Faculty Focus

JULY 13, 2025

Is the information precise, significant, and relevant to the knowledge that I am seeking? Use AI for Your Benefit Generating activity ideas or lesson plans, creating rubrics, and assisting with basic writing tasks are three ways to easily get started with an AI chatbot.

Critical Thinking 98

Critical Thinking Intelligence Education Learning 98

Cult of Pedagogy

APRIL 27, 2025

Blunt says her use of whiteboards includes “anything they want and anything I want,” she has four frequently-used prompts for making retrieval a regular part of her classes: brain dump: Ask students to write down everything they remember about a topic for 2 minutes. ’ and then applying it to new knowledge.”

Multiple Choice Questions 80

Multiple Choice Questions Teachers Writing Questions 80

Faculty Focus

APRIL 22, 2025

Strategic Approaches to AI Integration One effective strategy is to intentionally redesign classroom activities and assignments to incorporate AI tools. Here is one example from an AI reflective assignment that I tried out in my classes, followed by some other actionable strategies you may want to try out.

Ethics 88

Ethics Plagiarism Education Intelligence 88

Faculty Focus

JULY 13, 2025

Is the information precise, significant, and relevant to the knowledge that I am seeking? Use AI for Your Benefit Generating activity ideas or lesson plans, creating rubrics, and assisting with basic writing tasks are three ways to easily get started with an AI chatbot.

Critical Thinking 120

Critical Thinking Intelligence Education Learning 120

Cult of Pedagogy

MAY 11, 2025

The official corrected the mistake by writing down the time Ruiz had told him. Consider these definitions that I share in my book, AI with Intention: Principles and Action Steps for Teachers and School Leaders : Cheating is using a tool or resource to misrepresent ones knowledge and skills to receive undue credit for a task.

Academic Integrity 92

Academic Integrity Learning Feedback Assignments 92

Faculty Focus

MAY 15, 2025

Dr. Emily Tarconish, a teaching professor in the College of Education, contributed her deep knowledge of Universal Design for Learning and accessible course design. Sheza Shaikh centered mental health and belonging in her writing. From the beginning, students werent just research subjectsthey were research partners.

Disabilities 53

Disabilities Course Design Lecturing Students 53

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 2, 2025

High schoolers write a lot every school day. How can you help them improve their writing skills and have fun at the same time? Thats where daily writing prompts come in! Write a thank-you note to someone in your life. Have students write to the prompt before class begins. Do you like watching sports live or on TV?

High School 52

High School High School Writing Essay 52

k12

JULY 10, 2025

Virtual Whiteboards: These online tools replicate the traditional classroom whiteboard—and in some cases, students can even write or draw on them too. Online learning isn’t limited to slides and reading assignments. It’s an easy way for your child to follow along as problems are solved or instructions are explained.

Online Learning 52

Online Learning Quizzes Learning Motivation 52

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 30, 2025

Students can work on their own or in teams to test their knowledge of facts while solving subject-specific riddles. Test their knowledge of organelles and their functions with scavenger hunt activities. Assign riddles on the first day of school as an icebreaker for students to get to know each other in a more relaxed setting.

High School 52

High School High School Schools Math 52

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 12, 2023

In our newest book, Shift Writing into the Classroom with UDL and Blended Learning , Dr. Katie Novak and I guide teachers in creating the time and space to support all parts of the writing process in the classroom. If there is only one pathway provided, students may question their ability to complete a writing task successfully.

Assignments 458

Assignments Writing Feedback Motivation 458

eSchool News

JUNE 28, 2024

It takes only seconds to plug a writing prompt into a generative AI tool and receive a completed assignment. Instead of forbidding generative AI tools, it’s critical that teachers show students how and when it’s appropriate to use AI in student writing.

Writing 326

Writing Essay Plagiarism Assignments 326

Catlin Tucker

FEBRUARY 26, 2023

Rubrics identify specific criteria relevant to the assignment, along with corresponding levels of performance that allow for more precise grading. When teachers provide students with the rubric at the start of any assignment or task that will be assessed, the rubric serves as a roadmap. How does using rubrics benefit students?

Fairness 545

Fairness Assignments Feedback Languages 545

eSchool News

JANUARY 30, 2023

Learning a new language is challenging, requiring a student to master four basic skills–listening, reading, speaking, and writing–from scratch. Speaking and writing are about producing the language, requiring a different mental muscle from learners. Writing is essential for professional and long-distance communication.

Writing 284

Writing Skills Essay Languages 284

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 18, 2023

However, I often hear the question, “Can I use the flipped classroom if I don’t assign homework?” Some teachers do not assign homework. Despite these potential pitfalls, flipped instruction retains its value even when videos are not assigned for homework. This encourages brainstorming and prediction.

Lecturing 433

Lecturing Knowledge Assignments Writing 433

Edsurge

JULY 21, 2022

I've thought about opening it up widely—write a historical novelette (using primary sources, of course), create a sculpture, write a song—but, again, I have no idea how to grade something like that, considering the wide range of talent that my students likely will have. Have students turn in a reflection at the end.

Assignments 191

Assignments Grades History Ethics 191

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 22, 2019

In the last two blogs, I have focused on strategies teachers can use to 1) assess prior knowledge before a lesson and 2) check for understanding during a lesson. Teachers can combine reflective questions with academic content questions to understand where students are at in terms of their knowledge of a topic or concept. Tell Me How.

Learning 420

Learning Assignments Students Knowledge 420

Catlin Tucker

JUNE 16, 2024

How can we create a learning environment where each student feels confident applying the knowledge and skills they’re acquiring? Barriers to Effective Transfer and Application of Learning Assigning the same task to all students without offering any choices can significantly hinder the effective transfer and application of learning.

History 382

History Physical Education Essay Art 382

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 30, 2020

1 Use the StudySync Access Prior Knowledge Activities to Facilitate Online Discussions. Teachers using StudySync can use the Access Prior Knowledge Activities in the First Read Lessons to engage students in asynchronous online discussions using Google Classroom or a learning management system, like Schoology.

Collaborative Research 370

Collaborative Research Students Knowledge Assignments 370

Catlin Tucker

OCTOBER 7, 2020

In a previous post, I described how blended learning models could make this challenging teaching assignment more manageable ; however, that post assumes that teachers are familiar with blended learning. Begin class with a review activity, writing prompt, feedback form, quick quiz, or formative assessment. Welcome Task or Bell Ringer.

Blended Learning 546

Blended Learning Coaching Feedback Discussions 546

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 25, 2024

Writing Assignments: Writing tasks, whether creative stories, essays, or research papers, require students to think critically, organize their thoughts, write a draft, and revise based on feedback. Each student progresses differently based on prior knowledge, learning preferences, and exposure to the language.

Teachers 481

Teachers Art Feedback Writing 481

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 16, 2024

Feedback is critical for helping students enhance their conceptual knowledge and skills. Wiggins says the best feedback is: Goal-oriented or referenced: Feedback should clarify the goals of the assignment or task, guiding students toward a clear desired result or outcome. First, AI can think very quickly.

Feedback 349

Feedback Coaching Assignments Motivation 349

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 19, 2024

Student knowledge of academic words and phrases has a direct impact on their ability to acquire and comprehend information, which is why it should be a part of every subject area and class. Writing a Vocabulary Haiku One of my favorite strategies for vocabulary development is having students construct a vocabulary haiku.

Writing 374

Writing Coaching Knowledge Activities 374

eSchool News

AUGUST 20, 2024

If you then encourage students to research topics that interest them, they’ll be even more motivated to read and write–and they may even have some fun. Helping students uncover their passions I once had a student who insisted on writing her research paper on body piercings. This novel by S.

Reading 322

Reading Assignments English Math 322

eSchool News

OCTOBER 13, 2023

Key points: ChatGPT is here to stay, and it’s wise to now consider it a part of learning In fact, every assignment moving forward must be graded with ChatGPT in mind See related article: How educators can navigate AI-driven plagiarism You may have heard of ChatGPT. How do we evaluate their knowledge? The answer: we ask them.

Essay 335

Essay Plagiarism Assignments Learning 335

eSchool News

JULY 16, 2024

Creative projects help students connect new information to prior knowledge through critical thinking and problem solving. Assignments that engage students in creative practices motivate hard-to reach students and provide an opportunity for all students to be successful. Why creativity? Coding can be used in a variety of ways.

Technology 314

Technology Critical Thinking Assignments Motivation 314

eSchool News

JANUARY 12, 2023

It operates in 5,400 secondary schools, including both middle and high school, in 46 states and exposes academically middling students to tougher courses than they would have been assigned to under normal circumstances. AVID helps students develop agency, relational capacity, and opportunity knowledge. “We

High School 342

High School High School Schools Peer Review 342

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 11, 2022

It has been estimated that college students across the globe devote in excess of a billion hours per year to “disposable” assignments (Wiley, 2016). Moving from essential to “renewable” assignments means that the students see the tasks as sufficiently meaningful to be kept and even passed on to others. What a waste!

Assignments 131

Assignments Motivation Science Study 131

Catlin Tucker

AUGUST 24, 2015

I explain that certain activities are designed to help them practice and hone skills which will be assessed at a later date by a writing assignment, quiz/test, or project. Of Mice and Men Argumentative Essay: Spelling, Grammar, & Formal Writing Norms. Again, the focus needs to be on learning not the accumulation of points.

Grades 420

Grades Essay Assignments Skills 420

eSchool News

JANUARY 2, 2020

Today’s educators are challenged with keeping students engaged in their learning to help them build the knowledge and employability skills they’ll need to be successful. Students can use blogs, podcasts, or videos to submit assignments. But how do teachers accomplish this tall task and make learning irresistible?

Learning Tools 327

Learning Tools Learning Evaluation Assignments 327

eSchool News

DECEMBER 12, 2023

One example of a Low Floor, High Ceiling activity is to task students with constructing a literal mascot for their knowledge. Assignments can even be adjusted so they cover the same standards, but directly integrate student interests like sports, pop culture, or videogames!

Teaching Philosophy 289

Teaching Philosophy Students Assignments Culture 289

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 18, 2024

.” Looking closer at North Carolina, Pitt County Schools adopted a color-coded AI use system to help students determine if their use of AI tools is acceptable, or if a given assignment is best completed in an AI-free manner. In Michigan’s Fenton Area Public Schools, staff may use AI in ethical and responsible ways.

Ethics 335

Ethics Schools Intelligence Assignments 335

Faculty Focus

DECEMBER 11, 2022

Faculty, however, often struggle with creating approaches that focus on why and how academic writing and the associated documenting guidelines enhance a student’s ability to communicate their thoughts and ideas. The level of knowledge is directly related to their commitment to the depth in which they are willing to explore.

Plagiarism 131

Plagiarism Writing Assignments Students 131

eSchool News

DECEMBER 28, 2023

If we wish to see continued success, we will need to use everything the science of reading has taught us and provide students with a healthy diet of explicit literacy instruction that includes foundational skills like decoding, in addition to building content knowledge and higher-order comprehension strategies.

Science 303

Science Reading Knowledge Motivation 303

Faculty Focus

NOVEMBER 12, 2023

As part of the recent rush to comment on ChatGPT, this article is not weighing in on the ongoing ethical debates, nor is it offering a comprehensive how-to guide, but rather simply sharing one professor’s initial use of the AI tool and how it successfully accomplished the learning objectives and expectations for one course assignment.

Assignments 124

Assignments History Art Ethics 124

eSchool News

OCTOBER 17, 2023

Language and Composition, your students are learning to evaluate persuasive writing and identify propaganda, because these are key information literacy skills. There’s a wealth of media within the platform to help you activate prior knowledge, develop assignments and create interactive lessons on any topic.

High School 309

High School High School Skills Schools 309

eSchool News

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

As Pink writes in the book: “Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.” For instance, 29 percent of students said: “Let me do assignments on topics that interest me if they are relevant to what we are learning.” They might write an essay, compile a slideshow presentation, or create a video, for instance.

Students 348

Students Motivation Achievement Assignments 348

eSchool News

MARCH 27, 2023

The platform has continued to push the boundaries of innovation and has since transformed into the first platform to put AI in the hands of teachers, empowering them with tools and knowledge needed to utilize AI confidently and effectively in their classrooms.

Writing 266

Writing Motivation Learning Styles Critical Thinking 266