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.

BenQ Sponsors the Undisputed Texas High School Esports State Championship

COSTA MESA, Calif. — BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of visual display solutions, sponsored the Undisputed Texas High School Esports State Championship, April 28-29 at the Esports Stadium Arlington. The crowd was up close to the action, thanks to BenQ’s donation of 40 BenQ Board smart boards. Also at the show, BenQ’s esports product line, ZOWIE, showcased its premium gaming monitors.

The Undisputed Texas High School Esports State Championship is put together by the Texas Scholastic Esports Federation, a teacher-run, 501c(3) nonprofit organization serving Texas schools with a mission of making esports an accessible, inclusive, and equitable path to college, career, and military readiness for all Texas students. Over two days, the championship brought together 500 competitors, 30 high schools, and five titles — Valorant, League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

“BenQ has a long history of supporting teachers and the esports industry with state-of-the-art visualization solutions built around an arsenal of tools and features that define a positive learning and gaming experience,” said Bob Wudeck, senior director of business development at BenQ Education. “Designed to be an intuitive and innovative hub in the classroom, our BenQ Boards are unlike anything else on the market and now attendees will see them set up to support an esports competition. We’re excited to be part of this local event and showcase BenQ’s investment in education and esports in one place.”…Read More

Why STEM is more important for students than ever

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has long been a popular acronym in education circles. Providing teachers with the tools and techniques to deliver these subjects to students has never been more important. In this podcast, Lauren Tarshis, SVP Editor-in-Chief & Publisher, Classroom Magazine Division, Scholastic Magazines+, and Patty Janes, Vice President, Science, Math, and Art at Scholastic, break down how one of the world’s great curriculum providers approaches STEM subjects and provide insights on how teachers can integrate these concepts into everyday teaching and learning.

North Dakota to require computer science for all K-12 students

North Dakota has become the first state to require computer science and cybersecurity education for all K-12 students.

Gov. Doug Burgum and North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler celebrated the governor’s signing of HB1398, which requires the teaching of computer science and cybersecurity and the integration of these content standards into school coursework from kindergarten through 12th grade. Baesler said North Dakota is the first state in the nation to approve legislation requiring cybersecurity education.

“Today is the culmination of years of work by stakeholders from all sectors to recognize and promote the importance of cybersecurity and computer science education in our elementary, middle and high schools,” Baesler said at the bill’s signing ceremony on March 24.…Read More

1 2

What do superintendents really think of the NAEP?

Last October, newspapers around the country reported the results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card. And just like in previous years, the headlines weren’t positive. This time, though, it was even worse than usual. It was the first time students took these biennial assessments since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and based on the results, it was quite clear our country’s students had suffered greatly. Results had dropped in both reading and math in nearly every state in the nation. But beyond that, what did the tests prove?  

Not much, according to the many superintendents I’ve spoken with. My organization, the Institute for Education Innovation, recently hosted a conclave of innovative educators, along with business and nonprofit leaders in the education field, to discuss some of the thorniest topics in education today. NAEP was among them.  

It can be tough for school superintendents to publicly criticize this nationwide assessment, which has been congressionally mandated for decades, but behind closed doors, they had a lot to say. One participant even used the words “tar and feather” when talking about the people who came up with this assessment system—in jest, of course. But the fact is, feelings around NAEP are strong. …Read More

1 2

Helping students understand the Nature of Science

Science is more than just a body of knowledge; it is the process of discovering new knowledge. Therefore, science education needs to involve more than just memorizing what scientists have already figured out. Students also need to learn about the processes that scientists use to generate new understandings about the universe. In other words, it involves understanding the Nature of Science.

The Nature of Science is what distinguishes science from other methods of knowing such as art, philosophy, or social science. The Nature of Science includes understanding that while scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence, it is also subject to change based on new evidence. Science is a human endeavor that requires creativity, but also objectivity.

The importance of the Nature of Science is reflected in state science standards. For example, in Florida, the science standards have the Nature of Science as one of the bodies of knowledge alongside Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science. The Nature of Science is further delineated into three big ideas: the Practice of Science, the Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge, and the Roles of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses, and Models.…Read More

1 2

FEV Tutor Names Two New Executive Leadership Team Members

WOBURN, Mass. – FEV Tutor, the market-leading provider of the most comprehensive virtual tutoring solution in K-12, recently announced the addition of two executives to its senior leadership team. The company has named Abhinav Ramani as chief operating officer and Aaron Osmond as chief growth officer.

Before joining FEV Tutor, Ramani oversaw regional operations for the health care provider DaVita (DVA) Kidney Care. In west Los Angeles, he led a team of managers in implementing change management and process innovation measures across 10 clinics, improving their overall outcomes until they ranked among the top 25% of clinics across the enterprise. Next, Ramani worked as a DVA group regional operations director in the state of Washington, leading three regional directors in overseeing 36 clinics in Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle. There, he increased net revenue by over $1 million. Ramani holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Osmond has approximately 30 years of experience in K-12 education. Most recently, he held several business development leadership positions at Amazon Web Services. He first served as the western regional lead for the company’s Education to Workforce Team program and then led the program’s U.S. business development and program management team. After that, Osmond was promoted to global lead for the AWS Training and Certification team.…Read More

DreamBox Learning® Expands into PreK-2 Reading with Launch of Reading Park

BELLEVUE, Wash. —  In response to  nationwide declines in student reading scores, today DreamBox Learning, Inc.® (“DreamBox”), the only provider of solutions rated “Strong” by Johns Hopkins’ EvidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading and pioneer of intelligent adaptive learning, announced the launch of DreamBox Reading Park™, an expansion of its reading portfolio to PreK-2 students nationwide. Through the launch, DreamBox is bringing its patented, state-of-the-art adaptive platform for the first time to PreK-2 readers, offering personalized learning paths that adapt in real-time to every interaction, both within and between lessons, in a playful, engaging learning environment. Reading Park meets Foundational Reading Standards for grades K-2 as outlined in national and state English Language Arts (ELA) standards.

DreamBox’s intelligent adaptive learning platform leverages cognitive science and learning principles to engage and support students at any age. Through Reading Park, DreamBox combines the company’s best-in-class platform with an evidence-based, structured literacy approach that empowers students to more effectively learn to read. Hundreds of teacher-crafted foundational reading lessons are available in a scope and sequence that maximizes educational outcomes.

“We could not be more thrilled to launch Reading Park and bring our intelligent adaptive learning platform to students just beginning their reading journeys,” said Jessie Woolley-Wilson, CEO and President of DreamBox Learning. “As an early innovator in education technology, we have seen firsthand how complementing teacher instruction with proven-effective adaptive technology can help build students’ confidence, critical thinking skills, and a lifelong love of learning. With Reading Park, we are opening access to an engaging, personalized learning experience that meets the earliest of readers exactly where they are and encourages a joy for reading that will not only set students up for success throughout their educational careers, but also in life.”…Read More

Simplified K-12 cybersecurity streamlines student data access

Remember when moving from one end of a state to another often meant changing phone numbers because the new residence would be in a different area code? And, after cell phones were born, remember when relocating across the country meant ditching a cell phone company, along with the number, because the new area of the country didn’t include the same coverage?

Chances are, if you are as old as I am, these scenarios do sound familiar. For most cell phone users, however, changing cell numbers just because you relocate is a foreign concept. A cell phone number becomes part of who we are, part of our contact identity, and, if we don’t want to, we never have to change cell numbers again. 

Now, let’s apply this scenario to today’s school environment and student data. Huh? I know you’re thinking this analogy might be a stretch, but stay with me, and I promise this will all make sense.…Read More

1 2