Blog Archives - The EdTech Roundup

World’s Largest Annual Study of Student Reading Habits Reveals Critical Gaps, Key Strategies for Growth

1/23/2019

This year’s What Kids Are Reading report offers unparalleled insights into what students read, along with data-driven tools for educators

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (January 23, 2019) — Renaissance®, a global leader in pre-K–12 education technology, today marked National Reading Day with the release of its 2019 edition of its annual What Kids Are Reading report. For the first time, the study includes book difficulty data from MetaMetrics®.

This year’s report finds that literacy advocates have their work cut out for them: Nearly half of students read less than 15 minutes per day, while research shows that double that time—30 minutes or more—is linked with accelerated reading achievement gains. However, reading time isn’t consistent across all grades. It peaks in elementary school, then begins to decline after fifth grade and never recovers. In high school, the typical student is reading no more than 10 minutes per day.

Verso Learning Launches New Student-Teacher Feedback Tools at FETC

1/23/2019

The classroom collaboration platform will introduce Exit Tickets, along with other student feedback features, in two sessions at the conference

(Orange County, CA) January 23, 2019— Verso Learning, a leading provider of classroom feedback and collaboration tools, will be showing educators how they can supercharge student feedback in their classrooms, schools, and districts at this year’s upcoming FETC conference.

Designed to increase student engagement and collaboration, Verso enables students to receive feedback from peers and teachers, while providing educators visibility into authentic student voice. By enabling students to discuss classroom topics and share feedback anonymously, Verso encourages students to give other students feedback on their ideas and provides them access to new ideas to extend their thinking.

LEGO® Education Master Educator Program Opens Today to New Applicants

1/22/2019

U.S. Educators in early learning through high school can apply to join a community designed to share best practices and ignite hands-on LEGO learning in the classroom

LEGO® Education announced today it is now taking new applications for its Master Educator program. The program started last year to bring together a network of like-minded and passionate educators who teach with LEGO Education solutions and who want to advance hands-on learning with a specific interest in the subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). Interested educators in the U.S. are invited to submit an application now through March 11, 2019.

Serious Play Offering 2 Conferences on Game + Simulation Based Learning in 2019

1/22/2019

80+ Sessions for Business, Healthcare, Education Trainers, Instructional Designers

(Los Angeles, CA) Jan. 22, 2019 – Serious Play Events, featuring more than 80 sessions by the global thought leaders driving and expanding the study of games and simulations to improve learning and research will gather at two separate conferences in 2019.

Digital Entries in Serious Game Award Program Due Feb 15

1/21/2019

Los, Angeles, CA Jan. 15, 2018 -- Digital Entries in the International Serious Play Awards due Feb, 15, 2019. Serious Play’s 11 year old award program recognizes outstanding games designed for use for education or training in business, government/military, healthcare, museums, higher ed, K12.

Any single user browser, mobile or VR game launched after April 2018 is eligible. Simulations and multiplayer games that can be evaluated via online access by judges playing alone can also be entered.

FETC Guest Post | For Innovative EdTech, Unleash Students’ Creativity

1/14/2019

By: Nancy Conrad. Nancy Conrad will be a panelist for two different sessions at the 2019 Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC). FETC 2019 will take place from January 27-30 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

Can we implement it? Will it be compatible with our systems and devices? Will it work? How much does it cost? These are some of the most commonly asked questions about education technology, and they’re all good ones. Of course schools need to account for budget and systems integration, and we certainly need to focus on student results. But, when it comes to a focus on results, are we asking all the right questions…taking the right path toward untold achievement?

Girls Thinking Global Gifts Assets to the Women’s Education Project

1/9/2019

With the donation of assets, Girls Thinking Global will formally dissolve.

(CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS) January 9, 2018 – Girls Thinking Global (GTG), dedicated to connecting nonprofits that serve adolescent girls and young women around the world, is gifting its assets to the Women’s Education Project (WEP). The two organizations have worked together closely over the past two years.

Combining their respective strengths into one organization was the natural outgrowth of that relationship. In addition to the gifting of assets to WEP, Kathy Hurley (CEO) and Deb deVries (President) of Girls Thinking Global will be donating their expertise and experience to the organization. Hurley will be joining WEP's Board of Directors, while deVries will serve on the organization’s Advisory Council.

New LearnPlatform Partnership Provides Increased EdTech Support for School Districts

1/9/2019

Districts who work with Dell for K-12 education solutions will now be able to directly license LearnPlatform, the leading edtech decision-making support system for schools and districts.

Raleigh, NC (Jan. 8, 2019)― LearnPlatform today announced a new collaboration with Dell that will allow U.S. school districts, state education agencies and higher education institutions to license the leading edtech decision support system for schools and districts. Dell currently serves 10,500 schools, 295,000 classrooms and nearly 6.8 million students globally.

With this new collaboration, districts and organizations will now have the ability to expand the power of their technology-enabled learning with LearnPlatform, the comprehensive edtech management and rapid-cycle evaluation system.

“We are pleased to work with Dell, one of the most respected names in computing and a leading provider of technology solutions to K-12 schools, to give more districts access to comprehensive edtech management and analysis,” said Karl Rectanus, co-founder and CEO of LearnPlatform. “Based on our shared goal to expand equitable access for all students by advancing personalized learning at scale, we are confident that this partnership between LearnPlatform and Dell will benefit districts across the U.S.”

CSforALL To Hold First National SCRIPT Symposium

1/8/2019

Workshop will guide school system leadership from nine states in creating computer science education plans for more than 400k K-12 students. Originally posted on Medium.

NEW YORK, NY — January 3, 2019 — More than 100 school system leaders will convene to develop strategies for bringing computer science to more than 400k K-12 students in 577 schools during the first national SCRIPT Symposium January 14–16. The event is being facilitated by CSforALL, a nonprofit organization devoted to computer science education for all K-12 students. It will be held at the Scripps Seaside Forum, UC San Diego.

Learning Counsel Recognizes Outstanding Digital Districts

1/6/2019

The Annual Gathering and National Awards celebrated 10 innovative schools and districts for their transformational work in creating digital ecosystems that catalyze the learning experience

(Sacramento, CA) January 3, 2019 — At its recent Annual Gathering and National Awards, The Learning Counsel recognized 10 innovative schools and districts for their transformational work in creating digital ecosystems that catalyze the learning experience and offer increased opportunities for both students and educators.

Several Honorable Mentions were also awarded at the ceremony, where top education executives from across the U.S. gathered to acknowledge the winners. (View the 2018 National Gathering Image Gallery.) Over the course of 2018, Learning Counsel CEO Leilani Cauthen hosted more than 25 events in key metro areas across the nation, where she had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of schools and districts about their digital realities. According to Cauthen, “The entire process of becoming digital is maturing. We’re finding real heroes across this new digital landscape, and learners are the beneficiaries.”