k12 Digest

JULY 1, 2025

Steven Sgourdos has a passion for fostering intellectual curiosity and critical thinking in his students. Are they memorizing facts, or learning how to think, solve, and lead? Traditional tests don’t always capture things like creativity, grit, or collaboration. That’s why we focus on competency-based assessment.

Learning 130

Learning Critical Thinking History Secondary Education 130

k12 Digest

JUNE 23, 2025

Today, I serve as Vice-Principal of B.School, where I lead efforts to integrate well-being, sustainability, and equity into our core curriculum. Within my own schools, one of the most defining moments was leading the integration of social-emotional learning and well-being into the core academic curriculum. I am also pursuing a Ph.D.

Interdisciplinary 144

Interdisciplinary Learning Feedback Culture 144

Teach Thought

JULY 10, 2025

Here is the goal, here are the criteria being used to establish the terms of quality, now give it a shot and I’ll evaluate how well I think you did. Knowledge is evaluated with a slew of assignments and tests, and a letter grade is given as a kind of trophy—As are big trophies, Fs trophies of the wrong kind, but trophies still.

Gamification 105

Gamification Learning Motivation Learning Styles 105

k12 Digest

MAY 28, 2025

That vision became AEF Schools , a place designed for students who needed something differenta structured, supportive environment where learning goes beyond textbooks and tests. The Preparatory Programs support students who thrive in a structured setting without the added stress of homework or standardized testing.

Skills 137

Skills Schools Learning Students 137

Faculty Focus

JULY 17, 2025

Checking How Well Students Blend Ideas Checking student learning in an interdisciplinary course brings special challenges, as the goal is to test knowledge of single subjects and the ability to blend and use information from many fields. In our college, old testing methods, like exams on facts from one field, do not work well.

Interdisciplinary 52

Interdisciplinary Teaching Knowledge Peer Review 52

Faculty Focus

JULY 17, 2025

Checking How Well Students Blend Ideas Checking student learning in an interdisciplinary course brings special challenges, as the goal is to test knowledge of single subjects and the ability to blend and use information from many fields. In our college, old testing methods, like exams on facts from one field, do not work well.

Interdisciplinary 54

Interdisciplinary Teaching Knowledge Peer Review 54

Edsurge

APRIL 30, 2025

Being part of this network helps us integrate cutting-edge AI tools and practices into classrooms, fostering critical thinking, creativity and real-world problem-solving skills to prepare our scholars for a technology-driven world. We began with a pilot program to test AI tools in targeted areas before expanding to broader use.

Ethics 100

Ethics Intelligence Critical Thinking Feedback 100

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 4, 2025

STEM isnt just the latest teaching topic: Its an innovative, cross-curricular way to strengthen problem-solving and critical thinking skills across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Put their science and teamwork skills to the test with a five-activity survival STEM resource.

Middle School 52

Middle School Middle School STEM Activities 52

Priceless Ponderings

MAY 25, 2025

Think of this as your go-to guide for setting up a safe, calm, and curiosity-filled science classroom. There are test tubes, beakers, and maybe even open flames depending on the grade level. They help establish a culture of respect, responsibility, and critical thinking.

Science 52

Science Activities Classroom Management Critical Thinking 52

Teachers Pay Teachers

MAY 21, 2025

Like the smile from acing a test or the joy of earning a reward, those flashes of satisfaction are unforgettable. Fun Experiments for Kindergarten and 1st Grade Stir up some wiggles and wide-eyed wonder through inquiry-based learning where elementary students will marvel their way to big ideas and critical thinking.

Elementary School 75

Elementary School Elementary School Science Schools 75

eSchool News

MAY 2, 2025

The other, from the president and CEO of Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a national nonprofit organization that provides schools with innovative, hands-on, project-based STEM curriculum designed to develop critical skills and knowledge, while preparing students for careers beyond the classroom.

Education 154

Education STEM Knowledge Skills 154

Teach Thought

MAY 18, 2025

Skip to content Read Menu Toggle Critical Thinking Posts Learning Posts Literacy Posts Recent Newsletter Support Us? Because this is a single post/article post (and not a full lesson plan or curriculum), we’ve focused on quick, inspiring ideas rather than step-by-step instructions. Test and redesign. code.org 17.

STEM 52

STEM Activities Math Discussions 52

Edsurge

APRIL 22, 2025

Now, a dozen students from six families are suing the department for sidelining books, curriculum and cultural awareness events that conflict with the presidents goal of excising gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion from public life.

Schools 115

Schools History Students Culture 115

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 30, 2025

Students can answer the riddle in a daily journal or chat with a partner before you start the day’s lesson, letting them settle in and practice using important critical thinking skills. Test your students’ funny bones and critical thinking skills with these science-themed riddles and jokes.

High School 52

High School High School Schools Math 52

Ask a Tech Teacher

NOVEMBER 16, 2017

For example: Blue: A1, B1, C1, D1, G1, H1, I1, J1, A2, B2, I2, J2, A3, J3, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10, When done, students have a neighbor test the directions to see if they can create the intended drawing. Students now write directions for which color is poured into what squares to create their drawing.

Grades 234

Grades Activities Art Writing 234

eSchool News

APRIL 23, 2025

Every test score, attendance log, learning app, or digital assignment generates data. In other words, theyre not just passive consumers of information, theyre critical thinkers. Integrating data literacy into K-12 curriculum The good news? For K-12 educators, building students data literacy is not a nice-to-have.

Ethics 287

Ethics Education Culture Social Studies 287

Cal Matters

JULY 8, 2025

Democratic lawmakers at odds with one another over new standards In introducing his bill, Jones-Sawyer viewed a college education as paramount to law enforcement training because it would expose incoming officers to new perspectives, healthy debate and critical thinking skills. “We Some students fail to pass the academy’s courses.

Exams 110

Exams Education Testing Critical Thinking 110

eSchool News

MAY 25, 2017

In my second year, in an effort to get technology into the hands of the students, foster authentic inquiry, and break the “test-prep” mentality which has come to dominate many a school landscape, I launched Inquiry Fair. Another inquiry-based initiative we are always working on is our Next Generation Curriculum model.

Technology 406

Technology Fairness Schools Ethics 406

eSchool News

MARCH 21, 2022

When I was in school, my teacher would have read the book out loud and asked us questions to test our comprehension, such as: Q) Who did Knox live with? For the purposes of this article about using picture books in instruction, I invite you to listen as I read aloud to you The Great PunkaKnox. A) His aunt and uncle.

Critical Thinking 254

Critical Thinking Learning Questions Reading 254

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

Key points: Standardized tests aren’t inclusive and often lead to unnecessary stress Educators should shift focus from standardized tests to ensuring students become independent learners See related article: What’s the state of K-12 assessment? This shift, while intended to improve test performance, comes at a cost.

Testing 269

Testing Critical Thinking Evaluation Essay 269

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

MindLabs by Explore Interactive brings state-of-the-art technology that, combined with award-winning EiE curricula, will provide teachers with standards-aligned, engaging activities to help students build skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, engineering design, and team collaboration — all skills required for jobs in the 21st century.

Curriculum 254

Curriculum Critical Thinking STEM Science 254

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 3, 2023

Key points: In preparing students for the modern workforce, think globally A globalized curriculum helps children learn without barriers See related article: 10 things schools need to do to build students’ networks For more news on global learning, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching page Learning should be lifelong.

Curriculum 294

Curriculum Students Culture Intelligence 294

Edsurge

SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

Critical thinking is a tremendously important skill. The most recent results of the Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus (CLA+) test—a standardized testing initiative designed to measure college students’ critical thinking skills—are not encouraging. But, it turns out, teaching this skill is no easy task.

Critical Thinking 145

Critical Thinking Skills Intellectual Development Testing 145

eSchool News

AUGUST 18, 2022

To help them make sense of how we got here, Poptential has expanded and updated its Common Sense Economics digital curriculum to include recent economic events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and the current inflation crisis. Click to tweet.

Curriculum 246

Curriculum History Quizzes Social Studies 246

Edsurge

MAY 21, 2019

But at its core, computational thinking is simply a way to process information using higher-order or critical thinking, says Julie Oltman, who also teaches at Lehigh and is collaborating with Hammond on a related social studies curriculum. Naturally, it involves a lot of computational thinking.

Critical Thinking 168

Critical Thinking Social Studies English Art 168

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

This “cookbook recipe” teaching style not only stifles creativity, but it can also hinder critical thinking skill development. And while the curriculum was structured in a logical manner, it also includes engaging design elements and leaves plenty of room for students to ask questions, solve problems, and troubleshoot.

Science 309

Science Critical Thinking STEM Textbooks 309

eSchool News

OCTOBER 27, 2022

There is currently no standardized cyber safety curriculum being taught in primary, elementary or intermediate schools. Cyber Legends intends to change that with engaging, curriculum-aligned lessons, masked as a fun video game. There is currently no standardized cyber safety curriculum being taught in educational systems.

Mobile Devices 308

Mobile Devices Critical Thinking Game-Based Learning Students 308

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

An integrated STEAM education also puts students on the path to success with higher test scores, stronger attendance records, better disciplinary records, and increased engagement and graduation rates. In order to provide a rich, robust, and inclusive curriculum for youth, STEM needs to evolve to STEAM.

STEM 314

STEM Education Laboratory Art 314

eSchool News

JANUARY 22, 2025

The basic steps of design thinking are empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test (Interaction Design Foundation, 2016). The goal is for students to lead with empathy to identify and define a problem, then develop a realistic solution to that problem that can be tested and refined through feedback.

Failure 294

Failure Critical Thinking Essay Feedback 294

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Here’s a non-comprehensive overview: Text generation : From drafting lesson plans to creating formative assessments, Gen AI can produce a wide range of written content and aid educators in curriculum development. The traditional methods of testing and evaluation must evolve to accommodate the capabilities of AI.

Metacognitive Skills 332

Metacognitive Skills Ethics Critical Thinking Evaluation 332

eSchool News

JULY 1, 2021

Learning does not just mean facts and content but includes a broad range of skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and effective written communication, as well as social and emotional well-being. . Most rely on subject area tests or college entrance exams to gain that insight.

Critical Thinking 252

Critical Thinking Exams Communication Students 252

eSchool News

JANUARY 19, 2017

Instead, teachers must develop curriculum that inspires students to not only find new solutions, but to also test their solutions, and improve on them, through trial and error. This can be done using hands-on learning tools like robotics, which intuitively teaches students how to problem solve using critical thinking.

Teaching 273

Teaching Students Testing Critical Thinking 273

Ask a Tech Teacher

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

As educators struggle with the best way to teach critical thinking and problem solving, coding has proven to be an effective and flexible tool. Here’s a thoughtful addition to that conversation: Should Coding be a Part of the Modern School’s Curriculum? But, should coding be taught in schools from an early age.

Curriculum 177

Curriculum Science Critical Thinking Attention 177

eSchool News

JUNE 7, 2024

Before I adopted phenomena-based instruction, most of the questions students asked were some variation on, “Is this going to be on the test?” They were focused on whether they would have to memorize this fact or that process to pass a test. Instead, they are constantly asking themselves, “How does this connect to my driving question?”

Science 318

Science STEM Testing Questions 318

eSchool News

APRIL 10, 2025

It allows students to compile evidence of learning through text, images, videos, and links, fostering creativity and critical thinking. Unlike traditional tests, Wakelet empowers students to demonstrate understanding in a personalized and reflective way. I love how Padlet facilitates a collaborative environment.

Evaluation 267

Evaluation Quizzes Critical Thinking Feedback 267

eSchool News

MARCH 17, 2023

10), critical thinking skills that allow them “to problem solve and make decisions” (p. The Populace study reported that today’s parents want more individualized educational experiences for their children, with greater emphasis on students’ interests and personal/career goals than on a one-size-fits-all curriculum.

Critical Thinking 281

Critical Thinking Education Disabilities Ethics 281

eSchool News

MAY 31, 2016

classrooms will now have access to CodeMonkey’s coding curriculum, including software programming and critical thinking. Software programming and critical thinking are the new building blocks for our children to compete within a 21st century global workplace.

Curriculum 138

Curriculum Game-Based Learning Critical Thinking Language 138