Awards for Students: Meaningful Recognition Beyond Trophies Awards are often imagined as plaques, medals, or trophies, but recognition can take many forms. Whether tangible or experiential, awards mark achievement, reinforce effort, and create memories that motivate students to continue improving. Thoughtfully chosen rewards can celebrate academic progress, personal growth, teamwork, and the everyday habits that … Read more

By Ryan Lufkin Before the COVID-19 pandemic, online courses were often dismissed as inferior—seen as lacking rigorous pedagogy and clear, measurable outcomes. For-profit online institutions in particular were frequently labeled “diploma mills.” The pandemic, however, forced a broad re-evaluation. As remote work became accepted, attitudes toward online learning shifted dramatically. Recent research confirms this change … Read more

By Robyn D. Shulman, Image by Charlein Gracia on Unsplash There are 4.9 Million Multilingual Learners in the United States Multilingual teachers have endured one of the most challenging periods in recent educational history. The COVID-19 pandemic forced rapid shifts to remote learning that exposed and widened existing inequities for students who are learning English. … Read more

By Betsy Hill and Roger Stark First — A History Lesson Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was created to reduce the educational achievement gap for children from low-income families. Rooted in the civil rights movement’s focus on equal opportunity, the idea was that additional funding for schools serving high … Read more

  Welcome back to our Teacher Feature Series, where we speak with educators who teach online across borders. Today we share the story of Serena Dawn Bloom and her work with 51Talk American Academy—now known as HAWO American Academy—and her experience as an online ESL teacher. Serena, please tell us about yourself and your work … Read more

Guest article written by: Dr. Tricia S. KeiterAssociate Professor, School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math at American Public University Introductory online biology courses typically deliver content through readings, lecture notes, videos, discussion boards, lab simulations, quizzes, and exams. They cover the essential themes of biology—diversity of life, structure and function, organismal interactions, responses to … Read more

In this episode of the Learning Leadership Society Podcast, Learning Counsel News Media and Research CEO LeiLani Cauthen hosts a wide-ranging conversation with Phyllis Jordan, Associate Director of Future Ed, and Brittany Martin, Education Department Relations Manager at Lexia Learning. The episode examines how school districts can responsibly and effectively use the remaining federal stimulus … Read more

By LeiLani Cauthen Mention the words “1:1” or “digital curriculum” and the SAMR model will likely come up. It’s one of the most cited frameworks when schools move toward devices and digital content. But does SAMR still capture the scope of change needed in modern pedagogy? SAMR is a helpful way to describe and lead … Read more

Interview: Elizabeth on Teaching with 51Talk This is the fifth interview in our thought-leadership series featuring teachers who work with 51Talk. Education and professional background Elizabeth holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition and a Master’s in English Education, both from Georgia State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance (violin) from the University … Read more

By Franklin Schargel Like many readers, I follow the coverage of the disruption in education. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I live, retirements across the education workforce rose sharply: during the 2020–2021 school year retirements increased by about 40 percent over the prior year. Classroom teachers have left in large numbers, and so have custodians, … Read more