male student wearing headphones and typing on a laptop taking a subjective essay-based assessment

Automated Grading for Subjective Assessments: Challenges and Solutions

As school systems prioritize 21st-century skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and experimentation, educators are stepping up their assessment game. To accurately measure performance on higher-order thinking tasks, teachers are relying increasingly on complex subjective assessments, including essays, presentations, and capstone projects.  However, many find that automating the grading of subjective assessments is far more difficult […]

Woman wearing glasses sitting at a desk looking at a laptop and desktop monitor that each show computer-based reports on the screen.

How To Leverage Data From Computer-Based Assessments

Each assessment you set represents a valuable opportunity to collect data. Where did students do well? What did they get wrong? Has the class made progress over time? This information can help you shape your curriculum, teaching methods, and student support for the better.  However, there are significant obstacles that can prevent you from collecting […]

boy and girl schoolchildren sitting and leaning over a desktop computer while smiling.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Enhancing Access and Equity in Education

As technology evolves, the possibilities for digital education multiply. And it’s easy to see why: bringing digital tools to the classroom can help make learning and assessment more engaging and equitable for students, and more efficient for educators. But the digital access divide—unequal access to high speed, effective internet, affordable hardware, and the right software—can […]

Teacher standing in front of the classroom next to a tv. Students seated facing the teacher looking at computers, showing the concept of technology leveraging open standards

Open Standards in Educational Assessment: The Key to Flexibility and Interoperability

Educational technology (EdTech) has the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning— we’ve already seen many of the benefits as schools adopt more digital tools. But there are also challenges to widespread adoption, such as high costs, being tied into using bloated systems, the need for teacher training, and ensuring accessibility for all students.  Open standards […]

Side view of school girl sitting at a desk in front of a chalkboard facing her laptop.

Overcoming Challenges in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Implementation

With 18 US states formally adopting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)—and dozens more moving towards NGSS principles—a significant change is underway.  Rather than merely recalling facts, students need to demonstrate mastery across 3 learning dimensions: scientific and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cross-cutting concepts. These will challenge students to think critically, solve real-world […]

Teacher helping school kids using tablet computers in lesson

How Can Districts Get More Time to Spend ESSER Dollars? An Explainer

With the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds set to expire on January 28, 2025, many state and district administrators are scrambling to spend their money efficiently. But because ESSER rules can be quite complex to navigate, it can take quite some time to plan a compliant project.  If you […]

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