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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.

Why “offline” digital learning is critical to impact children worldwide

As thousands of educators, entrepreneurs, and investors gathered at the recent ASU+GSV Summit, a growing number recognized both the need and opportunity for educational innovation in developing countries, particularly for the over 250 million children who lack access to schools.

But many of the solutions proffered still focus on internet-based solutions. Glaringly missing from the landscape are adaptive, digital learning solutions that are offline.

While we work to increase universal access to the internet, the edtech ecosystem cannot ignore the hundreds of millions of children currently without connectivity but who are eager to learn.…Read More

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Inaugural Catalyze Challenge Winners To Transform Journey From Classroom To Career

SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER 4, 2021 – In an effort to level the playing field for all students and catapult young people into meaningful careers, the Catalyze Challenge, co-sponsored by American Student Assistance, Arnold Ventures, Charter School Growth Fund and the Walton Family Foundation has awarded over $4M to accelerate bold career-connected learning solutions aimed at helping students better access economic opportunity after leaving school.  

Fifteen winners — community organizations, entrepreneurs, and cross-sector partnerships from across the country — will pilot, launch and scale solutions designed for the leaders of tomorrow’s workforce. 

“Being a thriving, productive and joyful member of society means having the agency to meaningfully shape one’s own future and the future of our communities. There’s never been a more opportune moment to equip young people with the skills and mindsets to drive change for themselves and our country,” said Romy Drucker, Education Program Interim Director at the Walton Family Foundation.…Read More

Students turned their love for their pets into a business breakthrough

Americans love their pets. Turns out, two out of every three American homes include a pet, and 95 percent of households consider their pets to be family members.

But where do those pet parents turn to when they need help? How do you know if your pet is getting the proper nutrition? We wanted to provide a resource for overwhelmed pet owners and created WellPets.

Paws for thought: WellPets…Read More

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Student entrepreneurs flex a funding win to grow 3D printing business

Since the first patent for additive manufacturing (more commonly known as 3D printing) was filed in 1980, the industry has expanded rapidly. As with any new technology experiencing accelerated growth, unforeseen problems spur innovation.

In San Antonio, TX, an all-women team of Alamo Heights High School students realized one of the problems facing manufacturers of 3D printers was the procurement of raw materials available to make filament. After collaborative deliberation, the group founded FYDER Filament—a company poised to revolutionize sustainable materials sourcing in the 3D printing market.

We developed the idea for FYDER Filament while participating in INCubatoredu, a full-year entrepreneurship program offered at our school to empower young business leaders to identify an opportunity, develop solutions, and create an actual business. At the end of the course, each team competes for funding to grow their business.…Read More

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How 5 student entrepreneurs built a mental health tool for their peers

In 2020, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing reported that one in six children under the age of 18 experiences a mental health disorder each year. The pandemic has drastically changed the lives of high schoolers as academic institutions shifted to online or hybrid learning, leading to increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation.

To prove that data point for ourselves, we conducted our own mental health survey, which revealed 100 percent of respondents knew someone suffering from a mental health-related illness. Yes, 100 percent.

That’s when we discovered the need to develop a new peer-led support tool for students who are experiencing mental health difficulties. Concerned by watching our peers drown in anxiety and depression, we decided to create an accessible and supportive safe space for our classmates and for our own mental health research.…Read More

CoderZ Takes First Place as the Education Solution with Greatest Growth Potential

CoderZ was selected as an “Education Solutions: Greatest Growth Potential” awardee in the Edventures Global Business Acceleration Fellowship. The international event was an inaugural part of the Cyberport Venture Capital Forum (CVCF), Cyberport’s annual flagship tech investment in Hong Kong. Held in a virtual format for the first time, the two-day CVCF forum recorded a total of 97,000 views on its virtual event platform.

The Edventures Global Business Acceleration Fellowship aims to assist growth-stage edtech companies in capturing market opportunities and expanding their business operations across the global market. Among the event’s judges were Cindy Chow, executive director of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund; ISTE CEO Richard Culatta; and Peter Yan, the CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited. In the fellowship’s culmination, 10 fellows delivered their final pitches to compete for exclusive tailor-made business matching and consultation services to achieve their global ambitions.

“We’re privileged to receive this very significant honor from this highly-respected global organization,” said Ido Yerushalmi, CEO of CoderZ. “It recognizes the importance of making tech education more inclusive and more mainstream. We’ve committed ourselves to develop a program that promotes equity and inclusiveness and it’s so nice to receive the validation that we are on the right track.”…Read More

Video: How edtech connects

At SXSW EDU 2018, The Christensen Institute’s Director of Education Research, Julia Freeland Fisher, reveals innovative schools that are creating learning models that strengthen teacher-student relationships, and emerging edtech tools that promise to expand students’ networks to experts and mentors from around world.

Julia’s current research focuses on emerging tools and practices that leverage technology to radically expand who students know – their stock of “social capital” – by enhancing their access to, and ability to, navigate new peer, mentor, and professional networks. She is the author of the forthcoming book Who You Know: Unlocking Innovations that Expand Students’ Networks. Prior to joining the Institute, Julia worked at NewSchools Venture Fund, a venture philanthropy organization that supports education entrepreneurs who are transforming public education. She also served as an instructor in the Yale College Seminar Program. Julia holds a BA from Princeton University and a JD from Yale Law School.

Visit https://www.sxswedu.com/ to learn more about SXSW EDU and subscribe to SXSW EDU on YouTube for more great videos https://www.youtube.com/user/SXSWEDU.…Read More

How to turn students into entrepreneurs

At Gridley High School in California, we’ve built a self-sustaining floral design program that teaches students valuable career skills and gives them a chance to earn industry certification, which is endorsed by the Benz School of Floral Design and delivered through online curriculum provider iCEV. What’s more, we support the program through a student-run floral business in which program participants are also learning important entrepreneurial skills.

The program began three years ago, when I was hired as an agriculture teacher. Our school is located in a rural area that is heavily dependent on farming, and our administration at the time had a vision for creating a floral design program that would allow students to complete a career pathway in horticulture.

An idea takes root…Read More

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Submit your boldest, biggest ideas for reimagining education

NewSchools Venture Fund is looking for educators, creators and visionaries who believe in the power and potential of reimagining learning.

NewSchools finds, funds and supports teams of educators and entrepreneurs whose bold ideas have the potential to achieve outstanding results for students. Nearly 18 months into a refreshed strategy, the organization is focused on investments and support in three specific areas:
Creating innovative schools
Building technology tools to better support student learning
Cultivating pipelines of diverse senior leaders in education

“Every young person deserves a school that meets them where they are and helps them develop and reach big goals,” said Stacey Childress, CEO, NewSchools Venture Fund. “Some in education believe our existing school models can do this if we all just try a little harder. We don’t see it that way. That’s why we support teams that are reimagining the learning experience to help students develop everything they need for long-term success.”…Read More

Can you teach students to think more like entrepreneurs?

Teaching students the skills they need to become leaders and innovators is more important than ever

When you think of imparting entrepreneurship skills to students, most educators will likely go the obvious route — how can we teach students to build successful businesses that will help them in their post-graduation careers. But there are also a host of skills that successful business leaders use every day that can help students no matter what path they choose.

“Most schools that are working with this topic are teaching students to conceptualize new ideas and build business plans around those ideas—or to actually go out and create a company,” said Cheryl Lemke, who is president of the Metiri Group, an education technology research firm. “We think that’s a great idea for a subset of kids, but you’re probably not going to reach every child by doing that.”

In her many years of studying 21st century skills, researcher Lemke has identified five key skills that are essential to becoming a successful entrepreneur. She describes these skills as tolerance of ambiguity, calculated risk-taking, persistence, evidence-based reasoning, and self-direction.…Read More

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