Spring ISD Selects BenQ Boards for Classrooms

COSTA MESA, Calif. — BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of visual display and collaboration solutions, today announced the Spring Independent School District (ISD) in Houston has selected and installed almost 1,800 BenQ Boards in K-12 classrooms across the 45 schools in the district. Purchased as part of Spring ISD’s most recent school bond, the BenQ Boards were chosen over other smart board vendors because of the rich and forward-thinking feature set the BenQ Boards offer, including ease of use and flexibility for teachers, advanced learning tools for students, and free built-in remote management solutions for IT.

“When we invited the entire district to come in and test drive different smart boards, everyone voted nearly unanimously for the BenQ Board,” said Joe Holecek, Spring ISD’s manager of campus technology support. “They hit all our needs, from those of our teachers and students to our technology department. We’ve deployed half the BenQ Boards in our classrooms so far, and it’s been so positive that the other half can’t wait because they know how much the boards offer.”

Spring ISD Teachers Benefit From BenQ Board’s Tap ‘N Teach Technology
While preparing students for the future, the BenQ Boards are also designed to eliminate the steep learning curve and complicated tasks that typical smart boards can overburden teachers with. The teacher-friendly experience starts immediately at sign-in. The industry’s only germ-resistant BenQ Boards boast BenQ’s Tap ‘N Teach technology, which features one-tap NFC log-in to load lesson materials and interactive teaching apps, cloud storage, settings, and tools instantly and securely.…Read More

iCEV Recognizes Putnam County Schools as the District’s Student Becomes the 100,000th Certification Earner on the iCEV Testing Platform

Lubbock, TX – Putnam County Schools in Tennessee is recognized by iCEV, a leading producer of Career & Technical Education (CTE) curriculum, industry certification testing, and data management, for having the 100,000th certification earner on the iCEV Testing Platform.

Serving more than 12,000 students across 22 schools, Putnam County Schools has long been recognized as a leader in promoting equitable access to CTE programs and career opportunities. In Putnam County Schools, CTE courses are aligned to relevant industry certifications that will help earners begin successful careers.

“It’s important that we provide equal access to all of our students,” said Jaclyn Vester, CTE Program Director for Putnam County Schools. “We want to make sure all of our students are leaving with the tools they need to be college and career ready.”…Read More

3 data management considerations for district leaders

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As data analytics comes of age for the K-12 sector, educators are increasingly turning to data insights to help identify students’ learning abilities and areas of opportunity, enhancing operational efficiencies, and helping teachers’ professional development. Naturally, administrators are often enticed to engage powerful, enterprise-grade solutions like PowerBI or Tableau. After all, if it’s good enough for a Fortune 500 company, it’s good enough for a school district, right? 

Not so fast.…Read More

5 helpful hacks for managing a STEM classroom

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Every classroom is a busy place, but STEM-specific classrooms are built on collaboration, communication, and hands-on inquiry. Things are bound to be extra noisy and energetic. This isn’t a bad thing–it’s “the sound of learning,” as a coworker of mine once put it! However, it does mean that STEM classrooms require skilled management to keep students focused on their tasks. So, how do we as educators foster an environment of engagement and creativity without stifling our students’ curiosity?

In my experience, educators looking to create a STEM-centered classroom can take advantage of five teaching hacks which allow them to manage students while still fostering a growth mindset:…Read More

K-12 edtech survey notes growth obstacles attributed to insufficient leadership depth

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The latest national survey conducted by the Edtech Leadership Collective has identified a stark misalignment in expectations when it comes to emerging leaders’ readiness to reach the executive suite. For a second year in a row, very few C-level executives (9 percent) expressed confidence in their ability to hire from within for executive team vacancies. In contrast, one out of two (58 percent) of Department Heads fell they are ready for the executive suite.

The gap in confidence regarding management depth comes at a time when 78 percent of C-suite leaders consider the work of their non-executive leaders to be critical to their company’s success. However, C-suite leaders also acknowledge they have fallen short on providing mentoring, constructive feedback, and clearly defined paths to advancement.…Read More

What are the Benefits and Risks of Artificial Intelligence in Education?

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The integration of AI in education brings both benefits and risks. While AI enhances engagement, personalizes learning, and provides valuable insights, concerns arise regarding data privacy, ethical considerations, and the potential impact on human interaction in the educational process. Striking a balance is crucial for its effective implementation.

What are the benefits of artificial intelligence in the education sector?…Read More

5 strategies for turning boredom into brilliance

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As someone who began teaching in middle school, I’ve had plenty of firsthand experience dealing with boredom in the classroom. Most educators will recognize the signs: students sleeping during class, students watching the clock, students daydreaming when they should be paying attention. If, like me, you work with younger students, you might have even seen one or two get up and start wandering the classroom. Needless to say, these things can be highly disruptive and undermine our ability to manage the class.

Despite these problems, I’ve learned over time that boredom itself is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, when approached correctly, boredom can become a powerful force for good in the classroom.  …Read More

Bluum Names Dan Groskreutz as CFO

PHOENIX — Bluum, a leading provider of education technology, this week named Dan Groskreutz its new chief financial officer (CFO). Groskreutz brings decades of executive experience to the Bluum leadership team, having served as CFO for Appvion, Whitehall Specialties, and Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC over the past 20 years.

Before embarking on a financial career spanning 40 years thus far, Groskreutz earned his undergraduate degree from Bethel University and his MBA from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.

“We are thrilled for Dan to join Bluum,” said Erez Pikar, the CEO of Bluum. “He brings a wealth of experience that will help Bluum continue to drive growth and innovation in the market and improve learning outcomes for all students.”…Read More

What is the new technology for improving teaching and learning?

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New technologies are revolutionizing K-12 teaching and learning, ushering in an era of unprecedented possibilities. From innovative learning management systems to interactive whiteboards and adaptive educational software, these tools are reshaping traditional classrooms.

Augmented and virtual reality applications provide immersive learning experiences, while online collaboration platforms connect students and educators globally. Artificial intelligence-driven tools personalize instruction, addressing individual learning needs. As news of these successful tech tool pilots spreads via K-12 tech innovation news, more schools and districts can explore emerging strategies and ideas.…Read More

Mitigating data breaches with live patch management

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According to a recent report from the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), aggressive hacking tactics by threat actors are increasing in frequency and complexity against K-12 classrooms and higher education institutions.

With public and private schools providing a broad attack surface area for exploitation, they often find themselves repeatedly targeted by malicious hackers looking for financial gain or to steal the sensitive information of students and teachers. These cyberattacks create potentially dangerous effects on the education sector via lost instructional time and the cost to recover from the incident.…Read More