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"Games are being used much more widely in schools than they were when I first started writing about them 2 or 3 years ago. As of fall 2013, 74% of K-8 teachers were using digital games. 55% of these teachers have students playing digital games at least weekly, 9% daily. The games they are using are mostly designed to be educational, with only 5% playing commercial games, and 8% playing hybrids (commercial games adapted for education like MincraftEDU or SimCityEdu). These insights come from Joan Ganz Cooney Center at the Sesame Workshop, who recently released a study surveying K-8 teachers in order to understand how they are implementing digital games in their classrooms."

"Take a look in the backpack of any K-12 student headed back to school this year and you may see a tablet. And, according to a new survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Pearson, the overwhelming majority of those students believe those tablets will change the way they learn in the future and make learning more fun."

"This Saturday and Sunday, TEDx communities across the globe will be celebrating TEDxYouthDay, a weekend of TEDx events dedicated to the ingenuity of kids worldwide. Every year we're taken aback by the amazing things that come out of these events, and to celebrate, we're featuring some of our favorite TEDx Talks from young people. Below, three great TEDx Talks from kids you have to watch."

"This year, I am not worried, I am not stressed, I am not anxious. I know that I have plenty of time to get my reports completed because I already have so much information already typed, personalised and ready to go about my students. I have Evernote."

"After its launch the iPad quickly became the darling of the K-12 education community. Schools and teachers quickly saw the opportunities that it afforded students and jumped to get them into their hands. Fast forward a few years and it seems that a lot of schools have relegated the iPad to a supporting role or ditched them entirely. As mentioned elsewhere this is primarily due to a lack of clear vision, a misunderstanding of what the iPad is and an imiginative, uninspiring curriculum. While the iPad may no longer be the technology de jour in certain circles it is impossible to ignore what a compelling device the iPad is. So, why is the iPad still the best choice for schools, teachers and students."

"Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, and PBS LearningMedia, a media-on-demand service designed for K-12 classrooms, announced the opening of applications for the inaugural year of The Emperor Science Award program. The Emperor Science Award program is an initiative designed to encourage high school students to explore careers in science, specifically cancer research and care, through a unique mentoring opportunity. The education initiative was first announced in spring 2015 by SU2C co-founder Katie Couric at Columbia University in connection with a new three-part film on the history of cancer that recently aired on PBS (it can be streamed online here)."

"Last year, at an event where teens showcased apps that they created for a competition, I spoke with the high school boys who won first prize. They expressed surprise at their achievement. "We built something, thought it worked, tested it, only to find out that there were snags," one of them said. "We started again, got a little farther along, and had to stop again. This happened over and over." Their comments highlight what the maker movement is and isn't. It's not about the stuff: the 3-D printers, the soldering irons, the sewing machines, the iPads, or the craft materials. A successful experience is about learning and innovation. That's what those teenagers discovered as they worked through the iterations of their app, and it's something to keep in mind as you consider software for your libraries. Below are three of my favorite maker apps."

"Fast forward to today… Even though there are always new edtech trends emerging, I no longer find myself having those yikes moments when I read about them on Twitter or hear about them on a TEDx Talk. However, as I assist colleagues in the classroom, facilitate PD, and collaborate with a team of administrators and teachers to develop a new K-12 tech plan, I am finding that many of the individuals I encounter throughout my work day are currently experiencing what I did eight years ago-that same what the what feeling that often creates anxiety and doubt. That said, I did some surfing to try to locate a reference guide that could quickly (and visually) help my co-workers get a better grasp on some of the latest edtech buzzwords. Here is one of the resources I am sharing with them-and you. Hopefully it will help to eliminate some of that app-prehension you might have as you try to choose the best tools or ways to incorporate technology into your classroom!"

"Last year, at an event where teens showcased apps that they created for a competition, I spoke with the high school boys who won first prize. They expressed surprise at their achievement. "We built something, thought it worked, tested it, only to find out that there were snags," one of them said. "We started again, got a little farther along, and had to stop again. This happened over and over." Their comments highlight what the maker movement is and isn't. It's not about the stuff: the 3-D printers, the soldering irons, the sewing machines, the iPads, or the craft materials. A successful experience is about learning and innovation. That's what those teenagers discovered as they worked through the iterations of their app, and it's something to keep in mind as you consider software for your libraries. Below are three of my favorite maker apps."

"So here's the thing, we've all seen the presentations on the value of authentic learning and there is no doubt that creating meaningful learning experiences is paramount. And, incorporated wisely, with intention and forethought, giving students the opportunity to create digitally is a powerful tool. But creating on the devices is only half of the picture - less than half even. Last year, I visited a school and saw a group of Kindergarten students thrilled to show off their understanding using Doodle Buddy. I observed a student create a masterpiece. He looked at me eagerly, "Now what?" We held up the iPad and his peers applauded. Sharing it beyond the class however was not in the cards that day. I was struck by the lightening fast speed with which he lost interest in the whole activity as soon as he realized the sharing stopped at the classroom door."

"Adilene Rodriguez admits she has always struggled with academics. Especially in middle school she hated getting up early, found her classes boring and didn't really see where it was all going. When she started her freshman year at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, California, just south of Oakland, she was a shy student who rarely spoke up in class and had little confidence in herself as a scholar. Rodriguez is now a senior and her approach to school has changed dramatically over her high school career. She attributes her shift to her freshman science teacher, Jim Clark, who taught the class about growth mindset from the very beginning and backed up the discussion with action. "He would tell me, 'You need to push yourself, that's how you're going to grow. Be confident. You're not always going to be successful on your first tries, but you can get there,' " Rodriguez said"

"Game jams have been growing in popularity. In a game jam, teams are challenged to design a game in a short period of time. In essence, game jams are a game about making a game. Students apply systems thinking, user empathy, collaboration, storyboarding, and iterative design, while also learning how to tackle broad, open-ended problems. Matthew Farber, author of Gamify Your Classroom: A Field Guide to Game-Based Learning, will discuss his use of game jams in his middle school social studies classes, as well as digital game jams in the after school club he advises. He will share resources from the Moveable Game Jams he attended in the New York area this year, including Quest to Learn, in New York City, as well as the A. Harry Moore School Game Jam Day, in Jersey City, NY, which he facilitated."

"Last week I may have had my best moment ever as a teacher, making a lightsaber with kids. Our current unit of inquiry is looking at how energy can be used to support human progress including the use of circuits. Which of course mean I just had to get my set of Makey Makeys out. I had a huge room of circuitry for the kids to explore but the best part was undoubtedly the lightsaber."

"Throughout my 13 years of teaching, I heard this common theme time and time again from parents: How can I help? The troubles they professed were varied and numerous (e.g., concern, frustration, bewilderment). They often included the following: I don't remember algebra. I don't like math. The way math is taught now differs from when I was in school. All of these are certainly legitimate. Although people use math every day, even when they don't realize it, they are not necessarily using all the same concepts they learned in school. And as the saying goes, if you don't use it, you lose it. I'm sure some parents don't know how to solve quadratic equations or remember what it means for a relation to be a function. And yes, math teaching today may differ from when parents were in school. But the idea behind new techniques is to encourage students to become better problem-solvers, not to confuse parents or change the concepts. So, believe it or not, despite your fears and feelings of uncertainty, you can still help. Here are a few tips to get you started. "

"Post this on your wall for 2018/2019 school year as a reminder of all the dates you can celebrate ways to prepare modern learners."

"The choices we make during the first hour or so of our morning often determine what the rest of the day will look like. Will your morning routine grant you a day full of productivity and peace of mind? Or will you be looking at an eight-hour stretch of haphazard work? Over the past five years I've interviewed more than 300 successful people about their morning routines. Through talking with business leaders and university presidents to Olympians, fashion models and artists, I've learned that while there isn't one "best" morning routine that works for everyone, there are best practices that some of the most successful people I spoke with follow every day. Here are some of the most common morning routines I've found among successful people."