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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.

imagiLabs brings coding to teenage girls’ phones with imagiCharm wearable accessory

imagiLabs is the all-female founded Stockholm-based startup that aims to bridge the gender divide in coding with its imagiCharm: a device which can be visually customised by coding into an accompanying mobile app.

The imagiCharm’s 8×8 matrix of LEDs can be customised to display tens of thousands of different designs, such as flowers, rising suns, animals etc., based upon the Python code written by the user into the imagiLabs iOS or Android apps, which connect to the device via Bluetooth.

By using Python to change the appearance of the accessory, girls are shown the real-world applications and possibilities of programming and what physical manifestations of code can look like. …Read More

Carousel Digital Signage And Moki Announce Partnership

Carousel Digital Signage and mobile device management company Moki have announced a new partnership that will simplify the deployment and management of media player software across multiple operating systems. To be integrated within Carousel Cloud’s CMS, Moki’s cloud-based mobile device platform (MDM) will establish a unified interface for digital signage networks with a diverse mix of media players, and remove the burden of working across different device management interfaces.

Moki’s cross-platform benefits means that a systems integrator or network operator can now simultaneously address Android, iOS and BrightSign’s proprietary media player software, for example, instead of logging in and out of separate interfaces. Upon deploying Moki’s MDM, customers have a single interface to manage and control every media player on the network, and can easily deploy and update media player software. Moki’s configuration establishes a direct connection between the central Carousel Cloud server and media players, allowing the right content to flow immediately to screens regardless of the hardware platform.

Unlike most device management companies, Moki provides a dedicated MDM solution for unattended devices. That makes Moki an ideal fit for digital signage networks, since most media players are now remotely managed and maintained over the network.…Read More

SDI, Inc. Launches Mobile App for PPE-As-a-Service to Simplify Procurement for Schools

In light of President Biden’s  executive order supporting the reopening of schools and early childhood education providers,  SDI, Inc., a leader in digital supply chain services and solutions, is launching a mobile app to streamline the process of procuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other essential supplies, and complement its  PPE-As-a-Service offering. Powered by SDI’s ZEUS technology, the app supports both iOS and Android platforms, and enables users to view and order PPE and other essential supplies.

“We’re eager to leverage the comprehensive features of our ZEUS technology and provide additional convenience to our partners,” said Kelly Kleinfelder, Chief Information Officer & SVP, Information Technology at SDI. “Demand for PPE remains at an all-time high and is unlikely to decrease any time soon; our new app ensures users can order items as needed and monitor usage anywhere, and at any time.”

Key features of the app include:…Read More

Monitor student devices and active applications in real-time

ScreenBeam Inc. announced today that its popular Classroom Commander orchestration platform is now available for both Chromebook and Windows 1:1 classroom environments.

The ScreenBeam Classroom Commander is designed for today’s modern one-to-one or one-to-many modern classrooms by combining wireless display with student device orchestration to improve lesson flow and collaboration. Supporting up to 50 student Windows or Chromebook devices and a teacher Windows, macOS, iOS or Chromebook device, the platform untethers teachers from the classroom display. Educators can create an agile learning environment by moving freely and interacting with students without interrupting instruction.

Teachers can monitor student devices and active applications in real-time to keep the classroom focused and identify disengaged students quickly. During guided lessons, teachers can message a student or group, blank and lock the keyboard/mouse on a single student screen, multiple student screens or the entire class to command attention. With teacher permission, students can display their work right from their desks for the entire classroom to view. Thanks to the platform’s wireless inking and touch display support, teachers using Windows 10 devices can also annotate directly onto a student screen from the classroom display, even when student devices are not touch-enabled.…Read More

Free Math Program for iOS and Android

In response to the demand for learning at home, Bedtime Math has taken their research-proven after-school math club activities and presenting them for families to use for free.  Bedtime Math’s mission is simple: to make math a fun, natural part of kids’ everyday lives, just like the bedtime story. Bedtime Math is offing their Bedtime Math app for free, and it is available on iOS and Android. Every day, they deliver a fun new math problem for parents and kids to explore numbers in real life together. Plus, studies have shown it’s proven to improve kids’ math skills.

Bedtime Math is a national nonprofit that ignites kids’ curiosity and learning by unleashing the fun in math. It offers playful online math problems for parents to do with their kids every day, as well as lively hands-on games. Research has shown that both offerings reduce kids’ math anxiety, increase their love of math, and lay the groundwork for greater math achievement. For more information, visit www.bedtimemath.org.

…Read More

Flexcat collaboration system gets big upgrade for ISTE

The classroom audio system now has expanded coverage, Whisper Coaching, and a new iOS app, making it a powerful tool for teachers and their mentors

At ISTE 2016, classroom audio provider Lightspeed Technologies will introduce three new features of its Flexcat system. The only classroom audio system designed for small-group learning, Flexcat consists of a wearable microphone for the teacher, a speaker for whole-group instruction, and a set of two-way audio pods that allow teachers to listen and speak to small groups from anywhere in the classroom so they can reinforce, respond, and challenge students in their moment of need.

Lightspeed’s new mobile app, launching in July, turns teachers’ iOS device into a Flexcat remote control. This allows them to switch among the two-way audio pods directly from their device, making the Flexcat an even simpler and more seamless tool for gathering critical learning insights. The new app unlocks some additional new features of the system.

With the app, the new Flexcat includes expanded coverage for up to 12 audio pods, making it a powerful tool for large classrooms, small-group instruction, team teaching, and professional development events.…Read More

Vernier app offers hands-on learning about thermal energy

Accompanying physics, chemistry and biology investigations have students analyze images and videos captured with the FLIR ONE Thermal Camera

Vernier Software & Technology developed a new free app to allow students to study thermal energy concepts by analyzing images and video captured with the FLIR ONE Thermal Camera for iOS.

Using the Thermal Analysis for FLIR ONE app, which is available for download in the App Store, as well as new investigations created by Vernier, students can measure temperature changes on the skin, illustrate convection, track heating due to friction, compare heat conduction in different materials, analyze the transparency of materials in infrared versus visible light, and more.

“The new app provides students with an engaging way to study and to visualize thermal energy,” said John Wheeler, CEO of Vernier Software & Technology. “Ideal for BYOD and mobile learning environments, the app matched with our innovative investigations lets students easily collect and analyze thermal data, make scientific connections, and participate in hands-on learning.”…Read More

All the ways iOS 9.3 will impact school iPad rollouts

Apple’s latest overhaul will impact one-to-one and shared device rollouts

In March, Apple upgraded the iPad and iPhone operating system to iOS 9.3 (quickly followed by iOS 9.3.1, which tweaked a few bugs). The lead up to the release caught the eye of the K-12 community, which had been waiting for a few tweaks of their own that would help it better manage both shared and one-to-one iPad implementations. It’s only been a couple of weeks since the new operating system hit prime time, but the feedback is already coming in—and it’s largely positive.

New features in iOS 9.3, for example, make it easier for IT to set up and manage devices via a new managed home screen layout. This feature allows administrators to deploy iPads configured for students, and to select which applications will appear on their device home screens. It might be most useful in shared environments, where more than one student is using a device—but where not all of the apps are relevant for all of those users. Schools can also locate and recover stolen or lost devices via ongoing location tracking that doesn’t compromise student privacy.

Expanded capabilities…Read More

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TabPilot launches app for classroom management

TabPilot released Teacher Tools for iOS, an app that allows teachers to control student iPads in their classrooms with tools that have previously only been available through the cloud-based teacher console, normally accessed on the teacher’s computer.

Teacher Tools is a set of features of TabPilot MDM for Schools. Teachers choose a class to manage and then have the ability to freeze student screens, lock students into a single app, clear student passcodes with a few clicks, or lock students into a single web site or group of pre-selected sites. Teachers can also choose a student iPad to be broadcast to the classroom projector via Apple Airplay.

“With the launch of Teacher tools for iOS, we’re showing once again how a school-specific MDM is the best choice for both teachers and school IT administrators,” said Jarrett Volzer, founder and CEO of TabPilot. “With our new Teacher Tools app for iOS, the teachers can now take control in their classroom directly from their own iPad.”…Read More

This app is designed to reduce job burnout—and it’s free for educators

An app that focuses on wellbeing exercises to reduce stress is being offered free

burnout-appApp maker Stress Refuge is launching DeStressify, an app that helps people with overwhelmed, busy lives achieve “mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing,” free for anyone employed by a school district, school, or other educational organization.

“Teachers play an enormous role in shaping our future generations, and it’s a stressful job,” said Theresa Fox, president and CEO of DeStressify. “That’s why we decided to give this app to educators at no charge; to help them better manage their stress, and in turn, their classrooms.”

In its promotional materials, the company references a Gallup State of America’s Schools report that found nearly half of all K-12 teachers reported daily stress.…Read More