Today, February 27th, marks the ninth annual celebration of Digital Learning Day.

According to the Digital Learning Day organization, "Digital Learning Day was started as a way to actively spread innovative practices and ensure that all youth have access to high-quality digital learning opportunities no matter where they live."

With education instruction and technology changing so frequently, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with the trends and terminology necessary to feel "in the loop" (especially with many education conferences right around the corner). 

One such education term that has emerged is student agency. This article explores the following frequently asked questions about this timely topic:

Today, Feb 11th, we observe and celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science declared by UN Women and UNESCO.

According to UNESCO, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science represents "an opportunity to promote full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls." Furthermore, "gender equality is a global priority for UNESCO, and the support of young girls, their education and their full ability to make their ideas heard are levers for development and peace." 

Today, January 24th, 2020, marks the second annual observance of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization)-declared International Day of Education. On this day we reflect on how we can all contribute towards empowering the world through education.

According to UNESCO, "the 2020 celebration will position education and the learning it enables as humanity’s greatest renewable resource and reaffirm the role of education as a fundamental right and a public good. It will celebrate the many ways learning can empower people, preserve the planet, build shared prosperity and foster peace."

Adaptive learning. Personalized learning. Differentiated instruction. Online learning. Hybrid learning. The "flipped" classroom. Blended learning.

With both education instruction and technology changing so frequently, sometimes it can feel difficult to keep up with the trends and terminology.

Let's take a deep dive into blended learning, including:

The Common Core is arguably the largest education initiative in the United States of the last decade. Since its official launch in 2009, very few if any education topics have received as much positive and negative discussion and feedback as the Common Core. 

With such a massive impact on education as a whole, let's unpack the Common Core to better understand its history and present effects as well as envision what both state and national education standards will resemble moving forward.

When I started teaching in 2010, the technology in my classroom and school building was extremely limited. 

I remember visiting another school during a professional development session and being amazed by their handheld clickers and by a system in the corner where students could feed in a scantron and immediately receive a set of questions printed out just for them.

My instructional decisions as an educator are driven by my goal of helping students grow into lifelong learners.  

I grew up on a farm of over 1,000 cows in central Minnesota with six siblings and two loving parents. My dad and mom encouraged us to try new things, to fail, and to learn from our mistakes. The concept of having a growth mindset has always been their philosophy. I am thankful my parents raised me in a home where trying, failing, learning, and trying again was the norm. 

“I don’t know…” vs. “I don’t know!”

When was the last time you had to admit that you did not know something? How did it feel to make that admission?

Last week a teacher asked me a question about a new Knowre Math feature and I simply did not know the answer. In that moment I felt frustrated and disappointed. I hate not knowing something that I “should” know. While I am not shy to admit “I don’t know”, the phrase itself will often come out in a deflated and disappointed manner.

The Knowre Math Lesson Assignment feature is now available on your Teacher Dashboard! Learn more about the how, when, and why of this new feature below.

Q: Why should I make an assignment when I can just tell students what they should be working on? 

There are four main reasons to consider using the Lesson Assignment feature: