Learning science tips; What's the ideal online class size?

Plus: The AP's new African Diaspora class

No. 454 | October 22, 2020 View in Browser Subscribe to this Newsletter » Instruct News, tips and insights for educators shaping the future of PreK-12 This issue is brought to you by Are schools giant petri dishes of COVID-19 just waiting to infect communities or do they play a relatively minor role in communal spread? The answer to that question could determine how schools, and millions of educators and students, move to full time, in-person learning. The answer also isn't quite clear cut, despite recent encouraging research. First, the good news: Several studies have now shown that reopening schools does not automatically mean a surge of cases. In two German states, just .04 percent of students contracted the virus after reopening, and in New York City schools, there were only 28 positives out of a total 16,000 tests. On the other hand, a Utah high school recently reported 77 infections after a chaotic opening that included few social distancing measures when community spread was already high. The lesson, experts say, is that hygiene, distancing and testing protocols matter a great deal. "Schools should be important given that so many networks come together [there]—with kids, parents and social life," one British researcher working on a "superspreader" database told the Financial Times. "But the signal doesn't seem to be very strong. We are finding it quite hard to find direct evidence of transmission within the school setting, but we are not doing enough testing." REMOTE POSSIBILITIES SUPERSIZED CLASSES: Imagine a class of 50 students for just one teacher. How about 60? What would be unheard of in face-to-face settings is not uncommon in online classes this year. But dealing with such volume is stressful for teachers—and research indicates it's not good for students either. So what is the ideal online class size, anyway? 'WHY AM I JUST LEARNING ABOUT THIS?' High school teacher Mario Herrera gets that question all the time from his AP students who have been piloting the College Board's new African diaspora curriculum. In the span of a semester, students experience outrage, frustration, curiosity, determination and pride as they learn about the history, culture and contributions of Black people all over the world. TIPS FROM A LEARNING SCIENCE PIONEER: Richard Mayer is one of the most influential educational researchers. The journal Contemporary Educational Psychology ranks him as the No. 1 most productive educational psychologist in the world. EdSurge reached out to Mayer to learn what his research reveals about effective ways to adapt one's teaching in response to the pandemic. GOINGS ON Where is my mind? 2020 has been a whirlwind, but promoting a growth mindset in your district can help. Join this webinar to learn how administrators can support teachers and staff with remote learning, mental health and professional development by focusing on a growth mindset. Register today. Follow your EdSurgents @tonywan, @jryoung, @byemilytate, @becky_koenig and @stephenoonoo for the latest news and scoops as they hit the wire. The following message is brought to you by ST Math® is ALL NEW for the 2020-2021 school year! ST Math is a PreK-8 visual instructional program that leverages the brain's innate spatial-temporal reasoning ability to solve mathematical problems. ST Math's unique, patented approach provides equitable access to deep conceptual learning for all students, whether in the classroom, fully distance learning, or some combination of both. See what's new! Sponsored by Drexel Teaching and Learning from Home for Educators and Parents, Now and in The Future Join us for a webinar on creating and utilizing a home learning environment, inexpensive devices and apps to supplement core technology resources, managing multiple learners at home, and resources for learners with special needs. October 8th at 3:00 p.m. ET. Register today! ON THE PODCAST GHOSTED: Who is disappearing from higher education due to the pandemic, and what are professors doing to try to keep students going in these challenging times? Those are the questions tackled on this week's podcast, the latest in our semester-long series of on-the-ground reports from students and professors at six campuses. ALL SCHOOL FACT VS. FICTION: EdSurge columnist Kimberly Rues is a librarian and media specialist, but even she's caught herself walking back specious social media shares. With so much at stake these days—and an impending election—how do educators teach students (and themselves) to separate fact from fiction? She (judiciously) shares her favorite media literacy lessons and resources. CHILD CARE IN CRISIS: Early childhood educators have always faced challenges—limited resources, low wages and lack of respect among them—but COVID-19 has pushed the field into a full-on crisis. Early childhood programs face widespread closures and declining enrollment, forcing layoffs and pay cuts. In the year ahead, we'll be deepening our coverage of early childhood education to address the bleak realities posed by the pandemic. FROM THE ARCHIVES DOWN TO A SCIENCE: There's a budding field called the science of teaching and learning, where scholars are figuring out what works when it comes to educating students. But it's a challenge getting those findings to educators (to make sure no one is reading their PowerPoint slides aloud). A new book focuses on building systems to apply these "science of teaching" findings into actual teaching. BUZZ ABOUT TOWN Why are some large districts reducing instructional time? (The 74) Texas schools limit health exemptions for teachers who want to stay home. (Texas Tribune) Gifted and talented programs have a race problem that isn't going away. (Hechinger Report) Sponsored by Adobe Explore Adobe for Education As the new school year begins, ensure your students have the tools they need to communicate with impact in traditional and online classes. Adobe Creative Cloud helps students build digital literacy skills that will empower them for years to come. Explore how Adobe for Education helps you deliver creative, engaging learning experiences that prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Looking for a job in edtech? You've come to the right place. EdSurge has the leading edtech jobs board with over 400 openings from schools, nonprofits and companies. Post a Job See all edtech jobs Virtual Instructional Coach EdConnective EdConnective is looking for coaches to observe and meet with teachers virtually for short, intensive partnerships and focus on growth in student outcomes. Customer Implementation / Customer Success • Startup • Remote Learning Coach Prisma Prisma is hiring a passionate, innovative Learning coach to facilitate meaningful, purpose-driven learning for our 21st-century skills-focused co-learning network. Teaching • Startup • San Francisco, CA or Remote Psychology Teacher Summit Public Schools Summit Public Schools is searching for talented Psychology educators to join our team in California. This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant, growing organization that is dedicated to transforming public education for its students! Teaching • School • Multiple Instructional Coach National Math & Science Initiative The National Math and Science Initiative is looking for coaches that support our core programs by delivering professional development for teachers or content support for students.   Curriculum Design • Non Profit • Remote Math Curriculum Designer IXL Learning As a math curriculum designer at IXL, you'll design engaging online problems and collaborate with software engineers and visual designers to achieve our educational goals. Curriculum Design • Large Company • Remote Instructional Designer Music Business Creative Intell Inc Our team is looking for an outstanding instructional designer/education technologist to join the Learning & Development (L&D) Team on a contract basis. Curriculum Design • Startup • Remote Events Post an event • See all events and meetups Illinois Education and Technology Conference (IETC) Virtual IETC is a seven-day conference that brings some of the best education and technology speakers and leaders in Illinois to you, on your time. Nov 15 - Nov 21 • Online • $1 to $50 The Standards and STEM Working towards effective STEM learning means gaining a deeper understanding of the future we aspire to build, and having the ability to imagine this future. Dec 15 • Online • Free Thanks for Reading ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you've got! ➔ Interested in sponsoring this newsletter? Click here. ➔ Event planners: Feature your in-person or virtual event on our calendar & newsletters. EdSurge covers and connects the people, ideas and technologies that shape the future of learning. 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