The "passback" effect is an intentional use of the device as pacifier to keep the kids quiet and occupied so that the parents can focus on driving or shopping, or making it painlessly through a trans-continental flight. Schools have had their own version of the passback method for years, putting a computer or two in the back of the room and…

Jennifer Dorman was in a fix. Teaching ninth-grade US history at Holicong Middle School in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Dorman wanted to tap into her students' interest in creating "something of value not just for their teachers, but something they could share with other students and people." But that required something a conventional paper-based…

Tom Reardon, a mathematics teacher at Austintown Fitch High School in Ohio, is among the rising number of teachers who use interactive whiteboards in their classes. He uses the device to record his class lectures and offer sample tests that he posts on his personal website for students to download. Reardon found that the results of his students'…

Online resources and educator networks are providing teachers of English language learners with a support system they do not often get within their own school districts. Catherine Collier's Cross Cultural Developmental Education Services, based in Ferndale, WA., has been providing professional development and teaching materials to ELL teachers.…

Two years ago, Mandeville High School (http://mandevillehigh.stpsb.org/index.shtml) in Louisiana purchased a mobile wireless computer lab with grant funds from the state. This lab not only helped improve the writing and research skills of the school's ninth-grade students, but also improved its overall performance score to become one of the…

In this article, the author shares his experience teaching senior-level structural engineering courses at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Georgia Tech Regional Engineering Program. The program is a unique partnership of four universities--Georgia Tech, Savannah State University, Armstrong Atlantic State University, and Georgia Southern…

One of the greatest challenges teachers face is effectively reaching a roomful of students with varying abilities and learning styles on a daily basis. When the author completed her special-education certification 27 years ago, she knew that she would be constantly working to develop a curriculum rich enough for all students. Fortunately, she has…

The PDA was originally conceived of as a portable handheld electronic device that provided a user with a tool to organize his or her life through easy access to a personal calendar, daily planner, and address book. Over the years, these devices have expanded to include many new functions, which have helped more applications in diverse fields. This…