Why are standards so important, and how do they improve student learning? In The Authentic Standards-Based Environment: A Systematic Approach to Learning Targets, Assessment, and Data, Eileen Depka dives into standards-based student learning with a simple, easy-to-use approach to unpacking standards, developing learning targets, and designing rubrics and assessments. Using data-driven methods and clear examples, this book makes a standards-based process manageable....

In many classrooms, teachers assign homework out of habit. Learn to design quality, purposeful homework instead. The author urges educators to reflect on the purpose of student assignments to determine if and when homework is valuable. Prepare students and measure their comprehension by assigning purposeful work, setting clear expectations, and providing feedback as the unit of study unfolds

Are you looking for new ways to use data in the decision-making process? Are you seeking tools that provide better flow-through from data to improved student achievement? Have you ever considered including students in the data-to-improvement cycle? Schools recognize that data is an essential decision-making tool, but it requires teamwork and reflection to reap the maximum benefits. This guidebook offers practical collection and analysis methods and templates as well as tips for building tr...

Rely on Letting Data Lead by Eileen Depka to help you build a culture of school data analysis and interpretation, data-driven instruction and assessment techniques, and student achievement. This practical resource clearly outlines a systematic approach for meaningful student data collection through quality classroom assessment methods. The included assessment techniques, tools, templates, and specific examples are designed to empower educators to turn gathered information into imm...

Developed specifically for grades K-2, this resource presents classroom-ready lessons that support the ISTE Standards for Students (NET standards). Use the lessons, which focus on four essential skills (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity), to take instruction and learning to the next level through the use of technology. Each chapter includes strategies for developing authentic learning experiences and ends with discussion questions for personal reflection....

RTI and formative assessment have the potential to positively impact student achievement. Understand the basics of RTI and its connection to formative assessment, and base instructional decisions on the results of effective formative assessment practices. Learn how to adjust instruction to increase levels of student understanding and achievement with the information, tools, and techniques presented in this practical guide.

Just as successful athletes must identify personal strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and engage in focused practice to meet their goals, so must teachers. Crafted around a detailed compendium of over 270 ready-to-use reflection strategies and organized under 41 elements of effective teaching, this book combines a model of instruction with goal setting, focused practice, focused feedback, and observations and discussions to improve your instructional practices.

Creating a Sense of Presence in Online TeachingThis important new resource shows how a strong sense of online presence contributes to greater student satisfaction and retention. The authors explore the psychological and social aspects of online presence from both the instructor and student perspective and provide an instructional design framework for developing effective online learning.Based on solid research and extensive experience, the book is filled wi...

The foundational and go-to book for anyone who does training in the talent development field.A must have for trainers... Telling Ain't Training is an essential book for all learning and development professionals. When the first edition of Telling Ain't Training was published in 2002, its practical, learner-focused approach quickly became a favorite with learning and development professionals, as well as school teachers, parents, professors, and an...

UDL in the Cloud helps educators design and deliver more accessible, engaging, and effective online learning experiences.Drawing on years of experience in K-12 and postsecondary settings, authors Katie Novak and Tom Thibodeau offer a highly practical approach to developing e-courses, virtual snow days, flipped classes, and blended learning experiences that meet the needs of diverse learners.Following the principles and guidelines of Universal Desig...

This collection of articles from Educational Leadership pulls together some of the best pieces on formative assessment and feedback that will help educators understand how to best use the data they have at their fingertips. The authors tell fellow educators about how to use formative assessment to shape the next phase of instruction and how to look for patterns in students' assessments and assignments—the mistakes students frequently make and the signals that tell what individuals...

The ultimate handbook for designers, students, even educators, The Pocket Universal Methods of Design is armed with 100 principles of design knowledge to keep your team sharp.This handy, pocket-version of the Universal Methods of Design provides the same thorough and critical presentation of 100 research methods, synthesis/analysis techniques, and research deliverables for human centered design. A...