Social Media
Distraction or learning tool? Learn more about how social media is used by students, teachers, and school systems
Classroom Technology
Video
Snapchat and Schools - Monitoring What Students Post Online
Schools are paying a lot more attention these days to what students post on social media. Harvard recently rescinded admittance for a number of incoming freshman, reportedly because the students had posted violent, racist, and sexually explicit content in a private Facebook group. It’s not just colleges who are keeping an eye on social media. School districts say they have a responsibility to ensure online posts don’t impact school safety and students’ ability to learn. Civil rights groups argue schools must be careful not to violate free speech and privacy rights. It can be a delicate dance. We traveled to Surprise, Ariz., outside Phoenix to see how one district is tackling this issue.
Personalized Learning
Teachers' Union Faces Backlash Over Publication on Personalized Learning
A story published in the magazine of the National Education Association sparked sharp criticism from some teachers and activists concerned about software-driven personalized learning.
Curriculum
7 Good Ed-Tech Stories You Might Have Missed
From teens-and-screens to cybersecurity jobs to online courses, strong ed-tech-related stories abounded at the Education Writers Association's 2017 national seminar.
Classroom Technology
Harvard Rescinds Admissions Offers Over Facebook Posts: Report
At least 10 students had their admissions offers revoked after making offensive posts to a Facebook group chat, the Harvard Crimson reported.
Classroom Technology
CTQ Collaboratory
Is Your Social Media Account a Parasite?
Social media provides teachers with a network of online support, but can also be distracting, writes Joanna Schimizzi. Teachers should follow these strategies to post and share topics that prompt engagement and inspiration.
Reading & Literacy
Virtual Class Visits Link Book Authors to Students
Educators are turning to Twitter, Skype, and other technology tools to bring real, live writers into their classrooms.
Mathematics
'Can You Write in Cursive?' 2nd Graders' Survey Goes Viral
Would you rather have pizza or soup? One 2nd grade class in Indiana asked the internet to help them learn graphs, but they didn't expect more than 300,000 responses after their survey went viral.
Standards & Accountability
How Automated Tweets Helped Shape the Common-Core Debate
New research findings give unexpected insights into the development of the online conversation about the Common Core State Standards.
Classroom Technology
For Young People, News Is Mobile, Social, and Hard to Trust, Studies Find
"Fake news" is one of many reasons why tweens, teens, and young adults mistrust news organizations, according to studies from Common Sense Media and Data & Society.
Families & the Community
In W.Va., Teachers Turn Trump's 'Fake News' Attacks Into Teachable Moments
At West Virginia's Ripley High, teachers are developing media literacy skills in students who are trying to critically examine allegations about "fake news" and media bias.
Classroom Technology
Link Between Social Media and Narcissism? Not Always for Younger Generation
Students' use of social media does not necessarily indicate a tendency toward narcissism, as it does in some adults, researchers say.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Personal Privacy Is a Concern for All Tech Users
How can technology users take control of their own digital information?
Classroom Technology
Opinion
Why We Shouldn't Ignore Political Speech on Facebook
At the very least, engaging in substantive conversation about current events on a social media platform is good practice in dialogue, honing our values, and determining which sources are accurate. Our students live in this world. Turning away from the red-hot center of American political argument right now feels like abandoning democracy.
States
State Education Departments Are Taking to Pinterest
Pennsylvania is the latest state education department to use Pinterest try to reach teachers and families.