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

eSchool News

JUNE 17, 2025

Next, test some small changes Key Action: Pilot changes and gather feedback from students and educators A current partner school that is focusing on cell phone policies this school year is taking a deliberately slow approach to developing a policy. Our Listening In Protocols offer helpful ways to solicit authentic opinions from students.

Schools 185

Schools Students Feedback Participation 185

k12 Digest

JUNE 23, 2025

Only when I’m clear on the objective—whether it’s collaboration, reflection, critical thinking, or empathy—do I select the technology that best supports that goal. These approaches develop not just knowledge but critical thinking, empathy, and systems awareness—skills that are increasingly essential in a volatile, uncertain world.

Interdisciplinary 248

Interdisciplinary Learning Feedback Culture 248

Faculty Focus

JUNE 22, 2025

Liberal arts education has long been valued for its broad-based approach to learning, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and a well-rounded knowledge base. For this it is essential to introduce the concepts and principles of systems thinking (Figure 1).

Art 97

Art Curriculum Interdisciplinary Teaching 97

Teach Hub

MAY 2, 2025

Whether working with younger or older students, hands-on activities can make a huge difference in engagement, retention , and critical thinking. Explore buoyancy by testing different objects in a water bin to see which ones sink or float. Use sidewalk chalk to practice spelling words, math facts, or storytelling.

Activities 81

Activities Learning Students Critical Thinking 81

k12 Digest

MAY 19, 2025

In fact, one such study demonstrated that students who were taught in classroom environments which employed strategies aligned to research such as productive struggle, discourse, movement and problem solving scored significantly higher on post-tests recalling and applying previous learning than the control group.

Science 130

Science Education Motivation Lecturing 130

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 103

Gamification Learning Motivation Learning Styles 103

k12 Digest

JUNE 23, 2025

Only when I’m clear on the objective—whether it’s collaboration, reflection, critical thinking, or empathy—do I select the technology that best supports that goal. These approaches develop not just knowledge but critical thinking, empathy, and systems awareness—skills that are increasingly essential in a volatile, uncertain world.

Interdisciplinary 144

Interdisciplinary Learning Feedback Culture 144

Edsurge

MAY 9, 2025

Not only do these courses offer students a jump-start on credits once they get to college, but they also equip them with skills like time management, critical thinking and study habits that researchers say encourage them to enroll and stay in college. Some states have eligibility requirements, such as passing a standardized test.

Instructors 134

Instructors Math Study High School 134

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 53

Interdisciplinary Teaching Knowledge Peer Review 53

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

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

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 98

Ethics Intelligence Critical Thinking Feedback 98

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

Teach Thought

MAY 18, 2025

Skip to content Read Menu Toggle Critical Thinking Posts Learning Posts Literacy Posts Recent Newsletter Support Us? Sink or Float Challenge Test a variety of household items in water. LEGO Zip Line Use string, pulleys, and LEGO figures to build and test a zip line. Test and redesign. code.org 17.

STEM 52

STEM Activities Math Discussions 52

eSchool News

MAY 2, 2025

Preparing them for this reality requires educators to focus on more than just meeting academic benchmarks or prepping for the next standardized test. As industries transform at warp speed, accelerated by AI, automation, and other technological advancements, many of todays students will enter careers that dont yet exist.

Education 159

Education STEM Knowledge Skills 159

Teachers Pay Teachers

JUNE 2, 2025

Psychology “Do Now” Writing Prompts & Slides By Loosli Learning Grades: 9th-12th Subjects: Psychology Ideal for psychology classes or any subject focused on critical thinking, these do now writing prompts are an intriguing way to start the day. Are the drawbacks of animal testing worth the benefits to humans?

High School 52

High School High School Writing Essay 52

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

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. Whats important is creating opportunities for students to question, reason, and reflect–core components of both critical thinking and data literacy.

Ethics 297

Ethics Education Culture Social Studies 297

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. It allows us to reach students with high-level thinking and reasoning, regardless of their reading level.

Technology 408

Technology Fairness Schools Ethics 408

Edsurge

SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

A researcher tested a new weight loss supplement. This is the kind of subtle distinction that critical-thinking skills should help illuminate. Each group of study participants started the experiment by taking a pre-test and receiving training about critical thinking. Is that claim accurate, or faulty?

Critical Thinking 217

Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions Peer Review Testing 217

eSchool News

MAY 14, 2018

We all know that critical thinking is a very important skill, but how do you teach students to go beyond the obvious response and use reason? For teachers looking for new ways to improve critical-thinking skills, here are the five most-popular TED-Ed Lessons on the topic. 5 tips to improve your critical thinking.

Critical Thinking 241

Critical Thinking Skills Teaching Testing 241

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 257

Critical Thinking Learning Questions Reading 257

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 275

Testing Critical Thinking Evaluation Essay 275

eSchool News

JUNE 13, 2024

” In the 1940s, psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark conducted the now-famous “doll test,” which revealed the negative impact of segregation on Black children’s self-esteem and racial identity. Board of Education sought to eradicate. At first glance, AI chatbots offer a world of promise.

Testing 318

Testing Critical Thinking Intelligence Ethics 318

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

That holds true for students scoring a 5 on the test as well as a 1 or 2. They provide students with an enhanced skill set in critical thinking, time management, strong writing and communication, and problem-solving as a direct result of a learning environment that promotes productive struggle. There is a threshold.

Testing 266

Testing Exams Students Critical Thinking 266

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 15, 2022

In this week’s episode of Getting There: Innovations in Education , host Kevin Hogan explores: 3 ideas to center educator wellness How to use critical thinking in ELA and social studies The future of assessment using project-based learning (PBL).

Testing 246

Testing Teaching Critical Thinking Social Studies 246

Edsurge

AUGUST 29, 2024

The SAT is to standardized testing what the floppy disk is to data storage. Providers of some of the most popular standardized tests are rethinking their offerings as new AI tools are challenging traditional techniques for finding out what students know — and allowing new ways to give and score tests.

Testing 209

Testing Multiple Choice Questions Exams Questions 209

Catlin Tucker

APRIL 22, 2025

When state testing season arrives, classroom routines can quickly fall apart. In this blog, I’ll share six strategies that encourage students to explore, create, reflect, and connecteven during the testing season. Wrap Up Testing season doesnt have to mean learning is on hold. Whats one goal you still have moving forward?

Testing 195

Testing Learning Critical Thinking Essay 195

Catlin Tucker

DECEMBER 3, 2019

When teachers ask students to generate review questions for a Quizizz game, it requires that they review the content you’ve covered to identify important information, promotes critical thinking, and encourages conversation and collaboration. This strategy shifts students from consumers to producers.

Exams 483

Exams Students Textbooks Critical Thinking 483

eSchool News

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Passive learning, on the other hand, means students passively receive information–for example, students might use a Chromebook to take a test or submit assignments in a learning management system. Twenty-five percent of K-5 teachers report weekly use, along with 30 percent of 6-8 teachers and 31 percent of 9-12 teachers.

Activities 314

Activities Middle School Middle School Critical Thinking 314

eSchool News

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

This “cookbook recipe” teaching style not only stifles creativity, but it can also hinder critical thinking skill development. They had to find the parameters for those conditions and test out various scenarios. It was a lot of fun for them–they were really excited about it. It helps students develop motor skills.

Science 318

Science Critical Thinking STEM Textbooks 318

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 255

Critical Thinking Exams Communication Students 255

eSchool News

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

Heres how For more news on science engagement, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM hub More than half of science teachers believe the most important value of science education is how it contributes to students curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity, according to a new report from LEGO Education.

Science 310

Science Education STEM Critical Thinking 310

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 278

Evaluation Quizzes Critical Thinking Feedback 278