Blog Archives - The EdTech Roundup

IXL Selected by the Texas Education Agency for Statewide Blended Learning Initiative

3/24/2019

Math Innovation Zones aims to improve Algebra I readiness across Texas

SAN MATEO, CA March 20, 2019 — Today, IXL Learning announced that it has been selected by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as an approved blended learning program for the statewide Math Innovation Zones initiative. Campuses within nine pilot and exploratory sites across the state are currently using IXL’s personalized learning platform to improve math outcomes for students.

“We created IXL to spark curiosity in students, develop their confidence, and help every learner succeed in math,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning. “By partnering with the Texas Education Agency, IXL will provide teachers with a valuable resource to ensure that all students are supported and challenged at the right level.”

EdgeMakers and STEM Learning Lab Announce Merger

3/20/2019

New company will empower both teachers and learners to become changemakers through STEM 2.0―the combination of high-quality STEM programs with a groundbreaking innovative thinking curriculum

(San Francisco, CA) ― EdgeMakers and STEM Learning Lab announced today that they have merged, paving the way to provide the curriculum and professional development that empower K-12 educators to deliver the authoritative, integrated approach to teaching the disciplines of the 21st century.

The new company will be known as EdgeMakers and will combine STEM Learning Lab’s education and professional development programs, which are unmatched in their ability to teach students the essential “hard skills” needed for 21st century success, with EdgeMakers’ groundbreaking innovative thinking curriculum, which helps learners apply their skills toward a true purpose to effect meaningful change.

EdgeMakers is creating a movement that empowers both teachers and students to self-identify as creators and changemakers through learning environments and programs that build on the momentum of STEM, but are now coupled with the innovative thinking curriculum necessary to create “STEM 2.0”―STEM with a purpose. Human-centered STEM 2.0 fosters the development of people who have the capacities for creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication―the essential “soft skills” for lasting impact and achievement―combined with the technical skills that will be needed in a future driven by the speed of innovation.

littleBits Expands Instructional Possibilities for Modular STEAM Student Set and Code Kit

3/20/2019

Expansion Packs Improve Students’ Engineering Design and Coding Skills by Focusing on Grade and Subject Matter

(New York, NY) March 20, 2019 – littleBits, the educational technology company that is reinventing the way kids learn, today announced two new Expansion Packs that expand upon the foundation of the STEAM Student Set and Code Kit with additional hardware and instructional content.

Designed to deepen students’ understanding of Engineering Design and Computer Programming, these new solutions are banded by grade and subject -- with additional invention opportunities weaved in.

Each Expansion Pack offers more than 12 hours of instructional content tied to specific subjects, along with customizable paths that grow and adjust to grades and standards. This allows for lower floors, higher ceilings, and wider walls -- meaning that educators can use littleBits to teach a wide variety of subjects, from Science to Design to Computer Science to Engineering, and many others.

2019 Curiosity Conference Will Define the Human-Machine Coevolution Process

3/20/2019

As AI evolves, thought leaders will convene to determine how the global education system must ensure integration, rather than competition, between man and machine

(Palo Alto, CA) March 19, 2019 - RoboTerra, in partnership with the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), will host the Curiosity Conference in Silicon Valley for the second year.

The event, themed “AI in Education: A Journey in the Making,” will take place at The Corinthian in downtown San Jose on Friday, April 12 from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Registration is now open to educators, technology leaders, investors, analysts, media members, product developers and others interested in this compelling topic.

“We must challenge our thought processes around AI and deeply consider its implications and potential throughout our work in the design of algorithms, hardware and policy. This rethinking should begin with a thorough analysis of our global education system and a consideration of the journey learners and AI are making together,” said Yao Zhang, Founder and CEO of RoboTerra. “Curiosity Conference was created to bring together the leading thinkers most equipped to address these crucial topics, and we look forward to discussions that will set the course for transformative innovation.”

Alive Studios Previews Math Journals and New STEM App at CUE and ASCD

3/20/2019

The simple-to-follow book and free app use a menagerie of zoo animals to teach number recognition, counting, number writing, and shapes.

(ATLANTA, Georgia) March 12, 2019— Just in time for summer programs,Alive Studios, leading provider of augmented reality for early education, has launched their My Math alive Journals and free mobile app. The new math journals ($9.95 each) come to life on mobile devices to give early learners an engaging, interactive learning experience with numbers and counting.

Alive Studios will offering a sneak peek of their new math journals for attendees of the upcoming CUE and ASCD conferences.

“By using kinesthetic, visual, and auditory modalities, My Math alive Journals inspires my students’ natural instinct to talk to the animals, giving them the linguistic practice they need,” said Valerie Donaldson, an elementary teacher in Clarke County, Georgia. “It’s hands-down the best way for my kiddos to be completely immersed and engaged in their math skills and standards.”

GreyED Solutions Included in Safer Schools in America Grant

3/9/2019

Global Grid for Learning has awarded 85 schools with edtech grants aimed to improve the safety and culture in schools

(Minneapolis, MN) March 6, 2019— GreyED Solutionsannounced today that it has been included inthe Global Grid for Learning (GG4L) Safer Schools in America Impact Grant. GreyED’sFilterED, a cloud-based solution that offers state, district and school leaders a comprehensive view of their technology landscape, is part of the estimated $9 million in philanthropically funded.

These edtech grants awarded have been given to 85 schools from 54 U.S. school districts across 15 states in Phase I of the grant program.

The Safer Schools in America Impact Grant Program will support the implementation and usage of select edtech products from leading education providers who are focused on K–12 school safety solutions. These solutions will be implemented and studied for a period of three years at no cost to the school grant recipients. The grants will also address an industry-wide need to capture data-driven validation research on a significant range of activities believed to foster safer teaching and learning environments. These include emotional, physical, and digital safety, as well as emergency preparedness, school facilities, culture, and community engagement

Tynker Launches New CodeMaker Camp™ Program to Enable Educators Across the U.S. to Offer STEM Summer Camps for Kids

3/8/2019

Turnkey Solution Provides Educators with Training, Certification, Technology Tools and Marketing Support to Operate Paid Camps for Students During Summer Break

(Mountain View, CA) March 7, 2019 -Tynker, Inc, the leader in enabling kids to use code to become Makers, today announced the launch of a new program for educators to operate summer coding camps for students ages 8-16 starting in May 2019. The Tynker CodeMaker Camp™ program provides many things.

A few examples are: free training, turnkey marketing support, technology tools and a calendar of daily camp activities to enable educators to establish standalone camps during the summer vacation months. Tynker’s CodeMaker Camps enable educators to earn supplemental income in the summer while inspiring kids to use code to power a range of games, animations, and devices. Tynker is already used by over one-third of all U.S. K-8 schools and over 90,000 schools globally.

New eBook by Swing Education Helps Schools and Districts Navigate Teacher Shortages

3/5/2019

eBook covers causes of teacher shortages and provides proactive steps school and district leaders can take to address it

(San Mateo, CA) March 5, 2019 — Swing Education, an on-demand marketplace for substitute teachers, recently released a free eBook to help school and district leaders successfully navigate teacher shortages impacting states nationwide. The eBook, “Your School’s Guide to Surviving the Teacher Shortage,” details the causes of teacher shortages, explores solutions.

It also outlines the necessary steps schools can take to help alleviate the issue.

“From an increase in the demand for new teachers as other teachers retire to a decline in the number of teachers both entering and staying in the profession, today’s teacher shortage is a complex issue,” said Mike Teng, CEO of Swing Education. “Our new eBook helps administrators better understand and navigate the shortage while providing strategies to create an environment in which all teachers—and students—can thrive.”

Curio Learning Web App Empowers Educators To "Teach Like A Rebel"

3/4/2019

Curio Learning, a collaborative digital platform designed specifically for educators at every grade level, recently unveiled its web app for teachers, Curio Learning. In December 2018, Curio was awarded grand prize in the highly coveted Uber Pitch Girl Boss pitch competition, edging out over 2,500 female-founded companies and concepts across multiple verticals.

As grand prize recipient, Curio received extensive funding and mentorship opportunities to develop and launch its innovative new app that seamlessly connects teachers with every skill set as they build both online ideas and community on a global scale.

Founded by 2016 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, Ashley Lamb-Sinclair, Curio celebrates teachers for what they are: educational experts. The interactive app delivers an online forum where educators can curate, search, and share dynamic instructional tools and multimedia resources. A lifelong learner and rebel, Ashley crafted Curio to resonate with passionate teachers who go beyond mandated curriculum requirements, striving to motivate, encourage, and inspire their students.

MindPlay Named One of 20 Most Promising Education Technology Solutions Providers of 2019

3/4/2019

MindPlay is recognized by CIO Review as a leading educational software developer.

(Tucson, AZ) February 28, 2019--MindPlay online reading and literacy publisher announced it has been recognized by CIO Review as a 2019 top educational technology solution. The magazine details how MindPlay comes to the aid of students with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, and educates teachers in reading and ways to address issues of struggling readers.

In an interview with MindPlay CEO and founder, Judith Bliss, “Redefining Tutoring of Students with Disabilities,” the February 2019 edition of the magazine talks about how MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach (MVRC) leads each student through an individualized lesson program that targets their specific knowledge gaps. These gaps are diagnosed through MindPlay’s Universal Screener, and personalized instruction is supported by a virtual coach who guides each learner through lessons.