Blog

|

MathAlive!

Math is all around us. It is in everything we do, from sports and exercise to video games and design concepts. MathAlive! is an exhibit designed with that principal in mind. It aims to show students just how fundamental math is and how fun it can be. MathAlive! brings mathematics education to kids in interactive, imaginative and enjoyable ways. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (known as STEM) all come together in MathAlive! exhibits: 40 unique interactive experiences for children of all ages. Visitors will be able to ride snowboards, program robotic arms, design and play with their own video came characters, toy with camera lenses and design a skateboard! All of these activitie…
|

STEM Initiatives in New York

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education, also known as STEM education, affects all aspects of society, but during the last two decades, there has been an overall decline STEM interest among American students. STEM is an important part of an advanced economy, and it is essential that today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders in STEM. Each state has responded to this STEM crisis in their own way. New York has enacted several initiatives to improve the quality of STEM education in the state and to further engage students in an attempt to inspire the coming generations of STEM professionals.
|

Automated Essay Grading?

The next advancement in the grading of standardized tests is already underway with a new initiative to automate the assessment of essays. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, an organization that offers grants for efforts in education, environmentalism and global development, is planning to award $100,000 to the designers of a software that will accurately and automatically grade student essays for state tests. This competition will be an effort to streamline the scoring of standardized tests by reducing the costs and minimizing the time it takes to score student essays. The ex…
|

How are States Handling Teachers on Facebook?

In today’s social media-driven culture, there is ongoing debate as to what is considered appropriate online behavior, particularly on Facebook. While it’s true that everyone has a right to privacy and self expression, there is no denying the that there is no privacy on Facebook. Limitations can be placed on who can see your profile, but there are no restrictions on your friends sharing what you post with their network. This in a way makes Facebook a public forum, and users should have the understanding that everything posted can easily be shared with someone it may not have been meant for. Appropriate Facebook conduct is necessary for all users -- from job seekers whose information may be viewed by pote…
|

What is #edchat?

As one of the founders of #edchat, I get a lot of questions about the what, where, when and why, so here is everything you need to know about #edchat: The History #edchat started out of a series of conversations between myself, Tom Whitby and Shelly Terrell. Tom is a bit of an instigator and likes to push people’s thinking about various topics in education. One day, he was asking several of these thought-provoking questions and was getting comments from all angles. He turned to Shelly and I for help. Afterwards, he suggested we need…
|

Jeff Delp On Becoming a Teacher and Improving the Use of Technology in Education

Jeff Delp is the principal of Willis Junior High School in Chandler, Arizona. He has worked in the Chandler Unified School District for 12 years, also teaching math and science. Jeff is a strong supporter of incorporating technology and social media into education to expand and enhance the learning experience. He believes technology is important to a well-rounded education and that it can individualize instruction, allowing students to learn in the way that is best for them. Jeff is active on Twitter and publishes a blog, Molehills out of Mountains, which was nominated for a…
|

STEM Initiatives in Georgia

Despite its impact on various aspects of society, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education have seen an overall decline in the United States during the last two decades. STEM is a pivotal part of the American economy, but student interest and performance in these key subjects is falling. In an effort to ensure that today’s children become tomorrow’s STEM leaders, each state has devised its own initiatives to promote STEM education. To this end, the state of Georgia has enacted several programs that aim to improve STEM instruction, increase student engagement and inspire the next g…