The importance of teaching generative AI

Key points:

The era of the textbook isn’t dead, but it’s important to start looking forwards rather than backwards when addressing education for school children. Whether we like it or not, it is becoming increasingly clear that generative AI will play a pivotal role in shaping the future and, with the workforce demanding greater expertise in AI, it is crucial to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in this rapidly-evolving landscape.

School leaders must recognize the importance of incorporating generative AI education into curriculums to prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.…Read More

SIIA Announces Education Technology Finalists for 2023 CODiE Awards

WASHINGTON (PRWEB) — In celebration of the 38th annual SIIA CODiE Awards, the  Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) announced Education Technology finalists. Finalists, selected by expert reviewers, represent the most innovative and impactful products from education technology developers, online learning services and related learning-focused technologies.

“The 2023 CODiE Award finalists are some of the most inspiring products, services and leaders who are blazing a trail in the education technology space,” said SIIA President Chris Mohr. “Their innovations stand to improve the teaching and learning experience for teachers and students here in the U.S. and globally. Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists.”

The SIIA CODiE Awards are the industry’s only peer-reviewed awards program. Educators and administrators serve as judges for the first-round review of all nominees. Their scores determine the SIIA CODiE Award finalists and account for 80 percent of the overall score. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products. The scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners. Details about each finalist are listed at  https://www.siia.net/codie/codie-finalists/. The category winners will be announced June.…Read More

Paycom Donated Nearly $300,000 To Local Public School Districts

OKLAHOMA CITY – Paycom Software Inc. (NYSE:PAYC), a leading provider of HR software, celebrates the end of the 2023 school year by awarding grants to four local public school foundations. These two-year commitments will provide Edmond, Millwood, Oklahoma City and Putnam City with funds needed to support ongoing and new educational programming specific to each district.

“Partnering with the public schools in the area is an important way Paycom supports our communities,” said Tiffany Gamblin, director of human resources business services at Paycom. “We know the power these programs can have on children and young adults. We’re grateful to play a part in helping tomorrow’s leaders shine.”

Each school district has a unique plan for the donations they received from Paycom.…Read More

10 powerful practices for new principals

As a principal, you have the privilege of leading a school and making a positive difference in the lives of countless students. You have the power to create an environment of education, respect, and integrity. You are also responsible for ensuring that your students receive the best possible education and that their educational and social outcomes are improved through your leadership. Leading with integrity and improving student outcomes is a task that requires dedication, hard work, and a willingness to be open-minded and creative.

The following are 10 strategies for new principals to lead with integrity and improve student outcomes:

1. Establish a Vision: Establishing a clear school vision is the first and most important step for a new principal to lead with integrity and improve student outcomes. This vision should be based on the core principles of integrity, respect, and excellence and should be shared with your school staff, students, and parents. This vision will guide the school and should serve as a rallying point for everyone to strive towards.…Read More

Navigate360 Ushers in Growth with Key Additions: Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Product Officer and Vice President of Threat Detection & Prevention Program Development

RICHFIELD, OHIO (PRWEB) — Navigate360, the nation’s leader in K–12 school safety and student wellness solutions, announces the appointment of Julia Goebel as chief marketing officer, Jami Timmons Klotz as chief product officer, and Dr. Joe McKenna as vice president of threat detection and prevention program development. All are passionate, innovative and experienced leaders poised to drive a new wave of meaningful impact in school safety and student wellness for the more than 50 million students in the United States.

“We are pleased to welcome these accomplished executives in SaaS technology and K–12 leadership to the Navigate360 team,” said JP Guilbault, chief executive officer of Navigate360. “Julia, Jami and Joe bring a wealth of valuable knowledge and experience which supports our mission of zero incidents of violence and harm.”

Year to date, the  Expert Insights data from Navigate360 show alerts related to self-harm are up 51 percent year-over-year and alerts related to weapons and harm to others are up 25 percent year-over-year. On average, the Navigate360 report also found more than 4,000 anonymous tips per week come into school tip lines powered by Navigate360 P3 School Tip Line solution, with the most common tips related to self-harm and weapons.…Read More

Let’s perfect existing tech solutions before rushing into AI

ChatGPT is barely six months old, but AI is already a buzzword in K-12 education.

It grabbed the attention of decision makers immediately, earning a ban from NYC schools in January of 2023, with other large districts following. Others are embracing the technology, with voices like Sal Khan encouraging educators to teach with AI.

As school leaders rush to take sides, it’s important to remember AI is unproven and unvetted, especially for school and district-level solutions. Instead, it’s critical for leaders to realize that most schools can greatly improve how they manage critical daily functions using existing, effective, and easy-to-implement technology.…Read More

How did the pandemic impact students’ social capital?

Students’ access to opportunities in life largely depends on their access to diverse, supportive relationships. Now, updated Christensen Institute research illustrates the impact students’ connections and relationships have on their ability to achieve success in adulthood–and underscores the need for schools to track this data as they measure students’ progress.

The updated report augments ongoing research and provides education leaders with the tools, knowledge, and sample survey items to make important strides toward measuring students’ networks in more equitable, meaningful, and actionable ways.

Emerging research from other organizations has strengthened the need to understand just how important relationships and resources are to students, particularly as opportunity gaps grow even wider.…Read More

Students know best when it comes to transforming education

Since formalized education was in its infancy, legislators, educational leaders, and governments worked together to develop models that make education more efficient and cost effective–but they often fell short of serving the needs of students or enriching their lives. And, while people under the age of 18 comprise 25 percent of the global population, it never occurred to most people in positions of authority to ask what they need from their educational systems.

Students experienced great tumult these past few years, especially because of the global pandemic. This singular event put a spotlight on the challenges of quality and equity in education. And it is students who can help change how the world’s young people learn.

In September 2022, the UN convened the inaugural Transforming Education Summit, with the ambition to elevate education to the top of political agendas and spur action considering global school closures caused by COVID-19 to address the issues faced by students during this time. 2023 also marks the “halfway point” to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, with SDG4: Quality Education to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030. …Read More

7 best practices from educators and IT leaders

Educators frequently turn to their colleagues and peers for best practices, inspiration, and new approaches to stubborn problems. After all, who better to offer insight than others who have experienced the same challenges?

Be it making tricky IT decisions, trying to engage underrepresented students in STEM learning, or how to perfect grading policies and practices, all educators can use some help from their colleagues.

Here are some tips, lessons learned, and inspiring wisdom from educators across the nation.…Read More

Ripple Effects’ Complete Suite of PreK-12 Social Emotional Learning Programs Earns Finalist Honors in Prestigious EdTech Awards 2023

SEATTLE –   Ripple Effects, a leader in digital social emotional learning and behavior and mental health supports, today announced that its suite of PreK-12 programs, which includes Bouncy’s Ready to Learn Resilience, Ripple Effects for Kids and Ripple Effects for Teens, earned finalist honors in the  EdTech Awards 2023, which recognizes and celebrates the best and brightest in education technology.

The EdTech Awards were established in 2010 to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate the innovators, leaders, and trendsetters in education technology. The annual program shines a spotlight on cool tools, inspiring leaders and innovative trendsetters across the K-12, higher education and skills and workforce sectors. Ripple Effects earned recognition in the category of general product or service.

“It is an incredible honor to receive this recognition for our entire PreK-12 suite of digital   programs,” said John Ray-Keil, CEO, Ripple Effects. “At Ripple Effects, we immerse ourselves in developing and delivering a comprehensive, yet dynamic set of tools designed to support learners to help them thrive in school and in life, today and tomorrow. We appreciate the acknowledgement of our work.”…Read More