SPARK!s

What are SPARK!s?

SPARK!s are one-page documents, written by practitioners in the field, designed to address a specific problem  of practice and to ”ignite” digital learning through shared experiences and ideas. Some are designed for and written by teachers, others are designed for and written by school leaders. Example topics include addressing academic integrity, fostering student collaboration, and cultivating student leadership.

What's Included?

Some SPARK!s are available for free download below; the full library is accessed via membership.

Submit your own SPARK!

SPARK! Submission

Submit a SPARK! for consideration.

Name(Required)

First Last

Organization(Required)

Job Title(Required)

Email(Required)

Choose the best audience for your SPARK!(Required)

Every SPARK! Is designed to answer a QUESTION. What question is your SPARK! answering?(Required)

(Examples: What can we do about the engagement crisis in virtual schools? How can we leverage new technology to naturally foster intrinsic motivation and student agency?)

SOLUTION (2-3 paragraphs) for how you implement/address this question with your students or in your school in general. (Maximum 1500 Characters)(Required)

Upload a short video or visual representation of what the answer looks like in the way you address it. If you are linking to a video (ex. YouTube), please provide an image that we can use to link to the video. Provide the video’s URL in the next field.(Required)

Max. file size: 256 MB.

If you are linking to a video, please provide the video’s URL.

TRADE SECRETS - Please provide up to five helpful tips and tricks you can share with other teachers or administrators tackling this issue. (Maximum 1,000 characters).(Required)

ASSETS Please provide 2-3 links to resources that provide additional information on the topic.(Required)

ASSETS Please provide 2-3 links to resources that provide additional information on the topic.(Required)

SPARK!s

Issue 47

How does a teacher who isn’t a programmer build the AI tools their school actually needs, instead of paying for the ones that almost fit?

September 2, 2026

The answer isn't a better subscription. It's a shift from consumer to architect. My background isn't computer science, it's Lean Six Sigma, a discipline built entirely around finding waste in a process and engineering it out. Point that same lens

SPARK!s

Issue 46

So you have built a community dashboard…how do you turn that into a system that actually changes outcomes?

August 20, 2026

In SPARK! Issue 31, we shared how Shelby County Public Schools went to our community, asked what mattered, and built a dashboard around their…

SPARK!s

Issue 45

How can virtual schools move beyond pacing and completions to identify and address learning gaps?

July 23, 2026

Virtual learning partnerships often struggle when schools view virtual courses as outsourced instruction rather than an integrated instructional…

SPARK!s

Issue 44

How can you help students focus for your virtual live lesson?

June 8, 2026

Breathing techniques can be used to calm an anxious student before or during a virtual live lesson, or before testing (virtual or in person). Often…

SPARK!s

Issue 43

How can schools and virtual learning providers move from a transactional relationship to a true partnership that shares ownership, accountability, and responsibility for student success?

May 7, 2026

Virtual learning partnerships often struggle when schools view virtual courses as outsourced instruction rather than an integrated instructional…

SPARK!s

Issue 42

How can digital learning leaders design online learning environments that communicate belonging before a student ever logs in?

April 23, 2026

In digital learning environments, belonging is not a personality trait or a teacher-dependent variable. It is a developmental condition created by…

Members Only, SPARK!s

Issue 41

How can we do what ONLY online learning can do?

April 2, 2026

In the digital learning and online world, we can tend to compare ourselves to our brick-and-mortar counterparts. How do our test scores compare? How…

Members Only, SPARK!s

Issue 40

What can we do about the engagement crisis in virtual schools? How can we leverage new technology to naturally foster intrinsic motivation and student agency?

March 5, 2026

Engagement is harder than ever in virtual schools. Students spend their lives in highly interactive digital spaces, yet many online classrooms still…

Members Only, SPARK!s

Issue 39

How can we design an effective instructional technology onboarding program that empowers K–12 educators to confidently integrate digital tools from day one?

January 15, 2025

1. We implement a comprehensive onboarding program that moves beyond basic tool training to focus on pedagogical application. The program is tiered,…

Members Only, SPARK!s

Issue 38

How can administrators or instructional coaches provide opportunities for staff to observe applied best practices in a virtual environment?

January 15, 2025

In the virtual landscape, the “open door policy” requires intentionality. While brick-and-mortar teachers might naturally pick up strategies by…

Members Only, SPARK!s

Issue 37

How can we design an effective instructional technology onboarding program that empowers K–12 educators to confidently integrate digital tools from day one?

November 13, 2025

At Georgia Cyber Academy, we implement a comprehensive onboarding program that moves beyond basic tool training to focus on pedagogical application….

Members Only, SPARK!s

Issue 36

What if Virtual Teacher Evaluation Was Anchored in Long-Term Professional Growth Instead of Compliance?

August 6, 2025

What if virtual teacher evaluation actually meant something – not a formality or a box to check, but a meaningful experience that helps educators…