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"A longitudinal literacy study completed by Dr. Stephen Krashen, an international linguistics scholar, and his colleagues Christy Lao, Sy-ying Lee, and Jeff McQuillan, looked at literacy levels in children. Their research showed that school libraries are the only thing that matters when it comes to closing the gap that exists in literacy levels when poverty comes into play"

"People no longer have to come to a library to get information," she says, "so the library has to get people coming in for different reasons. Students need somewhere to socialize, create things and collaborate." Joan Ackroyd outlines how she turned around a traditional secondary library to meet the needs of 21 century learners

"People no longer have to come to a library to get information," she says, "so the library has to get people coming in for different reasons. Students need somewhere to socialize, create things and collaborate." Joan Ackroyd outlines how she turned around a traditional secondary library to meet the needs of 21 century learners

"Most beginners feel overwhelmed when it comes to selecting a theme for their WordPress site. There are thousands of free and paid options. Each theme looks better than the other. How do you choose the best theme for WordPress? In this article, we will share the 9 things you should consider, so you can choose the best WordPress theme for your site."

Excellent interactive site targetting primary studnets but some contwould stimulate discussion with older students. The interactive climate change map (from the Weather and Climate menu button) is an excellent start. Site includes games, videos to view, things to make and much more with a menu that addresses science concepts.

Why should we spend our time reading novels and poems when, out there, big things are going on? 5 minute video clip that demonstrates the value of reading - mashup design combining characters, books, heads etc for a contemporary feel.

23 Research Things is an online learning programme for university staff and graduate students, showcasing a range of digital tools that can support research activity. It originally ran from 24 March 2014 as a series of weekly blog posts but the site will remain active as a continuing resource and will be periodically updated. For ease of reference, here's the full contents of the programme.

Along with links to relevant research this article identifies a series of strategies for libraries and classrooms to implement.

What sustains our belief in the integrity of fictional places? The fact that they seem to act upon events as much as the people who live in them, for one thing. And, just as often, the fact that so many authors and illustrators draw elaborate maps of literary settings, making their features real to us and embedding them in our minds.

This article offers a collection of interactive activities that help kids become more involved in the stories that they read.

An essential question is an incredibly powerful tool for discovery learning and critical thinking skill development. Essential and herding questions are also one of the 10 shifts of practice of future-focused learning. If you consider what learning actually is, it is usually the answer to a need or what springs from curiosity around a personal connection. This usually involves the asking of essential questions to drive the learning. However, when they're working with EQs, teachers often ask, "How can I make essential questions better?" 1. Move the question higher on Bloom's Taxonomy 2. Remove specificity

Computers intersect with every aspect of kids' lives, but most kids don't understand how they work. Through coding, students build essential literacy skills, gain an understanding of logic and sequence, and learn the mechanics of iteration. These tools support project-based learning and give students the freedom to create, collaborate, hack, remix, and tinker with their own unique designs. Using these picks, kids can unlock the logic of code and the basics of programming, turning computers into tools to make new things.

""How communities change over time" could combine so many things that I love including primary sources, local history, and global awareness. I was excited and so were my teachers."

"Being a teacher, I am always trying to research new ways to get my students involved in using their imagination, listening, and comprehension skills, while also learning to form visual images or "brain movies" in their minds. This is where creativity, engagement, enrichment, and fun come into teaching! Podcasts can do so many great things for students, like build confidence, expose them to new and different genres, provide access to numerous subject matters to meet even the most distinct interests, and, most importantly, engage students in literacy activities that will pique their interest and enjoyment in books and reading. "

"The Globe of Extremes is an interesting interactive map of the extremes of the Earth. On the map you'll find things like the deepest spot on Earth, the point furthest from any ocean, and the highest permanent settlement in the world. "

"Plagiarism and copyright infringement are not new in the education world. However, it wasn't so long ago that students mainly needed to know that they shouldn't copy from textbooks or other students. Then things started to get digital."

"Fundamentally, personification is a specific type of metaphor. Generally, personification is defined as a literary device that assigns human qualities and attributes to objects or other non-human things. "

"When taking on the role of a curator for your students, there are a few things you can do to handpick resources that support every student in your class. In my book EdTech Essentials: The Top 10 Technology Strategies for All Learning Environments, one of the 10 strategies examines curation in the classroom and ways to curate resources that support all students."

"Other school librarians who have manga collections tell me the same things: their circulation statistics are up, their students are in the library more frequently, and reading as a whole is on the rise. Despite the results many of us report in our libraries, many school librarians are resistant to providing manga to their students. I believe this is often the result of stereotypes about the medium."