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How can formative assessment data help students to develop their metacognitive skills? Formative assessments are ongoing assessments embedded throughout the learning process. These informal assessments provide information to the teacher about students’ understanding of the material being covered […]
Spend less time preparing for tests! Generating high-quality review materials and engaging review games takes time. It is also a cognitively challenging task since it requires thinking about the key concepts in a unit or learning cycle and […]
What barriers make designing for deeper learning in schools challenging? In today’s rapidly changing educational landscape, educators face numerous challenges when designing instruction that promotes deeper learning for all students. Recently, I had the privilege of meeting with […]
Blended learning environments offer a unique opportunity for teachers to shift the control of the learning experience from teacher to learner by combining active, engaged learning online and offline. However, teachers must leverage technology effectively and use data […]
Discussions are a powerful tool for making meaning Engaging in academic discourse allows students to test their ideas, ask questions, make connections, and learn from their peers. Not only is discussion critical to developing a deep understanding of […]
Too often, teachers are trapped at the front of the room, transferring information. This information typically takes the form of a teacher-led whole-group lecture or mini-lesson. Unfortunately, live lectures and mini-lessons present myriad barriers that may make it […]
I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Katie Novak and I teamed up to write a second book exploring the synergy between Universal Design for Learning and blended learning! In this second book, The Shift to Student-led: Reimagining […]
Last week, I began a training session on universally designing blended learning by asking teachers to reflect on and discuss the following question. “What is your biggest pet peeve about staff meetings?” This question led to a vibrant […]
End-of-the-year assessments can be anxiety-producing events for students. These final assessments attempt to cover massive amounts of information and do not allow students the opportunity to communicate what they know in a way that works for them. Unlike […]
“Are we going to talk about classroom management?” Several of my graduate students asked this question last week as we prepared to enter the final month of our methods course. It was clear that as they approached the […]
Teachers have three primary roles – designer, instructor, and facilitator. When I facilitate blended learning workshops, I ask participants to think about these three roles and identify the role they spend the most time and energy in. The […]
How does a teacher’s relationship with their students impact their energy levels or exhaustion? How can a teacher build strong relationships with their students to make this work more enjoyable and rewarding? When I began my research study […]
