Innovation

Zack Gilbert is currently teaching 6th grade social studies and language arts at Parkside Junior High School in Normal, IL. Zack is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a B.A. in History with a secondary teacher certificate and has an M.S. in Instructional Technology and Design from Illinois State University. His master’s research looked at the impact of educational games and how the knowledge gained through these games is stored into long term memory.

Dr. Celine Coggins, CEO of Teach Plus, spent time with Dr. Berger discussing the role education plays in helping educators build their own understanding for how policy impacts practice and overall enjoyment of practice. Coggins pulls back the proverbial curtain to share her own initial experiences exploring teaching as an option for her own career. The response her parents provided, though less than inspiring, provides context to the underground image so many Americans have about education and the decision to work in the sector. 

Eric Mazur is the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics and Dean of Applied Physics at Harvard University, Member of the Faculty of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and President Elect of the Optical Society. Mazur sat down with Bob Greenberg, of the Brainwaves Video Anthology, to share his thoughts on who impacted his life path the most. 

John Larmer, Editor in Chief at the Buck Institute for Education (BIE), spent time with Dr. Berger at the annual ASCD conference in Atlanta. Larmer discusses the place Project Based Learning (PBL) has in 21st century learning. We also learn how districts approach teaching and learning from a PBL perspective. Larmer shares his advice for young people contemplating a career in education given his vast and diverse professional path.  

Sylvia Martinez, leading author and speaker in the education technology space, spent time with Dr. Berger to discuss the Maker Movement and her new book, ‘Invent To Learn: Making, Tinkering, …

 Adam Geller, Edthena co-founder and CEO, joined Dr. Berger to discuss the ongoing development and support for teachers needed for 21st century schools to succeed. 

Those of us in education business are often focused on managing the clock, the budget and the demands of an industry and clientele (students and teachers) desperately looking for smart technologies that provide student-centered learning opportunities and high levels of engagement.

As adults, we just don’t understand and appreciate the magnetic pull of social media. That ignores student reality and the power it has for learning.

Mike Anderson, frequent contributor to edCircuit and known as The Well Balanced Teacher, spent time with Dr. Berger at the ASCD conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Anderson discussed what occurs when students have more choices about their learning, stating that they find ways of learning that matches their personal needs. The result, says Anderson, is that students are more engaged in their work, building skills and work habits that will serve them well in school and beyond.