In an age where we communicate online more than ever before, it’s important to be aware of the footprint you’ve left behind on the web. Social media has the power to be a positive social and professional outlet, but only with responsible use. As important as it is for everyone to be mindful of their online footprint, it’s especially important to teach the next generation how to carefully curate their online presence.

With the variety of options available today, education technology is increasingly becoming the solution to everyday classroom issues that teachers have struggled with for years. However, the wide range of EdTech solutions available can make it difficult to choose what will work best for your students—and experimentation with different products isn’t always possible with your school’s budget.

To help you make the best decision for your classroom, we’ve compiled a list of six tried-and-true tech solutions that other educators recommend to solve your everyday classroom problems:

Knowing that 60 percent of the jobs that elementary school students will fill haven’t even been invented yet, Huntington Beach City School District (HBCSD) is on a mission to prepare those students for successful futures by transforming its classrooms into 21^st century learning environments. 

“If you were in a classroom 10 years ago and told your high school English teacher that you were going to write a blog, your teacher would have looked at you like you'd lost your mind,” says Gregory Haulk, HBCSD’s superintendent. “They would have told you that there was no way you could make a living at it, and to start thinking about writing for a newspaper.”

Boxlight is excited to announce the fall webinar series, “Transforming Learning in the Classroom,” featuring six webinars to help you find ways to transform learning with the right technologies and best practices for your classroom. All of the presenters are working in schools every day and making an impact, offering you real insights from real leaders.

The series will begin on September 19, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. ET with “Atlanta Public Schools Secrets to Success: The Odd Couple.” The educators hosting each webinar in the series use and manage technology every day in their classrooms and districts to engage their students and encourage collaboration. The webinars were developed to help educators learn how to utilize classroom technology to promote students’ learning, and gain valuable insights and best practices from those who know what works best.

It’s August, and for many the semester has just begun. Over the next few weeks, the 2018–2019 school year will take off for districts all over the country. If you’re an educator with plans to improve EdTech at your school this year, Boxlight has countless resources to help guide you through the process. Whether you like to gain new educational insight by listening to podcasts, reading case studies, or communicating with other educators, Boxlight has dozens of new opportunities for professional development and guidance. Here’s a look at what’s new at Boxlight this fall! 

For years, Atlanta Public Schools used traditional whiteboards and Promethean boards to lecture students. “It wasn’t interactive or engaging at all,” says Aleigha Henderson-Rosser, Executive Director Instructional Technology. “It was no different than projecting onto a chalkboard.”

APS was ready for a change. In 2015, they began their quest for an effective 21st century classroom. After an extensive search involving participants from both technology and instruction, APS selected Boxlight’s interactive classroom as the foundational learning platform for middle and high school classrooms district-wide.

Clayton County Public Schools and Boxlight Take Tech Transformation to New Heights

Focused on improving student outcomes and teacher efficiency, the fifth largest school district in Georgia is installing Boxlight’s innovative technology in approximately 3,200 classrooms.

Just weeks away from one of the country’s largest education technology conferences, everyone is eagerly awaiting ISTE 2018 and all of the opportunities it offers. ISTE is an amazing place for educators and administrators alike to discover new EdTech trends and products, network with fellow education professionals, and brainstorm and share creative ideas and best practices for implementing technology into the classroom. 

This year’s conference and expo will take place in the third largest city in the US: Chicago, Illinois. Between the workshops and expo offered at the conference and the opportunities to explore the Windy City, here are the experiences you won’t want to miss to get the most out of ISTE 2018:

Thinking about purchasing new interactive tools for your school? There are many factors you should consider before taking the leap to ensure that you choose the right solution to best suit your needs. Here’s where you should start: 

1. “What Do I Buy?” vs. “Why Should I Buy?”

Planning for many technologies often seems to start with asking, “How many should we buy and which brand?” But it’s usually better to begin by asking, “Why are we thinking about buying these?” and “Are we buying tools to help the teacher do an even better job, or are we focused on tools to equip the students with new skills?” A well-considered purpose can provide strong guidance for subsequent decisions about choosing, implementing, and adopting any technology, including interactive flat panel displays, touch projectors, and student handheld devices such as iPads, Chromebooks, and Android tablets.

It's the age of STEM—and many toy companies have taken note. Well-established toy makers now offer a variety of devices and kits to help you build an innovative makerspace in your classroom. Whether you have already set up a hands-on activity space for your students or are looking to create one in the future, these seven toy companies will help you build an engaging and fun collaborative workspace to help your students exercise their creativity and learn fundamental STEM skills.