‘Tattle’ button controversy; Preschool over Zoom?

Plus: Jeff Bezos' long-term game in public education

February 2, 2021 | Subscribe to this newsletter This issue is sponsored by Each month, EdSurge editors round up "The Top Five" most popular articles of the last month to make sure you don't miss them. Our January hits feature online preschool, Jeff Bezos and a controversial tattle button. 1. U. of Florida Asks Students to Use App to Report Profs Who Don't Teach In Person: The University of Florida sparked outrage last month when it added a button to a campus-safety app encouraging students to report professors who are teaching courses online instead of in person. (The university later reversed course.) 2. Jeff Bezos Wants to Go to the Moon. Then, Public Education. Becoming a driving force in public education may, at first, seem like a long shot for Amazon. But make no mistake: It is a matter of when, not if, for Jeff Bezos, opines Dominik Dresel, a public school administrator and edtech entrepreneur. 3. Do Instructional Videos Work Better When the Teacher Is On Screen? It Depends. How important is it for the teacher to be visible on screen in lecture videos? University researchers are testing that question with a series of experiments. 4. Can You Provide a Quality Preschool Education Over Zoom? Some of the youngest learners are also the hardest to teach remotely. But experts say learning can take place via platforms like Zoom, so long as preschools follow some key considerations around parental involvement and screen time. 5. Hailed as 'Heroes,' Child Care Workers in Some States Are Denied Vaccine Priority: Despite the CDC's recommendation that all educators, including those in early childhood, get vaccinated in the same group, some states have put child care workers in a lower priority group than their K-12 colleagues. It's a "huge slap in the face," one child care provider said. Sponsored by GM Apply now for free AI PD from ISTE! The ISTE-GM AI Explorations program is offering free enrollment in their 8-week online artificial intelligence course, which explores powerful applications of AI in K-12 school environments. School and district teams of 3 - 6 educators can apply now for the Spring 2021 cohort (March 8 - May 2). Upon course completion, educators receive a certificate for 15 PD hours and a one-year membership to ISTE. 📣 NEW ON EDSURGE How the Race Between Vaccinations and COVID Variants Affects School Reopening A Free Year of College and Year-Round School? New Ideas for a New Administration When Virtual Animations Are Teaching, Can They Make an Emotional Connection? The following is a message from our sponsor Samsung Display is committed to helping schools realize the promise of a digital learning environment.  With a diverse portfolio of enterprise technologies including smart signage, interactive displays, LED screens, video walls, and monitors and an ecosystem of software and hardware partners, Samsung provides schools with the right solutions to create an engaging learning environment for students. Learn more. THANKS FOR READING   ➔ Got any feedback? We love hearing from readers. Shoot us a note, critiques, a joke—whatever you've got! ➔ Interested in reaching our readers? Sponsor this newsletter. ➔ 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. We are an independent news and research initiative of the International Society for Technology in Education. International Society for Technology in Education, 621 SW Morrison Street, Suite 800, Portland, Oregon 97205, USA, 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 503.342.2848 (Int'l) Unsubscribe Manage preferences