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  • Casey Clementson’s Reflections on What to Do in Music Ensemble + Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

    Casey Clementson’s Reflections on What to Do in Music Ensemble + Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!


    Give clear, concrete directions. Scan for follow-though

     

    Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Casey Clementson, author of the following post, is a middle school music teacher at Rosemount Middle School in Rosemount, MN.

    As part of her work as a Teach Like a Champion Fellow, Casey studied the What to Do Cycle, using its principles and adapting them to the challenges of doubly-complex settings like Concert Band.

    Her reflections (below) are so helpful… they’re our Teacher Appreciation Week gift to you!

    Meanwhile if you’re interested in learning more about What to Do Directions or other elements of productve and orderly classrooms, join us for our Building Strong Classroom Cultures workshop in Tarrytown, NY, on June 5th and 6th; info here.

    And if you are interested in finding our more about becoming a TLAC Fellow, applications for our fourth cohort are open and available here: https://teachlikeachampion.org/teach-like-champion-fellows/ and are due by May 30, 2025.

    Meanwhile, here are Casey’s insights:

     

    The Concert Band or Orchestra is a complex environment. Not only are students responsible for their personal materials needed for learning, they are also in charge of a musical instrument (one that costs hundreds of dollars). In my subject area – Concert Band – there could be over ten different types of musical instruments being used among the students, up to four different key signatures, and two different clefs used for reading music notation. To top it off, most percussionists are required to perform musical tasks completely independent but at the same time as the other students in the ensemble!

     

    Self-regulation and self-discipline from the students is essential to making this type of classroom shine. The best Instrumental Music teachers know how to harness these challenges to shape the attention of their student musicians to keep everyone learning and helping every student become an independent musician.

     

    During my time as a TLAC Fellow, I tried on many techniques to see how they fit in a class where nobody sits at a desk to learn. The technique that I fell in love with most was the What to Do Cycle. The What to Do Cycle is a sequence of moves that provides students clarity so they can experience success and belonging in the classroom.

     

    See Casey use the What to Do Cycle here: 

     

     

    Here are a few things I learned during this process:

     

    What To Do Cycles take planning, practice, and refinement.

     

    There is a potency in consciously naming a What to Do Cycle. Teachers may say they are giving clear instructions when they are really not. Teachers may assume the students will magically do what is asked of them no matter what. I was this teacher.

     

    For example, I have been teaching out of the same rhythm workbook for years. This year, I carefully craft my explanations, my examples, and my directions each day we have a rhythm lesson. I learned to change the register and tempo of my voice to make the ask exciting, or magical, or to harness middle school energy into concentration.

     

    Sometimes Be Seen Looking and Correct When Necessary are the most important part of the What to Do Cycle.

     

    A What to Do Cycle is more than just giving clear concise directions. By using Be Seen Looking and some positive narration: “The flute section has really got their pencils moving” or using an Anonymous Individual Correction such as, “Waiting for two saxophones to get their Scale sheet out,” while circulating the room is effective.

     

    One of the greatest benefits has been the use of Private Individual Correction. Anything from softly saying “Check you counts in measure 1” to “Do you have something in your mouth that needs to go in the garbage?” to the more urgent “I need you to turn your body to the front and participate” allows students to feel safe while they practice the expectations of the task at hand or of the classroom in general.

     

    Purpose not Power.

     

    One of my most impactful take-aways from a training of the What to Do cycle was the phrase “Purpose not Power.” In my 26 years of teaching, I certainly remember many instances of power struggles between me and a student. Being able to reframe my thinking that everything I do to guide behavior and culture is for the service of learning music versus trying to control young people has resulted in powerful outcomes:

     

    • Our rehearsals are calmer.
    • My emotional constancy has been easier to maintain.
    • Our students are visibly and audibly improving at a rate we have not seen since pre-pandemic.

     

    My “thank yous” and smiles to students have been more genuine than ever after a Be Seen Looking, an Anonymous Individual Correction, or in celebration of a job well-done.

     

    The purpose of the TLAC Fellows program is a two-way street: The TLAC team learns from the Fellows and receives a ton of great video from us to work with. And, in return, I was inspired to improve my craft, thus reigniting my love of teaching.

     

     

    Post script 1: Since adopting the use of strong WTD cycles, Cold Call has become a natural extension/part of our classroom (even without a roll out). After a Be Seen Looking and making eye contact with multiple students, I can engage in successful Cold Calls, but that’s for another blog post.

     

    Post script 2: Our school is a 1:1 iPad school. After reading the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt over the summer, my colleague and I decided the Band Area would be an iPad-free zone. Students turn their iPad in at the beginning of class and don’t pick it up until the bell rings. For 52 minutes, our musicians get to engage in something truly collective – learning music together – without the distraction of gaming, doing work for another class, or communicating with peers online. Could this be another factor in a successful classroom this year? Probably, yes!

     



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  • Steve Kuninsky On Using (FASE) Reading in Science

    Steve Kuninsky On Using (FASE) Reading in Science


    Steve Kuninsky is one of our twelve Cohort 3 Teach Like a Champion Fellows. His cohort began working with our team in December 2022 and just presented their final projects in January. Steve’s final project explored the use of FASE Reading in high school Chemistry at the Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. If you are interested in becoming a TLAC Fellow or know someone who might be a good fit, applications for our fourth cohort are open and available here: https://teachlikeachampion.org/teach-like-champion-fellows/ and are due by May 30, 2025. 

     

     

    In order to become better readers, students need to read, and this is why I chose to study FASE Reading in Chemistry for my Fellows project. FASE reading is a systematic approach to having students read out loud and follow along as others read. The goal is to encourage reading that is Fluent, Accountable, Social, and Expressive.  

     

    For years, I would ask my AP Biology students to read their science textbooks in preparation for class. I was consistently frustrated by the lack of compliance and success with what I thought was a very simple request. 

     

    It turns out my request wasn’t actually so simple. I was asking students to read a college level textbook, understand concepts addressed in the text, and come to class with an understanding of those concepts. At some point, I started wondering if I was asking them to demonstrate mastery of a skill on which they had yet to develop proficiency. 

     

    In order to successfully make meaning from any text, students must read with fluency.  And in order to become fluent readers, they need to practice reading – something they typically don’t do enough of on their own, especially in science classes. What I needed was some way to help my students practice reading fluently in a way that held them accountable to participate, provided effective feedback, and modeled what fluent reading looks like.  

     

    In October 2023, I had the opportunity to attend the TLAC Reading Reconsidered Workshop. I had already experimented with FASE on my own, and this workshop inspired and equipped me to deepen my use of this technique. I had recently shifted from teaching AP Biology to Chemistry, which is a 9th grade course. FASE seemed like a great method for working on reading skills with my freshmen, who I knew would be expected to read a college level Biology textbook the following year.   

     

    What I love most about FASE is that it provides a low pressure/low stakes environment in which students can practice reading while receiving immediate feedback. Those who aren’t reading follow along, listen, and hear feedback offered to their peers.  

     

    Here’s a clip of the first time I used FASE Reading in my class back in August: 

     

    Planning and preparation are key to successful use of FASE. Prior to implementing FASE, explain to your students how they are expected to participate.  The video of my roll out is provided here for reference. One of the most important points to make is that mistakes are normal, expected, and ok – Reinforce that Culture of Error. 

     

    When preparing a text for FASE:  

    1. Plan reading sections and identify who will read each section in advance. Mark your copy of the text to indicate when you will transition between readers.  
    1. Keep reading durations short, but variable. 
    1. Keep readers unpredictable. Avoid going in a specific order that allows students to predict the next reader.  
    1. Intentionally match students to a text. Especially for struggling readers, look to provide a section that will challenge but not overwhelm them.  
    1. Identify what section(s) you will read to model fluency for your students – this is called bridging.  

     

    Here’s the text that I marked up for this first instance of FASE Reading in class. Note that the first sentence is marked for bridging (where I read to model fluency), and slashes indicate where I planned to transition between readers. Questions to ask after certain sentences are written on the document to help me check for understanding of students’ comprehension. I preselect students to read and keep a list of their names on a post-it note; this helps me ensure that I hear a multitude of voices across the classroom, and I can use my knowledge of students to determine which portion of the text I want them to read.  

     

     

    Perhaps at this point, you’re wondering how we got here. Some people think that students aren’t okay with reading out loud together. Right before the clip above, I gave a quick Roll Out of FASE Reading. I told students the purpose of the system and how they should expect to be invited to read and what they should do while peers read.  

     

    See my Roll Out of FASE Reading here: 

     

     

    My biggest takeaway is when reading out loud becomes a regular part of class, when mistakes are normalized, and when successes are celebrated, FASE can become a community building experience.  Your students will feel a sense of enjoyment and belonging as you work together with the common goal of reading fluency.  

     

     

     

    Want to bring FASE Reading to your campus or learn more about Science of Reading? Check out:  

     

    The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading: Translating Research to Reignite Joy and Meaning in the Classroom by Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway, and Colleen Driggs, addresses the pressing challenges educators face in effectively incorporating the Science of Reading into their instruction once students already know how to decode. By offering actionable guidance grounded in seven evidence-based principles, this book helps teachers elevate their instructional practices and better prepare students to be lifelong readers and thinkers. Coming out in late July! Preorder your copy here.  

     

    Plug and Plays: Check out our FASE Reading Plug and Play, a fully-scripted professional development session including the PowerPoint slides, videos, handout, and talking points here.  

     

    TLAC Online: Teachers can study Ways of Reading, including FASE Reading, in these 15-minute teacher-facing modules that include video, quick reading, and practice here. 

     

     

     



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  • 4 Ways K12 Districts Use Tech To Connect with Families


    May 25
    2023

    4 Ways K12 Districts Use Tech To Connect with Families

    Profile photo of Lindsey Canny
    Lindsey Canny

    By Lindsey Canny, copywriter, Skyward.

    If your students, families, and employees had more options, would they still choose you? Take a lesson from the districts who already know the answer to that question because of their powerful online identities.

    By building your district’s online presence through technology, you encourage ongoing engagement from students, employees, and parents. You stand out to your community and communicate a strong culture. Dive in to a trove of examples in four core platforms.

    1. District website

    Your website is the first place the community turns to for finding information about the district. Make sure they like what they see by taking the following into account:

    • Clean, elegant designs: Using modular design, easily accessible information, and minimal color palettes makes navigation easy for every visitor, bumping up view time.
    • A lasting first impression: Your website is a reflection of your district. Attract prospective students and staff by keeping community culture front and center.
    • Information central: Add the district calendar, news updates, lunch menu, and all other need-to-know info to your front page to keep families in-the-know.
    1. Social media

    Building a social media presence keeps brand messaging in your own hands. Keep the focus on school culture with these in mind:

    • Consistent posting: News, shoutouts, and updates should be posted nearly every single day to boost engagement.
    • Community-driven content: Posts that regularly feature the successes and highlights of staff, students, and the surrounding community get more views.
    • Diverse points of interest: Parents, students, and teachers in the district want to see their unique clubs, cultures, and interests celebrated on social media.
    1. Videos

    Videos offer viewers a way to peek into your community’s day-to-day life and culture. Here’s how to put your district’s best image on display:

    • Organize for accessibility: Videos that are grouped into playlists for effortless access makes it easy to garner return viewership and audience captivation.
    • Quality content = quality district: Attention to detail and planning in content reflects positively on a district’s image of capability and expertise.
    • Student and staff engagement: Students and staff should be featured in videos, and their participation in the creation process increases buy-in.
    1. Student Information System (SIS)

    The district SIS provides a direct line between your staff, students, and families it serves. Here’s how an innovative SIS can support the entire community:

    • Family access, everywhere: SIS accessibility through both desktop and mobile can keep parents invested and open to communication.
    • Workloads, streamlined: When families use the SIS to communicate with teachers, pay fees, and register online, there is less work on the shoulders of your staff.
    • Involvement inspires improvement: Getting the entire district involved in the SIS improves overall culture and communication, which can lead to district growth.

    While no two districts are alike, every district can improve their visibility, engagement, and community standing with a strong online presence without a major overhaul. Small improvements to your website, social media pages, and video library can energize interest in your district, making it the place to be for employees and families.



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  • Ransomware’s Prime Target: Securing Educational Institutions


    Jun 6
    2023

    Ransomware’s Prime Target: Securing Educational Institutions

    Profile photo of Anthony Cusimano
    Anthony Cusimano

    By Anthony Cusimano, director of technical marketing, Object First

    In recent years, ransomware has become the most destructive cyber threat impacting industries of all sizes –in the first half of 2022, there were over 236 million ransomware attacks worldwide. Threat actors have launched ransomware attacks on various targets, including businesses, hospitals, supply chain infrastructures, and education systems, to extort money in exchange for stolen data.

    According to a 2022 year-end report, schools sustained the same number of ransomware attacks in 2022 as in 2021, with the most significant attack being Los Angeles Unified School District, which included over 1,300 schools and 500,000 students. While the goal of educators is to establish secure learning environments for students – be it through online or in-person education – far too many are faced with the challenge of ever-increasing ransomware attacks that makes safeguarding IT environments to ensure data protection difficult.

    Education systems shouldn’t have to suffer the continuous data theft and extortion that the past few years have burdened them with. By incorporating affordable ransomware-proof tools, these organizations can ensure the safety of backups and effectively defend against ransomware attacks without paying the ransom.

    Why the education system continues to be a prime ransomware target

    Schools have a wealth of sensitive information about their students and faculty on hand for cybercriminals to target. This includes information such as financial aid records, birth certificates, behavioral records, and addresses that, if left unprotected, can be stolen and sold on the dark web.

    Ransomware attacks pose the most significant cybersecurity risk regarding operational disruptions and overall expenses for K-12 schools and districts. This is often because these school systems need more money and education to adopt proper security tools. Within school systems, allocating resources to defend against cyberattacks is restricted by a limited budget, resulting in inadequate IT infrastructure and smaller teams – further weakening visibility to detect potential threats before it’s too late. Because of this, when compared to other industries, the education system falls short of proper protection.

    But that’s not all. While there are many reasons why ransomware attacks against education systems have been and continue to remain rampant, a primary reason for this surge is that the COVID-19 pandemic increased reliance on virtual platforms for students to participate in remote learning. This shift created an even larger threat landscape for an underprepared and under-resourced industry, expanding vulnerabilities while perpetuating increased data being stored electronically. This, paired with a strained IT budget and lack of dedicated resources to fight ransomware, has left schools open for attackers to capitalize on.

    The path forward: how to better protect schools against ransomware

    The first step in protecting schools from ransomware is building defense strategies that invest in mature security measures. This means outlining a comprehensive plan of action for a potential attack on education systems, including roles and responsibilities for everyone from principals to IT administrators and teachers. By making a contact list for appropriate constituents that need to be alerted in the event of an attack and connecting with these people to navigate the plan of action, everyone is prepared for when disaster strikes.

    In addition, it’s essential to ensure that school data is stored in a separate system that guarantees its availability and accessibility in the case of a data disruption. As ransomware attacks continue to rise — targeting primary data and, more often than ever, targeting backups – having multiple co-located backup copies, detection, and remediation is critical to ensure resilience. This is why on-premises object-based backup storage is a must-have for school systems. It provides inherent advantages such as scalability, availability, reliability, security, and immutability— and when implemented correctly, delivers unbelievable performance. It ensures that files cannot be modified, protecting them from threat actors.

    When choosing on-premises object storage solutions, schools should look towards solutions designed specifically for the backup use case with hardened security and the right level of redundancy tailored for constrained IT. By implementing cost-effective and user-friendly systems, schools can overcome the constraints posed by limited personnel and restricted budgets while ensuring the best defense against ransomware with effortless immutability out of the box.

    Lastly, it will always be important to educate about common cyber threats that could hit, including what signs to look out for and how to prevent them. Ensure that staff and students are participating in schoolwide cybersecurity trainings and fire drills, enable multifactor authentication into all school software and servers to ensure the correct individuals are gaining access to online systems, and stay up to date on the most recent ransomware prevention reference materials with best practices from reputable government resources.

    While there is no “perfect way” to protect your organization from ransomware attacks, you can significantly reduce your chances of becoming the next victim by diligently equipping your employees with the necessary knowledge and defenses. Security planning goes beyond installing anti-virus software and integrating cloud object storage that offers better data security, so data remains untouched when an attack strikes. School districts can build a ransomware-proof environment and make ransomware a controlled risk.



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  • Transact Campus Partners with Luxer One for Secure, Frictionless On-Campus Package Delivery

    Transact Campus Partners with Luxer One for Secure, Frictionless On-Campus Package Delivery


    Jun 28
    2023

    Transact Campus Partners with Luxer One for Secure, Frictionless On-Campus Package Delivery

    Transact Campus, “Transact,” the award-winning leader in innovative mobile credential and payment solutions, today announced a partnership with Luxer One, a premium manufacturer of package management systems and smart contactless lockers, owned by ASSA ABLOY, the global leader in access solutions. This partnership will deliver a turnkey solution for on-campus package delivery, including hardware, software, installation, service, support, and package delivery company facilitation.

    The Luxer One partnership addresses campuses’ desire for a versatile and secure package delivery system, enhancing the student experience by providing a reliable, around-the-clock package pick-up service. Use cases beyond package management include laptop and lab equipment exchange, library holds, bag and personal item storage, and pickups from the student bookstore. In addition, the partnership includes configurable integration with Transact Campus ID solutions, enabling students to access lockers using their Transact Mobile Credential or physical credential.

    “At Transact, we are committed to transforming the campus environment into a place where innovation thrives and the campus experience is seamlessly connected,” said Rasheed Behrooznia, SVP and General Manager, Campus ID Solutions, Transact. “Our partnership with Luxer One not only provides a superior, frictionless student experience, but also strengthens the security and connectivity between students and client facilities.”

    Prior to the partnership with Luxer One, students were constrained by limited package pick-up hours and had to endure long lines, or risk their packages being left unattended. Luxer One significantly reduces costs associated with staffing a mail room for extended hours.

    “This collaboration represents a significant milestone for Luxer One as we continue to innovate and enhance our offerings for valued customers. By joining forces with Transact, we are combining our expertise and resources to revolutionize the way universities manage packages, item exchange, library orders, and even temporary bag storage. Together, we will deliver unparalleled convenience, efficiency, and security as a full campus solution. We are excited about the endless possibilities this collaboration brings and look forward to the incredible advancements we will achieve together,” said Josh Middlebrook, President, Luxer One.

    The partnership will provide a secure, convenient, package delivery solution on Transact-enabled campuses which reduces the burden on administrative staff and enables efficient management of daily operations. In addition to the primary benefit of a frictionless student experience, this union also provides secure package delivery assurance, and reduces costs for campuses.



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  • From Chaos to Control, Tackling Device Tracking with IT Asset Management In K-12 Schools

    From Chaos to Control, Tackling Device Tracking with IT Asset Management In K-12 Schools


    Aug 25
    2023

    From Chaos to Control, Tackling Device Tracking with IT Asset Management In K-12 Schools

    Syed Ali

    By Syed Ali, founder and CEO, EZO.

    In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of the education landscape. K-12 schools are increasingly relying on technology to enhance teaching methods, improve student engagement, and streamline administrative processes. Although the investment is necessary, the rapid pace of technological advancements brings with it significant challenges.

    During the COVID pandemic, millions of K-12 students across the US relied on borrowed devices from their school districts, with Chromebooks being the most common for remote learning. Schools rapidly adopted Chromebooks in 2020, as the demand surged during the transition to remote or hybrid learning models, resulting in millions of students receiving laptops, tablets, and Chromebooks from school districts nationwide.

    Fast forward a few years, and now, many K-12 districts are still scrambling to account for all those devices, year after year. This includes not only locating and recovering missing devices, but also making sure clear policies and procedures are in place for future distribution, collection, liability, and insurance claim filings for those devices that can’t be found, as well as budgeting time and staff to inspect and repair any tablets that do come back before they’re redistributed.

    Take for example the 77,000-student Greenville County, S.C., school system which made headlines during the summer of 2020 when it revealed that it had been trying to recover nearly 5,000 of the more than 58,000 Chromebooks that were distributed to students during that school year.

    Another example comes from the Chicago Public School District. The district reported that computers and other devices that amount to at least 8% of the Chicago Public Schools’ “technology assets” had been listed as “lost” during the pandemic. Also, the district said it had depended on its schools in the district to take a regular inventory, but that the process continues to be time-consuming and inconsistent as only 35% of Chicago’s 500 district-run schools have a technology coordinator on staff.

    Similarly, St. Francis Independent School District located in Minneapolis, which encompasses more than 700 employees and 4000 students from kindergarten to senior high had relied completely on Excel spreadsheets for IT asset management processes. This manual asset tracking system was creating a lot of holes: things were getting missed, and the data was far from accurate. If a Chromebook was checked out of the school by a student or teacher, someone from the IT team had to update spreadsheet-based records with the person’s name, their ID number, the device number, and the school location. This was all done manually, and as a result the team wasn’t able to consistently track the devices they managed.

    This is where an effective IT Asset Management (ITAM) solution becomes indispensable and why an ITAM in K-12 schools should be highly considered.

    Unlocking the Power of IT Asset Management

    IT Asset Management in K-12 schools is not merely about tracking and cataloging hardware and software components (although this certainly helps). It is a strategic approach that empowers educational institutions to maximize the potential of their technology investments and drive positive outcomes. Here’s why ITAM should be a priority for every forward-thinking school:

    Cost Optimization

    An effective ITAM solution enables schools to streamline their technology budget by accurately tracking hardware and software assets. By identifying underutilized resources and avoiding unnecessary purchases, schools can allocate their limited funds more efficiently and invest in areas that directly impact students’ learning experiences.

    Enhanced Learning Experiences

    ITAM plays a pivotal role in ensuring that educational institutions have the necessary tools and software licenses to support innovative teaching methods. By maintaining an up-to-date inventory of IT assets, schools can ensure seamless access to educational resources, empowering educators to deliver immersive and personalized learning experiences.

    Efficiency in Operations

    Managing a vast array of IT assets is a complex undertaking. An ITAM solution simplifies the process by automating asset discovery, tracking warranties, and managing software licenses. This streamlines administrative tasks, reduces manual errors, and frees up valuable staff time to focus on core educational objectives.

    Scalability

    An ITAM solution should be scalable to accommodate the evolving needs of a growing school. It should offer flexible licensing models that align with budgetary constraints and provide options for expansion as technology demands increase.

    Customization and Reporting

    An ideal ITAM solution for K-12 schools should offer customizable reporting capabilities, allowing educational institutions to generate insights that align with their specific goals and requirements. The ability to create detailed reports on asset utilization, maintenance history, and license compliance is crucial for effective decision-making.

    Conclusion

    As technology continues to revolutionize education, K-12 schools must harness the power of IT Asset Management to optimize their digital resources. By implementing a comprehensive ITAM solution tailored to the needs of educational institutions, schools can unlock cost efficiencies, enhance learning experiences, ensure data security, and streamline operations. And, most importantly, schools and their IT staff can keep track of all those Chromebooks and other devices so there is no need to put out an All Points Bulletin (APB) on missing devices every year.



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  • Teaching Nursing Students to Think Clinically with Realistic Instructional Tools

    Teaching Nursing Students to Think Clinically with Realistic Instructional Tools


    Jan 30
    2024

    Teaching Nursing Students to Think Clinically with Realistic Instructional Tools

    Tim Bristol

    By Tim Bristol, director of strategic planning, NurseThink, Wolters Kluwer Health.

    The ever-worsening nursing shortage is taking the United States by storm, with nearly 800,000 nurses planning to leave their roles or retire by 2027. Unfortunately, nursing education is not immune to this crisis.

    The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that 8.8% of faculty positions are vacant at U.S. nursing schools and additional positions would need to be created to meet student demand. Without enough faculty, this has a serious impact on the capacity and effectiveness of nursing education programs as nursing schools are already being forced to turn away qualified applicants. Fortunately, while faculty shortages won’t be solved overnight, advancements in instructional technology can help fill the gap.

    One key challenge facing nursing education is that the curriculum is not set up to teach students in a way that mirrors real-world practice. While new nurses today will often face greater challenges – and often higher caseloads – than ever before, nursing students are not being adequately trained to face this reality. In many ways, today’s nursing classrooms look no different than the classrooms students may have encountered in 1993. But a lecture hall looks very different than the chaotic hospital setting new nurses will actually experience. To help ensure students build skills and engage in clinical judgement, even if faculty numbers are limited, incorporating electronic health records and virtual simulation into their daily education can make a major difference.

    Electronic health records are not optional

    While electronic health record (EHR) systems are a highly discussed technology across the healthcare landscape, they have been shown to reduce errors and lower medical costs. Needless to say, EHRs are here to stay across healthcare and something that care teams need to use, every day. However, they can only positively impact healthcare as a whole if nurses are trained to use them effectively and efficiently before they encounter them in clinical practice.

    It’s important for faculty to understand how easy it is to implement EHRs into the daily classroom experience. Students could simply login to a basic, blank EHR and enter data based on a case study or challenge given by their instructor. For example, students could be tasked with entering a blood pressure reading that would indicate that they should hold (not give) a patient medication to lower their blood pressure. When faculty allow students to experience this type of activity, they are learning in the same way in which they will be using EHRs in practice. This is something that could easily be incorporated into nursing classrooms, even in a lecture hall of 100+ students.

    The virtual world makes simulation accessible

    Virtual simulations are increasingly demonstrating value for nursing education, helping students feel engaged and better retain what they’ve learned. By incorporating simulation on a weekly or daily basis into the curriculum, this lets learners dive deep into patient scenarios, allowing them to truly learn about nursing in a way not easily replicated with most other learning strategies. Up until recently, one major challenge was that many simulation tools are inaccessible to aspiring nurses, due to the cost and complexities involved.

    The virtual simulation (vSim) world is now comprised of technology that is easily understood and usable by faculty in all environments. Computer requirements for vSim tools that resemble realistic patient scenarios are such that nursing students can easily use these programs on even the most basic of computers. While the technologies available and their complexities differ, these vSim programs are very realistic and allow students to practice high-level decision making in scenarios they wouldn’t likely encounter as part of their clinicals.

    Within the virtual world, the realism of simulation is now accessible to all students. The next step is to make sure nursing faculty realize how critical these tools are. While an instructor might struggle to fit vSim into class time, the reality is that students can often learn more in 30 minutes of simulation than they could in a 2-hour lecture.

    Bringing the nursing classroom into the future

    The future of the nursing profession and healthcare really is in the hands of all nursing programs. Overall, what’s paramount here is that nursing students learn in the same way in which they will use that information at the bedside. This requires getting them comfortable with entering information into EHRs and practicing with realistic patient simulations on a weekly if not daily basis. Thanks to technological advancements in recent years, these tools are increasingly accessible, and we must prioritize training educators on how these tools can be easily adopted in their classrooms to ensure the next generation of nurses are practice ready.



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  • EdTech, AI, and Mental Health: Improving Student Learning, Improving Students’ Lives


    Mar 28
    2024

    EdTech, AI, and Mental Health: Improving Student Learning, Improving Students’ Lives

    Profile photo of Esan Durrani
    Esan Durrani

    By Esan Durrani, co-founder and CEO, Study Fetch.

    Students in high school now have already lived through two global economic crises, and live in a world that is literally burning at a record rate. They must handle all of this while also coping with the normal chaotic ups and downs of adolescence can be overwhelming. Into this maelstrom, students are supposed to shuttle from Geometry to Social Studies and maintain focus on their studies.

    The chaos of the post-pandemic world only adds to difficulties, as it has seen an increase in an already rising percentage of students dealing with mental health problems.

    Some of these problems arose in part due to the remote and hybrid learning necessitated by the global pandemic. While undoubtedly better than no learning, students are still recovering from that ‘learning loss.’ Furthermore, the social cost of such extended isolation cannot be fully understood as it has no modern point of comparison. In order to put students back on track, and best position them to succeed in the future, any solution must take into account both the mental and the educational barriers our students face.

    Fortunately, just as remote learning software mitigated the damage, proper investment in and uptake of available technology can put student learning back where it needs to be. 

    After the pandemic many school districts transitioned into hybrid learning systems, and educators had access to information about different learning styles previously unavailable. During and after the pandemic, Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled learning allowed educators to create personalized and inclusive learning for their students, progress that we must continue to build on.

    Elements of the remote and hybrid learning implemented during the pandemic must be replicated because without embracing the available technological resources, we are not giving our students the learning opportunities they deserve. Effective teaching must include any and all available resources to support students dealing with ADHD and other mental health issues, or anything else that may impact their learning experience. The increased use of educational technology (EdTech) has a long way to go to meet the need, with 71% of students strongly agreeing that EdTech helps them engage with course materials. Greater access to EdTech helps broaden access and equalize student learning, while AI-enabled platforms can maximize the benefit those students receive.

    When it comes to the benefits of AI-enabled EdTech, we cannot forget the impact the pandemic had on teachers as well. The very people responsible for our students and their learning outcomes feel overstressed and overworked, a situation that can only harm the education our students receive. Fortunately many of the same benefits to students enable teachers to perform better as well. With AI platforms able to assist with note-taking, students can pay closer attention in class. This not only helps students struggling with ADHD but those who are hard of hearing, those with reading disorders, or the visually impaired. 

    Better able to focus on the lesson, AI can then tailor student learning on the very lesson they just sat through. Furthermore, over time, AI platforms will learn about the learning style of students, tailoring advice and assistance on an individualized basis. Students from all ages and backgrounds can benefit, as it enables them to learn in ways that work best for them.

    Properly implemented AI will learn from the student just as the student learns from the software. This will lead to more inclusive and cohesive learning, able to cater to every students’ needs. By easing access to learning, and helping tailor learning assistance on an individual basis, AI can relieve the stressors burdens that contribute to poor mental health among students. This, in turn, makes it easier for students to learn, a cycle that can not only erode pandemic learning loss, but help students get ahead.

    EdTech and AI software are helping students all around the country, indeed all around the world, at this very moment. My team and I are proud to say we have helped over 250,000 students around the country combat mental health problems to improve learning outcomes. But that is not enough, that number does not even scratch the surface of what AI enabled EdTech can do for learning outcomes. Reducing the burden on our teachers, improving access to learning, and removing mental health barriers will foster a sustainable system of excellence.

    By taking the lessons of the pandemic and applying them to today, we can best prepare our students for the future. Not only will AI systems help them in the short-term, but increased AI fluency and comfort with accepting new and emerging technologies will prepare them to be ready to take full advantage of the next advancement as we move deeper into the Digital Era.



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  • Expert Insights Into the 2024 Higher Education Landscape

    Expert Insights Into the 2024 Higher Education Landscape


    May 22
    2024

    Expert Insights Into the 2024 Higher Education Landscape

    Modern Campus Launches Personalization Engine for Higher Education ...

    As we step into the mid-way point in 2024, the higher education industry is bracing for a wave of transformative changes. Below, several experts from higher education tech company Modern Campus collectively paint a future where traditional educational models are rapidly evolving. The burgeoning adoption of microcredentials promises a more flexible and competency-based learning landscape, tailored to meet the ever-changing needs of the workforce. Higher education institutions are expected to pivot significantly, focusing more on aligning their offerings with industry requirements and enhancing the overall student experience.

    Peter DeVries, CEO

    • AI will continue to be a hot topic with a disconnect between the institution’s hesitancy and intent to drive efficiency versus student’s usage whenever an opportunity exists.
    • Microcredentials and stackable credentials will continue to be held up as a key area of innovation with slow demonstration of how it can be readily utilized by students due to institution inertia.
    • Students will continue to look for institutions that provide a modern engagement experience with personalization and value add services available seamlessly through online services.

    Amrit Ahluwalia, Senior Director of Strategic Insights

    • Microcredential adoption will continue to accelerate: More colleges and universities will offer a wider range of microcredentials to provide alternatives for people to engage in meaningful learning without forcing them to enroll in a full degree program. This will also drive increased adoption of competency-based learning models.
    • Higher ed will align more closely with the workforce: Colleges and universities will work to align offerings more closely to workforce needs, creating pathways for adults to engage in professional development to keep pace with industry changes while also streamlining the learner-to-earner pathway for degree-seeking students.
    • Colleges and universities will prioritize the student experience: To stem growing stop-out and drop-out numbers, higher ed institutions will begin to invest in mechanisms to improve student belonging and communication and will look for approaches to accelerate degree completion.
    • IT leaders will play a more strategic role: Historically, institutional IT leaders have played a largely operational role. But as technology plays an increasingly central role in the management of the modern postsecondary institution, these leaders will be asked to have a larger influence on the strategy and direction of their respective institutions. This will have a significant impact on higher education’s approach to customer/student engagement, leveraging/securing data, and software management.
    • Institutional IT leaders will be looking to address the “Digital Jungle” of software and vendors operating on their campuses. During the pandemic, colleges invested in massive numbers of disconnected and overlapping technology tools to deliver on specific needs through a challenging time. But now that we’re on the other side, CIOs and CISOs will be looking for ways to reduce the risk associated with having so many tech vendors operating simultaneously on campus, improving data security and simplifying the institutional tech infrastructure.

    Keith Renneker, VP Sales for Modern Campus Connected Curriculum and Modern Campus CMS

    • AI will continue to be a hot button topic – how to leverage in education delivery, impact on research, recruitment and engagement of students – essentially the whole education ecosystem.
    • Financial survival – while some schools have been able to thrive, others continue to struggle, with Birmingham Southern the most recent example of a school trying to avoid closure.  What will be the impact on affordability for students?  Will campuses close or merge?  Budget scrutiny will continue to slow and formalize more procurement processes.
    • A more politicized environment with government seemingly more engaged from the K-12 environment into higher ed – a leading example is loan forgiveness. Schools will be challenged with strong public views on political topics, creating risks for schools and including impact to donors.
    • Greater efforts on campuses for increased efficiency – platform solutions vs multi-vendor.  Continued call for services – for school and students.  Modernizing the experience for the learner.  Stronger tools to integrate different campus solutions from different providers.

    David Cashwell, VP Sales for Modern Campus Lifelong Learning

    • More centralization of CE programs in universities.  For example, School of Education, School of Business, etc.  They are sharing resources more, and that includes software.
    • Defining microcredential quality standards – this has become a more important issue with the American Council of Education, who oversees accreditation.
    • The Definition of FTE has become problematic because such a high percentage of full-time students are on financial aid and many “part time” students are paying in full. The question remains as to whether Pell dollars will be usable for students seeking a short-term job training program.
    • The higher ed institutions that are not well-endowed and who struggle with enrollments will be more deliberate about creating career pathways for their students. This will not be an issue for the most prestigious R1 universities who have 20% and below acceptance rates.
    • Institutions will be more focused on programs and marketing that focus on the stop out population through degree and non-degree programs. They will look to these populations as a supplement to the shortage in traditional demographics.
    • CIOs will continue to prefer purpose-built platforms that will play nicely within ecosystems. This shift in purpose-built solutions will be great for those that provide them assuming they can seamlessly integrate into “main campus” systems.
    • LMS providers will continue their momentum on combining with other solutions or building extensions of their LMS systems (see Instructure, Anthology (bB) and D2L). This will allow them to differentiate from each other outside of traditional “bake off” differentiators.
    • Institutions will continue to tighten up their security requirements. Universities have no regulations so it’s a big chance for cybersecurity in organizations.

    Andy Gould, VP Sales for Modern Campus Student Engagement Suite

    • Retention efforts/funding will redirect to enrollment support in the face of continued enrollment decline, which will put effective student engagement at further risk.
    • Students will continue to demand more mobile-focused, interconnected, and personalized technologies be a part of their experience.
    • Soft skill development/articulation demand will increase as employers reduce forces, putting pressure on recruiting high quality new graduates.
    • Academic support will receive increased pressure and existing technologies are in need of modernization. Products like TEDU will see quick adoption.
    • Centralized student platforms like Pathify will gain increased traction as institutions and students alike face technology overload and more demand for a personalized experience.

    Chad Rowe, VP Product for Modern Campus Lifelong Learning

    • Continuation of the rise and adoption of alternative credentials including digital badges.
    • Tighter integration of CE focused student information systems with customer relationship management systems to promote student engagement throughout their journey and lifetime.
    • Adoption of new tools and integration connectors to improve the student experience; tighter integrations between the CE-focused student information systems and the main campus SIS for more engaging catalog display.
    • Cautious exploration of AI use cases in the administration, reporting and predictive analytics or CE programs.

    Kim Prieto, SVP Product

    • As enrollments continue to decline, and budgets are stretched, institutions will work to meet students where they are at:
      • Continued and growing focus on micro-credentialing
      • Support of online and hybrid programs
      • Communicating clear paths to post school employment
    • As the costs of education rises, community colleges will see higher growth than 4-year institutions, increasing the need for clear and easy transfer paths.
    • Campuses will look to gain efficiencies in their vendor management – looking more for platform vendors who can fulfill multiple needs.

    From the accelerated adoption of microcredentials to the strategic role of IT leaders, and from the integration of AI to the focus on student engagement, these changes reflect a broader shift in educational priorities and methodologies. Higher education institutions must adapt to these changes, balancing innovation with the enduring values of accessibility and quality education. In doing so, they will not only meet the evolving needs of students and the workforce but also lead the way in shaping a future where education is more adaptable, inclusive, and aligned with the ever-changing global landscape.



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  • How Advanced Print Management Systems Are Shaping the Future of Campus Innovation

    How Advanced Print Management Systems Are Shaping the Future of Campus Innovation


    Nov 20
    2024

    How Advanced Print Management Systems Are Shaping the Future of Campus Innovation

    In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, innovation isn’t confined to classrooms and research labs—it extends to how universities manage their operations, resources, and technology.

    At the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, Terrapin Works stands as a shining example of how adopting cutting-edge solutions can transform not just processes, but outcomes.

    Terrapin Works, a hub of rapid prototyping, advanced manufacturing, and digital design, operates a sprawling network of more than 200 machines across 17 campus locations. This state-of-the-art enterprise isn’t just a facility; it’s a mission-driven ecosystem enabling students, faculty, and researchers to turn ideas into reality.

    But with complexity comes challenges, and the need to streamline its job request system became a pivotal moment for this operation.

    The Challenge: Streamlining Complexity in Innovation

    Managing job requests for hundreds of machines servicing diverse users—from students designing prototypes to researchers creating precision parts—was no small feat. Terrapin Works initially relied on a help desk ticketing system that, while functional for IT issues, fell short as a workflow solution.

    The system lacked a user-friendly process for submitting, tracking, and managing requests. Email threads became the backbone of communication, resulting in inefficiencies, delays, and an inconsistent user experience. Technicians, often students themselves, faced a cumbersome workflow that detracted from their ability to focus on the innovative work at hand.

    Nick Bentley, business systems developer and a former University of Maryland student, envisioned a better way. “We needed a one-stop, web-based storefront where customers could initiate a job request, track its progress, and get updates seamlessly,” he explains. For technicians, the solution needed to enable faster, more efficient processing of requests.

    When Bentley discovered PaperCut MF, a solution renowned for its robust print and workflow management capabilities, he saw its potential to redefine how Terrapin Works operated. However, implementing a new system meant addressing concerns about compatibility with existing processes and minimizing fragmentation.

    The Power of a Unified Solution

    Bentley made a compelling case for PaperCut, highlighting its integrated features beyond workflow management, such as billing and 2D print management. This holistic approach allowed Terrapin Works to sunset legacy systems, reduce inefficiencies, and create a unified platform that could scale across the university.

    The results have been transformative. Technicians now process orders with unprecedented speed and accuracy, while users enjoy a seamless experience that eliminates the confusion of the old system. Customers can explore equipment options, verify specifications, and submit orders—all within an intuitive, human-centered interface.

    Terrapin Works’ success with PaperCut didn’t stop at addressing immediate challenges. It sparked a broader vision for what was possible. The platform’s adaptability has led to pilot programs across other campus operations, from copy centers to financial services. With integrations like Nelnet’s payment gateway, the university is leveraging PaperCut to drive innovation in areas far beyond its original scope.

    Rethinking Operational Excellence

    Terrapin Works’ journey underscores an important lesson: Innovation isn’t just about technology; it’s about creating systems that empower people. By prioritizing user experience, integrating processes, and fostering scalability, the University of Maryland has set a benchmark for how universities can evolve in the digital age.

    As higher education institutions navigate the future, the success of initiatives like Terrapin Works serves as a reminder that the right tools—and the right vision—can turn operational hurdles into opportunities for leadership and growth.



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