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.

Here’s why anecdotes are as important as data in edtech decisions

Key points:

From the moment they first set up shop centuries ago, businesses have depended on word-of-mouth to build their customer base–and today, word-of-mouth marketing is still the main driver of sales.

Ninety percent of consumers are more likely to trust a brand recommended by friends and influencers, while 46 percent of small businesses make choices regarding software purchases based on the experiences of their colleagues. Yet, when it comes to edtech, the consensus industry-wide is that recommendations from your peers mean nothing when compared to data points.…Read More

Level Data, Inc. Acquires GlimpseK12

KALAMAZOO, Michigan – Return on Investment (ROI) is one of the leading financial measuring tools for businesses and industries everywhere, including school districts. But another ROI is even more important to schools, Return on Instruction.

Level Data, Inc., North America’s leading school and student data validation software provider serving more than 7 million in student population, announces it has purchased Glimpse K12, a school curriculum measurement tool that shows district leaders which education programs are being utilized, and their effects on student progress, so data-based decision making can occur by school leadership in both forms of ROI.

“We optimize school spending around what works for students,” said Nicole Pezent of Glimpse K12. “The Glimpse platform strategically aligns everything the district is doing to raise student achievement, captures how they are implementing it, and measures these activities versus student outcomes. Administrators receive return-on-investment and return-on-instruction reports to guide future decisions.…Read More

When I grow up: Nurturing girls to become leaders

Growing up, I was the class vice-president; the de facto leader of every group project ever assigned; elementary and high school valedictorian; and the captain of my sports teams. I met all the stereotypes of a typical, Type A student. Yet, it never crossed my mind that when I grew up, I could be a CEO.

I’m not alone. 

According to Harvard Business Review 5.3 percent of large U.S. companies have CEOs named John compared with 4.1 percent that have CEOs who are women. Firms with CEOs named David, at 4.5 percent, also outnumber women-led businesses. More than half of college graduates are women, yet, less than 8 percent of the fortune 500 CEOs are women. The stats speak for themselves. …Read More

Students desperately need to see relevance in their learning

Many students see no relevance between their education and the real world, and say they are struggling to find meaning in their education or find a career direction, according to a new survey from YouScience, a student engagement platform.

The paper, “Solving Education’s Relevance Gap,” is a call to action for educational institutions, businesses, families, students, and community leaders to analyze the state of student engagement and work together to shift educational approaches to better meet student’s needs.

If communities take advantage of opportunities to close the relevance gap, students can move from disengaged to motivated, with a deeper understanding of their own natural talents and their potential for fulfilling, long-term, in-demand careers, according to the paper.…Read More

FEV Tutor Announces Strategic Acquisition by Alpine Investors

WOBURN, MA & SAN FRANCISCO – JULY 20, 2022 – FEV Tutor (“FEV”), the K-12 market leading research and evidence-based online tutoring platform, today announced its partnership with Alpine Investors (“Alpine”), a people-driven private equity firm that is a Certified B Corporation committed to building enduring businesses. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Alpine’s partnership will help further FEV Tutor’s mission to develop high-quality, online learning solutions that drive change by positively impacting learning outcomes for students from all backgrounds. As part of the transaction, Jim Tormey of Alpine will be the new Chief Executive Officer at FEV Tutor, with Co-Founders Anirudh Baheti and Ryan Patenaude continuing in leadership roles.

For more than a decade, FEV Tutor has transformed the lives of K-12 disadvantaged and at-risk students through its high impact virtual tutoring model and expansive suite of district services. FEV partners with schools and districts to provide high-quality, structured 1:1 online tutoring solutions, delivered by an extensive 24/7 network of highly trained tutors. FEV provides high-touch client support, tailored program design, data analytics, and ongoing formative assessments for its K-12 customer base. FEV Tutor’s products meet the Level Two Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the national education law that helps ensure success for students and schools.…Read More

Kajeet Awards $550,000 To 22 Organizations for Purchasing Connectivity Solutions That Drive Digital Inclusion in Education

MCLEAN, VA. (PRWEB) JUNE 23, 2022 — Kajeet®, a leading provider of wireless connectivity, software and hardware solutions that deliver secure, reliable and managed IoT solutions to over 3,000 businesses, schools and districts, and state and local governments, today announced the 22 recipients of its 2022 Homework Gap Grant. To further the mission of closing the Digital Divide for students across the United States, each grant recipient will receive up to $25,000, which they may use for any combination of Kajeet Education Broadband solutions, including WiFi hotspots, school bus WiFi, LTE-embedded Chromebooks and routers.

“With many students returning to in-person learning after a two-year hiatus, we cannot lose momentum in working to close the Homework Gap, which still plagues millions of American students,” said Daniel J.W. Neal, chairman, CEO and founder of Kajeet. “The Homework Gap existed long before the pandemic and continues to perpetuate inequities and cause enormous, missed opportunities. As a community, we must make every effort possible to connect students outside the classroom to the plethora of educational resources and opportunities that are only available to them via the Internet. The Kajeet Homework Gap Grant program is but one example among many of what we can do together to create complete digital equity – and maximize opportunities for success – for all of our students.”

The 22 grant winners are:…Read More

Kyocera’s TASKalfa Pro 15000c is Making a Bold Impression on the Production Print Inkjet Market

Fairfield, New Jersey, March 29, 2022 – Kyocera is reimagining market opportunities in the production print space with the TASKalfa Pro 15000c. Since its launch, the device has exceeded sales expectations with over 100 devices placed in the U.S. alone. To build on this initial progress, Kyocera is taking bold steps to position the Pro 15000c Sheet-fed Inkjet in this segment of the industry and bring it to an even more comprehensive range of businesses.  

The Blueprint for Success 

Designed with a focus on transactional, trans-promotional, book publishing and CRD environments, the Pro 15000c is a fresh alternative to other inkjet and laser-based machines, giving customers exceptional reliability with a low cost of ownership. It is also quickly proving its flexibility with different kinds of media. It does exceptionally well with a broad range of applications, including direct mail, catalogues, and brochures. “Kyocera has a reputation for building rugged, reliable equipment,” says Product Marketing Director Michael Poulin. “We’re seeing run rates that exceed our targets along with higher uptime and a broader range of applications.”…Read More

Kajeet Private 5G™ Platform Launched, Enabling Private Wireless Networks For All

MCLEAN, VA. (PRWEB) MARCH 14, 2022 — Kajeet®, a leading provider of wireless connectivity, software and hardware solutions that deliver secure, reliable and managed IoT solutions to over 3,000 businesses, schools and districts, and state and local governments, today announced the launch of Kajeet Private 5GTM, a next-generation, cloud-based private 5G and LTE platform designed to simplify private wireless with an end-to-end turnkey managed service that allows customers to design, install and manage their own private wireless networks.

Deploying a private wireless network provides substantial benefits to organizations, especially when using 5G technology. Private networks built on 5G technology deliver high bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and carrier-class security. It is estimated that nearly $208B will be spent on private 5G and LTE networks in 2025, according to  Harbor Research. Kajeet Private 5G is designed to meet this demand and support organizations with increased speed to market.

Kajeet Private 5G Platform
The Kajeet Private 5G Platform consists of the following components:…Read More

Osmo From BYJU’s Appoints Jonathan Naseath Chief Operating Officer To Lead Next Phase of Growth

Palo Alto, CA–Feb 23, 2022–Award-winning STEAM brand, Osmo from BYJU’S, announces Jonathan Naseath’s appointment as Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. With extensive experience in finance and operations, Naseath, CPA, CFE and CISA, will further Osmo’s global growth, creating operational excellence across the company and scaling the company’s vision of making a broader impact to education. 

“Jon is an energetic and passionate executive who will help take Osmo and Powered by Osmo businesses to the next level by solving complex issues of large scale organization management such as supply chain, logistics, finance, and creating centers of excellence,” says Cherian Thomas, Senior Vice President of International Business at Osmo from BYJU’S. “Furthermore, Jon will be instrumental in setting up our multidisciplinary teams for success in carrying out Osmo’s vision for the future.”

Naseath arrives at Osmo from Google Cloud, where he served as Cloud Value Advisor Senior Principal, and assisted the office of Google Cloud CFO to define the financial opportunity of cloud digital transformation. Between 2018 and 2020, Naseath was Chief Financial Officer and Transformation Leader at PCH International, which provides supply chain distribution and software as a service (SaaS) platforms to leading global brands. He advised on matters ranging from developing and implementing cash strategies, to overseeing global accounting, financial reporting, tax, compliance and regulatory teams. …Read More

3 ways classroom ecosystems are changing

One of the definitions from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ecosystem as “something (such as a network of businesses) considered to resemble an ecological ecosystem especially because of its complex interdependent parts.”

When you take a look at a classroom, there are several interdependent parts working together to create a successfully functioning classroom. The students, teachers, technology, curriculum, physical space, and furniture all play a role in creating a successful learning environment–and as we saw with the pandemic, a disruption to this ecosystem can have dire effects.

According to a report by Rand Corporation, teachers’ stress levels are at an all-time high and threaten the teacher pipeline. At the same time, according to a McKinsey Report, the pandemic has caused students to fall months behind in learning math and reading and has caused older students to disengage from their education.…Read More