Effective digital learning games blend the virtual and the real, study finds
Education Week
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have found that interactive, mixed-reality digital learning games that blend real physics principles with virtual, simulated elements offered through the games are more effective for younger learners than flat-screen or simple-control versions.
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Five social disadvantages that depress student performance: Why schools alone can't close achievement gaps
Economic Policy Institute
A recent report from the Economic Policy Institute identifies five specific social and economic factors that affect student achievement: parenting practices, single parenthood, irregular work schedules for parents, lack of access to health care, and lead exposure. It suggests that, in addition to school and teacher incentive programs, amelioration of these disadvantages through school improvement initiatives could lead to better student outcomes.
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Upcoming conferences
Visit with our researchers and consultants at the following conferences to hear the latest insights and discoveries we've made:
McREL sessions:
Friday, June 26, "Creating the Environment for Learning: Implementing a New Instruction Planning Framework," presented by Howard Pitler
Friday, June 26, "Using AWSM to Improve Formative Assessment Practices," presented by Kathleen Dempsey and Anne Tweed
Saturday, June 27, "Academic Language Learning for ALLs and ELLs," presented by Jane Hill
National Association of Elementary School Principals Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif., June 30-July 2. McREL institutes and sessions: Monday, June 29, pre-conference institute on creating purposeful school communities with Matt Seebaum from McREL and Carol Riley from NAESP Tuesday, June 30, "Using McREL's Balanced Leadership Framework as a Lens for Mentoring and Coaching," presented by Matt Seebaum Tuesday, June 30, NAESP Mentor Reunion and Reception (mentors only)----evening reception sponsored by McREL
Wednesday, July 1, NAESP and McREL Balanced Leadership and Mentor Program Focus Group
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Educational Leadership, Summer 2015 | Getting Unstuck
 When your school hits a performance plateau during an improvement initiative, do you find yourself doubling down on your efforts? In the summer edition of ASCD's Educational Leadership magazine, Bryan Goodwin, McREL's CEO and president, suggests suggests leaders take an inside-out approach to improvement, including the creation of rapid, iterative improvement cycles, and peer and observation coaching that lead to better insights into a school's challenges.
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McREL Blog | How to make excitement for learning contagious
 In a new blog post from McREL consultant Cheryl Abla, enthusiasm and humor in the classroom are front and center as she describes their important roles in learning. Read her post on the McREL blog.
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| McREL Blog | Look before you launch: 6 questions to ask before you add more tech to your school  Howard Pitler, McREL's executive director of digital solutions, offers advice on six important questions to ask----and answer----before making any major technology purchase for your school in a new post on the McREL blog. |
| Dr. Stephanie Stoll Dalton joins McREL as new director of Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Pacific Dr. Stephanie Stoll Dalton will serve as the new director of REL Pacific beginning July 1. She comes to McREL from the U.S. Department of Education where, for the last 10 years, she has been director of the Higher Education Act Title II Teacher Preparation and State Credentialing Accountability Program. In her earlier years of service at the Department of Education, she was director of the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program and was a program officer within the REL program, specifically serving the REL Pacific from 2001 to 2003. REL Pacific, which McREL operates from its regional office in Honolulu, Hawaii, is one of 10 federal regional educational laboratories administered by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. Read our complete press release. |
| NASA's Dawn Mission orbits dwarf planet Ceres
 After seven years of cruising at stunning speeds, NASA's Dawn Mission went into orbit for the first time around the dwarf planet Ceres on March 6. On May 9, the California Institute of Technology hosted a Space Science Festival for families to celebrate this achievement, which included a unique set of streamed presentations: Small Worlds 101, To Boldly Go...Well, You Know: NASA's Dawn Mission to the Asteroid Belt, and Exploring New Worlds in Our Solar System.
McREL has supported the Dawn Mission's education and communications team since before launch in 2007 through professional development, curriculum, web and multimedia design, and social media. Follow Dawn news, view spectacular images, and explore videos and education materials on the Dawn Mission website or join the Dawn newsletter mailing list. |
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Connect with Us on Social Media
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For the latest in professional development opportunities, education news, research, and McREL employment opportunities, follow us on our social media channels.   
  
REL Pacific on Twitter
Follow @RELPacific on Twitter for the latest on education research, the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, and Institute of Education Sciences projects in the Pacific region, plus engaging infographics, videos, and more.
North Central Comprehensive Center on Twitter
Follow @NorthCentralCC on Twitter for updates on work with state education agencies in Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
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