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.

How edtech is embedded in Society 5.0

The pandemic saw countless education institutes scramble in a bid to offer remote learning, which just highlighted how ill-prepared they were for future learning.

But in this transition, we also learned something vital: Edtech learning helps to level the playing field for those who are unable to join regular classes due to location, illness, or financial constraints. It offers access to courses that many could only have dreamed of, and it allows for education to be consumed on the students’ own terms, around work, family commitments, or other appointments.

It suddenly opened the door to those with young children or those working in low-paid jobs who wanted to learn more skills and fit them around their working hours. Entrepreneurs could learn vital skills such as business strategies, investments, marketing and more, enabling them to pivot to a digital business plan in an ever-changing world.…Read More

1 2

New Storybooks and Companion Stuffed Animals Support Children’s Mental Wellness

Los Angeles — Silver Lining Stuffies launched its inaugural line of storybooks and companion stuffed animals crafted to provide children with the tools to cope with mental health conditions. The first three books, Slow Down, Alfie!, Andie & the Worries, and Frankie & Gloob, address attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression. Each stuffed animal stars in its own story as a lovable, relatable character who learns to cope with a unique set of difficulties, helping to normalize the experience of mental health challenges.

Silver Lining Stuffies was born out of the darkness of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when CEO and founder Sara Moore recognized the massive toll it was taking on the mental health of many, particularly children. As someone who has lived with depression and anxiety from a young age, Moore empathized and was propelled into action. As a child, she was fortunate enough to have a supportive family that provided the resources and tools to cope with depression and anxiety, which she continues to use.

Unfortunately, her story is not the norm. 1 in 6 U.S. children aged 2–8 are diagnosed with a mental or behavioral disorder every year, and only 20% of them ever receive treatment. Silver Lining Stuffies aims to improve that by offering parents, educators, and children strategies to deal with these conditions, and by donating part of their proceeds to relevant organizations.…Read More

Rise Vision Wins 5 New Software Awards

Rise Vision, a provider of digital signage software for K-12 schools across North America, just extended their lead as the #1 digital signage software solution by winning Capterra’s Shortlist 2022 award, Tech & Learning’s Back to School Award of Excellence, the G2 award for Leader and Momentum Leader, and ranked in Software Advices 2022 FrontRunners report.

 
“We are absolutely thrilled and honored with these awards. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing team and their dedication to helping schools communicate better and create a positive school culture using digital signage.” – Brian Loosbrock, CEO, Rise Vision

But what do these awards really mean to you?…Read More

For Back to School, Savvas Supports Educators and Students With Innovative Solutions to Maximize Personalized Learning

PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY — As students return to the classroom for the new school year, Savvas Learning Company is helping educators move learning forward with engaging, easy-to-use K-12 solutions that offer data-informed instruction and adaptive technology to take personalized learning to the next level.

“A one-size-fits-all instructional approach doesn’t work in a classroom where every student brings their own unique learning style. More than ever, personalized learning is critical in getting students engaged and motivated to learn and supporting academic growth,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. “Teachers know best how to personalize learning for their students. This is why Savvas delivers learning solutions that are powered by adaptive technology, enabling educators to easily tailor instruction to address each student’s learning needs, interests, and abilities.”

Whether delivered via visually engaging textbooks or powered by the most advanced digital technology on the award-winning Savvas Realize LMS, Savvas Learning Company’s rigorous, standards-aligned resources focus on putting the student at the center of learning. It does this by leveraging adaptive learning practices and interactive technology to provide dynamic, real-world learning experiences that foster greater student engagement.…Read More

Free, On-demand Videos on PLtogether.org Feature Interviews with Education Leaders About Topics Ranging From Professional Development to Teacher Wellness

SAN FRANCISCO – The PLtogether resource site powered by Edthena now features more than 75 video interviews with education experts. Educators can access the free, on-demand “Lounge Talks” video series to hear about and learn effective strategies for a number of timely topics ranging from professional development to teacher wellness.

“Created as part of our commitment to video-powered professional learning, PLtogether helps educators learn from some of the most-respected researchers and thought leaders in education,” said Adam Geller, founder and CEO of Edthena. “The dozens of videos featured on the site provide educators with tactical, bite-sized advice on many of the topics that will matter most to them this school year and beyond.”

The recent PLtogether videos have covered a number of important topics, including:…Read More

New Physics E-Book Helps High School and College Students Explore Mechanics Concepts Using Video Analysis

BEAVERTON, Oregon — To support high school and college physics instruction, Vernier Science Education has released Vernier Video Analysis: Conservation Laws and Forces. This new e-book, which features 12 hands-on investigations that use the award-winning Vernier Video Analysis® app, helps students explore mechanics topics beyond basic motion, such as conservation of energy and conservation of translational and angular momentum.

“Vernier Video Analysis: Conservation Laws and Forces builds on students’ understanding of physics as they delve into more complex concepts,” said John Wheeler, CEO of Vernier Science Education. “It features a number of real-world examples to help increase engagement and knowledge retention as students critically analyze data.” 

The investigations in the e-book go beyond simple kinematics, connecting physics concepts to various sports and athletic activities. In addition, students can examine interactions between different objects, such as a physical pendulum and a cart, or two similarly charged objects. Sample investigations include “Energy of a Bouncing Ball,” “Introduction to Weight Lifting,” “Angular Momentum and Energy,” and “Water Flow from a Tank: Parabolic Trajectory.”…Read More

Curriculum Associates Updates i-Ready Personalized Instruction and Assessment to Help Accelerate Student Learning for the 2022–2023 School Year

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass. —To help accelerate teaching and learning this coming school year, Curriculum Associates has updated its award-winning i-Ready Personalized Instruction and Assessment program with new reports, lessons, accessibility features, and more. These new resources are designed specifically to help educators support grade-level work, monitor progress, and motivate every learner on their path to success.

“i-Ready continues to be a standout in the edtech space, in part, because it is always improving to meet the changing needs of educators and students alike,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “This coming year, accelerated learning will be a focus for schools nationwide and these new updates will provide educators with the timely resources and data-driven supports needed to help students make continued gains.”

To help inform school- and district-level administrators’ planning, i-Ready now features a new dashboard that displays real-time data of student growth and performance in a single view. Additionally, administrators now have more robust data with expanded 5-Level Placement reporting, a new Overall Reading Comprehension score on Diagnostic reports, and improved export data.…Read More

Kentucky Department of Education Approves Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready® Assessment for Grades K–3 as a Universal Screener for Early Literacy

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass.—The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) recently named Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Assessment for Reading as an approved universal screener for early literacy. Now, districts across the state can use data from the online program as part of a multi-tiered system of supports for students in Grades K–3 as outlined by the state’s Read to Succeed Act. Today, i-Ready serves more than 11 million students and approximately one-third of all students in Grades K–8 in the United States, including more than 80,000 students across Kentucky.

“Early screening is the first step to helping young learners on their path to reading success,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “The data from our i-Ready Assessment will help Kentucky educators understand where students are in their reading and develop a reading improvement plan, if needed, to help students meet reading goals.”

As part of the Read to Succeed Act, all superintendents in the state must select at least one universal reading screener to administer to all students in Grades K–3 by January 1, 2023. Superintendents can choose from the approved list of screeners, all of which underwent a rigorous review by the KDE. KDE’s approval process, which is guided by the National Center on Intensive Intervention at American Institutes for Research’s Screening Tools Chart Rating System and the Institute for Education Sciences, examined measures for classification accuracy, reliability, validity, and representative sample.…Read More

Learning acceleration is best to move kids forward in math

As the nation works to collectively get students back on track after pandemic-era learning disruptions, new research provides promising evidence that learning acceleration can help all students catch up and move forward in math.

Powered by two years of pandemic-era math-learning data, researchers found when a student is consistently accelerated, they complete twice the amount of grade-level lessons and struggle less in their math learning.

“We decided to conduct this research as a way to deepen our support for teachers who are contending with more than two years of disruptions and are forced to make intervention decisions for each student, each time they struggle,” said Shalinee Sharma, Zearn’s CEO and co-founder. “This research gives us hope that with the right learning strategies students can catch-up and move forward with their math learning.”…Read More

1 2

Schools Across the U.S. and Around the World Partner with VHS Learning to Open a World of Opportunities to Students

Boston — Schools across the U.S. and in eight countries have started or renewed partnerships with VHS Learning this year to provide teacher-led, high school online courses in a variety of disciplines. Some have been partnering with the nonprofit organization for over 20 years.

“Online learning is a valuable tool that can help schools provide students with greater course variety and options for learning,” said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. “Schools around the world value our 26 years of experience educating students online, and many partner with us year after year. They trust our program to support their schools’ instructional needs and provide their students with comprehensive, interactive, and engaging online courses led by certified teachers.”

New international school participants this year include BIS in the Republic of Korea, Kingham Hill School in the United Kingdom, and Shanghai SMIC Private School in China. Returning schools include American Community School Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Asia American International Academy in Taiwan, Province of China; Escola Americana de Belo Horizonte in Brazil; Qatar Academy Sidra in Qatar; and International School of Kigali in Rwanda.

In addition, many U.S. schools have continued their long-time partnerships with VHS Learning. Schools that have utilized VHS Learning for 20 years or more include three Massachusetts districts: Abington High School in Abington, Nipmuc Regional High School in Upton, and Northbridge High School in Whitinsville. Schools that partnered with VHS Learning over 15 years ago include Hampden Academy and Falmouth High School in Maine, and Bromfield School and Hopkins Academy in Massachusetts, Newmarket Junior-Senior High School in New Hampshire, and Hackettstown High School in New Jersey.…Read More