Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

BIOZONE’s High School Biology for Texas achieves Top Marks

COLORADO, Parker – BIOZONE has just officially received the awesome news that their inaugural High School Biology for Texas has received “High Quality” status by scoring 100% TEKS and 100% ELPS after an extensive review by the Texas Education Agency’s State Review Panel

The goal of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is for all students in Texas to have access to rigorous, high-quality educational materials. The review process was created by and for Texas educators to provide  rigorous reviews of instructional materials that are independent, objective, comprehensive, and Texas focused. These detailed reviews allow school districts to easily compare instructional materials and choose the best in order to deliver a robust educational program for students.

BIOZONE’s new program: Biology for Texas has fully met expectations and was rated 100% for both TEKS and  ELPS by the educator-reviewers at TEA.…Read More

Carolina Biological Products Named Best-in-Class for K to 12 Science Teaching and Learning in National STEM Awards

BURLINGTON, NC – Carolina Biological is proud to announce that its products won a number of new science education awards. Leading K-12 science supplier Carolina Biological Supply Company won four prestigious national Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards and earned Finalist in two more categories. The awards are the only competition in which products are reviewed and judged only by STEM educators. Thirty-four awards total were given in thoughtful and important categories tailored to STEM education. The awards program, operated in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), MCH Strategic Data and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT), spotlights innovative products, technologies, and services that are changing the world of STEM education.

Winners were chosen for qualities such as alignment with NGSS standards, the use of simulations, instructional support for teachers, and the flexibility of implementation for different modes of instruction across all STEM topics. Carolina Biological Supply Company was awarded for: Building Blocks of Scienceâ 3D won“Bridging the Gap—English Language Learners: Science & Literacy,” Smithsonian Science for the ClassroomÔ  won “Best of STEM: Most Comprehensive Culturally Relevant Teaching,” and Carolina® Healthcare Simulations Kit Series: Blood Typing Kit won “CTE Training: Health Science—Training Kits” and Carolina Distance Learning® Online Gateway HyFlex won a “Trailblazer Award: Hybrid Learning Superhero.” Carolina also received Finalist status for 3-D Earth and Space Science Kits for “Best of STEM: Environmental Science” and CRISPR in a Box™ Kit for “Trailblazer: Biotechnology Innovator.”

Products were judged first by an expert panel of judges. Then, more than 267,000 STEM educators were invited to evaluate the finalists via survey.For information about the awards program, visit www.bestofstemawards.com.…Read More

Winners Announced for “Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023” Awards

Portland, OR – The Teich Group and Catapult X announce the winners of  the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards, the only awards program judged by STEM educators. The awards program, operated in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and MCH Strategic Data, and for the first time this year with the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT), spotlights innovative products, technologies, and services that are changing the world of STEM education.

These STEM products were subject to a two-part evaluation process. First, by an expert panel of judges including Dr. Linda Johnson-McClinton, Dr. Lance Brand, Dr. Jeffrey Crapper, Dr. Omah M. Williams-Duncan, Kim Collazo, Christina Wilson, Jamica Craig, and Erin Barr. Once judges selected the finalists, more than 267,000 STEM educators were given the opportunity to evaluate the finalists via survey. 

“The number of remarkable products and the degree of innovation made an enormous impression on the judges,” said Annie Galvin Teich, president of The Teich Group and lead judge. “Educators value the alignment with NGSS standards, the use of simulations, instructional support for teachers, and the flexibility of implementation for different modes of instruction across all STEM topics.”…Read More

Finalists Announced for “Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023” Awards

(Portland, OR) – The Teich Group and Catapult X announce the finalists for the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards, the only awards program judged by STEM educators. The awards program, operated in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and MCH Strategic Data, and for the first time this year with the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT), spotlights innovative products, technologies, and services that are changing the world of STEM education. 

Educator judges evaluated all product entries and selected the finalists listed below, and hundreds of thousands of STEM educators will select the winners in early August. Winners will be announced on August 18, 2023, just in time for schools and districts to review for the back to school season.

Led by Annie Galvin Teich, President of The Teich Group, this year’s judges included Dr. Linda Johnson-McClinton, Dr. Lance Brand, Dr. Jeffrey Crapper, Dr. Omah M. Williams-Duncan, Kim Collazo, Christina Wilson, Jamica Craig, and Erin Barr.…Read More

South Carolina’s State Board of Education Approves High School Biology Course From Discovery Education for Statewide Use

CHARLOTTE, NC —Following a comprehensive evaluation, the South Carolina State Board of Education has approved the South Carolina-aligned High School Biology course of the award-winning Science Techbook by Discovery Education for statewide use as a core instructional resource. South Carolina’s adoption of Science Techbook’s High School Biology course empowers school systems statewide to integrate this innovative blended curriculum into teaching and learning.  Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.    

The High School Biology course of Science Techbook offers a unique and engaging three-dimensional learning experience that aligns with SC College & Career-Ready Science Standards and supports learning and achievement. Delivered through Discovery Education’s award-winning K-12 platform, Science Techbook offers both print and digital editions designed to maximize classroom flexibility and student engagement. Technology tools streamline teacher prep with differentiation and auto-grading and lesson content is available in multiple Lexile levels and authentic Spanish, increasing accessibility for all learners. 

“Discovery Education appreciates the South Carolina Board of Education’s careful review of Science Techbook’s South Carolina-aligned High School Biology course,” said Anna Strassner, Discovery Education’s Director of Educational Partnership. “The engaging, phenomena-driven learning experiences this course makes possible will help South Carolina’s students develop the skills and knowledge important for success beyond the classroom.” …Read More

A supe’s 6 back-to-school tips for virtual district leaders

Over 30 years ago, I took my first job in public education as a biology high school teacher, and instantly knew this was the career path for me. What solidified my passion for education were the “ah-ha” moments, or those moments when at first a student struggled, and then, after teaching them in a way they could relate to, seeing their eyes light up from the excitement of learning.

I worked in a variety of roles in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, from dean of students to principal to now overseeing the strategy and vision of one of the largest online public school districts in the nation. No matter my position, my priority has and will always be making sure we are doing what is best for students.

I have prepared for the first day of school in many roles throughout my career, and while the planning may seem overwhelming at times, I found that if you have a list of tasks to check off, the entire process runs smoother.…Read More

Flinn Scientific Updates Science2Go to Further Engage High School Students in Science Exploration

New videos, labs, assessments, and more to support biology, chemistry, environmental science, and physics teaching and learning

Batavia, Illinois, June 14, 2021 — Flinn Scientific, a flagship provider of science lab materials and safety and STEM solutions for the K-16 education market, is enhancing its award-winning Science2Go to further support high school biology, chemistry, environmental science, and physics teaching and learning. Available for the 2021-22 school year, these updates include a number of new videos, labs, assessments, and more to provide a robust and engaging experience for students in any learning environment.

“This past school year, Science2Go has provided a safe and engaging way to teach students across a range of science disciplines, regardless if they were in-person, remote, or hybrid,” said Mike Lavelle, CEO of Flinn Scientific. “Now, with these new Back-To-School updates, high school teachers will have even more ways – and resources available to them – to deliver targeted content and enriching labs that immerse students in science learning.”…Read More

Vernier Graphical Analysis Pro App Wins Top Education Awards

The Vernier Graphical Analysis™ Pro app, which engages students in advanced data analysis from biology, chemistry, and physics experiments, was recently recognized by two leading education awards. The app was named a winner of the Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTE 2020 Awards and the platinum winner in the STEM/STEAM App category of THE Journal’s 2020 New Product Awards.

“Graphical Analysis Pro provides the unique ability for students to delve into science concepts in new and unique ways, analyze experiments at their own pace as they learn remotely or in their classrooms, and create their own videos for scientific analysis, all while they are engaged in three-dimensional learning,” said John Wheeler, CEO of Vernier Software & Technology. “We are thrilled to be recognized by both Tech & Learning and THE Journal for this revolutionary app and the impact it has on providing students meaningful STEM learning experiences—regardless of whether they are in the classroom or learning remotely.”

The Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTE 2020 Awards recognize products that are transforming teaching and learning during the pandemic and beyond. The judges selected the winning products based on numerous factors, including value, uniqueness in the market, and the product’s ability to solve specific problems for educators and administrators.…Read More

Flinn Scientific adds New Labs to Science2Go

Flinn Scientific, a flagship provider of science lab materials and safety and STEM solutions for the K-16 education market, has added new digital labs to the award-winning Science2Go. This includes new lab series for high school chemistry and biology, which are being offered at an introductory price for schools and districts through the end of the year, as well as new individual labs for high school physics, middle school physical science, and middle school life science.

“Science2Go provides a safe and engaging way to teach middle and high school students important concepts across a range of science disciplines,” said Mike Lavelle, CEO of Flinn Scientific. “These new labs are part of our effort to continually enhance our program to further support teachers with their instruction and to provide students with more enriching lab experiences, regardless if they are in-person or learning remotely.”

The new lab series for both high school biology and high school chemistry – Biology Lab Series 2 and Chemistry Lab Series 2, respectively – are delivered using a new “Predict & Explain” format in which students predict results and then see how closely those results match the lab outcomes. Each new series covers new topics including energy from food,, plant growth, and ocean acidification for biology to gases, structure-property relationship, and equilibrium for chemistry.…Read More