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Teachers' Essential Guide to Teaching with Technology

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Teachers' Essential Guide to Teaching with Technology

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When and how much should students be using technology in class?

When and how much you use technology depends on the subject and age you teach, as well as other factors. Less time on devices is recommended for very young students ( per the American Academy of Pediatrics), and certain subjects require more use than others (e.g., computer science, coding, advanced math, etc.). You may wonder -- and parents might, as well -- about the effects of screen time in general. The Common Sense Media article " How Much Screen Time Is OK for My Kids? " can be a helpful starting point.

At the end of the day, the question is more about quality than quantity.

The classroom is a great place to model media balance. For example, technology can be helpful for students researching and collaborating on a topic, but tech use should be limited or restricted during in-class discussion. Knowing whether to use devices comes down to the purpose of the activity and what you're trying to accomplish. You can also promote media balance by making sure students are actively using the technology as opposed to passively consuming media. One way to do this is by encouraging students to learn how to use digital creation tools.

At the end of the day, the question is more about quality than quantity. Check out " Screen Time in School: Finding the Right Balance for Your Classroom" and " 3 Essential Questions for EdTech Use."

What is the best way to set up my classroom for device use?

When it comes to devices and classroom setup, the more flexibility, the better. Being able to modify how students are seated enables a greater variety of tech-based activities. And variety-over a class period, day, or week-increases student engagement. Flexible seating also allows activities to include student choice, creativity, and collaboration.

One way to build in flexibility is by having two to three distinct spaces for different kinds of activities. These spaces could include:

Pair or group tables: In this space, students work collaboratively, sharing devices. Having two or more students share a device can be a great way to keep students accountable and on task, to differentiate assignments based on skill, or to support developing students.

A quiet space: Set up an area with comfy cushions, pillows, or chairs where students can work independently on devices, journaling or reflecting on previous activities.

The "conference room": Use larger tables (or put together smaller tables) to use for big group activities that use devices, including discussions, culture building, games, and small-group instruction.

Ideally, it shouldn't take too much effort to convert the class back to a whole-group setup, so this likely requires movable chairs and tables that are not joined together or too heavy for students to move themselves. It's also helpful to have a movable projection cart and different options for where you project. This allows you the best setup to support multiple types of tech-based classroom activities.

There's a healthy amount of debate about flexible seating and how it is most -- or least -- useful in the classroom, so it's good to research a bit on your own to see what works best for you and your students. Here are some articles to get you started:

How can I make sure I am protecting student privacy when using technology?

Student privacy is complicated. It involves information about students, information from students, families, schools, third-party administrators, terms of service and privacy policies, hackers, and many other things to consider. A teacher is unlikely to be an expert. But luckily, you don't have to be. There are some basic things you can do to protect student privacy from the beginning. This online course is a great way to get started. Other simple steps include:

1. Follow your school or district's lead.

Make sure you are aware of and are using the safeguards that your district and/or school has already put in place. This may include:

A list of approved apps to use in the classroom. If there's an app outside of this list that you're interested in, reach out to your tech lead to get advice and approval. You can also look up whether it has a Common Sense privacy evaluation.

An internet filter that blocks student access to risky apps that might be collecting students' data or lack effective platform and content moderation.

An established policy or set of guidelines for using apps, including social media -- whether you're considering it as part of your class or just to communicate with students. Some schools and districts don't allow social media at all, while others have comprehensive approaches (check out the NYC Department of Education and Baltimore City Public Schools).

2. Get familiar with the law.

Two major federal laws -- FERPA and COPPA -- protect student privacy and lay out clear definitions for what information is protected, who can access or share it, and when. In many states, state and local laws also apply (for example, SOPIPA in California). Check out the links below to learn more.

3. Inform students and families.

Incorporate lessons for students that educate them on potential risks to their privacy, the dangers that those risks pose, and strategies they can use to take charge of protecting it. These lessons on privacy and security from the Common Sense Education K-12 curriculum can get you started. Also, let caregivers know exactly which apps and devices are being used in class, and use the take-home resources from the lessons to educate them.

Which policies and procedures will help me get the most out of teaching with technology?

Having defined policies and procedures for classroom technology can help students use class time most efficiently. Students benefit from clear expectations and established routines that they can practice and master. Our research shows that students want clear policies! In the case of devices, these routines should cover everything, beginning the moment students take the devices out. Depending on the age of your students, your policies and procedures are also an opportunity to enlist student voice and for students to have ownership over the way the class is run and its daily culture.

Because expectations for device use will likely differ depending on the type of activity, you may want to create a matrix of activities and expectations. Procedures should be posted and visually accessible to all students and, if possible, should utilize mnemonic devices to help them stick.

Here's a list of five essential procedures related to device use, along with some helpful tips and tricks:

1. Taking out and putting away devices.

Have clear steps for students to retrieve and return their device, whether it's via a cart, storage space, or even their own desk. If students have to get up, make sure it's staggered -- no more than three or four students getting or returning devices at one time. Alternatively, assign a few students the job of passing out and collecting devices. Number your devices and have students use the same one each day; this will streamline the time it takes to get started and help students learn to treat them responsibly.

2. Handling a device.

Define expectations for holding and using the device. Hold students accountable for being careful. Devices should be held with two hands and handled gently. This includes typing, clicking, and opening and closing. You can use our Device Advice lesson collection before issuing devices.

3. Using devices independently.

Establish do's and don'ts for when students are using a device on their own. The expectations here may depend on how your school or district filters and/or tracks student internet use, although students sometimes figure out ways to bypass those restrictions. Clear expectations for which kinds of websites and device use are school-appropriate are important, but they must also be supported by clearly defined activities that hold students accountable. Specific time constraints and concrete deliverables are two ways to keep students focused when using devices.

4. Sharing a device.

Model what the physical positioning of the device should be when multiple students use a single device. For groups of more than two, clarify that not everyone may be able to see the screen. Establish roles beforehand that identify who will be doing the typing and clicking (and who will be doing the other tasks). For prolonged activities, allow students to alternate roles. If someone other than the designated user wants to type or click, they must first get permission from the designated user.

5. Using a device in a discussion.

Access to devices can be helpful to students during a discussion, particularly if they've done their prework there. However, there is a risk that students will be distracted and struggle to listen actively. Explicit expectations can help. Consider having students close devices halfway or turn them over during a discussion and restrict looking at them unless someone is quickly checking their notes in order to make a comment.

Are there benefits to allowing student phones in the classroom? If so, what are they?

With phones in their pockets, many students feel compelled to check them nearly constantly. As of 2023, kids aged 11-17 are picking up their phones a median of 51 times each day, including during school hours (for a median of 43 minutes). Some of those pick-ups are in response to the hundreds of notifications they're receiving (a median of 237). Teachers are understandably concerned that the distraction is too great for students to handle during class and is detrimental to student learning. Given the challenges of allowing phones in the classroom, many schools completely ban them, and others require students to lock them up.

The concerns are legitimate. However, there are many reasons why a ban may not be the answer, and why a plan that includes a more balanced approach is worth considering. Here are some of the counterarguments to consider:

1. Managing phone use is an essential skill.

As of 2017, ninety-five percent of homes in the U.S. included at least one mobile device. A majority of both students and adults check their phones at least once an hour, and often for meaningful reasons: a message from a friend, an important email for school or work, or to keep on top of our fast-paced lives. But research shows that this kind of constant phone use can have negative effects on schoolwork, sleep, relationships, and emotional well-being. Students need opportunities to learn how to manage their device use. In classrooms, students can learn to practice thoughtful, purposeful phone use that enhances their lives and to avoid distracted, untimely use that leads to negative effects.

2. Phones can make school more convenient and more dynamic for students.

Students, particularly in secondary grades, are on the go as much, if not more, than their parents. By incorporating mobile-friendly apps and assignments into your classroom, and explicitly teaching students to use them, you're meeting student's needs in terms of accessibility, and you're giving them the power of real-time, instantaneous access to their work. At a moment's notice, they can add a quick bullet point to a Google Slides presentation, read and quickly respond to a classmate's ideas, or even just check for upcoming assignments.

3. Incorporating phones into the classroom promotes equity.

While you can't assume that every student has access to a smartphone, research shows that for students in lower-income homes, smartphone access is more likely than access to a computer with high-speed internet. As schools and teachers ask more of students outside of the classroom, being intentional about which kinds of devices will suffice for a student is essential for creating more equitable outcomes.

How can I keep kids on task when they're using devices?

Along with the power of exploration and creation, devices come with the increased risk of distraction. For example, allowing kids to collaborate using shared docs means they might also use the doc to socialize or worse-to make inappropriate or hurtful comments about others.

This potential trade-off, however, doesn't have to be a showstopper. Being proactive about potential distractions from the beginning can help students be responsible and realize the benefits of a tech-rich classroom. Some practical things to consider to help keep kids focused:

1. Make it meaningful.

Make sure that you're intentional about how you use technology in class. Choose apps and activities that require collaboration (both within the classroom and externally), creativity, and higher-order thinking and that generate meaningful products.

If students are allowed to be on devices for "free time" or if assignments on devices are unstructured and lack concrete deliverables, then students are less likely to be focused and engaged when they're using them. Consider having a preapproved list of educational apps or websites that early finishers can use, and an established system for capturing and tracking their progress to ensure that students take the assignments seriously and use additional screen time productively.

2. Address digital distraction in your policies and procedures.

Don't underestimate how straightforward and clear it needs to be for students. Be explicit about which behaviors-and which websites and apps-are allowed in class and which aren't. It's likely that your school or district has already decided to block certain apps or websites, but it's still a good idea to address them head-on. If students understand the rationale for blocking-or for your classroom policy-they are much more likely to internalize it and follow it.

3. Balance tech and non-tech use.

Use of devices shouldn't replace meaningful non-tech activities. Students still need time for face-to-face discussion, hands-on creativity and building, journaling, and many other "analog" classroom activities. Varying your activities in this way will engage students and help keep them more focused when they're using tech.

Check out our video for a summary of these tips.

How can digital citizenship lessons help me get the most out of teaching with technology?

Digital citizenship means using technology to learn, create, and participate, and to think critically about the digital world. By teaching students these skills, you're preparing them to take advantage of the opportunities that technology offers -- both in and out of the classroom -- and to navigate the risks and potential pitfalls that come along with it. The Common Sense Education K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum provides the foundation for a tech-rich classroom, where devices engage students academically and enhance their learning.

The curriculum lessons cover six important topics related to digital citizenship at each K-12 grade level. All of the topics are relevant for teaching with tech, but In particular, our lessons on media balance and well-being and news and media literacy teach critical 21st century skills to help students get the most out of their technology use. In these lessons, students learn to:

Inventory how they spend their time with media and technology and reflect on its impact on their lives, including their emotional well-being, relationships with others, schoolwork, and much more.

Think critically about how their devices and apps are designed, and whether or not they lead to lack of balance.

Think critically about images, videos, news, and other content they see online and evaluate their veracity and significance.

Be imaginative creators of digital media, who use digital tools expertly and respect the intellectual property of others.

We also have quick activities, digital dilemmas, and videos that address these skills.

How can I use technology to support learning outside of school?

In addition to the digital citizenship lessons, you can share some free digital learning tools! And here are other ways to use technology to promote learning outside of school:

1. Explore options for flipping your classroom.

You may not be ready to go whole hog on a flipped classroom (do your students have equitable access to technology outside of school?), but you can still engage students meaningfully with class material outside of class-beyond just completing a homework assignment. Using your school's LMS, class blog, or even a shared Google Doc, students can submit work, do research, collaborate with others, and give peer feedback. Teaching with technology means a real opportunity for authentic learning at home as well as at school.

2. Communicate with families consistently.

Make sure you establish an accessible channel where you communicate information and updates to families regularly, including your syllabus and your approach to using technology. Whether it's through your school's LMS or communication tool-or a digital platform of your choice -establishing a digital bridge to home sets the foundation for an extended classroom, where learning, discussions, ideas, and other class content reach beyond the set minutes that students are in school. It's also an opportunity to empower caregivers to be involved in kids' use of technology and reinforce the positive practices that are part of your classroom.

3. Send home digital citizenship resources and activities.

Give students activities they can share with their families that extend digital citizenship beyond the classroom. For example, have students inventory their entire family's use of devices and then discuss as a family the positive and negative implications of that use. For more specific family activities and tips to send home, check out our family resources.

4. Sign up for our newsletter.

Stay up-to-date on the best tools, practices, and trends affecting students by getting free resources and information delivered straight to your inbox every week!

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Teachers' Essential Guide to Teaching with Technology | Common Sense Education

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How do I get the most out of using tech in the classroom?

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AI Tools That Help Teachers Work More Efficiently

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AI Tools That Help Teachers Work More Efficiently

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These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.

Over the past five years, I've explored ways to integrate AI into my teaching practice-even before ChatGPT and other generative AI became some of the most talked-about topics in education. Every educator needs to learn about AI and how we can leverage this technology to benefit our students and enhance our own work. To best provide for our students, we need to understand how this technology will impact them and us. What better way than to explore new tools via AI in our teaching practice?

Why Educators Need to Understand AI Tools

Our roles as educators have continued to change over the years. With technology comes a bit of hesitancy, especially with something as powerful as AI. In our schools, we have to provide opportunities for students to learn about changing technology because of the impact it may have on their future. Not only can AI tools enhance creativity and productivity, but also they can provide educators with valuable insights into student learning and assist with some of the time-consuming tasks that educators have.

Even with all of the promises of AI, it is important that we take time to talk about artificial intelligence in our classrooms. Not only do we teach the content, but we serve as mentors, facilitators of learning and co-learners with our students, especially as we embrace these emerging powerful technologies. It's important that we help our students learn about the benefits of them and also show how to use these tools properly, responsibly, and ethically.

How AI Can Improve A Teacher's Job

Personalized learning: Educators can provide tailored learning experiences based on AI-driven analytics that provide valuable insights into student performance and learning trends. Using this data, AI can instantly adapt student learning materials. Teachers can then use this information to provide personalized learning experiences, adapting to each student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning pace.

Productivity and efficiency: Greater efficiency comes with AI as well. Educators are responsible for a variety of clerical tasks, such as communicating with students and their families, grading assessments, and providing feedback. Educators may find they spend more time on these clerical tasks rather than on teaching and working directly with students. The right AI tools can help to automate or streamline these tasks, which allows teachers to have additional time with their students.

Creating and supplementing content: Through AI-powered platforms, teachers can curate a range of educational resources. With generative AI in particular, teachers are able to create lessons, activities, assessments, prompts for discussion, and presentations simply by providing a short prompt with keywords.

7 education Tools that work

Here are seven AI-powered tools that will help teachers with personalized learning that enables them to become more efficient and save time that can then be spent with students. I have used each of these for my own personal writing and creating of presentations, and the amount of time they save by generating the slides alone helps me to focus more closely on the content. I also appreciate that the tools offer translation options and a variety of templates and other resources that are commonly used by educators.

The recently released Teaching with AI guide for teachers was created to help educators use ChatGPT in their classroom. The guide comes with several suggested prompts and includes explanations that clarify exactly how ChatGPT works and what its limitations are, and it provides reminders of the importance of verifying information and checking for bias. With ChatGPT 4, which is a paid version, there is greater accuracy and reliability of information than with the original version.

Creating and sharing these resources with our students leads to rich conversations about the benefits of AI and proper use of this technology for creating and learning. There are many more tools available for teachers to explore that can help with each of the key areas that I mentioned. Most important is selecting a tool to start with and reflecting on how it impacted your practice.

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7 AI Tools That Help Teachers Work More Efficiently

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These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.

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The Benefits of Inclusion and Diversity in the Classroom

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The Benefits of Inclusion and Diversity in the Classroom

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It's been a little more than 60 years since Brown vs. Board of Education, one of the most important Supreme Court cases in the history of the United States. The decision made it illegal to segregate public schools on the basis of race. That cornerstone decision of the civil rights movement has played a major role in breaking down racial barriers in the decades since. It has also enabled social scientists to study how diversity in the classroom leads to students' increased cultural understanding, stronger critical thinking skills and enhanced creativity, which all better prepare them for adulthood.

The National Education Association reports that 2014 was the first year in which the majority of students in American public schools represented racial and ethnic minorities. In addition, the Southern Education Foundation found that in 2013, a full 51 percent of public school children were from low-income families. While student demographics vary greatly across the country, there is no question that cultural respect and inclusion are values that matter greatly in the modern classroom. Those considering enrolling in a Doctorate in Education (EdD) program should seek out one that emphasizes the importance of inclusion and diversity in the classroom, and the benefits they can provide.

Exploring the Benefits of Classroom Diversity and Inclusion

Diverse schools feature differences in ethnicity, socioeconomic class, religion, reading level, athletic ability, background, gender, personality, and much more. Strong EdD programs teach educators to value the unique aspects of what makes each student different, and helps them embrace those differences in the classroom.

An in-depth research review of dozens of other studies on diversity-conducted by The Century Foundation, a New York-based think tank-found that having different and divergent perspectives can create positive learning outcomes. Those outcomes, explored below, can have benefits that reflect well beyond students' graduation and can impact their lives going forward.

Diversity Improves Cognitive Skills and Critical Thinking

The presence of diversity in the classroom allows students to consider perspectives and opinions beyond those they've already formed or were shaped in early life by family and friends. By presenting students with viewpoints far different from their own, it gives them the opportunity to think critically about their own beliefs and examine the world in fresh ways. As noted by an article in Scientific American, exposure to diversity alters the way individuals think by promoting creativity and innovation, as well as decision-making and problem-solving skills. As the article summarizes, "Diversity jolts us into cognitive action in ways that homogeneity simply does not."

Exposure to Diversity Helps Students Enter Adulthood

When students enter the professional world, they join a vast and diverse workforce. Interacting with people of all different backgrounds and mindsets can present a challenge without prior exposure to diversity, especially at a younger age. Companies are taking note of their employees' ability to handle diversity with grace and maturity; 96 percent of major employers, according to the Century Foundation, say it is vital that employees are able to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Diversity Prepares Students for Citizenship

As part of the Century Foundation's research study on diversity, the authors reviewed 27 different studies about the effects of diversity on people's willingness to interact with and improve their local community-a concept known as civic engagement. The study found that experiences with diversity in college do lead to increased civic engagement. This indicates the more involved citizens are with their government and political landscape, and the more educated they become about government processes, the more informed decisions they can make about how they are governed. As the U.S. Department of Education notes, students' experiences with diversity help mold them into more engaged citizens.

At its core, creativity is all about bringing together different ideas and transforming them to make something new, unique, and personal. The more ideas and experiences people are exposed to, the more creative they can be. Indeed, Scientific American cites a study conducted by several research professors who found that groups with racial diversity significantly outperformed groups without diversity in a problem-solving scenario. In professional and nonprofessional situations that call for creativity, it is a wise choice to bring together diverse perspectives.

Discover How to Encourage Inclusivity and Diversity as an Educator

As has been discussed, diversity in the classroom has numerous positive benefits for students, but how can educators ensure their pupils are getting the most out of interacting with their diverse peers? Well-trained educators, like those with an EdD, are equipped with the tools to encourage the exchange of ideas and interpersonal understanding. No matter what level of education, elementary school teachers through college professors can all utilize the following strategies to benefit their classrooms.

Learn about Students' Cultural Backgrounds

Classroom students aren't the only ones who can benefit from learning about what makes them diverse. According to the NDT Resource Center, an academic source committed to nondestructive evaluation, educators should also get to know their students and what makes them unique, thereby discovering the viewpoint from which they see the world and their personal learning style. For an educator, understanding cultural diversity in the classroom is a crucial part of being able to anticipate where certain lessons might lead, or any issues that might arise between students of different backgrounds. Educators can establish a tone of inclusion, emphasizing that all perspectives are valuable.

Create a Culturally Responsive Learning Environment

An educator who properly creates a culturally responsive environment will have fostered a classroom where students become respectful and understanding of cultures different from their own. Those students are typically more willing to listen respectfully to different viewpoints, rather than mock, scorn, or fear the unfamiliar. The best way for educators to achieve this, according to The Edvocate, is to teach students that people who do not look the same as them-or who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, follow different religious traditions, speak different languages, or have a different sexual orientation or gender identity-are still just the same as them on the inside.

Allow Students to Learn about Their Community

Learning about one's own culture is just as important as learning about others when it comes to developing cultural understanding among students. Educators with a strong teaching background such as an EdD can facilitate projects for their students that encourage them to get to know their own history. The NDT Resource Center suggests activities such as visiting community landmarks of importance to their culture, and interviewing important members of their community. Students can then be given the opportunity to share what they discover with their classmates.

Establish a Zero-Indifference Negative Behavior Policy

In recent years, schools have enacted zero-tolerance policies in an attempt to curb bullying, harassment, and intimidation. However, the tide is now shifting toward zero-indifference policies instead, according to GLSEN. Zero-indifference is an alternative that promotes safety in schools by consistently and firmly addressing disrespectful behavior. Unlike zero-tolerance, in which a first offense results in punishments as harsh as suspension or expulsion, zero-indifference allows the teacher to use culturally insensitive moments as opportunities for learning and understanding. The Tolerance.org project of the Southern Poverty Law Center recommends zero-indifference policies when it comes to addressing bullying and harassment, as does the Anti-Defamation League; the American Civil Liberties Union; the Respect for All Project; and the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network-according to research by Jacqueline Leung on the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs.

Learn How to Foster Cultural Diversity in the Classroom

Teachers who wish to be at the forefront of their profession should have a strong foundation in understanding diversity and how to create an environment of inclusion in the classroom. To accomplish this, educators would do well to explore an award-winning education program, such as American University's Online Doctorate of Education. The curriculum is designed to provide educators with the tools and understanding to adapt to any classroom, regardless of its diverse student makeup-and to ultimately foster a wider appreciation of our human differences.

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The Benefits of Inclusion and Diversity in the Classroom | American University

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Diversity in the classroom benefits students for life. Explore how American University's online EdD program teaches cultural diversity in the classroom.

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Cultivating the Classroom as a Safe Space

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Cultivating the Classroom as a Safe Space

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Middle and high school teachers can create an environment that supports inclusion and gives students space to make mistakes as they learn.

Think about it: the isolation of the pandemic, rising tensions at home, conflicts over mask mandates and debates and fights over whether they should be implemented, sickness and/or fear of sickness and death, racist incidents in the news, and increased bullying attacks on Muslims in the wake of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Students have returned to school in a charged environment, and many of them are struggling to process the events of the past year. As a teacher, you can help by ensuring that your classroom is a safe space designed to meet students' academic and emotional needs.

Safe spaces are environments where students feel the freedom to make mistakes without lasting judgment or ridicule and where they can engage in critical, honest, civil, and challenging discussions about sensitive topics. As an educator, you want your students to feel comfortable approaching difficult subjects in your classroom.

How You Can Cultivate a Safe Learning Environment

Crafting (or revising) your syllabus: Include a statement of diversity that indicates your intent to foster a diverse learning environment; this will help set the tone right away. You can choose a diverse reading list with authors of different ethnicities and plan to invite a wide range of professionals from different backgrounds into your classroom; this normalizes the idea that we can learn from people who don't look like us (or who do look like us in some instances).

Remember to incorporate projects in your syllabus that celebrate different identities and cultures, encouraging students to embrace differences. In any case, consider granting extensions. Many students are experiencing emotional exhaustion and would benefit from extra compassion and understanding from you to help them process their grief surrounding current events in the media.

Setting up your classroom and discussion procedures: When setting up your classroom, make sure that it reflects the diverse learning environment you championed in the syllabus: Choose images that show a wide range of ethnicities in different roles; showcase Asian astronauts, Black doctors, and Latino professionals, for example, and don't rely on stereotypical imagery when you hang posters on your walls. Include differently abled people in classroom presentations and, if you can, invite a leader with a disability in your community to visit your classroom.

Consider alternatives to classroom discussions, such as online discussion groups, where students don't feel singled out and have a measure of anonymity to express their opinions. You may not even need to moderate this discourse or can do so in a limited capacity.

Show respect: Pronounce your students' names correctly-it's one of the many strategies to help students feel at home at school. It may seem like a tiny step, but when you know how to pronounce your students' names, it makes them feel included. This models the importance of correct pronunciation and inclusion. Don't be afraid to ask your students more than once to pronounce their names for you. HowToPronounce is a great tool for educators to use when working to learn to pronounce students' names correctly.

Respect also means not relying on students to do the emotional labor of reacting to current events in class discussions. Your Black, Latino, and Asian students don't have to be representatives of their race. Your Muslim students don't have to be representatives of their religion. Don't put them on the spot. They are students who might be struggling to understand and process traumatic events. Asking them to react to events in the media can be retraumatizing and insensitive. Listen to them instead.

If a student tells you they are being bullied, listen to them and intervene by confronting the bully privately. Then, follow up with addressing the matter with the class by talking about bullying and discrimination. Work together to establish classroom rules for the entire class.

Teach micro-affirmations to validate your students: Micro-affirmations start with active listening. In order to establish yourself as a safe sounding board for your students, maintain eye contact with them and show them body language that indicates you are engaged with them, such as nodding. Summarize what the student is telling you. Ask questions to make sure that you understand, and then affirm their experience by using a validating statement such as "I appreciate that this might be frustrating for you." You can use these statements to guide them toward developing a productive stance on their experience.

Remember, however, that micro-affirmations can be used in any interaction, not just in instances when your students are struggling with an issue. They also work when students are sharing positive experiences; they help create a sense of trust and belonging.

Even if you don't agree with what the student is telling you, you can affirm their experience, validate their emotions, and offer to help them find productive solutions.Don't treat subjects like bullying and racism as if they are taboo. Instead, work to dismantle these behaviors in your classroom by directly and openly confronting them when they occur.This might mean confronting your own biases (and working to correct them) or raising the student's issue to school administration, if necessary. Help break the cycle by taking these subjects seriously and doing the work to protect your students. Follow through: Do not back down on these issues-you are carrying a responsibility for keeping students safe.

Creating a safe space for students doesn't have to be difficult. It can be something you build into each day's activities. Simply going in with the mindset that you are offering a diverse and enriching atmosphere is a good start.

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Cultivating the Classroom as a Safe Space

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Middle and high school teachers can create an environment that supports inclusion and gives students space to make mistakes as they learn.

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Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

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Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

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As educators across the globe strive to improve educational outcomes for all learners, Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, has received a renewed focus. Introduced in the 1980s by Dr. David Rose and Dr. Ann Meyer through the Center for Applied Special Technology ( CAST) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, UDL is a proactive framework to help educators make learning accessible for all students. The framework guides the design of instructional goals, materials, methods, and assessments to optimize teaching and learning and reduces barriers for all students, especially those from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities or support needs. To learn how UDL can benefit students (and educators), we spoke with Susan Bruckner, an EDC senior international technical advisor.
What elements comprise UDL, and what are they based on?
The core principles of UDL are rooted in neuroscience and the interaction between the three networks in our brain associated with learning: affect, recognition, and strategy. For meaningful learning to take place, students need to (1) be engaged in ways that are relevant to them (affect), (2) access and make sense of the information being transferred (recognition), and (3) act upon and demonstrate understanding of the content being taught (strategy). UDL also recognizes that variability is inherent in every learning environment, from pre-kindergarten through higher education and adult learning and across high-, middle-, and low-income countries. UDL's three core principles thus guide educators to design flexible learning experiences that reach the needs of the broadest range of students.

Principle 1: Provide multiple means of engagement or the "why" of learning, which is what motivates us and connects us to the learning.

Principle 2: Ensure multiple means of representation or the "what" of learning, which relates to the information we take in through our senses and how we make meaning from it.

Principle 3: Allow multiple means of action and expression or the "how" of learning, which relates to how we organize ideas, plan and carry out tasks, and demonstrate what we know and have learned.

What are some examples of Universal Design for Learning, and what are "flexible learning experiences"?
First, let's start with some examples of Universal Design, another foundation of UDL:

From architecture, a ramp for a building is a good example. While steps into a building may provide access for many users, they also create a barrier for individuals with mobility challenges. However, a ramp creates greater access not only for those who might use a wheelchair, but also for people managing strollers or navigating heavy or bulky loads. The ramp is a more accessible and inclusive pathway.

An example of product design is the adjustable car seat. Manufacturers can't possibly design individualized seats for every car sold, but they can design a seat that provides the flexibility to adjust higher/lower, forward/backward, or upright/reclining to meet the needs of a broad range of users.

And one of my favorite examples is a GPS system. It allows users to choose how they want to access directions-verbally, through text, and/or graphically through a map.4

In education settings, we find UDL at work when a teacher presents a new vocabulary word through different channels, such as introducing a word by its definition or through concept mapping (characteristics or synonyms of the word), by providing a visual representation, or by sharing real-world applications. Multiple representations aid application and retention.

Another classroom example is providing options for a writing assignment. If the goal of the lesson is understanding the elements of persuasive writing, an assignment that draws upon engagement might allow students to choose their own topics from a provided list of topics. For students who struggle with writing, options for action and expression may include giving students longer writing time, providing writing templates, or allowing them to dictate their story into a tape recorder. With these options, the elements of persuasive writing remain the focus of the assignment, but the physical aspects of writing are no longer barriers to learning.
If we walked into a classroom where the teacher is implementing UDL, what would we see?
That's a great question. While there are principles and guidelines that inform UDL practice, each classroom is unique. Therefore, implementation will differ according to the teacher's expertise and their experience with the framework and the students' unique backgrounds, strengths, and needs. We would, however, expect to see teachers working to create learning environments with these common features:

Students are motivated and meaningfully engaged in relevant, student-centered activities.

Students are purposeful and goal-directed in their learning.

Students are resourceful in seeking knowledge and persistent in working through challenging tasks.

Materials reflect positive and equitable representations of diverse populations.

Resources consider the diverse learning needs of students.

Students are engaged appropriately in whole class, small group, one-on-one, and independent learning.

Are there any common misconceptions about UDL?
As UDL becomes more widely implemented, some misconceptions are being dispelled, but here are some examples I've heard:

UDL is mainly for supporting students with disabilities or UDL will address the needs of all students: While UDL is a framework educators can use with all students to reduce barriers, including for those with disabilities, some students will require further assistance to meet their individual learning needs.

UDL works like a checklist: While the CAST guidelines support implementation, they are not checklists to be ticked off when developing a lesson-they are a tool for guiding design and implementation.

UDL can be mastered through one workshop or training: Understanding and applying UDL is an ongoing process. There are certainly small doable actions educators can do right away that incorporate the principles to enhance teaching and learning. However, comprehensive and dynamic implementation takes time, reflective practice, peer-to-peer collaboration, and continuous professional development.

What resources would you recommend for learning more about UDL?
There are a lot of great resources, but I suggest starting with these:

Susan Bruckner, senior international technical advisor, provides technical/management support to EDC basic education and youth/workforce development projects. She focuses on early grade reading, teacher professional development, community engagement, inclusion, and social and emotional learning.

Nora Nunn, international technical associate, is an instructional designer and writer who supports both EDC's international and U.S. divisions. Her work draws on over 14 years of experience in curriculum design, human rights advocacy, and international education.

¹ CAST. (2023). Until learning has no limits.® https://www.cast.org/

² Todd Rose: Myth of the average - Variability matters. Ross Institute Summer Academy.

³CAST. (2023). Until learning has no limits.® https://www.cast.org/

⁴TEDx Talks. (1914). The myth of average: Todd Rose at TEDxSonomaCounty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eBmyttcfU4; Ross School. (2013). Todd Rose: Myth of the average - variability matters. Ross Institute Summer Academy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVbFGjpfMUg

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Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners

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EDC's Susan Bruckner talks about Universal Design for Learning and its place in today's classrooms.

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Teacher’s Guides and Analysis Tool | Getting Started with Primary Sources | Teachers | Programs | Library of Congress

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Teacher’s Guides and Analysis Tool | Getting Started with Primary Sources | Teachers | Programs | Library of Congress

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Teacher’s Guides and Analysis Tool | Getting Started with Primary Sources | Teachers | Programs | Library of Congress

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jQuery(function($){ var $container = $(‘.search-results’); $container.isotope({ layoutMode: ‘fitRows’, itemSelector: ‘.item’ }); imagesLoaded( $(‘#results’), function( instance ) { var $container = $(‘.search-results’); $container.isotope({ layoutMode: ‘fitRows’, itemSelector: ‘.item’ }); }); }); Primary Source Analysis Tool for Students Students can use this simple tool to examine and analyze any kind of primary source and record their responses.

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Technology Combined with Good Teaching Leads to Success

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Technology Combined with Good Teaching Leads to Success

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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How Generative AI Tools Assist With Lesson Planning

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How Generative AI Tools Assist With Lesson Planning

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Using different tools at different stages of the lesson planning process can help teachers make effective use of their time.

Hero Images on Offset / Shutterstock

Since the release of ChatGPT, as educators we've faced lots of challenges, but this time is also full of possibilities. Since more educational artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and tools have been introduced, I've assessed a few AI tools with my colleagues and reflected on how they would impact our teaching, and I would like to share the experience of using MagicSchool and other AI tools in preparation for an elementary social studies class.

Lesson Plan Design With MagicSchool.ai

We described our desired learning outcomes and specific perspectives on the current cultural iceberg unit to the virtual artificial intelligence guide "Coach Raina" on MagicSchool.ai. A cultural iceberg is an academic concept that compares culture to an iceberg; only 10 percent of it is visible, while 90 percent is concealed under the surface. MagicSchool produced a lesson plan with objectives, learning activities, extension activities, and closure. It also integrated collaborative learning strategies such as turn and talk, think-pair-share, and gallery walks.

My colleagues and I utilize MagicSchool's suggested 80/20 approach of using artificial intelligence to help with designing a lesson. AI does the bulk of the initial work, which we review for bias and accuracy. Then we step in and take care of the rest, which amounts to about 20 percent of the task.

Content Creation With Canva and Padlet

The lesson objective was to encourage students to identify the deep concepts behind cultural icebergs such as values, beliefs, customs, perspectives, and roles after learning about representative buildings in different cultures. We wanted students to gain the knowledge via a series of inquiry-based activities about these buildings before making connections.

In this specific lesson, we were planning to use buildings as a talking point to guide students' understanding of the related cultural icebergs. Considering students' lack of background knowledge about this topic, we believed that providing content in multiple formats would be helpful. So, we chose the magic design feature in Canva to generate representative buildings in different cultures.

In doing so, we saved time in finding high-quality images to create slides. One of our learning activities is group research based on the reading given by the teacher. To make sure that elementary students have a focused research environment, we narrowed down the content into seven representative buildings. The create with AI feature in Padlet allows teachers to generate customized content under tight time constraints.

Also, teachers can use their professional judgment to proofread and edit the content when needed. In our lesson, students were instructed to read about one building they were interested in with their partners and write down the answers to the questions we provided. We use this to scaffold students' understanding with specific questions related to the building's shape, color, and materials. We also asked them about their thoughts and feelings based on the reading and images. Before our students begin group work, my co-teacher and I model finding keywords and decoding unfamiliar ones to make sure they don't get stuck before they begin.

Research With Monica AI

Preparing a lesson about an abstract topic always requires a large amount of reading and research. Generative AI such as Monica AI improves research performance with effective analysis. In our lesson, we used the Monica AI add-on in our web search. It provided an article summary, an information category, and related pages. This allowed us to focus and study the content deeply without being overwhelmed. It also helped us to ensure that the information being cited came from a reliable source.

Articulate Instructional Language With MagicSchool.AI

In the implementation phase of this lesson plan, we found it quite challenging for students to connect the building with the related cultural concepts. We went to Coach Raina from MagicSchool for more ideas. The AI coach suggested that we start from the outlook and function of the buildings first, then share the historical background knowledge of the buildings to guide students to find the concepts embedded within. With this framework, we used the Egyptian pyramids and the Malaysian stilt house to explicitly teach students how to find related concepts successfully. During the conversation with Coach Raina, we also found that the intricacy of using proper prompts could significantly affect the outcomes.

We started with general prompts such as "Can you design a lesson plan for fourth graders about different buildings?" Then, we realized that we needed to be more specific and used prompts similar to this: "How would you explain the connection between cultural concepts of belief with the Egyptian pyramids to a fourth grader?"

Reflection on Using Generative AI

We found that these educational generative AI platforms are helpful for supporting teacher efficiency in lesson planning, which includes customized content, instructional language, and learning activities. It saves us time in writing instruction and creating content, even though we need to use professional judgment to check for accuracy and bias. Conversely, we see these tools as a great co-pilot in teaching and learning.

It's wonderful to see these AI tools automating our routine tasks in such a short time; however, simply copying and pasting would not make learning meaningful for our students. And when we notice that the content and design ideas are very similar to our current practice, we see generative AI as an inspiration to develop and contextualize appropriately with our own creativity and expertise.

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How Generative AI Tools Assist With Lesson Planning

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Using different AI tools at different stages of the lesson planning process can help teachers make effective use of their time.

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Series which would introduce classroom-ready materials for teachers, librarians, and home educators working with grades 6–12.

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Series which would introduce classroom-ready materials for teachers, librarians, and home educators working with grades 6–12.

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Library of Congress and ALA announce new educational series

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ALA Editions, the book publishing arm of the American Library Association, is pleased to announce a new educational series, “Discover and Learn with the Library of Congress,” to be published in association with the Library of Congress. Combining facsimiles of primary sources from the Library’s unparalleled collections with background information and teaching strategies, titles in the series will present classroom-ready materials for teachers, librarians, and home educators working with grades 6–12. Organized thematically around topics frequently taught nationwide—and designed to support state curricula and teaching standards— these accessible resources will provide proven, student-centered, inquiry-based strategies for teaching with primary sources. Selections feature perspectives and voices that are often missing from typical textbook narratives and reflect best practices in information literacy by providing source citations, information about the sources’ origins, and guides to additional online resources. “Discover and Learn with the Library of Congress” reframes research as an engaging process that feeds curiosity, creativity, and change, while preparing students for the future by developing their critical thinking skills. The goal of the series is to help educators identify the most compelling and relevant items for their students from the Library’s extensive collections, help them integrate primary source materials into their instruction, and provide them the flexibility to customize the materials to meet the unique needs of their students.

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Using Multimedia Technology for Teaching Social and Life Skills

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Using Multimedia Technology for Teaching Social and Life Skills

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Take a good story, make it into an illustrated book, develop a curriculum, shoot videos of kids in action, add a website, create an app, ground it all in rigorous research and this may be the formula for the next wave of social and life-skills-related instruction.

The story is inspired by the situation faced by so many children who lead lives of considerable physical and psychological challenge and trauma but persist and become resilient finding greatness in their lives. In the book that anchors this program, Born for Greatness: Me, You, and the Dalai Lama, By Bouncy the People Trainer, readers are introduced at the end to Bonnie St. John, a woman who overcame abuse and physical handicap to learn to ski, attend college, win a Paralympics medal, and meet the Dalai Lama.

Bouncy the People Trainer, the titular author, is the star of the show. Bouncy is a small dog that had an abusive owner and grew up with only three legs. The story shows how Bouncy survived, was mentored, and realized that Bouncy's true greatness is as a "people trainer" -- someone who "trains people to be strong and smart and kind." Bouncy learned about and reflected on the story of the Dalai Lama, who also grew up under difficult circumstances and had to find his way to greatness, despite many doubts along the way.

Building Social-Emotional Skills

So the illustrated book introduces us to Bouncy, and then there is a hand-off to multimedia designed to assist parents, teachers, and children in building the social-emotional competencies of kids aged 4-9, approximately. There is an app designed especially for parents that can be downloaded at no cost (for the iPad only).

The app, "You Can Learn," allows children to choose a multicultural avatar, and has learning segments that include children learning the same lessons as Bouncy, "Kids Show," with engaging videos of young children showing how they use skills to handle situations while talking/thinking aloud about what they are doing. There's a set of "What If?" scenarios for real-life interactive problem solving, "You Star," where the child's avatar joins Bouncy in an animated adventure, and, respecting the multiple intelligences, segments that uses art, music, sing alongs, and games to build skills. Another terrific feature is "Ask Bouncy," where kids can pose questions about social skill issues and get answers.

Grounding in Theory and Research

The creators of Bouncy are steeped in social-emotional learning theory and research and provide this background to anyone who is interested. They have extensive experience in using computer-based training but see the iPad (and similar media) as providing ground-breaking opportunities for parents and educators to combine their goals in building children's SEL skills. They tuned in particularly to the research that shows the particular importance of helping children deal with obstacles to their problem solving.

Long before the term, "grit," came into prominence, the literature showed that helping students overcome obstacles was the key to generalizing social skills-type training into the real world.

Why? The strong emotions that result from setbacks can dampen one's belief in one's own problem solving abilities. This sets off a kind of vicious, self-fulfilling cycle that erodes confidence, which then limits opportunities, and makes failure even more likely. That's why Bouncy needed help from a master dog trainer to believe in a new set of possibilities. And that is why Bouncy wants to be that source of inspiration to kids. As Bouncy says, "Some people train dogs. I'm a dog who trains people."

Of course, Bouncy is more of a guide than a "trainer," and the developers of this multimedia system realize that parents and others using the app may benefit from guidance in doing so. Their support is abundant and accessible, reflecting a long history of understanding the strengths and challenges of computer-based instruction.

It's early in the life of Bouncy, but the combined use of print, video, and digital media, backed up by support and documentation, crafted in a way that leads to considerable personalization, and rooted in both research and sophisticated modeling of human problem solving that allows for sophisticated but developmentally appropriate examples and activities moves the work of building children's social-emotional skills to a new plane. And its accessibility to parents, albeit only via the iPad at this point, allows for greater parent-school collaboration than has previously been the case.

The goal of helping more children believe they are born to greatness, and to build the skills needed to live that belief, is a goal many in the SEL, character development, and related worlds share. It's exciting to see the presence of a new, accessible tool to help in that goal. Future evaluations of Bouncy -- which will likely continue to evolve -- will be important to guiding its ongoing use.

What are your thoughts and ideas on this post? Please share in the comments section below.

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Using Multimedia Technology for Teaching Social and Life Skills

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Take a good story, make it into an illustrated book, develop a curriculum, shoot videos of kids in action, add a website, create an app, ground it all in rigorous research and this may be the formula for the next wave of social and life-skills-related instruction.

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Diversity Concerns Linger at the Library of Congress

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Diversity Concerns Linger at the Library of Congress

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Diversity Concerns Linger at the Library of Congress - Roll Call

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The Library of Congress could soon have the first African American and first woman chief librarian in its 200-year history. But some employees worry that the expected arrival of Carla D. Hayden won’t be enough to end a decades-long struggle with discrimination and diversity in its workforce. “Yeah, she’d make history,” said Priscilla Ijeomah, […]