CYPHER Learning

Making spider web discussions work in synchronous online classes

Student engagement in online classes seems to be a never-ending quest for teachers. That’s because building a classroom culture is harder to do in an online environment if you’ve never done that befor...

The 6 principles of mastery-based learning

Innovation in education is a must if we want to keep up with technology and global advancements. The traditional teaching methods no longer serve today's learners. There has to be a paradigm shift in ...

5 Awesome online tools for game-based learning

I have long believed that spring presents an excellent time for educators to explore new ideas and try some new digital tools in the classroom. As we look to boost student engagement with the content ...

5 Digital tools for podcasting in the hybrid classroom

When used as a tool for sharing knowledge and thoughts, podcasts become an innovative teaching method. Teachers can create personalized materials for lessons, content for research and revision, fun fa...

Building a culture of academic integrity in a remote learning environment

If you're worried about academic integrity while teaching remotely, you’re not alone. A recent survey indicates that 93% of teachers believe students are more likely to cheat if attending school onlin...

7 Activities to improve online class participation rates

Are you happy with how your online class is going? All teachers will answer this question at one point or another. A low participation rate is usually one of the biggest problems with online classes. ...

4 Ways to promote collaboration in digital spaces

As we prepare for spring, it is always good to have some new ideas to promote student engagement and foster more collaboration in the classroom. Whether we are in virtual, hybrid, or in-person learnin...

7 Ways to explore and create with Augmented and Virtual Reality

As we begin a new year, it is always fun to explore new ideas in our classroom. Finding ideas that work, whether in-person, hybrid, or fully online, can sometimes be challenging. However, I have found...

Let's talk a good game: Mining talk shows for classroom engagement ideas

Although teaching during a pandemic has presented many new challenges, educators were searching for ways to keep students engaged and motivated during class long before 2020. Distance learning, howeve...

Why each student needs a personalized learning path

Remember Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz? At some point in the story, Dorothy sets off to find the famous Wizard of Oz and her journey begins with a first step on the Yellow Brick Road. She follows the ...

What every teacher should know about the hexagonal approach to learning

In a quest to find innovative ways to stimulate learning, teachers often try to reinterpret patented theories. One of these reinterpretations is the hexagonal approach to learning. Based on the Struct...

How to minimize cheating in online assessments

Academic dishonesty is a touchy subject. From college admission scandals to exam cheating, it affects all schools in one way or another. At one point, all teachers have wondered at their students’ cre...

How to manage assessments in the blended classroom

Technology is part of our daily lives. Schools have taken big steps towards using online resources and tools, but we can expect online learning to have a more important role in students’ education due...

The truth about “Maslow before Bloom”

Among the many famous sayings that teachers know by heart, “Maslow before Bloom” stands out the most. Unlike other popular educational theories, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (HN) seems to have reached ...

10 DOs and DON’Ts in Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning (PBL) is an educational method that allows students to learn new things by exploring the topics on their own (well, almost), by doing their research, and by co-creating their pe...

Using adaptive learning to personalize learning experiences

A version of this post was originally published on August 13, 2020, in Open Access Government. The ideal learning process for a student is one that adapts to that student’s every need: the surrounding...