Ask a Tech Teacher

APRIL 28, 2025

Too many students don’t reach grade-level metrics and no one can agree on the cause. As students increasingly seek flexible and interactive learning experiences, the conventional approach may not meet their needs any longer. Something broke in American education these past years. You might wonder why this preference exists.

Hybrid Learning 139

Hybrid Learning Learning Styles Study Critical Thinking 139

Teachers Pay Teachers

JULY 14, 2025

10 8th Grade Social-Emotional Writing Prompts Social-emotional learning is a way for students to find their place in the world around them while staying in touch with their own wants and needs. Use these SEL writing prompts to help students stay aware of their own emotional health and social understanding. What would you do?

Writing 52

Writing Grades Middle School Middle School 52

Faculty Focus

JUNE 29, 2025

I offered students a chance to ask about my education, experience in finance, the time I lived and studied in Paris, or how I ended up teaching at a community college. I had begun to worry it widened the gap between me and my students by highlighting differences rather than commonalities. But a few years ago, I removed the slide.

Teaching 72

Teaching Motivation Learning Outcomes Instructors 72

Faculty Focus

JUNE 29, 2025

I offered students a chance to ask about my education, experience in finance, the time I lived and studied in Paris, or how I ended up teaching at a community college. I had begun to worry it widened the gap between me and my students by highlighting differences rather than commonalities. But a few years ago, I removed the slide.

Teaching 71

Teaching Motivation Learning Outcomes Instructors 71

Edsurge

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

But there is a disconnect between the skills that students are being taught and those that employers require, and we face the stark prospect that one-third of jobs in 2020 will require skills that aren’t common today. Salesforce recently unveiled Trailhead for Students , a free digital learning platform and community.

Skills 291

Skills Course Design Instructors Achievement 291

Edsurge

JANUARY 31, 2023

Teaching is about attention — getting students to pay attention to the material, and to engage with new ideas so they can develop new skills and abilities. But getting and holding the attention of students has become more difficult since the pandemic, according to many college instructors around the country.

Attention 197

Attention Lecturing Instructors Students 197

Edsurge

JANUARY 16, 2024

When teachers think their students aren’t paying attention in class, they’re probably right. And that’s true even when instructors force students to put away their smartphones. You use a phrase for this that you call ‘budgeted attention.’ They see you're not paying attention to them. What does that mean?

Attention 217

Attention Students Instructors Communication 217

Edsurge

OCTOBER 7, 2024

Encouraging students to complete work outside of class has always been a struggle. But many college professors say it has gotten even harder in recent years as students prioritize their mental health, have trouble adhering to deadlines and are more skeptical of the purpose of homework. Teaching The Why Sarah Z.

Instructors 199

Instructors Assignments Textbooks Essay 199

Edsurge

JANUARY 10, 2023

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Live lecture classes are back at most colleges after COVID-19 disruptions, but student engagement often hasn’t returned to normal. In this class, I mostly saw students following along closely, and taking notes. But it was just one student, and most seemed to be paying attention.

Instructors 213

Instructors Lecturing Students Textbooks 213

Edsurge

JUNE 16, 2023

There’s a news story in higher ed that’s not getting enough attention. Just a few weeks ago at Rutgers University, for instance, adjuncts, grad students and others held a five-day strike over unequal treatment compared to other academic employees. Every virtual class is taught by contingent instructors.

Attention 206

Attention Teachers Instructors Fairness 206

Catlin Tucker

MARCH 23, 2022

Teachers have three primary roles – designer, instructor, and facilitator. Most teachers dedicate significant time and energy to their instructor role, explaining complex concepts and processes and modeling specific strategies and skills. That way, students can control the pace they consume and process that instruction.

Blended Learning 498

Blended Learning Feedback Learning Instructors 498

Edsurge

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Students these days are distracted. That question is the topic of a new book out this month by James Lang, called “ Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It. It’s a surprisingly optimistic take on the topic—it goes out of its way not to blame students or urge blanket tech bans. We had a lot of cases.

Instructors 218

Instructors Attention Education Lecturing 218

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 17, 2023

Capturing students’ attention throughout the entire class is crucial for any teacher, but the challenge lies in the fact that, despite teachers’ expertise in their subject matter, it can be challenging to hold students’ attention for an extended period. Non-verbal communication adopted by the instructor.

Attention 122

Attention Teaching Instructors Minute Papers 122

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

I always imagined that as my experience with teaching grew, I would be able to better motivate students and help focus my students. It turns out that with each passing year, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to capture and hold a student’s attention and focus during my lessons.

Attention 122

Attention Students Quizzes Interdisciplinary 122

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

As an instructor, I have always considered myself to be friendly and approachable. I assumed that students would come to me when they were experiencing difficulty with course materials or going through unexpected life events which influenced course performance. It may even be that the student is simply shy.

Instructors 122

Instructors Syllabus Attention Teaching Assistants 122

eSchool News

MAY 16, 2024

AI tutoring can change students’ learning experiences by providing access to an environment designed according to their learning styles and paces. A significant advantage of AI tutoring systems is the personalized learning experiences they can offer students. It can provide more examples and problems until the student succeeds.

Learning Styles 297

Learning Styles Learning Students Gamification 297

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

I always imagined that as my experience with teaching grew, I would be able to better motivate students and help focus my students. It turns out that with each passing year, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to capture and hold a student’s attention and focus during my lessons.

Attention 111

Attention Students Quizzes Interdisciplinary 111

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 2, 2025

Despite debate and disagreement about how to define and measure attention spans, numerous studies have put student attention spans in approximately the 10-minute range (Bradbury, 2016). Attention is a so-called gateway between information and learning and is compared to a spotlight on a large stage (Keller et al.,

Lecturing 104

Lecturing Attention Students Discussions 104

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Understanding the connection between class size and student achievement, as well as teacher retentions, is critical to the future of our educational system. Research into the impact of class size on student achievement has been ongoing for decades. The Link Between Class Size and Achievement.

Achievement 265

Achievement Students Instructors Ethics 265

Faculty Focus

OCTOBER 17, 2023

Capturing students’ attention throughout the entire class is crucial for any teacher, but the challenge lies in the fact that, despite teachers’ expertise in their subject matter, it can be challenging to hold students’ attention for an extended period. Non-verbal communication adopted by the instructor.

Attention 101

Attention Teaching Instructors Minute Papers 101

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 2, 2025

Despite debate and disagreement about how to define and measure attention spans, numerous studies have put student attention spans in approximately the 10-minute range (Bradbury, 2016). Attention is a so-called gateway between information and learning and is compared to a spotlight on a large stage (Keller et al.,

Lecturing 97

Lecturing Attention Students Discussions 97

Edsurge

JANUARY 14, 2021

As the pandemic has forced more teaching online, plenty of instructors have been trying to figure out the best way to keep students’ attention and interest with lecture videos or Zoom sessions. It’s almost like this symphony that the instructor is the heart of.”

Instructors 218

Instructors Lecturing Teachers Attention 218

Faculty Focus

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

As an instructor, I have always considered myself to be friendly and approachable. I assumed that students would come to me when they were experiencing difficulty with course materials or going through unexpected life events which influenced course performance. It may even be that the student is simply shy.

Instructors 98

Instructors Syllabus Attention Teaching Assistants 98

Edsurge

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

VARK suggests that students can best accelerate their knowledge acquisition via one of four core learning styles: visual (V), aural (A), read/write (R) or kinesthetic (K). It’s a wildly popular concept that has led to prevailing beliefs that students perform better if we cater to their natural learning styles.

Technology 203

Technology Instructors Learning Styles Learning 203

eSchool News

OCTOBER 10, 2019

According to research , in a typical classroom lecture students will generally retain only five percent of the material presented. Today’s teachers are looking to new methods of teaching and learning to improve student engagement and achievement, including tech-based solutions like the flipped classroom.

Lecturing 184

Lecturing Textbooks Instructors Attention 184

eSchool News

MAY 26, 2017

According to curriculum therapists, multi-disciplinary sessions appeal to students’ creativity, are relevant to their everyday lives, and help them acquire important skills—especially students with autism. Art for Students with Autism. The main goal with these lessons is to have students independent in their art sessions.

Art 256

Art Counselling Students Disabilities 256

Edsurge

MARCH 11, 2020

I'd rather that you do that for your students, for yourself than to cancel all the classes,” she argues. Think Shorter If it’s hard to hold students’ attention in person, it’s even harder online, says Stachowiak: “You'll want to think about shortening that experience. How are your students handling the uncertainty?

Instructors 207

Instructors Teaching Multiple Choice Questions Ethics 207

Edsurge

AUGUST 29, 2018

But the rise of alternative education providers that rely on contractors raises the question: Should these instructors be considered employees instead? In addition to teaching classes during normal business hours, both said they worked extra to prepare lessons, grade assignments, meet with students and attend marketing events.

Instructors 115

Instructors Questions Coaching English 115

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

An overflowing supply of books, websites, newsletters, podcasts, and videos offer tips, tricks, and strategies to help entrepreneurs manage their time, attention, and priorities. But that advice also applies to online instructors. Be conscientious about your time, attention, and productivity. Focus on one task at a time.

Instructors 106

Instructors Activities Motivation Attention 106

Edsurge

JUNE 8, 2022

As the pandemic progresses, professors are sharing stories about what feels to them like widespread student disengagement. In their anecdotes, fewer students are showing up to class and turning work in on time (or at all). But declining student participation may also stem from the challenges inherent to remote and hybrid learning.

Student Engagement 200

Student Engagement Instructors Hybrid Courses Students 200

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 7, 2024

Faculty members should demonstrate an understanding of digital indicators that may signal distress in online students. This involves being attentive to changes in communication patterns, participation levels, or the quality of submitted work. What protocols are in place for reporting and responding to online students in crisis?

Instructors 128

Instructors Counselling Confidentiality Communication 128

eSchool News

JULY 27, 2023

Key points: Gamification can help engage students when they might otherwise lose motivation Engaged students are 2.5 While the environment that grows children into students–and eventually young adults–has been changing, the education system has proved less dynamic.

Gamification 246

Gamification Lecturing Internet Instructors 246

Edsurge

MAY 16, 2024

That vantage point gives her insight about what’s keeping students from feeling fully invested in showing up for class ready to truly participate in the learning process. EdSurge: Why is student disengagement or absenteeism something that you’re thinking about? We don't want students in the classroom when they're not physically well.

Students 202

Students Instructors Lecturing Participation 202

eSchool News

APRIL 3, 2020

The private conferencing is on a closed network and every instructor gets their own virtual classroom, so staff can conduct classes simultaneously. Features include real-time comprehension checks with multiple-choice polling questions, virtual hand raising, non-verbal emoji feedback, whiteboarding, attention tracking, and more.

Mobile Devices 228

Mobile Devices Instructors Attention Communication 228

Faculty Focus

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

An overflowing supply of books, websites, newsletters, podcasts, and videos offer tips, tricks, and strategies to help entrepreneurs manage their time, attention, and priorities. But that advice also applies to online instructors. Be conscientious about your time, attention, and productivity. Focus on one task at a time.

Instructors 94

Instructors Activities Motivation Attention 94

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

Key points: Today’s students deserve modern tech tools that suit their learning styles and tendencies 5 of the biggest education trends in 2024 65 predictions about edtech trends in 2024 For more news on edtech trends, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching page It’s 2024! What new technology is out there and being tested in the classroom?

Learning Styles 311

Learning Styles Participation Attention Hybrid Learning 311

Faculty Focus

JANUARY 7, 2024

Faculty members should demonstrate an understanding of digital indicators that may signal distress in online students. This involves being attentive to changes in communication patterns, participation levels, or the quality of submitted work. What protocols are in place for reporting and responding to online students in crisis?

Instructors 115

Instructors Counselling Confidentiality Communication 115