Educational technology in schools is often perceived as a single entity, a collection of devices, software, and online platforms. However, beneath this surface simplicity lies a complex, multi-layered system. Effective integration of technology into teaching and learning requires IT leaders to recognize the characteristics of each. Decision-makers, including educators, IT professionals, and school leaders make Read More
Category: Tech for Educators
Interaction in Online Classrooms
There are many models of having students interact in online classrooms. Each has its own unique characteristics and purposes These models include: Discussion Boards: These are the most common tools for online interaction, primarily using text. Students create “posts” and respond to others’ posts, creating a “thread” of discussion. While discussion boards can be a Read More
Unlocking the Secrets: A Deep Dive into Cryptography
In an increasingly interconnected world, the need to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access has never been more critical. This is where cryptography comes into play. Far from being a niche concept, cryptography is a fundamental building block of modern security, underpinning everything from online banking to secure communication. This post will explore what cryptography Read More
Dimensions of Assessment
Three Dimensions of Learning: Imagine the data we would get is we designed school assessment system to focus on three areas: Habits of Effective Learners: Measured using traditional Course Grades, capturing content knowledge, task completion, compliance, and participation. Comparison to Other Populations: Measured using Standardized Tests like SBAC, SAT, and PSAT, providing a benchmark against Read More
Don’t be the Department of “No”
39: Don’t Be The Department of “No” | RSS.com It is conference season for educators. It comes three times per year: In the middle of fall, after the semester has gotten started, but before the end of the term crunch starts. Again, in the middle of the spring semester and finally (to a lesser degree) Read More
Is the AI Hype Over?
Those who have been around for a few years, know that most technology innovations go through a common pattern: I do believe we are ready to begin understanding and integrating generative AI. I come to this conclusion because of these observations: In Vermont, we have a saying: “Let’s see how this sugars off.” It typically Read More
Elevator Pitch on CIA Triad
Network security would be very easy if no one ever needed to use computers or data. From a security point of view, it is unfortunate that people use networked computers. The reality is that we need networked computers and that data stored on them to do our work as educators. IT designers consider confidentiality, integrity, Read More
Elevator Pitch: Leveraging #edtech
I used to recoil when the term “leverage” was applied to computers in educational settings; I had heard too many administrators and vendors describe how some tool could be “leveraged to improve student outcomes.” As we chatted while waiting for a meeting to begin, an English-teaching colleague pointed out that the word really does apply Read More
An Old Guy’s Story of Media
The need to train and retrain teachers has taken on increased importance as digital computers have arrived in schools. As an undergraduate student enrolled in a course on teaching methods, I made an appointment with the staff at a small media office and had them sign a sheet confirming that I successfully threaded a film Read More
It Isn’t Your Parents’ #edtech
For generations, a fundamental purpose of schools has been to give students experience using the dominant information technology and data sources. When the dominant data type was printed and scripted on paper, education took a very familiar format. Reading, writing, performing calculations on paper, and drawing on paper became the fundamental skills practiced as one Read More