Edutopia is an education website that provides educational information to teachers, parents, and administrators. It focuses on six core learning strategies: comprehensive assessment, integrated studies, project-based learning, social and emotional learning, teacher development, and technology integration.
It also covers schools that work and cites examples of successful practices in the classroom. However, many of its claims are backed by little evidence.
School culture
Whether students feel safe, are encouraged to be themselves, and have access to a positive school climate is one of the most important questions that can affect how they learn and grow in their education. Research has shown that a positive school culture can help students to develop healthy social and emotional skills, increase their interest in learning, improve their academic outcomes, decrease problematic or risky behavior, limit school suspensions, and strengthen their relationships with teachers.
Many edutopia articles focus on the specific ways to create and foster a positive school culture. Some articles talk about the importance of building trust between students and staff, while others discuss how to build a sense of gratitude among school kids.
Regardless of the topic, it’s important to remember that school culture is an ongoing process. Leaders have to continually assess the state of the school’s culture and take steps to build it on a positive track. They can also create ways for teachers to provide feedback and support each other in their work.
Student engagement
Edutopia is a non-profit organization that has grown to over 10,000 paid members and a monthly audience of over 300,000 educators through its web site and videos. Its mission is to transform K-12 education so that all students thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives.
One of the pillars of Edutopia’s philosophy is that school should “resemble real life.” Its website offers hundreds of articles and videos on how to make learning hands-on, in the community, and engaging. The organization often focuses on project-based learning, but this approach is far from a new idea.
It’s a concept that traces its roots to William Heard Kilpatrick, the most influential teacher in the United States in the early 20th century. He believed that project learning could increase student engagement and improve retention.
Project-based learning
Project-based learning is a way to teach students by giving them real-world projects that require them to use their knowledge and skills to solve problems. It’s an interdisciplinary approach because real-world challenges are rarely solved using information or skills from a single subject area.
Research shows that when students take on complex projects, they learn a variety of important skills and content in new ways. It’s a method that encourages deep learning, develops problem-solving and critical thinking, and helps students build relationships with peers who can help them through their projects.
A key element of PBL is that the teacher’s role shifts from delivering content to facilitating, coaching and managing student projects. This shift can mean taking on more responsibility for student success, but it also opens up a whole new world of teaching opportunities.
For teachers, the first step to implementing project-based learning is to determine what it is they want their students to learn. That can involve selecting a driving question that’s feasible for students to explore, then using that as a basis for an authentic and meaningful learning experience.
Teacher development
Teachers–like students–desire agency and autonomy in terms of when, how, where, and what they choose to learn. When professional development is voluntary and designed to fit into their schedules, teachers often show significantly higher levels of engagement and satisfaction.
Similarly, teachers’ needs for ongoing support and a chance to practice what they learn can be met through a variety of strategies, from online learning communities to individualized coaching. These approaches give teachers the space and time to reflect on their work, experiment with new ideas, and collaborate with peers and community members to find ways to implement what they’ve learned.
District leaders should prioritize professional development based on the specific needs of their schools. In addition to analyzing data, they should also collect teacher feedback to help them prioritize areas of need. By combining these two methods, districts can identify areas that need the most attention and ensure that they are implementing relevant, high-quality content.