effective...

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District policy change could ban selfies

Students would need teacher permission to take selfies in schoolWhether by design or not, a proposed Wake County (N.C.) school policy change could ban students from taking pictures of themselves and others in school. One of the revisions to the school district’s technology policy would prohibit students “from taking pictures or videos with any device unless directed by...

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Social media access challenges parents, educators

Adults tackle question of how much social media is enough, but not too muchTwin Design / Shutterstock.comWith smartphones and tablet and laptop computers now as common as pencils and notebooks in many classrooms, schools and parents alike are having to figure out how to guide students’ use of technology. Access to the internet for students can mean access to a world of ...

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LinkedIn spends $1 billion on education company to improve skill training

LinkedIn to acquire lynda.com to better connect the global workforce, says company.LinkedIn is acquiring lynda.com, an online learning company that offers courses on business, technology, and creative skills with the aim of helping people achieve their professional goals–a move that could have big impacts on the way students and others find jobs and leverage skill sets....

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To curb cyberbullies, this district will monitor students’ social media

Student messages on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook are now being monitored by the Orange County (Fla.) school district as part of a new program to curb cyberbullying, crime on campus and suicide. Central Florida’s largest school district announced that it had acquired new software that would allow it to grab and then analyze social media messages posted...

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New law helps fight tech-based bullying

As cyberbullying increases, new laws and measures are helping combat tech-based bullyingThe face of a bully and the definition of bullying have changed over the years. Technology has come to replace the glaring student who pushes others down on the playground or the mean girl who uses word-of-mouth to spread her gossip. Smartphones and social media have opened an entirely...

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Survey reveals why teachers aren’t embracing social media

Survey reveals that the majority of classroom educators shy away from social media integrationA new survey finds that just 13 percent of participating educators have used social media as part of their classroom learning. The University of Phoenix College of Education survey of 1,002 U.S. K-12 teachers found that 87 percent of those surveyed said they have not embraced social...

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In Wisconsin, poorly performing virtual charters won’t affect their districts

Provision would exclude virtual schools’ scores in certain casesA little-known provision slipped into the Wisconsin budget signed by Gov. Scott Walker would keep low-performing virtual charter schools from dragging down the report cards of districts that host them. The new law excludes the achievement scores of virtual charter schools from districts’ annual state report...

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Can online tutors make anytime, anywhere learning a reality?

Supporting off hours learning is a problem you might not even know you have Recently, I began dubbing the current generation of students the “Netflix Generation.” They learn when they want, and expect learning resources to be available when and where they need them. This is similar to the way they consume media through streaming services such as Netflix (for movies and...

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Rural district turns to online speech therapy

Economically disadvantaged district, facing recruiting difficulties, found online therapy resourcesAlthough districts are required to provide students in need with special education and related services such as speech therapy, many face obstacles in doing so. One such school district, Lone Pine Unified (LPUSD), an economically disadvantaged district near the California-Nevada...

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Some high school students access college courses for free

Students attending an online private school are eligible for college creditThe for-profit DeVry University has partnered with Connections Education to offer college courses at no cost to high school students attending International Connections Academy (iNaCA), an accredited, online private school serving students in grades K-12 worldwide. Through DeVry University’s Passport2College...

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How online learning is changing credit recovery

As learning becomes more accessible, credit recovery programs are evolvingOnline learning is playing an increasingly important part in credit recovery for students with a variety of academic needs, according to a new report from the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). Credit recovery solutions often lower the bar for student performance as a result...

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Full-time online school launches in Georgia using FuelEd (Aventa)

FuelEd, Vidalia City Board of Education open full-time online school for Georgia studentsThe Vidalia City Board of Education (Ga.) has partnered with personalized learning provider Fuel Education (formerly Aventa Learning) to launch a new full-time online learning program for K-12. The public, full-time online school, Vidalia Academy, offers students across the state of...

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Research examines blended learning, student achievement

New white paper explores effective instructional models and course customization benefitsA new research report from Arizona State University (ASU) focuses on various evidence-based instructional models and strategies integrated within courses from an online curriculum provider in order to determine if they lead to increased student achievement and engagement. Research...

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10 districts that have seen big blended learning success

Edgenuity highlights schools, districts implementing blended learningAs schools and districts try to better meet the needs of students with different learning styles, blended learning programs are becoming increasingly popular. Because blended learning combines face-to-face instruction with personalized online learning, students have some degree of control over their...

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10 things all great online educators do

Best practices for any educator organizing online coursesIt’s no secret that virtual education has become more and more widespread, with new online schools popping up regularly and brick-and-mortar institutions adding a blended component. With that in mind, certain strategies, tips, and guidelines have been proven to help instructors begin what can seem like an overwhelming...

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Do online charter schools measure up?

A three-part research study indicates that online charter school performance may be underwhelmingNew research offers evidence that online charter schools post weaker academic performance and struggle more to maintain student engagement than their conventional brick-and-mortar peers. The National Study of Online Charter Schools, released Oct. 27, analyzed online charter...

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