Clearlake Capital-Backed Discovery Education to Acquire DreamBox Learning  

Charlotte, NC — Discovery Education, a global education technology company backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”), today announced it has agreed to acquire DreamBox Learning®, a PK-12 education technology provider serving more than 6 million students and 600,000 educators nationwide. DreamBox Learning’s current investors Elliott Investment Management L.P. and TPG’s The Rise Fund will retain minority stakes in the company.  Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, DreamBox Learning offers the only dual-discipline solution rated “Strong” by Johns Hopkins University’s evidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading. Through its high-quality adaptive learning solutions independently proven to accelerate student growth, DreamBox Learning empowers educators with data analytics and content-specific professional development solutions to complement instruction.

“Discovery Education is excited to welcome DreamBox Learning, a brand synonymous with quality, research-based math and reading edtech solutions to our growing family of services,” said Discovery Education Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Cowdrey. “Combining an expertise in learning science with adaptive, effective instructional solutions, DreamBox Learning’s solutions can help students excel regardless of who they are or where they live. Through this latest acquisition, Discovery Education is better positioned to broaden its impact on student success by providing our existing network of partner school systems access to DreamBox Learning’s collection of supplemental math, reading, and professional learning solutions.” …Read More

5 ways AI can help teachers in the classroom

Key points:

If you’ve spent any time tinkering with AI like I have, you’ve discovered what a powerful and versatile tool it can be for teachers in the classroom. Sometimes, it almost feels like AI gives us superpowers. Simply by using a collection of prompts, I can direct AI to write, draw, code, and perform any number of difficult tasks in ways I otherwise couldn’t. The only limit is your imagination!

This brings up some pressing questions, though, and as with any new technology, it will take time before we reach definitive answers. In the meantime, however, finding positive ways of integrating AI into education can give us a better understanding of its full potential, and maybe point us in the right direction for its future use. Here are just 5 ways AI can help teachers in classroom:…Read More

CompTIA ChannelPro 2023 Cecilia Galvin Scholarship Winner Announced

Las Vegas (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce, announced that Sirihaasa Nallamothu from University High School in Normal, Ill., is the 2023 CompTIA ChannelPro Cecilia Galvin Scholarship Winner.

The scholarship is named in memory of Cecilia Galvin, executive editor at ChannelPro Network and a passionate champion of women in tech who passed away in 2017. The annual award helps a talented young woman with an interest in technology launch an education in IT.

“Cecilia Galvin was a true champion of women in technology and an inspiration to countless members of our community,” said MJ Shoer, chief community officer at CompTIA. “Sirihaasa Nallamothu is a shining example of the next generation of technology professionals and an ideal tribute to Cecilia Galvin.”…Read More

Number crunch: Edtech data you can use right now

The 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report launched last week at an event in Montevideo, Uruguay, hosted by UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Uruguay and Ceibal Foundation with 18 ministers of education from around the world. It proposes four questions that policymakers and educational stakeholders should reflect upon as technology is being deployed in education:

Is it appropriate?

Using technology can improve some types of learning in some contexts. The report cites evidence showing that learning benefits disappear if technology is used in excess or in the absence of a qualified teacher. For example, distributing computers to students does not improve learning if teachers are not involved in the pedagogical experience. Smartphones in schools have also proven to be a distraction to learning, yet fewer than a quarter of countries ban their use in schools.…Read More

Closing the gap in school emergency response

Key points:

  • One of the biggest issues surrounding school emergency plans is a reliance on disparate and disconnected technologies
  • Automated emergency response and streamlined communications are two ways to improve school emergency response plans
  • See related article: How our school handled the chaos of an active shooter hoax

As school violence has reached a 20-year high, schools and first responders are feeling more pressure to make sure they’re prepared to respond to and resolve school safety incidents as quickly and effectively as possible.

When an emergency happens at a school, every second matters during the response. But communication and visibility gaps continue to hinder school officials and first responders and their ability to respond quickly in emergencies. The ability to effectively communicate during these incidents saves lives.…Read More

Education in the age of AI and smart technology

Key points:

We are in a new era–the Era of Smart Technology. Artificial intelligence (AI) in the form of ChatGPT-4 is very smart and ChatGPT-5, -6, and -7, etc. will be even smarter. Smart technology will change the “game of work” and it will change how we educate people.

We will live in the most disruptive job time since the Great Depression. Technology is and will continue to automate many blue- and white-collar jobs. Oxford University predicts that 25-47 percent of U.S. jobs will be automated by 2030. Scientists have predicted that the average person will have 5 completely different jobs in the next 20 years. No one will be exempt.…Read More

YouScience® Administers Over 1 Million Certification Exams In The 2022-2023 Academic Year

AMERICAN FORK, UTAH (PRWEB) — YouScience®, the leading technology provider dedicated to closing the growing skills gap between students and employers, is proud to announce that it has administered over 1 million certification exams to high school students across the U.S., during the 2022-23 academic year. With  industry-recognized certifications, students can demonstrate and quantify their skills to share with future employers. This significant milestone illustrates the company’s commitment to bridging the skill and labor gap in the United States and equipping the future workforce with essential industry skills.

The nation faces a  critical challenge in matching available jobs with skilled workers. As industries evolve and technology advances at a rapid pace, traditional education systems struggle to keep up with the changing demands of the labor market. Recognizing this pressing issue, YouScience has developed a  comprehensive solution to empower high school students and ensure they possess the necessary skills for success in the workforce.

With its innovative platform,  YouScience® Brightpath, the company offers students an opportunity to explore their aptitudes, interests, and strengths, providing them with valuable insights into potential career paths. The platform utilizes a unique combination of aptitude testing and career discovery tools, enabling students to identify and align their natural abilities with the skills required in various industries.…Read More

This key strategy can help boost teacher well-being immediately

Key points:

  • Teachers have juggled so much during the pandemic and the return to school–it’s no wonder they’re burnt out
  • High-quality substitutes are key to teachers’ ability to take breaks, and technology can aid in recruiting subs
  • See related article: Survey highlights troubling teacher morale issues

In the wake of the pandemic, student mental health is a top concern for K-12 leaders, as it should be. But teacher wellness is also at crisis levels, and this has important implications for the quality of education that students receive.

When education shifted online in spring 2020, teachers had to learn new technologies and instructional strategies in a very short amount of time. Many endured the loss of friends and family members to COVID-related illness. When school districts returned to in-person learning, several teachers worried about their own safety. Teachers have had to deal with a sharp rise in behavioral issues and address a growing number of social-emotional needs among their students. They’ve worked long hours to facilitate learning recovery.…Read More

SIIA Announces 2023 CODiE Award Winners for Education Technology

WASHINGTON (PRWEB) — In celebration of the 38th annual SIIA CODiE Awards, the  Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) today announces the 50 winners of the 2023 CODiE Awards in Education Technology. The winners were presented during a virtual awards celebration hosted on the  NewSky XR secure online platform on June 22.

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 winner are listed at  https://siia.net/codie/2023-codie-education-technology-winners/.

“The winners of the 2023 EdTech CODiE Awards serve as prime examples of exceptional products, services and groundbreaking innovation that enables learners of all types to connect with educators and educational materials,” said SIIA President Chris Mohr. “We take great pride in acknowledging this year’s honorees, who represent the pinnacle of excellence and offer solutions to the pressing challenges learners encounter today, such as accessibility, equity, personalized learning and more. Congratulations to all the deserving recipients of this year’s CODiE Awards!”…Read More

4 considerations for school safety solutions

Key points:

Recent school safety data revealed that during one school year, more than 900,000 violent incidents – such as physical attacks and fights (with or without a weapon) – were reported by public schools throughout the U.S. 

Many schools adopt safety technology in hopes that it will never be used, but the reality is that safety incidents happen every day; therefore, the technology should be able to handle everyday situations in addition to the most extreme. Schools need to be equipped with technology to prevent, prepare, and respond to all situations, from medical emergencies to the most serious ones such as active shooters. …Read More

Optoma Unveils the Multiple Award Winning ML1080 and ML1080ST RGB Triple Laser Projectors

ORLANDO, FL, June 14, 2023 – Optoma, the No. 1 4K UHD and DLP® brand worldwide and in the Americas in projection technology,¹ today at InfoComm introduced the Optoma ML1080 and the ML1080ST, first-of-their-kind portable, premium RGB triple laser projectors with a wide BT2020 color gamut normally only available in larger, more costly home theater projectors. The ML1080 has been awarded the InfoComm 2023 Best of Show Award by ProjectorCentral.   

These portable and compact projectors deliver sharp color, incredible brightness, and flexible set-up features for various immersive installations and on-the-go professional environments.  

Built with RGB triple laser light source technology and Full HD 1080p native resolution, the ML1080 and ML1080ST feature 1,200 lumens of brightness and produce accurate, cinema-grade colors to deliver an unrivalled image performance compared with similarly sized projectors. Available in an impressive 0.78:1 short throw ratio, the ML1080ST delivers an up to 100-inch image just five feet away from display surfaces, perfect for smaller meeting spaces and entertainment setups. …Read More

Is AI the future of education?

Key points:

Sometime late last year, AI reached an inflection point. Experts have been making grand predictions on its behalf for decades, but the moment OpenAI opened ChatGPT up to the public, the actual potential of this technology became clear on a mass level. Almost instantly, hundreds of articles began to appear on the transformative potential of AI for fields as diverse as medicine, law, and entertainment.

Of course, some fields are more amenable to technological revolutions than others. You can see why lawyers, for instance, might appreciate instantly generated summaries of past case law—but the implications of AI in the classroom might be trickier. Teachers are understandably wary; they’re interested in anything that might optimize the learning experience, but they also know that the classroom is a delicate ecosystem, and that any change can have unintended knock-on effects.…Read More