Jamf’s Post

Technology builds bridges between parents and school. According to Oxford academics Feinstein and Symons, not even pupil-teacher ratio has as great an effect on student attainment as parental engagement, with parents’ interest in their child’s education being the single greatest predictor of achievement at age 16. (1999) In our latest blog, we examine exactly what is ‘parental engagement’ and discuss how technology is successfully bridging the gap between parents and schools. What is parental engagement? Parental engagement in schools is defined as ‘a shared responsibility in which schools are committed to reaching out to involve parents in their child’s education.’ Engaging parents has been shown to increase academic development, social skills and general school behaviour, including reducing absenteeism. Anyone who has ever tried to understand what exactly their child is studying at the end of a school day has been trying to be an engaged parent. The typical answer of ‘nothing’ to the question of ‘what did you do today?’ resounds with most parents, and increasingly busy lives mean that a chat with the teacher at the school gates is out of the question. Schools have found that social media, text messages and emails have practically taken the place of face-to-face conversations as technology becomes a virtual bridge between schools and parents keen to facilitate their child’s studies. Technology facilitates school communication Frequently schools are using Twitter and Facebook to show parents what their children are up to during school hours, a handy use for social media. However, this is a blunt tool – schools can’t bombard their feeds with all classes and subjects. Schoop can be invaluable in giving teachers a way to focus information per class: detailing topic subjects, introducing concepts that parents can discuss with their child or flagging upcoming projects so parents can help students prepare in advance. #schoop#parentalengagment#communication

Technology builds bridges between parents and school. According to Oxford academics Feinstein and Symons, not even pupil-teacher ratio has as great an effect on student attainment as parental engagement, with parents’ interest in their child’s education being the single greatest predictor of achievement at age 16. (1999) In our latest blog, we examine exactly what is ‘parental engagement’ and discuss how technology is successfully bridging the gap between parents and schools. What is parental engagement? Parental engagement in schools is defined as ‘a shared responsibility in which schools are committed to reaching out to involve parents in their child’s education.’ Engaging parents has been shown to increase academic development, social skills and general school behaviour, including reducing absenteeism. Anyone who has ever tried to understand what exactly their child is studying at the end of a school day has been trying to be an engaged parent. The typical answer of ‘nothing’ to the question of ‘what did you do today?’ resounds with most parents, and increasingly busy lives mean that a chat with the teacher at the school gates is out of the question. Schools have found that social media, text messages and emails have practically taken the place of face-to-face conversations as technology becomes a virtual bridge between schools and parents keen to facilitate their child’s studies. Technology facilitates school communication Frequently schools are using Twitter and Facebook to show parents what their children are up to during school hours, a handy use for social media. However, this is a blunt tool – schools can’t bombard their feeds with all classes and subjects. Schoop can be invaluable in giving teachers a way to focus information per class: detailing topic subjects, introducing concepts that parents can discuss with their child or flagging upcoming projects so parents can help students prepare in advance. #schoop#parentalengagement#communication

Technology builds bridges between parents and school. According to Oxford academics Feinstein and Symons, not even pupil-teacher ratio has as great an effect on student attainment as parental engagement, with parents’ interest in their child’s education being the single greatest predictor of achievement at age 16. (1999) In our latest blog, we examine exactly what is ‘parental engagement’ and discuss how technology is successfully bridging the gap between parents and schools. What is parental engagement? Parental engagement in schools is defined as ‘a shared responsibility in which schools are committed to reaching out to involve parents in their child’s education.’ Engaging parents has been shown to increase academic development, social skills and general school behaviour, including reducing absenteeism. Anyone who has ever tried to understand what exactly their child is studying at the end of a school day has been trying to be an engaged parent. The typical answer of ‘nothing’ to the question of ‘what did you do today?’ resounds with most parents, and increasingly busy lives mean that a chat with the teacher at the school gates is out of the question. Schools have found that social media, text messages and emails have practically taken the place of face-to-face conversations as technology becomes a virtual bridge between schools and parents keen to facilitate their child’s studies. Technology facilitates school communication Frequently schools are using Twitter and Facebook to show parents what their children are up to during school hours, a handy use for social media. However, this is a blunt tool – schools can’t bombard their feeds with all classes and subjects. Schoop can be invaluable in giving teachers a way to focus information per class: detailing topic subjects, introducing concepts that parents can discuss with their child or flagging upcoming projects so parents can help students prepare in advance. #schoop#parentalengagement#communication

Jamf Parent: Technology for parental engagement. As more schools explore the use of iPad beyond the school day, schools can increase parental engagement by offering powerful, easy-to-use technology for parents.

   Should schools ban phones? Educators have long pushed back against distraction machines (aka phones), with 77% of schools banning them in the classroom as of 2020, according to a National Center for Education Statistics survey. But as evidenced by the vape clouds wafting from school bathrooms, making rules is the easy part. Schooltime still overlaps with screen time: 97% of students are on their phones during school hours, according to a study by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that informs parents about technology. While much of students’ phone use might be at lunch or recess, teachers complain that kids aren’t waiting for the bell to take a discreet peek at their screens. An OECD study found that most students got distracted when peers used phones in class. It also showed that kids who spent less in-school time on their phones got better test scores. What to do with the phones? Some teachers are taking a preschool approach to the issue by introducing cubbies into their classrooms to store students’ phones. Teachers who support this method say it eliminates the need to waste class time policing phone use. New York University social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who recently wrote a book blaming phones for surging youth mental health problems, believes more hardline measures are necessary, arguing that the only way to ensure a healthy learning environment is to confiscate phones at the start of the school day. He claims that returning phones between classes inhibits kids’ in-person interactions in school and tempts them to binge all the content they missed during class. Many schools have taken that route, locking kids’ phones away into the same magnetic pouches that you may have seen at a comedy show or a concert. Some school administrators told the Washington Post that the pouches have the welcome side effect of less cyberbullying via illicit videotaping and fewer group vaping sessions coordinated via chat. Calls to keep phones The biggest pushback to phoneless schools comes not from surly teens but from parents who worry about being unable to reach their children directly in case of an emergency or who value the convenience of keeping in touch with them at all times. Some administrators have responded by giving phone-rule exemptions to certain students, while others have assured parents that they can reach their kids via the school landline and pointed out that kids shouldn’t be on their phones during an emergency situation anyway. Plus, a break from parents might be a good thing, as constant texting can lead to an unhealthy attachment, child psychologist Roni Cohen-Sandler told Stateline. Other parents say that phones help their kids cope with anxiety, and some phone ban critics note that students may use their phones for jobs and family obligations. —SK (condensed) Fly View Productions/Getty Images

💻 📱 Technology use among early childhood students is a controversial topic, but it’s hard to disagree that technology is here to stay! This is an interesting and informative article regarding technology for preschool students and how to choose tech tools that are appropriate, engaging, and beneficial for our youngest students! ✅ #education #technology #edtech #earlychildhood #earlychildhoodeducation #childdevelopment https://lnkd.in/gTjCGEyB

I think phone bans in schools miss the mark in a lot of ways. (And for now I’m going to set aside accessibility for neurodivergent students, bc that’s an entirely separate rant.) First off, we tend to generalize “screens”, when all the negativity comes more specifically from social media. Second, schools always seem to take the knee-jerk reaction to “ban” anything problematic, when they should seek to educate the students instead. An analogy: if students were playing in the woods, learning to build and climb and collaborate, but they found some mushrooms specifically designed to entice them, and they got addicted to these mushrooms, would we ban them from going into the woods? No, we would educate them about the dangers of the mushrooms. Especially if outside of school they had access to mushrooms, and would have unlimited mushroom access as adults, and would spend their adult careers in the woods. School (and please note I’m not bashing teachers, I’m talking about the institution of school) is so inflexible and antiquated that it can’t adapt to our students’ actual needs (to learn safe mushroom use) and is so rigid in what “must” be taught, that the only recourse for anything that steals the attention of the students is to ban, ban, ban. The mandate of schools is to educate, and what our children desperately, desperately need here is to be educated. 💻 Digital Literacy. 📱 Digital Etiquette. 🤳 Online Safety. 👾 Safe Social Media Use. 💰 Smart Consumerism. 🎮 Emotional Regulation. 😡 Stress & Anger Management. ❤️ Social & Emotional Wellness.

"Screentime" is emerging as the new babysitter and companion to kids while parents struggle to keep them entertained and engaged during their already stressful lives. I have seen different kinds of parents treat this various ways, ranging from super strict screen time allotments to complete freedom. This article explores the rise of digital device use among Bangladeshi children and offers actionable tips for parents to navigate this new reality. Abu Saif Ansari discusses the importance of parental controls, age-appropriate content, and open communication to raise responsible digital citizens. Would love to hear experiences of working parents and your relationship with screens.

🌟 Exciting News for Educators! 🌟 In today's ever-evolving educational landscape, ensuring that every student, regardless of their unique needs, gets the quality education they deserve is a top priority. That's why I believe that having the right tech support is not just convenient—it's absolutely essential. 👩🏫 Meeting Diverse Student Needs: Educators are calling for more tech support to ensure students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans have equal access to quality education, emphasizing inclusivity and accommodating diverse learning needs. 🔍 Addressing Concerns About Product Availability: Concerns arise about the availability of products that effectively serve diverse learners as the number of students in special education rises. Tech support plays a crucial role in identifying adaptable tools for each student's unique requirements. 🧩 Filling the Gap Amidst Shortages: Amidst a shortage of special education teachers, tech support equips educators with tools to support students with disabilities, allowing more focus on direct instruction and reducing administrative burdens. ♿ Ensuring Accessibility for All: Accessibility is fundamental; tech support must ensure all digital materials and tools are accessible to students with disabilities, including features like captions and screen reader compatibility. 🏫 The Role of District Leaders and Ed-Tech Companies: District leaders should ensure accessible tech tools, involve educators and students in procurement decisions, provide professional development, and engage teachers and students in the design of products to meet education community needs. And speaking of tech support, I'm thrilled to share that Kampus Insights offers an incredible workshop on how the ed-tech tool Nearpod can seamlessly incorporate scaffolds, translate text with Immersive Reader, feature 3D elements, and provide real-time input from all students. It's truly a game-changer, especially for teachers supporting our special needs population. Discover more at kamapusinsights.com. 🚀📚 #Education #EdTech #Inclusion #TechSupport #Nearpod https://lnkd.in/erYqPh9t

🎯 MyTextMate: Tackling Academic Information Overload In today's noisy world, students often struggle with their coursework, especially those with learning disabilities or ADHD. MyTextMate is dedicated to: - Enhancing Organization: Personalized support to keep students on track. - Reducing Stress: Simplifying coursework management. - Improving Academic Performance: Empowering students with consistency and customizations. Our assistive technology, designed for students with learning disabilities and ADHD, benefits all students, even those not typically qualifying for extra academic assistance. Let's make education accessible and effective for everyone. ♻️ Repost to spread the word! Curious to learn more? Visit MyTextMate.com/Mission #ADHD #Accessibility #EdTech #Education #StudentSuccess #INSTCon24 #CanvasLMS #MyTextMate