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.

Super Duper Publications Hires Occupational Therapist to Expand its Line of OT Products for Children

Super Duper Publications has hired Occupational Therapist Dani Kinsley to help the company expand its line of digital and print occupational therapy (OT) products for children.

Super Duper currently offers a successful line of occupational therapy products, including best-sellers like Yogarilla, Sensory Diet Cards and the Pre-Handwriting Fun Deck which address areas of development such as gross motor/bilateral coordination, sensory integration, visual perception, and fine motor skills. Kinsley will help Super Duper create new products addressing additional areas of development to help meet the needs of clinic- and school-based occupational therapists.

“I am so excited to join the team at Super Duper Publications because I have been using Super Duper products almost daily in my pediatric clinical practice for many years now,” said Kinsley. “I love their high-quality, fun, and creative product offerings. Super Duper has definitely made my life as a clinical OT easier in the past, and I look forward to creating new resources to help continue that legacy as we expand our OT line moving forward.”…Read More

Hall Technologies Announces the Launch of HIVE Control

HallTechnologies, a leading designer and manufacturer in the AV industry, announces their latest leap in technology innovation, HIVE Control. This scalable and affordable AV solution leverages the best in modern IoT, legacy control, and automation. HIVE Control will offer major improvements to the industry’s three major pillars of AV control technology: software, interface, and hardware.
HIVE Control is comprised of three key elements:

  • ● HIVE Cloud Control provides users with 24/7 control to configure, manage, and service multiple clients from anywhere in the world. This subscription-based asset management platform allows users to connect an unlimited number of
    rooms under one subscription for quick and easy integration and infinite scalability.
  • ● Unlike other AV control systems on the market, HIVE Control utilizes a node-based architecture that does not require the need to maintain a centralized server or the purchase of gateway devices. Instead, the HIVE Touch and HIVE Node are designed to directly connect to all existing AV hardware, including legacy devices without the need for programming.
  • ● The HIVE Touch is an all-in-one, elegant touch panel display engineered to seamlessly control any ProAV hardware and automation devices in a room. The HIVE Touch is adaptable to any space and application.

“HIVE Control’s advanced design and features make the system truly unique in the AV industry,” said Jason Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer of Hall Technologies. “With this cutting-edge technology, we are the first to bring REST API to the Pro AV industry, and feel proud to offer a world-class solution that sets a new standard in AV control and integration.”

The innovative HIVE Control system is a solution to frequent issues seen in education, corporate settings, hospitality settings, and everyday life. For more than three decades, Hall Technologies, formerly known as Hall Research, has designed state-of-the-art, pro AV products to solve problems seen in various applications and meet the needs of a continually evolving industry.…Read More

LenelS2 Introduces OnGuard Security Management System Version 8.0

LenelS2 today announced the release of the OnGuard® security management system version 8.0, empowering security teams with enhanced situational awareness through unified views of the security environment, as well as powerful visualization for data-based insights. Version 8.0 provides major updates including integration with the Magic Monitor® unified client, rich interactive maps, a new modern reporting engine, cybersecurity enhancements and more. The OnGuard security management system is an advanced solution in Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program, and provides critical features like occupancy management, enhanced access control and proactive screening solutions to better protect people and assets, and optimize building health and efficiency. LenelS2, a global leader in advanced security systems and services, is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), a leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.

“OnGuard version 8.0 provides end users with the tools they need to be in complete control of their security environment and transform security data into actionable insights,” said Jeff Stanek, president, LenelS2. “As the world returns to the workplace, the breadth of new features, updates and enhancements in OnGuard version 8.0 make it an ideal solution for today’s unique security challenges.”

The OnGuard 8.0 system enhances security and situational awareness through integration with the Magic Monitor client, a Windows® and MacOS® client, which provides a unified view of access control, video surveillance feeds and web content in a single display. Users can view OnGuard system alarms, credentials as well as live or recorded video from the LenelS2™ Network Video Recorder (LenelS2 NVR) platform, or third-party video management systems, including the Milestone XProtect® system. The Magic Monitor unified client supports a single display, a command center workstation or expansive video walls.…Read More

EdisonLearning and FocalPointK12 Announce Partnership to Provide Comprehensive Learning and Analytics Solution for Grades 6-12

EdisonLearning and FocalPointK12 today announced a partnership to provide a complete solution for grades 6-12, delivering more than 170 middle and high school courses along with nearly 60 embedded project-based learning (PBL) courses through a platform that integrates seamlessly with schools’ student information systems (SIS) and learning management systems (LMS).

The partnership enables device-agnostic access to educators and students, increasing accessibility to help close the achievement gap across the nation. The full benefits of this integration are immediately available to all current and new EdisonLearning customers.

EdisonLearning provides digital learning solutions, including core and elective eCourses for grades 6-12. This partnership expands its ability to support more schools and districts nationwide, increasing delivery of personalized learning and supporting equitable achievement for all students.…Read More

CCS Presentation Systems Launches First Ever Esports Demonstration Center

CCS Presentation Systems, one of the largest audio-video systems integration companies in the US, just announced the creation of a fully-functioning Esports Demonstration Center at its Scottsdale, AZ corporate headquarters. It provides customers with a working demonstration of every component of an esports facility – game play, audience presentation, streaming and more.

“This Esports Demo Center was purpose-built for our education customers. It includes everything necessary for school teams to be successful in this competitive sport,” said Julie Solomon, Chief Marketing Officer for CCS. “Esports gaming has very specific equipment standards. Facilities need to mimic each other as much as possible or players will be at a disadvantage during competition.”

The Extreme-eCampus News Worldwide Esports Survey found that 21% of schools already have an esports program and that over 70% of K12 schools are now considering introducing competitive gaming to their curriculum. Currently, there are more than 200 colleges and universities offering nearly $15 million in scholarships to high school students to join their esports programs.…Read More

PBLWorks and ISTE Partner to Offer New Course for Teachers

PBLWorks, the leading provider of professional development for high-quality Project Based Learning (PBL), has partnered with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to create a new self-paced ISTE U course, “Leading Project-Based Learning with Technology” to help teachers build their capacity to implement Gold Standard PBL with technology tools.

The course is for teachers and instructional staff who are familiar with technology and are looking for an entry point into PBL, or those who are interested in learning more about both PBL and technology integration. It challenges participants to respond to the driving question, “How can I maximize the benefits of Project-Based Learning by effectively integrating digital tools?”

“Leading Project-Based Learning with Technology” is a 5-hour, self-paced course. It costs $49 for ISTE members and $65 for non-members.…Read More

Super Duper Publications Provides Unique Educational Materials for PreK-5 Distance Learning and Teletherapy

Distance learning has become a staple of our current educational system. With the launching of its new Digital Library, which includes more than 340 resources to support distance learning and teletherapy, educational publisher Super Duper Publications is leading the way in providing online learning materials for young students.

This unique Library:

  • Has more than 340 instructional games, cards, and worksheets for educators and parents to use with PreK-Grade 5 students
  • Is updated with additional materials and features weekly
  • Targets specific skills – basic concepts, literacy, grammar, social skills, critical thinking, sequencing, listening, early skills, phonemic awareness, memory, motor skills, sensory integration, phonics, reading, and more.
  • Offers both short and longer activities to benefit students with limited attention spans
  • Is web-based for easy accessibility at school or home
  • Can be used in-person in a classroom
  • Works on a desktop, laptop, or digital whiteboard, as well as on mobile devices such as a Chromebook, tablet or smartphone.
  • Complies with State and Common Core educational standards

“When the pandemic hit, all education shifted online,” said Thomas Webber, chairman of Super Duper. “Nowadays, educators need easy-to-access resources that they can use with students during distance learning and online special education/speech therapy sessions. Parents are also looking for easy-to-understand materials that their children can use during at-home learning. We created this online Digital Library of our most popular print materials, so that educators and parents would have access to the learning materials their children need.”…Read More

6 ways to get teachers on board with edtech

We’ve all heard about veteran educators who have been teaching the same way for years and are reluctant to integrate technology into their practice.

Why should they? It’s scary to try something new, especially in front of a class of kids who seem to already be tech experts.

Adam Juarez and Katherine Goyette have heard it all.…Read More

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Getting the most from collaboration tools

Communication and collaboration are not the same thing. There are many tools that allow educators and administrators to talk to each other, but to take advantage of edtech’s promise, they should also be able to use collaboration tools to work together on the same projects.

In her presentation, “Collaboration Near and Far in Digital Professional Learning Communities,” Geri Gillespy, administrator of digital integration at West Ada School District in ID, talked about how to get the most out of online collaboration tools.

Related content: 7 collaboration tools for the modern classroom…Read More

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What Is Good Leadership in Schools?

A recent study found that not one school (of 180 surveyed) was able to improve student achievement records without effective school leadership. This research  shows a clear connection between skilled school leadership and positive student learning outcomes. It’s proof that good leadership in schools makes a direct impact on students’ experience and performance.

Good leadership in schools is the practice of encouraging and enabling school-wide teaching expertise in order to achieve a strong rate of progress for all learners. This leadership can be driven by principals and executive staff in traditional leadership roles, as well as by school leaders and teachers without defined leadership roles.

For teaching staff and future leaders in the education sector, it’s important to understand what the benchmark is for good leadership in schools, and how it can be used to drive lasting change.…Read More