The recent paid suspension of Heather Hamilton, an English teacher from the Catholic school board in London, Ontario, for teaching Lawrence Hill's novel The Book of Negroes has reignited a heated debate about the role of sensitive language in education. The controversy stems from the School Board’s policy against including educational materials containing the N-word on required … [Read more...] about Lawrence Hill Defends Teacher in Book Censorship Controversy
Education
Artificial Intelligence and the Modern Classroom
In the opening sequence of The Jetsons cartoon, Elroy would fly out of the car in a tiny bubble to get to school. His classroom was a digital learning space with robot teachers and interactive tools similar to the ones developed today. Though we're not quite at the point of bubble spaceships, artificial intelligence apps like Ello and Magic School are leading us in the right … [Read more...] about Artificial Intelligence and the Modern Classroom
Scholastic Releases Latest Kids’ Reading Report
In celebration of International Literacy Day last week, Scholastic has some great news: kids are reading. Despite the naysayers and gloom and doomers who think the entire juvenile world is too busy with their faces buried in digital devices, the self-response survey indicates that as many as 86% of kids up to age 17 think reading is an important key to their future … [Read more...] about Scholastic Releases Latest Kids’ Reading Report
Kobo Launches Book-Centric Social Responsibility Programs
There are a number of great organizations working hard to fight illiteracy, a plague that still affects nearly one out of every five people on the planet, and two-thirds of all women. But there's a disturbing social issue that in some ways is even more heartbreaking: individuals who have the ability to read but still lack the access to a book. Kobo has decided to fight that … [Read more...] about Kobo Launches Book-Centric Social Responsibility Programs
80% of US schools use e-books or digital textbooks
Overdrive has just published a new survey that takes a look at digital penetration in schools in the United States. They take a look at what medium is the most popular and what type of tech devices diligent young scholars are employing to get the most out of their education. Based on a survey of more than 2,000 administrators at the school or district level in the U.S., the … [Read more...] about 80% of US schools use e-books or digital textbooks
Advancing Education: the eBook Revolution
Education is always changing, but the one thing that doesn’t seem to change is the way in which children are presented information. That, however, is changing considerably in the digital age, even if the progress is a bit slow. The innovation we are looking at today is that of Nook reading apps and the impact that they can make in schools. There are two types of learning … [Read more...] about Advancing Education: the eBook Revolution
Canada Gets Google Play for Education, Classroom-Ready Android Tablets
Those of us in Canada have been sitting on the sidelines as Google Play for Education was developed and deployed in the United States in November of 2013, and later in the UK earlier this year; fortunately we don't have any longer to wait. This news is exciting, particularly for those of us with young children. Described as a “'one-stop shop' for engaging, educator-approved … [Read more...] about Canada Gets Google Play for Education, Classroom-Ready Android Tablets
Apple Gives Overhaul to iPads in Education Offering
The first few iterations of any new project are always going to suss out strengths and weaknesses. To this end, Apple has listened to feedback aimed toward their iPads in Education program and is making more than a few changes (at just the right time, when educators are starting to make plans for the next school year beginning in the autumn). Changes to the program are … [Read more...] about Apple Gives Overhaul to iPads in Education Offering
Educators Foresee e-Books to be More Prevalent
School libraries have been early adopters of e-books, but they have yet to transcend in a meaningful way in K-12 classrooms. This might soon change as a new report from 475 educators indicates that schools and districts see their use of classroom materials transitioning substantially from paper books to digital books over the next two years. “With a record 10 million tablets … [Read more...] about Educators Foresee e-Books to be More Prevalent
A Closer Look at Google Classroom
Announced earlier this year, Classroom rounds out the free suite of tools provided within Google Apps for Education. Intended to behave as a sort of portal for Google Docs, Drive, and Gmail, Classroom aims to help teachers "create and organize assignments quickly, provide feedback efficiently, and communicate with their classes with ease." There is little question that … [Read more...] about A Closer Look at Google Classroom