Blog Archives - The EdTech Roundup

Leading National K-12 Ed-Tech Provider Seeks All Innovative Educators

12/20/2018

Odysseyware to Recognize Teachers Across the U.S. through Educator Impact Awards

(Chandler, AZ) (December 13, 2018) – Odysseyware®, a leading provider of customizable online courses and digital curriculum for K-12 education, today announced the kickoff of its annual Educator Impact Awards [https://www.odysseyware.com/ed-impact-awards].

The awards program calls for the nomination of any educator who uses Odysseyware programs in creative and beneficial ways to inspire students to reach their greatest potential. Nominations and packet submissions will be accepted beginning December 13, 2018 and educators can download the application packet to begin their process to apply for up to three award categories.

Taproot Learning Partners with Aperture Education to Add a Social Emotional Learning Assessment to its Online Curriculum

12/20/2018

Aperture’s SEL screener, the DESSA-mini, will be integrated into Taproot Learning’s Camp Timber curriculum to measure students’ SEL skills

(Charlotte, NC) Dec. 17, 2018 — Online SEL curriculum provider Taproot Learning has partnered with Aperture Education to add Aperture’s social-emotional learning (SEL) screener to its Camp Timber curriculum suite. The partnership allows teachers who are using Camp Timber to easily screen students for SEL competence using Aperture’s universal SEL screener, the DESSA-mini.

“Nurturing students’ social-emotional learning is becoming a global educational priority due to the strong links between academic and life success and a well-developed SEL skillset,” said Barker Davis, CEO and co-founder of Taproot Learning. “By partnering with Aperture Education, we are now able to offer our customers an extremely efficient and accurate way of screening students to determine their social and emotional competence. The data from the DESSA-mini will be a valued addition to our SEL educational suite.”

Impero Software Launches New Tool to Protect School Networks from Internal Threats

12/20/2018

With new Hacking and Cybercrime Keyword Library schools receive alerts if students type words that could indicate hacking attempts

(Austin, TX) Dec. 3, 2018 – Cybersecurity is a growing area of interest for school districts as they try to keep student information safe and protect their networks. To help districts detect threats from within, Impero Software, providers of remote monitoring and management software for education, has created a new keyword library specific to hacking and cybercrime.

The Hacking and Cybercrime Keyword Library was developed by Impero’s internal team of researchers and contains lists of key words and phrases that have been linked to cybercrime and security breaches. The new library is part of the company’s flagship product, Impero Education Pro, which provides online monitoring, classroom management and administrative tools for schools. Impero Education Pro also provides libraries of keywords related to other areas of concern including bullying, radicalization, self-harm, mental health and more.

Impero Software Partners with the Southwest Educational Development Center in Utah

12/20/2018

Center will offer Impero Education Pro to schools throughout southwest Utah

(Austin, TX) Dec. 18, 2018 – The Southwest Educational Development Center in Utah has partnered with Impero Software, a specialist provider of remote monitoring and management software for education, to bring Impero’s flagship product, Impero Education Pro, to schools throughout Southwest Utah.

SEDC is a collaborative of six school districts and eight charter schools serving approximately 45,000 students in southwest Utah. To support its schools, many of which have 1:1 technology programs, SEDC issued an RFP for classroom management solutions and selected Impero Education Pro.

Tynker Launches "Tynker Junior" to Enable Early Learns to Develop Coding Fundamentals in a Fun and Intuitive Way

12/16/2018

New iPad App Available on App Store, Provides Early Exposure to STEM Skills for Kids Aged 4-7

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – December 13, 2018 - Tynker, the number one game-based coding platform that has helped more than 60 million kids start coding, today announced the launch of Tynker Junior, a new iPAD app designed specifically for early learners aged 4-7 who are just beginning to develop foundational skills such as reading and writing.

Tynker Junior is available exclusively on the App Store in the “Kids” section and includes 3 fun age-appropriate adventures with over 100 coding challenges. According to research conducted by Google and Gallup, children who engage in scientific activities at an early age (from birth through age 8) develop positive attitudes toward science, build up their STEM "vocabularies" and do better at problem solving, meeting challenges and acquiring new skills. Tynker Junior was created with young kids in mind, so that early learners learn basic programming concepts like sequencing, pattern recognition, loops, counters and events that help to establish foundational STEM skills.

FETC Announces Nine Finalist Schools for 2019 STEM Excellence Awards Sponsored by State Farm

12/11/2018

Three schools apiece at the elementary, middle and high school levels will present their innovative STEM approaches to conference attendees

(Palm Beach Gardens, FL) December 11, 2018―The National Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC®) is pleased to announce the nine schools named finalists for the 2019 STEM Excellence Awards sponsored by State Farm. FETC has invited the three finalists at each level—elementary, middle, and high school—to its 39th conference.

This will take place January 27-30, 2019, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, where educators from each school will present their successful approaches to STEM education to conference attendees. The winners from the elementary, middle, and high school levels will be announced on the keynote stage on the morning of Wednesday, January 30, before the STEM keynote, “Pursuing the Extraordinary,” presented by Dr. Mae Jemison.

“STEM education is, and will continue to be, an essential component in 21st century schools, preparing students for the careers of today and tomorrow, including those not yet imagined. Delivering excellent STEM programs is all about innovation, and each of the STEM Excellence Awards finalists demonstrates the kind of leadership and exemplary programs toward which all schools should strive,” said Jennifer Womble, program chair of FETC. “We’re excited to welcome all nine finalists to FETC in January to share their innovative, effective strategies with teachers and administrators from across the globe.”

KinderLab Robotics Offers Two Free KIBO Activities for the Worldwide Hour of Code Event

12/6/2018

Launching during Computer Science Education Week, the one-hour robotics and coding lessons aim to help young students express their creativity through computer science

(Waltham, MA) December 4, 2018 --KinderLab Robotics, the creators of the KIBO™ robot kit, today announced their participation in the worldwide Hour of Code event. Hour of Code™ is an initiative by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org to introduce millions of students to computer programming through focused, easy-to-implement one-hour activities.

KinderLab has joined hundreds of partners to support this movement by submitting two activities to the Hour of Code 2018 event taking place from December 3rd—9th. The overall theme for the 2018 Hour of Code event is to “promote and celebrate computer science as a medium for creativity and creation,” which falls directly in line with the design principles behind KIBO. KIBO provides a screen-free platform for introducing coding in early childhood education. Coding is a critical foundational skill for literacy of the 21st century, and learning coding gives children new tools for creative self-expression.

FETC Guest Post: 3 Common Ways EdTech Can Be Low-Impact, and What to Do Instead

12/6/2018

Author: Dr. Sonny Magana. Dr. Magana will be a presenter and/or panelist for three different sessions at the 2019 Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), and will also do a Meet the Author session and book-signing.
FETC 2019 will take place from January 27-30 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

We are witnessing explosive growth of technology use in today’s classrooms. A 2017 report by the Education Week Research Center indicates that the number of devices shipped annually to classrooms tripled from 2010 to 2017 to a whopping 14 million. That’s good news in terms of bridging the digital divide, particularly for our neediest students, but does that increase in EdTech use translate to explosive growth in student achievement?

FETC Guest Post: Put the Learning Before the Technology

12/1/2018

Author: Dr. Matt Harris. Dr. Harris will be a presenter and moderator in the day-long Blueprint for Technology in Education Summit on January 27 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.

“We’re getting tablets for the students!” Such a wonderful statement, isn’t it? Think about the possibilities for the students. They’ll have access to personalized devices for use throughout the school day. Each device will be connected to the Internet which will provide access to a wealth of knowledge and information.

And each device will be loaded with apps that students will use to communicate, collaborate, and explore.