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How Digital Learning is Evolving to Meet Diverse Student Needs This month’s episode explores how remote and digital learning has evolved beyond emergency pandemic measures into strategic, purpose-driven educational approaches. DLAC’s John Watson distinguishes between emergency remote learning during the pandemic and today's well-planned online and hybrid models. He emphasizes that effective digital programs are driven by specific educational needs—whether supporting CTE (Career and Technical Education), dropout recovery, or creating early college opportunities—rather than by technology itself. Guest speaker John Watson is the founder of DLAC (formerly Education Education Group), which has been a leading consulting and advisory firm serving school districts, state agencies, foundations, and companies in the K-12 digital learning field for more than 20 years.  

School systems experience nearly daily security incidents with increasing sophistication, resulting in data breaches, financial losses, and operational disruptions. Recent reductions in federal support have created additional challenges, but the sector demonstrates unique strength through collaborative information sharing and grassroots support networks. The conversation highlights the critical importance of focusing on fundamental security practices, vendor accountability, and cross-district cooperation to strengthen K-12 cybersecurity despite limited resources. Our guest Doug Levin is co-founder and national director of the K12 Security Information eXchange (K12 SIX), a national non-profit dedicated solely to helping schools protect themselves from emerging cybersecurity threats.

What will be the fallout of Trump’s dismantling of the Department of Education? It’s not often that I have trouble finding people to discuss the politics of public education. Of course, nothing is usual about this administration’s first few weeks. So I was happy to have this conversation with The Cato Institute’s Neal McCluskey, Director for The Center for Educational Freedom, who may not leave you happy with what he has to say, but maybe less worried.

How High-Quality Instructional SEL and Life Skills Materials Equip Students for Success As students navigate an increasingly complex world defined by artificial intelligence, social media, and rapid technological change, the need for essential life skills has never been greater. A new curriculum called The Edge immerses students in real-life, complex scenarios that challenge them to think critically, collaborate effectively, and apply social-emotional learning (SEL) to everyday situations. Hear how educators are using these next-generation strategies in classrooms today. Special Guests: Jessie Bushman Senior Director SEL North Fayette Valley Community School District, Iowa Devi Sahny CEO and Founder Ascend Now & The Edge

Special education services improve when parents and educators can trust one another for the benefit of students Expert IEP founder Antoinette Banks outlines how special education has been chronically underfunded for decades—and how the potential dismantling of the Department of Education adds new complications. Expert IEP founder Antoinette Banks outlines how special education has been chronically underfunded for decades—and how the potential dismantling of the Department of Education adds new complications. This episode is sponsored by ManagedMethods. ManagedMethods is the only company providing K-12-specific cybersecurity and safety for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and online browsing. Our product suite makes cybersecurity and safety easy and affordable for school districts working to keep their students, faculty, staff, and communities safe. Gain the visibility and control you need to monitor, alert, and respond when time is of the essence—no proxy, no agent, and no special training needed. Our newest product, Classroom Manager, is the classroom management tech that teachers have been waiting for. Contact ManagedMethods today to learn how other districts are benefitting from unifying their cybersecurity, student safety, web filtering, and classroom management systems. District tech teams love our products’ reliability, ease of use, and lightweight construction which has minimal impact on the end-user experience. To learn more go to https://managedmethods.com/

It wasn't all about AI in education 2024! In this special episode of Innovations in Education, editors Laura Ascione and Kevin Hogan go through the list of the most-read stories from last year and identify the best insights for our readers looking forward to next.

Palmdale School District Superintendent Dr. Raúl Maldonado discusses the district's "Palmdale Promise" initiative, focusing on technological equity and early literacy. By investing $7 million in technology and implementing the bilingual "Footsteps to Brilliance" program, the district aims to provide equal educational opportunities for its diverse student population, including one-third English learners. The program offers free access to digital reading resources, engaging families and supporting language learning across the community.

Keisha Ray and Susan Gentz, co-founders of k20 connects, tackle two of the most popular, but sometimes confusing, topics in the world of education and technology.    

Everyone has heard the acronym, but what does it mean in the day-to-day classroom? Patrick Brown, Executive Director of STEM and Career and Technical Education in Saint Charles County, Missouri, oversees STEM and technical programs for approximately 18,000 students. His role involves developing integrated STEM courses, emphasizing critical thinking and real-world problem-solving. What does that mean? Click through to hear details on how to reset and enhance your STEM-based strategies.

What started as a niche hobby for gaming enthusiasts has exploded into a global phenomenon. What does eSports phenomenon mean for the broader educational landscape? Schools that embrace eSports are starting to see changes in student engagement and participation. eSports can be a powerful tool for inclusion, offering students who might not excel in traditional sports or academics a chance to shine. It’s also a way to bring a sense of community and school spirit into the classroom. Listen for details.

This episode we look back on one of the biggest events in the edtech calendar—ISTE 2024, which took place in Denver, Colorado. We’ll explore some of the standout moments, groundbreaking innovations, and key takeaways from this year’s conference. As always, ISTE 2024 was a whirlwind of inspiring sessions, cutting-edge technology, and incredible networking opportunities. From new product launches to thought-provoking keynotes, there was a lot to unpack.

In this episode of Innovations in Education, sponsored by Stride Professional Development, host Kevin Hogan delves into the complexities and potential of personalized learning with three education leaders—Susan Moore, Director of Technology, Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut, Misty Shea, Educational Technology Facilitator, Keller Independent School District in Texas, and Jeffrey Bradbury, Technology Education / Digital Media Teacher New Milford Public Schools in Connecticut. These EdTech experts explore how their districts initially approached online learning, their successes, challenges, and the pivotal shifts they've observed in teaching methodologies. We'll also discuss the emergence of virtual academies, hybrid learning models, and the long-term implications for education post-pandemic.  This episode is sponsored by Stride Professional Development. Are you tired of one-size-fits-all PD? Do you want to differentiate your professional learning? Discover our expanding library of on-demand, bite-sized, and mobile-friendly courses that meet teacher and school learning needs. Based upon microlearning principles, our courses are developed by educators for educators as content experts are paired with instructional designers who have been teachers as well. To learn more go to https://stridepdcenter.com/

Watch now to hear eSchool News and the experts from Verizon explore the current state and future possibilities for technology-driven education.   Takeaways will include: Cybersecurity Assurance:Compare comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, which safeguard school districts against digital threats and protect sensitive data. DEI Empowerment:Ensure equitable Internet access for all students, regardless of background or location. Future Technologies: Leverage advanced bandwidth solutions to unlock the full educational benefits of AR, VR, and AI, enabling enhanced student engagement, deeper understanding, improved academic outcomes and fewer administrative tasks for educators.    

Listen to highlights of a conversation with literacy experts Dr. David Hurford Executive Director at the Center for Research, Evaluation and Awareness of Dyslexia and Octavia Gray-Essex, Senior Education Advisor at Lexia, as they explore schools’ systemic challenges that include an outmoded understanding of dyslexia and lack of alignment with evidence-based instructional strategies.   Listeners takeaways include: A clear sense of the system-level challenges that schools and their leaders face in providing effective, inclusive instruction for students with dyslexia A fuller understanding of the intersections of dyslexia-inclusive teaching and instructional equity Effective and evidence-supported strategies that have systemic, long-term impact to improve learning outcomes and foster instructional equity

In this episode of Innovations in Education, sponsored by Stride Tutoring, host Kevin Hogan delves into the complexities and potential of personalized learning with two education leaders—Dr. Matt Callison from South Fayette Township School District in Pennsylvania and Superintendent Diego Ochoa from San Mateo Foster City School District in California.  The discussion hits on various aspects of this ubiquitous yet vague phrase. Dr. Callison emphasizes the importance of keeping human interaction central while leveraging technology to provide authentic learning experiences tailored to individual student needs. Superintendent Ochoa highlights the necessity for districts to align personalized learning strategies with broader educational goals, also emphasizing the need for student-driven learning experiences. They go on to discuss the evolution of personalized learning solutions in the EdTech industry and emphasize the importance of involving educators and students in the design process to ensure effectiveness. Looking ahead, Dr. Callison aims to expand personalized learning opportunities, while Superintendent Ochoa plans to implement innovative, individualized programs to engage students in underrepresented communities.  This episode is sponsored by Stride Tutoring, an online education platform that closes learning gaps by connecting students with state-certified teachers who bring lessons to life. Their tutors personalize instruction to each student, ensuring everyone receives the support they need to succeed. With their on-demand online learning model, students can get help anytime, anywhere—and education leaders are never left searching for effective tutoring solutions.  Stride Tutoring is powered by parent company Stride, Inc., a leader in online education with over 20 years of experience serving 2,000+ districts in all 50 states. Through personalized solutions for students, educators, schools, and districts, Stride encourages every learner to build the skills and confidence they need to make their way forward in life. To learn more go to https://stridetutoring.com/schools-districts/