Topic | Technology

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• 10 Districts Leading the Way in Video

  These districts discovered the secrets (and value!) of producing awesome videos. Learn from their approach and pick up some tips and tricks to crafting a video strategy.

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• 10 Ways to Prevent Eyestrain During eLearning

  Eyestrain has become a real issue for students learning remotely. Here are 10 tips to help prevent it.

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• 10 Ways to Use Your SIS to Build Educator Support into School Culture

  While district leaders undoubtedly have several strategies planned to shore up staff support, did you count your student information system (SIS) among them?

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• 13 Ways to Measure Edtech Support

  The ways edtech partners show up to support you matters. Here are 13 non-negotiable support must-haves for your next edtech partnership.

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• 20 Clues Universal Design is a Priority in Your Edtech

  Ensure every person enjoys effective, comfortable access to education technology.

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• 3 Methods of Broadband Expansion

  Let's explore three ways schools are providing connectivity to students in need.

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• 3 Strategies for Holistic Cybersecurity

  How you can improve cybersecurity without investing in additional software.

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• 3 Traits of Interoperable Edtech Systems

  How can you tell if a new edtech solution will be a good fit for your interoperability strategy?

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• 3 Ways for Students to Steal Your Password

  Kids are craftier than ever these days, but with a little awareness you can stay one step ahead. Featured: Three 1-Minute Security Drill videos.

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• 3 Ways to Up Your EdTech Game

  The people who get the most out of their edtech investments are the same people who refuse to play the role of passive consumer. Here's how they're doing it.

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• 4 Critical Components of K12 Data Solutions

  Look for these four non-negotiables when purchasing your next school data solution.

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• 5 Creative Uses for Digital Signage in Schools

  Plenty of schools have put up screens to share content, but using them creatively is still a challenge. Here are 5 ideas for sharing creative content.

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• 5 Quick Edtech Tips for Physical Safety in Schools

  From biometrics to background checks, how edtech can create a safer environment for kids to learn. 

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• 5 School District Data Center Mistakes

  Based on true stories; this is what happens when technology leaders don't get final say on where their data center goes or how it's maintained.

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• 5 Tech-Friendly ESSA Plans

  Which states have the clearest plans to fuel innovation in teaching and learning in the years to come? These five ESSA plans stand out from the rest.

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• 5 Things to Keep in Mind When You Suspect Misinformation

  Keeping misinformation at bay calls for constant vigilance. Learn five ways to stay sharp.

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• 5 Tips to Help Students Stay Safe on Social Media

  Social media is a great way for students to connect—but there are plenty of challenges. Here's how to promote online safety.

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• 5 Ways Edtech Companies Show Customers They Care

  Technology doesn't have to feel cold! Here's how the best vendors show they care.

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• 5 Ways Good EdTech Puts People First

  If sifting through edtech specs feels a bit cold, warm up with these user-centric traits.

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• 6 Roles Technology Can Play in the Hiring Process

  These six tools, from emerging tech to tried-and-true strategies, can save time and effort in the recruiting process.

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• 7 Reasons Your SIS is the Cornerstone of Learning

  Don't sleep on the power of your student information system.

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• 7 Resolutions for Edtech in 2025

  Something about a new year guides us to envision improvement. These strategies can help edtech excellence emerge.

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• A Rural Internet Glossary

  There are no simple answers for rural connectivity. For families looking for options, learning some baseline lingo can help guide the way.

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• An Intro to Single Sign On Security

  Ever wondered how this super convenient feature protects your district? Let’s explore SAML and SSO.

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• Define a Term: Edtech

  Let's go back to basics and break down a big concept. Kicking off this new series: Edtech.

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• Define a Term: Student Information System

  Let's go back to basics and break down a big concept. Next up in this new series: Student information system (SIS).

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• Do We Do Our Best Work for Machines?

  What impact has machine learning, AI, and surveillance had on the way we teach and learn? 

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• EdTech Playbook: Interoperability

  Though the benefits add up quickly, interoperability takes careful planning to achieve. We'll explore the components in this four-part video playbook.

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• EdTech Playbook: Moving to a New Student Information System

  The move to a new SIS is one of the largest, most challenging projects faced by school technology leaders. Learn how to do it right in this five-part video playbook.

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• EdTech Playbook: Parent Portals

  The parent portal is one of the most valuable tools in your edtech arsenal. In this four-part playbook, find out how administrators, school PR pros, teachers, and parents can all get more out of it.

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• EdTech Playbook: The District Website

  The worlds of marketing and education have never been as closely entwined as they are today. School choice, family mobility, and a growing need to attract and retain high performers are just some of the reasons why.

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• EdTech Playbook: Twitter for Educators

  If you're doing it right, Twitter is one of the most valuable professional development resources for any education professional. Here's how you can get more from the Twitterverse.

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• Evaluate Edtech Use and Save Thousands

  Take back your district’s share of the billion-dollar edtech industry. 

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• Guest Post: Amping Up Your School Security

  When you hear the phrase “school security,” what comes to mind? Locked entrances? Cameras? Metal detectors? Resource officers? While these visual, recognizable features are great, there are other important facets of security to be considered. 

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• Hot Take: Automated Classrooms

  Instructional hours have always been at a premium, but never more so than today. Here's a look at how new advancements in technology can help school districts cut operating costs and keep students safe. 

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• How Much Should ChatGPT Know About Your District?

  When asked, artificial intelligence made it clear: Don’t trust me.

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• How Much Tech is Too Much Tech?

  More isn't always better. We've got 3 steps for tech leaders looking to set and maintain healthy boundaries on tech use in your schools.

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• How Teachers Can Text Families—Without Their Personal Phones

  Texting is a great way to increase communication, but it shouldn’t have to come at the expense of teacher privacy. School text messaging services provide a great alternative. 

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• How to Prepare Students for the Jobs of Tomorrow

  The workforce is changing—how do we manage the gap between today’s skills and the impossible to predict future? 

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• How to Spot (and Stop) AI in the Wild

  So why DO so many people fall for AI images and posts? Explore the uncanny signs something is less-than-human—and sharpen your media literacy.

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• Is Automation Right for K12 Schools?

  Does automation have a role to play in education, and the enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform?

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• Is EdTech Ready for Multi-Factor Authentication?

  The push for multi-factor authentication is becoming stronger every year. But what does this security approach even look like in a school district setting? 

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• IT is the Real MVP

  But it takes a team to make it flow smoothly.

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• Kids' Digital Citizenship Skills are Non-Negotiable

  How do schools prepare digital natives for the world wide web? These inalienable rights can help guide the conversation.

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• Making Blended Learning Accessible

  Remote learning is hard. A few quick tricks help ease the experience for students using assistive technology.

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• Measuring Edtech ROI Vol. 5: Data Paints a Better Picture

  What do you do with all the data you’re gathering on your new edtech solution? Use data visualizations to tell your story to any audience.

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• Micro-credentials: A One-Year Reflection

  One year after the rollout of the Future-Ready Teachers badge group, we reflect on slow starts, implementation hurdles, and the state of micro-credentials today.

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• Not New in 2022: Ransomware Threats

  Schools face plenty of dangers and threats, from pandemics to budget cuts, but ransomware may be one of the most pernicious, transcendent, and frightening—and it’s not going away.

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• One-Page Pitch: Why Try a Tardy Kiosk?

  The Advancing K12 One-Page Pitch Series aims to help team members lead from within. This month's topic: tardy kiosks.

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• Pandemic-Era Attendance

  Can we see the impact of COVID on student attendance right now?

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• Platforms, Processes, and Fraud Prevention

  The risk of financial exposure due to fraud is greater than ever. Are you overlooking fraud risk?

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• Prioritizing Accessibility in EdTech

  A big-picture guide for CTOs exploring the importance of accessibility in school technology.

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• Quiz: Are You an Edtech Innovator?

  Take a quick quiz to find out how bright your edtech curiosity shines.

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• Should School Districts Ban Apps?

  It’s in the news, let’s talk about it: Should schools ban certain applications?

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• Solidifying a Distance Learning Strategy

  Uncertainty demands school leaders consider all angles of reopening schools—including teaching students who cannot return to the building.

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• Surfing the Social Media Waves

  See what the research says about social media and its effects on students' well-being—the nuances may surprise you.

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• The 3 Leading Causes of EdTech Breakups

  When you stop and look around, how many of your edtech partnerships are still fulfilling? Here are some common reasons why they fail and some ideas to turn them around before it's too late. 

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• The Evolution of eLearning

  The rise and fall of learning outside the four walls of a classroom.

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• The Hidden Costs of Poor Edtech Support

  Take a deeper look at what your SIS offers. Is everything you need included?

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• The Impact of Technology on the Homework Debate

  Remote school and work have blurred the lines between work and home. How does this shape the debate over homework?

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• The Mobile Health Office

  Are you thinking about breaking free from brick-and-mortar school health offices? Do budget concerns or a lack of nurses have you looking for alternatives? Let's take a ride on the school health bus!

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• The Pros and Cons of Live Gradebooks

  Is it good for teachers and students to report and see grades in real time?

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• The Quest for Parent Portal Buy-In

  Parent portals give teachers a central location to manage communication. But do parents really log in to continue the conversation? If not, how can teachers and school leaders encourage them to do so?

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• The Right Fit: SEL and Technology

  Social-emotional learning and technology: Two inescapable topics in education today. But how do the two overlap to improve outcomes for students?

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• The Road to Connected Schools

  Broadband is a necessity for learning in a digital world, but remote, rural schools are being left in the dust. Read on for an examination of progress made and ongoing opportunities on the horizon.

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• The State of K12 Coding

  Computer science is rapidly growing—and we're making progress. Check out this recap and learn about bringing the Hour of Code to your school.

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• The Yin and Yang of Augmented Reality

  Augmented reality: trendy or troubling? Let’s take a look at the potential for AR in education and the potential pitfalls it poses.

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• There Are No Low-Tech Fields

  Computer skills and tech-savviness are no longer optional. Let’s explore how students can stand out in a few hands-on vocations by embracing technology.

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• Top 3 Myths Folks Believe About Classroom Accessibility

  Shift mindsets from accessible systems being “nice to have,” and into the future of tech and learning designed for all.

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• Video Edtech Playbook: When Is It Time for a New SIS?

  If your SIS is as comfortable as a well-worn t-shirt, it might be time to consider newer options.

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• What Do We Really Know About Screen Time?

  What used to be a matter of parenting opinion has moved into the realm of vocational requirement. We know kids are going to be using screens in and out of classrooms. So where can we draw the line between enough and too much?

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• What Is Turning Women Away from Computer Science?

  It’s common knowledge that men have a greater presence in programming than women—but how did this trend arise? And what can we do to help girls overcome bias?

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• What Research Says About AI and the Future of Work

  How do we prepare students for future jobs that don't exist yet?

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• What's Going on with Big Edtech?

  Does size matter when it comes to edtech? Everyone has a different answer, but one thing's for sure: edtech is a hot investment right now.

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• When Is the Last Time Vendors Asked for Your Feedback?

  If you’re racking your brain right now, we have bad news.

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• Why Edtech Choices Matter So Much

  Educators have had no choice but to lean hard on technology in 2020. What have we learned about edtech choices and their impact on a generation of students?

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• Without People, Cybersecurity Falls Flat

  Cybersecurity is a team sport. Here's how to get everyone focused on the same goals.

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• Your Ultimate Guide to Edtech ROI

  Measuring edtech ROI is easier than you think—it just requires patience and strategy to capture the data you need. Let’s dive in!

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• Your Video Guide to Edtech ROI, Vol. 2

  What kind of data can you use to make a solid decision about your next edtech purchase?Let's explore five types of data.

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• Your Video Guide to Edtech ROI: Vol. 4

  Take your ROI measurement to the next level with the combined power of data and user feedback.

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