Author: TeachThought Staff

Ahrefs vs Semrush: Which AI‑Era Tool Fits Your Brand Visibility Goals Today, SEO tools are evolving fast — not just to track content data, but to show how your brand appears in AI answers, chatbots and generative‑search results. Two major players leading this shift are Ahrefs with its Brand Radar and Semrush with its AI Toolkit. Each serves a different type of user, so the better choice depends on what you’re trying to measure. What Each Tool Does Best Each tool plays a slightly different role in today’s noisy, multi‑channel web. Here’s where they shine: ToolStrengthsAhrefs Brand RadarMassive database (real search‑derived…

15 Alternatives To Report Cards In The K-12 Classroom by TeachThought Staff Like lunchboxes (or brown paper sacks), field trips, and textbooks, report cards are iconic–symbols of traditional classrooms and traditional approaches to education. In its name, the purpose of a ‘report card’ is plain enough: to report on progress. But it’s not that simple. Letter grades (and alternatives to letter grades) can ‘stick’ with a student forever. When combined over time, letter grades result in a grade point average, an innocent-sounding term that can be the difference between, among other effects, a student being accepted into their choice of college…

by TeachThought Staff Self-Directed Learning is not a new concept, but it’s often misunderstood—especially in the context of K-12 classrooms. In a prior reflection, Terry Heick explored the relationship between self-directed learning and the true purpose of education: “The goal of the model isn’t content knowledge (though it should produce that), but rather something closer to wisdom—learning how to learn, understanding what’s worth understanding, and perhaps most importantly, analyzing the purpose of learning (e.g., personal and social change). It also encourages the students to examine the relationship between study and work—an authentic ‘need to know’ with important abstractions like citizenship and…

by Terry Heick Meaningful conversation can make learning more personal, immediate, and emotional. During meaningful conversations, students are forced to be accountable for their positions, to listen, to analyze opposing perspectives, and to adapt their thinking on the fly. There are many popular strategies for these kinds of conversations, each with slightly unique rules and applications. Among them are Socrative Discussions, Accountable Talks, Debate, and Literature Circles. Whichever strategy you employ, students need support. It is sometimes argued that these kinds of conversations favor students that are confident expressing themselves verbally, and that’s hard to argue. But consider that academic…

by Terry Heick Want to help students learn to think critically about ‘fake news’? A simple, browser-based game could help. What is Bad News? Bad News is a simple tool to help students understand ‘fake news,’ the (modern?) phenomenon of misinformation and ‘content as news’ propagated, at least in part, by the rise of digital and social media. (You can download an info sheet about made for educators.) As an interactive experience, Bad News helps students understand how fake news works, why it becomes popular, and its central mechanics and trends. It then allows players to choose certain fake news…

contributed by Beth Rush When students say they want to work in health care, they often default to roles they already recognize, such as nursing or medicine. Medical imaging is less visible, even though it offers defined training pathways, stable employment, and daily patient interaction. Making these roles explicit helps students evaluate options based on fit rather than familiarity. What Medical Imaging Actually Involves Medical imaging professionals produce diagnostic images that support clinical decision-making. Like most specialized industries, it often includes operating specialized equipment. Following strict safety protocols is obviously important, as is ensuring images meet clinical standards. Skills That…

contributed by Lee Caroll, PhD and updated by TeachThought Staff Research agrees that the strongest students emerge from homes supportive in the learning process, and below we’ve listed a few ways parents can support students at home. In 8 Science-Based Strategies For Critical Thinking, we looked at ways we can use ‘thinking like a scientist’ to improve our own critical thinking skills. Below, we’re following that post up with a quick read: How to help children think critically at home. 8 Ways Parents Can Support Critical Thinking At Home 1. Think critically as a habit Whether you’re thinking critically about the news or thinking critically…

by TeachThought Staff What is learned helplessness? Definition Learned helplessness is a psychological condition in which a person, after repeated failures or negative experiences, believes they have no control over situations’ outcomes and stops trying to improve or change them. Below is an example of Learned Helplessness in the classroom. Instructor: The biggest fear for an adolescent, written throughout this text, is not fitting in. Jesse, you talked about acceptance. Now, to understand how this happens, how it looks, and what it feels like, we’re going to do an activity. This is an on-your-own activity, and it’s not meant to…

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy: cognitive process dimension Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy changed the original 1956 framework by updating the level names to verbs, reordering the top levels, and adding a second dimension for types of knowledge. The revision clarifies what students do cognitively and how those actions interact with factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge. How Bloom’s Taxonomy Changed Nouns to verbs: levels reframed as cognitive actions: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, Create. Top-level reorder: Create placed above Evaluate to reflect generative thinking. Two dimensions: pair the Cognitive Process with the Knowledge Dimension (Factual, Conceptual, Procedural, Metacognitive). Clearer alignment: objectives, instruction, and…

Educational Technology Integration: Essential Digital Tools for Both Assessment and Strategic Planning in K-12 Education Education leaders want to help their students succeed, which is much easier with new software programs. Demonstrating transparency while achieving district goals is possible without confusing multiplatform usage. Administrators interested in strategic planning and execution tools for K-12 school districts should compare their options to determine the ideal platform. Criteria to Find the Best Planning Resources Comparing the many digital tools available for education leaders may feel overwhelming. Simplify the process by looking for leading factors that help people make their districts better places to…