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"One-to-one technology can transform a classroom. When implemented correctly, students are engaged and excited to learn, and teachers can assess their progress in real-time. The amount of technology resources available for educators can be overwhelming. "

"For one language arts class project, a middle school teacher in Shelburne, Virginia, Chad Sansing, asks his sixth graders to read Peter Cherches's 1986 poem "Lift Your Right Arm," and then translate it into computer code. The poem occurs in action sequences-for example, "Lift your right arm, she said./I lifted my right arm." Sansing and his class conceive a list of actions, sketch ideas of how to code them, using icons or letters, and then code the poem. In doing so, the students become producers of both a new language and way of seeing poetry. Sansing's students have also translated the poem's code into Scratch, to create animation, and into LEGO Mindstorms EV3, a robot-programming language. This innovative way of engaging students with poetry is just one example of how educators are increasingly integrating transmedia techniques in their teaching and assessments. What is the point of this activity? "To help kids see connections between grammar and code," says Sansing who shares his lessons on his "Classroots" blog."

"Popularized by Angela Lee Duckworth's excellent TED Talk in April 2013, "Grit" has become a red-hot buzzword in education today. However, is this a legitimate concept that teachers should start integrating into their educational zeitgeist or just another passing trend? The research in favor of grit as a predictor of success is compelling, suggesting that this is a much-awaited key measuring stick that works on both students and teachers. Read on to learn more about this trending topic and decide for yourself whether grit is something that should play into your teaching techniques."