Computer Science Teachers Association Adds CoderZ’s Professional Development Program to Curated List of Quality Resources

DERRY, N.H. – April 20, 2021 – After a rigorous evaluation, the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) has added CoderZ to its online list of professional learning programs. The list enables K-12 computer science (CS) teachers to find quality professional development opportunities and associated curriculum that fit their needs and goals.

An independent committee of experts evaluated the CoderZ professional development programs using a detailed rubric aligned to quality indicators such as the following:

  • Content Focus
  • Active Learning
  • Collaboration
  • Differentiation
  • Models and Modeling
  • Inclusivity
  • Accessibility
  • Feedback and Reflection
  • Scale and Sustainability
  • Efficacy
  • Ongoing Support
  • Sustained Duration

The CoderZ professional development program introduces instructors to the concepts of teaching computer science and computational thinking using an online tool. Participants learn robotics and coding best practices as well as strategies to successfully leverage a graphic programming interface. In addition, the program hones the skills needed to reinforce student engagement, application, exploration and use of communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.…Read More

Starting a K-12 classroom drone program

More K-12 schools are introducing drones into the classroom as educators discover how useful unattended vehicles can be to teach and strengthen science, technology, art, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM) skills. Students are engaged by the possibility of flying robots in their classrooms, but teachers will require support systems to understand how to best implement a classroom drone program.

Before investing in the hardware, K-12 educators can take essential steps to enhance their drone program’s success in getting off the ground.

Consider the drone objective for your classroom…Read More

Lightspeed Systems® Launches Lightspeed Alert™ Solution for Threat Detection of Suicide, Bullying, and School Violence

Austin, Texas, April 15, 2021- Lightspeed Systems®, the leading K-12 online safety and effectiveness solutions provider, announces the launch of Lightspeed Alert™, a threat detection solution for self-harm, bullying, and school violence, helping to provide schools and districts with early warning detection to prevent incidents and promote student safety.

Statistics regarding student mental and physical safety are startling. A recent survey found 93% of parents are concerned about their child’s mental health due to extended campus closures and isolation, and another study from the U.S. Secret Service found 75% of school shooters demonstrated concerning online activity before the incident took place. With these concerns, it’s critical for schools and districts to have the type of early warning threat detection that Lightspeed Alert can provide. 

Lightspeed Alert leverages smart AI to actively scan and alert on concerning student behavior anywhere students engage online. Real-time alerts and safety dashboards equip district and school staff with the visibility and tools to respond to threats and manage cases. For an extra layer of protection, Lightspeed Alert provides 24/7/365 human review by highly trained safety specialists who conduct a threat assessment of flagged behavior and escalate imminent threats via a live phone call to school district personnel or law enforcement.  …Read More

K-12 education needs a cybersecurity overhaul

The 2019-2020 school year faced unprecedented challenges with the abrupt shift to remote learning brought about by the pandemic. But while schools struggled to adapt to these changes, there was another troubling trend on the rise: a surge in cybersecurity attacks.

A recent report from the nonprofit K12 Security Information Exchange found that these incidents increased 18 percent over the last year to reach a record high, equating to more than two cybersecurity incidents per day.

This statistic underscores that the K-12 sector is increasingly becoming a prime target for attack. And, as the report put it, “while policymakers and school leaders have historically demonstrated a reasonable duty of care in protecting members of their school communities from physical security risks, natural disasters, and extreme weather events…such a commitment has heretofore largely been absent with respect to school-related cybersecurity risk.”…Read More

6 strategies for better K-12 cybersecurity

The education sector has had to rapidly adopt and scale new technologies to enable remote and hybrid learning as a result of the pandemic. This has created an expanded threat landscape, and malicious actors have taken this opportunity to target academic institutions to an even greater extent.

In mid-March, the FBI issued a warning about an increase in specific ransomware targeting education institutions in 12 U.S. states and the United Kingdom. This alert follows a steady wave of cyberthreats facing educational institutions in recent months. We first saw a spike when remote learning kicked off last fall.

Education leaders must take a proactive stance to mitigate risk. Remote school, and the hybrid approach many districts have switched to in recent months, have placed new challenges for network security that cannot be ignored. Cybersecurity posture must be baked into educational IT infrastructure in this ever-evolving threat landscape.…Read More

GoGuardian Offers Student Mental Health Service for Free as Schools Face Growing Mental Health Concerns

Qualifying Schools and Districts Can Receive GoGuardian Beacon for No Cost or Obligation Through the Remainder of the School Year

Amid a growing nationwide concern over the effects of the pandemic on student mental health, GoGuardian, a leading education technology company helping K-12 schools maximize the learning potential of every student, today announced that its award-winning student safety solution, GoGuardian Beacon, will be available at no cost for schools and districts to use through the remainder of the school year. Beacon helps educators identify students who are at risk of suicide or self-harm, alert those who can help, and quickly activate the school’s custom response plan. With this offer, K-12 schools can have access to supportive tools to help protect students in this growing time of need, regardless of funding and budgetary constraints.

Educators and public health officials are growing increasingly alarmed by the pandemic’s impact on student mental health. A recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found suicidal ideation was 1.60 and 1.45 times higher in March and July 2020 compared to the same period one year earlier; suicide attempts were 2.34 and 1.77 times higher during the same period. Even as COVID-19 infection rates decline and schools move to reopen, students face extraordinary challenges adjusting yet again to hybrid learning schedules, altered school environments, and new classroom health requirements.…Read More

AVER LAUNCHES ADVANCED AI AUTO TRACKING DISTANCE LEARNING CAMERA FOR THE ‘NEW CLASSROOM’

The AVer DL30 Features Advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tracking to Seamlessly Follow Teachers in the Classroom and 12X Optical Zoom

AVer Information Inc., the award-winning provider of video collaboration solutions and education technology solutions, announced today the launch of the innovative and ground-breaking DL30 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Auto Tracking Distance Learning Camera. Designed specifically for the evolving K-12 distance learning classroom and ever-changing teaching and learning environments, the DL30 boasts advanced AI to automatically detect the teacher’s movement in the classroom, allowing them to focus on delivering their curriculum instead of worrying about staying within the camera’s view.   

The AI technology of the DL30 drives two auto tracking modes including Presenter Tracking or Zone Tracking with no need for a camera operator. Presenter Tracking allows the camera to automatically follow the presenter with either full body or half body, or manually track any other specific presenter with a simple click. Since the AI technology focuses on the body rather than the face, the camera recognizes and follows the presenter even if he or she is wearing a PPE mask. Since the DL30 does not rely on voice tracking or the need to wear a lanyard, the teacher is always kept in camera view regardless of any other noise interference or loss of contact with a sensor. Zone Tracking allows automatic and seamless tracking between multiple preset zones to support different learning stations in the classroom.  Completely hands-free, the DL30 provides the flexibility for the teacher or presenter to move freely about the room and let the camera do the work.…Read More

IXL Learning Names Richard Carranza as Chief of Strategy and Global Development

IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by more than 12 million students, has hired Richard Carranza as its Chief of Strategy and Global Development. Carranza brings to IXL more than three decades of experience serving at nearly every level of education, including leading two of the largest school districts in the United States. He will utilize his extensive background to help IXL better meet the evolving needs of educators, identify where the company can make an even greater global impact and reach students no matter what setting they learn in.

“Richard will supply IXL with an abundance of wisdom gained from working at the highest levels of K-12 education and a boundless commitment to ensuring all students have access to world-class learning experiences,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning. “He has been a transformative force throughout his career and we are excited to continue shaping the future of education with him.” 

Carranza served as Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education—the largest school system in the United States—where he was responsible for educating 1.1 million students in more than 1,800 schools. During his tenure, Carranza led the charge to bridge the technological divide between schools and communities, and worked to correct inequities in the education system. Previously, as superintendent of Houston Independent School District, Carranza led the seventh-largest U.S. school system through Hurricane Harvey and spearheaded an educational initiative aimed at aiding underserved communities. He also served as superintendent of San Francisco Unified School District, where he focused on expanding student access to technology and narrowed disparities in graduation rates. Carranza began his career as a high school social studies teacher and principal in Tucson, Arizona. …Read More

CSDE Announces New Partnership to Launch Statewide K-12 Social-Emotional Learning Assessment System

Universal Screener Provides Data to Strengthen Social -Emotional Skills, Informs Instruction for Students Who Need Additional Support

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) announced it is entering into a partnership with Aperture Education to provide a statewide SEL assessment for K-12 schools. Starting in the fall of 2021 and after a thorough procurement process, CSDE will make Aperture’s research-backed social-emotional learning assessments, the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) System and the DESSA-mini, available to all Connecticut districts at no cost.

“Reinforcing a strong, statewide system of supports around SEL and mental health is how we will most effectively address the unprecedented level of trauma, anxiety, and uncertainty that both students and school staff have experienced over the past year. Outside the context of the pandemic, we know the integration of SEL is a key component in PK-12 education and contributes to whole-child success in school, life, and career,” said Acting Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker. “As we continue to advance this important work together, adding DESSA as part of a coordinated approach to providing SEL supports will allow us to build upon existing efforts already underway in districts across the state.”…Read More

7 Mindsets Introduces SELEQUITY Platform to Help K-12 Schools Prioritize SEL and Equity

While social emotional learning (SEL) and equity have always been important, the events of the past year have brought these issues to the forefront. From social isolation to civil unrest to equity gaps, students and educators are facing challenges that a myopic focus on academics cannot address. To help K-12 districts and schools support SEL and equity in education, 7 Mindsets, the leader in online SEL solutions, today announces SELEQUITY™.

Coming in summer 2021, SELEQUITY is the latest iteration of the 7 Mindsets portal. The 7 Mindsets portal currently includes a wealth of resources and tools to help build the social emotional health of educators and students, and support equity in schools and classrooms. With the new SELEQUITY portal, 7 Mindsets is taking intentional actions to infuse the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) into the 7 Mindsets curriculum and professional development for the 2021-2022 school year.

Within the 7 Mindsets curriculum, all lessons are aligned to 10 SEL competencies. For the 2021-2022 school year, all lessons will be aligned to the Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) Social Justice Standards, American School Counselor Association Mental Health Standards, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Standards.…Read More