Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

YouScience® Administers Over 1 Million Certification Exams In The 2022-2023 Academic Year

AMERICAN FORK, UTAH (PRWEB) — YouScience®, the leading technology provider dedicated to closing the growing skills gap between students and employers, is proud to announce that it has administered over 1 million certification exams to high school students across the U.S., during the 2022-23 academic year. With  industry-recognized certifications, students can demonstrate and quantify their skills to share with future employers. This significant milestone illustrates the company’s commitment to bridging the skill and labor gap in the United States and equipping the future workforce with essential industry skills.

The nation faces a  critical challenge in matching available jobs with skilled workers. As industries evolve and technology advances at a rapid pace, traditional education systems struggle to keep up with the changing demands of the labor market. Recognizing this pressing issue, YouScience has developed a  comprehensive solution to empower high school students and ensure they possess the necessary skills for success in the workforce.

With its innovative platform,  YouScience® Brightpath, the company offers students an opportunity to explore their aptitudes, interests, and strengths, providing them with valuable insights into potential career paths. The platform utilizes a unique combination of aptitude testing and career discovery tools, enabling students to identify and align their natural abilities with the skills required in various industries.…Read More

I didn’t learn how to teach reading in my teacher prep program

Key points:

  • As students continue to struggle with reading, it is critical that teachers receive structured literacy training in teacher preparation programs
  • Literacy serves as the foundation of learning, and families should be involved in this learning process
  • See related article: How to support reluctant readers with literacy strategies

After 14 years in education, I consider myself to be a good reading teacher. Unfortunately, the path to getting where I am today was a long, frustrating journey.

Growing up, as the child of two teachers, education was in my blood.…Read More

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4 pieces of advice for aspiring tutors

Key points:

  • You don’t have to be an expert to be a tutor–you just need a willingness to learn as an adult
  • Working with a reputable tutoring organization is essential
  • See related article: 6 keys to effective tutoring

What do directing planes to land successfully on the runway and directing students to read successfully in the classroom have in common? A lot, as I found out during my transition to tutor following three decades of managing the flow of aircraft around the country. 

When I joined the Air Force in 1988, I became an Air Traffic Controller. I didn’t know it then, but this job would lead me down a path that included an eight-year military career and 22 years at the Department of Defense. During my 30 years of service, I managed both the training, and standardization and evaluation departments before becoming the tower chief controller.…Read More

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Discovery Education and its Corporate Partners Offering Free Resources for Families to Keep Learning Alive All Summer 

Charlotte, NC ) — To keep students engaged in learning while on summer break, Discovery Education and select partners have created free dynamic digital resources for students and caregivers to use at home. Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. 

The following selection of family activities that connect families to engaging learning experiences anywhere learning is taking place:  

Build the Change: Take the power of play beyond the classroom with collaborative activities that inspire students and families to learn through play by solving creative challenges as a team while exploring their own local environments with these activities from Build the Change, a program by the LEGO Group’s sustainability team. …Read More

This key strategy can help boost teacher well-being immediately

Key points:

  • Teachers have juggled so much during the pandemic and the return to school–it’s no wonder they’re burnt out
  • High-quality substitutes are key to teachers’ ability to take breaks, and technology can aid in recruiting subs
  • See related article: Survey highlights troubling teacher morale issues

In the wake of the pandemic, student mental health is a top concern for K-12 leaders, as it should be. But teacher wellness is also at crisis levels, and this has important implications for the quality of education that students receive.

When education shifted online in spring 2020, teachers had to learn new technologies and instructional strategies in a very short amount of time. Many endured the loss of friends and family members to COVID-related illness. When school districts returned to in-person learning, several teachers worried about their own safety. Teachers have had to deal with a sharp rise in behavioral issues and address a growing number of social-emotional needs among their students. They’ve worked long hours to facilitate learning recovery.…Read More

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Outdoor learning helps our district’s students see sustainability in action

Key points:

  • Sustainability initiatives are increasingly important to school districts, students, and their communities
  • One school district is combining sustainability initiatives with STEM learning to empower students in their learning
  • See related article: How outdoor learning spaces lead to STEM engagement

Modesto City Schools is located in Northern California, and we receive more than 260 days of sunlight annually. While the sunshine typically provides ideal climate conditions, it can also be a double-edged sword. For several years, California residents have been affected by drought and have gained a thorough understanding of the need for water frugality and sustainable lifestyles.

Modesto City Schools has prioritized sustainability initiatives designed to address climate change, reduce our carbon footprint, combat air pollution, and educate the next generation of students about a sustainable lifestyle—and that includes renewable energy.…Read More

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District virtual schools need to innovate beyond flexibility and security

Key points:

  • It’s time to transform district virtual schools from pandemic stop-gaps into pioneering models of 21st-century learning
  • The sustainability of district virtual schools hinges on whether they can evolve beyond the current versions we see in most districts
  • See related article: 5 tips to keep online students motivated

Imagine a classroom where learning transcends physical boundaries, and where every student’s need is met with individualized attention. This isn’t a distant dream, but an emergent reality born in the wake of the global pandemic. 

Prior to the pandemic, approximately 375,000 students attended online schools—less than 1% of the total number of US K–12 students. But as the crisis unfolded in 2020, virtual schools became a preferred educational choice for a significant number of families. Our survey in August 2021 found that 43% of districts had introduced a full-time virtual school option during the pandemic. These were new schools that students and families could opt into, separate from the emergency remote instruction commonly provided during the pandemic though existing brick-and-mortar schools.…Read More

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GameMaker Introduces Free Space Rocks Tutorial for Schools and Educators

Dundee, Scotland — GameMaker, the fast and friendly cross-platform game development engine, has introduced Space Rocks – a comprehensive new game design tutorial and lesson program for teachers and educators. 

“Space Rocks makes it easier than ever for schools and educators to introduce game design lessons to help boost student engagement and support STEM learning,” said Frank Moody, education liaison lead at GameMaker, adding: “Not only are the CSTA standards-based lesson plans and materials absolutely free to use, but so is the latest version of GameMaker for Educators. Game on!”

Space Rocks has been developed in line with CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) standards, providing the perfect introduction to computational thinking concepts and game design principles. The tutorial provides all the written and video-based learning materials required to help students learn how to use GameMaker and create their own asteroid shooter game, in just three lessons. …Read More

Certiport Names 2023 Adobe Certified Professional US National Champions

Orlando, Florida – Certiport, a Pearson VUE business and the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate academic and career opportunities for learners, announced the winners of their 2023 Adobe Certified Professional US National Championship.

The Certiport Adobe Certified Professional US National Champions are as follows:

  1. Andrew Jarnac, North Carolina
  2. Kayla Crossen-Zawila, Oklahoma
  3. Lena Sedlmayer, Georgia

Across the US, more than 31,000 students ages 13 to 22 qualified for Certiport’s Adobe Certified Professional US National Championship by earning an Adobe Certified Professional certification in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign. Certified students entered original design creations and 40 were selected to compete at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – Disney Springs® area hotel from June 26-28, 2023.…Read More

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