It is 2019, and the stakes for educator and student success have never been higher. Administrators and teachers are looking at many ways to improve student outcomes and increase achievement. One methodology that gets a lot of lip-service is student engagement. And it is this educator’s opinion that student engagement is not just a method, … Continue reading 7 Needs for Student Engagement
Contributions were provided by Sam Banks, Tristen Scheitle & Bianca Jones As educators, we know the importance of engaging parents, guardians, and families in student learning. Research studies, such as those listed here and here, show that parent engagement impacts achievement, social skills, behavioral issues, and more. Parent engagement encompasses many aspects, but communication is … Continue reading Tackling New Challenges in Parent Communication
Early Warning Systems (EWSs) are historically designed to identify students at risk of dropping out. When identifying at-risk students, the literature recommends monitoring Attendance, Behavior, and Course Performance data. Monitoring these indicators has resulted in preventative, responsive action for students in many districts. Many Uses for Early Warning Educational Software However, it’s worth considering that … Continue reading Early Warning for Student Needs: 7 Ways to Use an EWS (Beyond At-Risk Identification)
When I reflect on my work with hundreds of school districts & LEAs across the United States, I realize that the true power of Illuminate’s BI Tool is not just in creating powerful reports / data visualizations—the true power lies in its ability to transform the data culture in school districts. Without Illuminate’s BI Tool … Continue reading BI Tool: Multiple Rounds of Feedback
We had an awesome time bringing teachable moments to light with you at IEUC 2019 in San Diego, CA. A few highlights: 119 Sessions: Including 25+ about MTSS. See some of our favorites here. Nerd Tank: Illuminate customers pitched their ideas to the Illuminate team and fellow users. Illuminators Got Talent: After a long day … Continue reading Another Awesome IEUC in the Books!
For years, we’ve seen promising research emerge about the power of personalized learning—and its ability to provide all students with unique learning opportunities and experiences needed to succeed. Malcolm Gladwell wrote in Outliers: The Story of Success that “success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances … Continue reading Enrichment and Remediation with Personalized Learning
The continuous expansion of scientific knowledge makes it nearly impossible to teach all of the pieces of a given science discipline (in detail) for K-12 students. The role of science education is not to teach the memorization of facts, but to prepare students with core knowledge that they can build upon, on their own, in … Continue reading NGSS Without Dimensions = NGSS Without Proficiency
The Illuminator of the Year Program was created to recognize outstanding individuals who are illuminating in their communities. This award is given to educators and administrators who are committed to increasing the power of teaching and the delight of learning. We are excited to announce that all six honorees have been selected as 2019 Winners. … Continue reading Illuminator of the Year 2019 Winners
In the words of Dr. W. James Popham, assessment literacy “describes a person’s understanding of what education tests can do—and what they can’t. To be assessment literate, one needs to comprehend the basic concepts and procedures of education tests likely to influence education decisions.” Essentially, assessment literacy means we have broad knowledge and skills around … Continue reading The Case for Assessment Literacy: Why It’s Critical for All of Us
At Illuminate, we bring teachable moments to light. That’s a lofty goal. So, how does our work of integrating a range of platforms and software capabilities actually impact teachers and students? Let’s explore what it means through two examples. Personalized Review Assignments (PRA) As with any review of assessment data, teachers are faced with the question: “Now what?” … Continue reading Company Integration Milestones: How Our Work Behind the Scenes is Focusing on Teaching and Learning