Julia Ottesen, Author at edWeb - Page 60 of 69 (2025)

edWeb.net is delighted to announce that 7 Mindsets, the national leader in mindsets-based social and emotional learning (SEL), will be hosting Mindsets for Social-Emotional Learning, a free professional learning community on edWeb. Through the community and edWebinars, 7 Mindsets will provide educators with an online space to communicate and collaborate on ideas and resources within the critical and growing topic of social-emotional learning.

edWeb.net is delighted to announce that ClassLink will be hosting Technology in Schools, a free professional learning community on edWeb. Through the community and edWebinars, ClassLink will provide district administrators, school leaders, and all educators with an online space to share ideas, examples, and resources that relate to integrating technology effectively in schools.

Research indicates that due to a heightened interest in visual materials combined with strong visual processing capabilities, many individuals with autism are attracted to and benefit from using technology. From devices, to apps, to smart home implementations, technology can help improve daily life for those on the autism spectrum immensely, and software and devices that are currently in development offer great promise for the future. In a recent edWebinar, Christian Karter, MA, Educational Technology Specialist atMonarch Center for Autism, reviewed the benefits of some of this helpful technology.

Early intervention: it’s a common mantra for any student with learning difficulties, including dyslexia. But as Terrie Noland, National Director of Educator Engagement for Learning Ally, pointed out in a recent edWebinar, those services are not consistently available to students across the United States. In “Dyslexia: Hidden Costs and Money-Saving Techniques for Districts,” Noland makes a case for front-loading the funding to shrink the learning gap at an earlier age and offers cost-effective solutions to help students engage in their education.

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) has become more prominent as an effective approach to interdisciplinary learning. However, implementation is not as simple as following a new curriculum or purchasing materials. During the edWebinar “STEAM: Innovations That Solve Real World Problems,” Cheri Sterman, Director of Education, Crayola; Lucie Howell, Director of Learning and Engagement, The Henry Ford; and James Wells, Innovative Teaching & Learning Manager, Crayola, explained the movement’s genesis and offered strategies for a successful transition.

Media literacy is more important today than ever. It is a critical skill for students of all ages, especially because teenagers spend an average of nine hours a day on media that doesn’t include schoolwork or homework. Educators must give students the tools and skills they need to decipher between reliable and unreliable sources of media. Susannah Moran, Senior Project Manager at myON, presented tips for providing students with these important media literacy skills in “Teaching Media Literacy in the Classroom.”

With the proliferation of technology in school and at home, parents are looking for direction on how to keep their kids’ media habits in check. Librarians, who are often at the front lines of media and tech in schools, can provide that crucial guidance. The discussions shouldn’t focus on denying technology, though, said Michelle Cooper, Library Media Specialist, White Oak ISD, TX in the edWebinar “Achieving Media Balance in a Tech-Immersed World.” Instead, librarians can help families learn how to maintain a healthy balance and become good digital citizens.

Online assessments are becoming more common, and students who have strong digital literacy skills often score higher on them. Students who lack these skills may not be able to effectively demonstrate mastery of key concepts in math, reading or writing on online assessments. Technology and digital literacy specialists at Flagstaff Unified School District in Arizona reviewed the importance of teaching digital literacy skills and how their district is doing so in “Improving Student Performance on Online Assessments.”

Do you have a PLN? Those who do swear by it and live by the mantra “alone we are smart, together we are brilliant.” A PLN can help you find and curate the best ideas and resources, and build a network of supportive peers in a time of constant change. Steven Anderson, Digital Learning and Relationship Evangelist, and Shaelynn Farnsworth, Literacy Consultant, joined Lisa Schmucki, founder and CEO of edWeb.netfor conversation withLarry Jacobs on Education Talk Radioon this topic. Larry kicked off the conversation with the question, “What is the value of a PLN and how has that changed over the past 10 years?”

Current approaches to identifying students with reading disabilities are often problematic and ineffective, and will not lead students to academic success. Significant improvements in identification and screening have been made to provide greater support, and earlier. In “Cutting-Edge Research to Empower Schools to Support Students with Reading Disabilities,” Rick Wagner, Associate Director for the Florida Center for Reading Research, discussed problems with current methods and how to better help students with these disabilities.