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greater challenge, the researchers wrote, is in expanding teachers' knowledge of new instructional practices that will allow them to select and use the right technology, in the right way, with the right students, for the right purpose.

Google Docs. The application's power to support collaborative writing and in-depth feedback, however, was not being realized. Teachers were not encouraging group-writing assignments and their feedback focused overwhelmingly on issues such as spelling and grammar, rather than content and organization.

experts seem to agree on: so-called "job-embedded" professional development that takes place consistently during the workday

The first automobiles were really horseless carriages, designed on the same frame as a horse-drawn carriage and with power defined in horsepower. The capabilities of these early contraptions were limited, and the infrastructure to support this new form of mobility was slow to develop as the early car owners rattled across the ruts and sank into the mud of unpaved and poorly maintained roads. These days, our society is built around the mobility provided by today's automobiles, and we are seeking to expand the infrastructure to accommodate battery-powered vehicles. How close is this analogy to the early stages of experimenting with cyberspace? I think the two stories are very similar, and I look forward to the day when the ruts in the cyberspace highway have been smoothed for a true community of learners to improve our world.

Emerging technologies are not limiting teacher’s roles – they are expanding their tool kits, improving their availability, and empowering them in many exciting new ways.

When students were succeeding in school with no technology, we were also living in a world with little technology, and preparing students for life in a world where technology wasn't a part of their daily lives.  

Technology is no substitute for an inspiring teacher. However, on-line materials are far more available. Twenty times more.

Because the students have access to the same tools over the web, they can reinforce the ideas by experimenting with the simulations themselves, any time, any where.

For the inquisitive educator, there are some jewels herein that can lead to stimulating discussions, new resources, and an ongoing supportive network. You just have to know where to look.

Some of the latest technology tools for the classroom, however, promise to ease the challenges of differentiating instruction more creatively and effectively, ed-tech experts say, even in an era of high-stakes federal and state testing mandates. New applications for defining and targeting students’ academic strengths and weaknesses can help teachers create a personal playlist of lessons, tools, and activities that deliver content in ways that align with individual needs and optimal learning methods.

Preliminary data showed significant student progress toward mastering the skills targeted in the program, officials say

“By leveraging technology to play a role in the delivery of instruction,” he says, “we can help to complement what live teachers do.”

14th century France inhabited a relatively simple personal world with maybe three sides: farm, village, and the church. Today ordinary individuals construct amazingly complex personal worlds with many facets. The game has truly changed.

"elephant in the room," a big conspicuous but largely undiscussed problem: What should we do with tired content?

If only we could shrink some topics, we could expand others that offer much more.

The field of metacognition offers educators many techniques that are rooted in brain research, such as deliberate practice and interleaving. “But before you can even tackle these,” says Oakley, “you have to inoculate learners against the idea that they are stupid if they cannot figure things out first off. You have to teach them that faster is not always better.”

teachers can use in the classroom and share with students to help them demystify the learning process

1. The Hiker Brain vs. The Race Car Brain