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.

The journey to digital sustainability: A CIO’s perspective

Key points:

I recently had the privilege of co-presenting a session on digital sustainability with UDT at FETC this past January. Meeting with other education technology and instructional leaders affirmed how multi-faceted and critical digital sustainability is for school districts right now.

My unique path to serving as Chief Information Officer for Orange County Public Schools has enabled me to experience our district’s digital transformation from multiple perspectives. I began at OCPS as a first-grade teacher before joining the district’s teaching and learning team, where I helped plan our five-year 1:1 device rollout for 280k students. In August 2023, I transitioned from teaching and learning to IT.…Read More

Classroom tech: The new and the tried-and-true of 2024

Key points:

It’s 2024! Chalkboards, heavy textbooks, and other analog tools of the past have no place in today’s schools. Over the last few decades, applied technology in the classroom has grown by leaps and bounds. This dovetails nicely with the fact that today’s students are full digital natives who instinctively know their way around smart devices.

Of course, there’s more to education technology than allowing computers in the classroom. School administrators should be continually on the lookout for emerging technologies that can increase student engagement, retain knowledge, and make learning more accessible.…Read More

How ergonomics impacts student success

Key points:

Students are spending more and more time using digital devices, both in and outside of school. In fact, the amount of time teenagers spend in front of screens per day for entertainment alone is equivalent to that of someone with a full-time job!1 While those numbers might be lower for younger children, when in-school technology use is factored in, the total time adds up quickly.

Almost three-quarters of educators believe that physical comfort while using edtech has an impact on student engagement.2 And, over half of students report discomfort when using laptops3. Ergonomic problems are likely contributing to discomfort and sapping engagement in today’s schools.…Read More

Appealing New Charging Cart Offers Enhanced Value in Classrooms

Lakewood Ranch, FL – JAR Systems premiered its newest solution, the Elevate USB-C Charging Cart EDU 32, at the Future of Education Technology Conference. The illuminated cart caught the eye of many educators and technology leaders as they learned of the new advantages it provides.

The cart maintains a critical feature—AC adapterless charging. This eliminates the long-dreaded activities of wiring carts and maintaining expensive charging cables. Powered by the company’s latest charging technology, the Quick-Sense USB-C PD Education Line, the cart is newly fine-tuned to the requirements of educational devices.

“Over our 20 years as a company, it has always been our goal for our developments to be forward-thinking to what our customers will need next. The Elevate USB-C Charging Cart EDU 32 is a shining example, making state-of-the-art USB-C PD charging technology more affordable in education”, said Axel Zimmermann, JAR Systems’ CEO.…Read More

The IT solutions you need to succeed this year

Key points:

There is no shortage of devices on a school campus between students, faculty, and educators. Not only are there school-mandated devices, but the rise of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) linked to the school’s network has the potential to cause major strain on a school’s IT system, both from campus and at home.

In today’s digital age, one student alone might be using two or three different devices for their schoolwork – that’s more surfaces for security threats to creep in than ever before. Not only is personal device use on the rise, but since 2020, there has been a 19 percent average increase in the overall use of learning technologies.…Read More

How to work for equity of access in classrooms

Key points:

Ensuring equity of access in the K-12 classroom is crucial for providing all students with a fair and inclusive education. Educational disparities can exacerbate existing inequalities, and it’s essential that school leaders and teachers address these issues to promote a level playing field.

Here are five key strategies to ensure equity of access:…Read More

K-12 Tech Innovation News

Key points:

  • K-12 technology is reaching students across the globe, equipping them with critical skills
  • Leveraging the power of educational technology helps create dynamic, personalized learning environments
  • Stay informed with the latest K-12 tech innovation news

K-12 tech innovation has become a cornerstone of modern education, reshaping traditional classrooms and equipping students with the skills needed for the 21st century.

One notable piece of K-12 tech innovation news is the integration of interactive devices and digital learning tools, transforming static learning spaces into dynamic, multimedia-rich environments. These devices and tools empower teachers to create engaging lessons, fostering a more interactive and collaborative learning experience.…Read More

How IT leaders tackle 7 digital asset management challenges

Key points:

  • Poor digital asset management can lead to lost class time, missing devices, and lost funding
  • Innovative approaches to asset management let K-12 educational institutions optimize their operations
  • See related article: 5 ways our district streamlines edtech ecosystems

With kids out the school door for the summer, IT leaders now face the daunting task of organizing, identifying, and managing the many thousands of devices per district that have been in the hands of students over the past year. In K-12 education, the importance of digital asset management–from Chromebooks to iPads to chargers and more–cannot be overstated.

Schools and districts run the risk of wasting class time, losing valuable devices, and incurring financial losses if they fail to effectively manage the hardware, software and systems that are essential in today’s classrooms. Fortunately for IT leaders, powerful new digital solutions can be leveraged to address many logistical and functional challenges.…Read More

How Phys Ed and Ed Tech Can Fit

Concerns over kids and screen time versus play time are legitimate. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, 17.0% of youth ages 10 to 17 had obesity in 2020-2021. That rate has increased slightly from 15.5% in 2018-19, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet it’s pretty plain that the screens aren’t going away. Educators and parents need to figure out ways to work around the devices and get kids moving.

Fit and Fun Founder and CEO, Pamela Gunther, has some suggestions. In this conversation, she breaks down the various scenarios schools face when trying to get students up, out, about and goes into some other ideas about how technology can encourage activity, not taking them from it. Have a listen and scroll through for some edited highlights: 

In the work that we do, which is to design and develop physical activities for kids, there are a couple of different ways we get inspired. And how we approach and develop our products. First of all, it’s got to be fun. It’s got to be colorful. It’s got to work and when I mean work, a lot of our products are backed by science-based movements, movements that hit particular parts of the brain.…Read More