techlearning_00163

NEED TO KNOW

5G

SEE PAGE 14

VOLUME 38 / NUMBER 10

TECHLEARNING.COM

IDEAS AND TOOLS FOR ED TECH LEADERS I JUNE/JULY 2018 I $6

GAME CHANGERS

2018’s MOST
INFLUENTIAL

PEOPLE
IN EDTECH

To see more PUT TO THE TEST: FOLLOW THE MONEY:
Tech & Learning PROJECTPALS FUNDING INNOVATION
scan the code See page 15 for more. See page 34 for more.
or visit us online
at: www.techlearning.
com/June18

Photo © Tetra Images/Getty Images TRANSFORM

Independent Learning

Scholastic Education Digital Solutions empower educators with online, research-based tools that provide actionable
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conjunction with Dr. Elfrieda Hiebert, supercharges
Better than ever, BookFlix 2.0 includes over 135 animated vocabulary acquisition and deepens comprehension through
stories from Weston Woods paired with best-selling fun, research-based gameplay for students in Grades K–5.
nonfiction Scholastic ebooks. BookFlix’s fiction and By mastering the 2,500 word families that make up 90% of
nonfiction pairings strengthen early literacy skills while texts, all students will be better prepared for reading.
exposing readers in Grades PreK–3 to real-world concepts.

Visit scholastic.com/digitalsolutions or email
[email protected] to learn more.

CONTENTSJ U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 8
| VOL. 38 NO.10

FEATURES

12 20 CHANGE AGENTS: TECH & LEARNING’S MOST
INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN EDTECH IN 2018
16 28
30 By Tara Smith
44 34 Each of these leaders is working in thoughtful and creative
ways on the frontlines of some of today’s most pressing issues—
from the way we think about learning, AI, and innovation to
gun control, refugees, and student privacy.

FROM BREADCRUMBS TO BREADBOARDS

By Jerri Kemble
Today’s forward-thinking educator is asking herself how to
infuse coding, STEM, and STEAM into the classroom. Many
educators, however, find it difficult to know where to start.
Here are some ideas.

MAKERSPACE PRODUCT ROUNDUP

By Shannon Mersand and Sheri McNair
The products in this guide help extend the offerings in makerspaces.

FOLLOW THE MONEY: FUNDING INNOVATION

This special funding section includes details on what schools
are buying, e-rate updates, making the most of your budget,
and tips for passing school bond initiatives.

30 PRODUCTS

15 PROJECTPALS REVIEW
16 BEST OF INFOCOMM
38 WHAT’S NEW

New Tools for Schools

44 NEW CARTS FOR K-12

DEPARTMENTS & Scan here to access
COLUMNS the digital edition,

4 EDITORS DESK which includes
People Power additional resources.

6 TRENDING

14 NEED TO KNOW: 5K

18 BIG IDEAS
An ISTE Cheat Sheet;
Taking Smart Risks

Tech & Learning (ISSN-1053-6728) (USPS 695-590) is published monthly (except July and
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tech & Learning, PO Box 8746, Lowell, MA 01853
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noteEDITOR’S

PEOPLE JUNE/JULY 2018 | VOL. 38 NO. 10
POWER
What does it mean to be influential? Most www.techlearning.com
of us initially think of edtech CEOs or big
city superintendents when it comes to lists FOLLOW US
such as this month’s cover story. After all, twitter.com/techlearning
that new product release or policy decision
can immediately affect enormous student CONTENT
Managing Content Director Kevin Hogan
populations. And while we have certainly highlighted honchos over
[email protected]
the years in this annual issue, we have also come to discover that Content Director Christine Weiser, [email protected]

influencers are everywhere. Sometimes even they don’t recognize Contributors Judy Salpeter, Gwen Solomon
Advisors Carl Hooker, Andrew Wallace,
their effect.
Marianthe Williams, Steve Baule, Leo Brehm, Jean Tower,
This year’s batch is Hank Thiele, Jenith Mishne, Frank Pileiro, Patricia Brown,
Phil Hintz, Ken Wallace, Rick Cave, Chris Aviles, Diane Doersh,
a varied group. Contributing writer Tara Smith talks to Mike Jamerson, Rico D’Amore, Todd Dugan, Grace Magley,

them all (page 20): the former refugee from Afghanistan Andrew Marcinek, John Marcus, Laura Chesson,
Jon Castelhano, Karen Fuller
who developed online language courseware; the futurist
Production Manager Fred Vega, [email protected]
who is declaring the time for artificial intelligence is now; Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban
Senior Design Director Lisa McIntosh
the venture capitalist devoted to reimagining learning; WHILE WE HAVE
the high-school student who is turning a tragedy into a CERTAINLY ADVERTISING SALES
next-generation platform for advocacy. Each also shares HIGHLIGHTED VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer Electronics, Education & Pro Audio
a desire to improve education through new and innovative HONCHOS OVER
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Tech & Learning’s mission. Yes, we’re a technology ANNUAL ISSUE, WE
magazine. We love the gear! But the gear is only as good as HAVE ALSO COME SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE
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4 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M



NTERWESNANDDTINREGNDS

THE LATEST NEWS & STATS AFFECTING THE K-12 EDTECH COMMUNITY

top10 BLOG BITS
WEB STORIES
From techlearning.com “No matter how cool it is, if that
$3,000 piece of equipment enters
1 A V Tech Gets Creative 6 W hat’s New in Google— a classroom and doesn’t provide
Learn how teachers are using April 2018 any real instructional value,
AV tools in creative ways to it can quickly become a very
engage their students. Catch up on all the latest, including expensive paperweight.”
—Nicole Krueger
2 C elebrate Teachers: 26 new Google updates and 41
It’s True . . . I Teach Because “How do we overcome the
Google resources for your class. challenges of institutional
I Can’t Do Anything Else! constraints and competing
Here are 10 inspiring reasons 7 H elp Students Generate Further demands on time, resources, and
why genuine educators Questions with Formative talent to offer STEM/STEAM
continue to teach and prepare experiences for our students?”
students for what they will Get students to take ownership —Steve Ouellette
do best in the world. of their learning by documenting
the questions they still have “Google Forms is one of my
3 N ew Tools for Schools favorite classroom tools. But
Stay on the cutting edge— after the quiz is over. here’s the deal—most teachers
discover the latest in printers, aren’t taking full advantage of
assessment tools, school safety, 8 S creen-Free Coding Now Available what Google Forms has to offer.”
online courses, and more. in the US for K–2 Students —John Sowash

4 2 5 Social Networks/Media Sites With KUBO Robotics, young TOP
for Education students will enjoy their first TWEETS
These networks and online experience of coding and even
communities, including a Dr. Bradford Hubbard @
number of new ones, target earn a license to code. hubbardbradford: The tech has
technology literacy and can be to be embedded in a strategic
a huge benefit to education. 9 2 5 Ways to Use Google plan, curriculum, instruction
Forms in the Classroom & learning...it ought not be a
5 6 Steps to Get Going with stand-alone thing. Via @Rico_
(with Examples!) Damore#TLTechLive
Infographics from Take full advantage of what Timothy Selgrat @techknowledgest:
Google Forms has to offer. For successful implementation
@Eileen_Lennon Create certificates, book reports, administrators need to trust and
Here are tips, tricks, and support their teachers. Allow
techniques for communicating activities, reading logs, and more. for failure and learn from it.
and sharing ideas in #TLTechLive
visually appealing way. 10 F orce Copy: The G-Suite Tip Every
Teacher Needs to Know

Learn a simple tip for the times you

want someone to use their own

version of a document you share.

FIND LINKS AT WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM/JUNE18

6 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

Drive the Future
of Coding

Collaborative STEM Activities for Coding and Robotics

Introduce your students to the coding skills they need to compete in our increasingly digital world.
With mBot,™ an affordable DIY robot kit, students learn entry-level coding that extends
beyond the screen and lets them interact with the physical world.

With the purchase of an mBot robot from Vernier, you’ll have access to our
FREE Coding with mBot: Self-Driving Vehicles activities module.

Learn more at www.vernier.com/makeblock

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TRENDING

10 SITES FOR ONLINE TUTORING/TEACHING

Online tutoring has grown in popularity and is ideal for many—it’s flexible and usually much less expensive than tutoring centers. Educators
who tutor online can earn extra money doing what they love from the comfort of home on their own schedule. And students like being able to
choose courses that work for them. David Kapuler provides the following list, in alphabetical order, of 10 top online tutoring sites.

Buddy School—An excellent site where Tutor.com—One of the best and most popular places to go for
you can promote your classes and increase online tutoring. Students can get help with any subject and with
your teacher score (with ratings by homework as well, and there are nice mobility features.
students).
Tutor Hub—In this UK-based community, students can find online
Chegg Tutors—A fantastic site for students tutors and answers to their questions.
to find a tutor in any subject.
Tutor Vista—On this popular site
Classmill—This free site lets users create students work in a one-on-one
classes using links, videos, images, and secure environment on an interactive
more. whiteboard. 

Happy Tutors—A free site where tutors and students can find what Ulessy—This site is an online tutoring
they’re looking for. Tutors can pay a fee for extra exposure. hub and a social network for educators.

Sophia—A great site where educators can share what they know WizIQ—This popular site offers different
via different teaching strategies (e.g., blended instruction, flipped pricing plans, and students take classes in a private virtual
classroom). classroom.

FOR MORE GO TO TECHLEARNING.COM/TL-ADVISOR-BLOG/10-SITES-FOR-ONLINE-TUTORING-TEACHING

5 KEYNOTERS ON EDUCATION’S SITE OF
HOTTEST TOPICS COMING TO ISTE 2018 THE WEEK

In addition to hundreds of experiential learning opportunities, over 500 vendors, and nearly two dozen CIVICS GAME EXPLORES
playgrounds for exploring the hottest topics in edtech, ISTE in Chicago this summer will feature the INNER WORKINGS OF
following five keynote speakers: LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Neuroscientist David Eagleman, Ph.D., a Michael Cohen, a designer, educator, and creativity This simulation helps
bestselling author, professor, speaker, inventor, instigator, is known as The Tech Rabbi. His students understand local
and advisor will talk about how to find more mission is to help educators discover their government and the tough
creativity in your life. creative abilities so they can empower students decisions and complex
to solve interesting problems and become civic problems community
Andy Weir, New York Times positive contributors to our global society. leaders face.
bestselling author of The
Martian and a software Brooklyn public middle-school
engineer, encourages others principal, Nadia Lopez, became
to be more creative and an educational celebrity
envision a colorful future overnight when one of her
through the power of science. students credited her as the
greatest influence in his life on
Katie Martin, Head of Partnerships West at the “Humans of New York” blog. Today, this
AltSchool, believes that if we want to change founder of Mott Hall Bridges Academy uses her
how students learn, we must change how platform to encourage and assist underprivileged
educators learn. communities who want to create positive impacts.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ISTE 2018 AT ISTECONFERENCE.ORG

8 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

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TRENDING

WATCHING TV THINKSTOCK/WIKOSKI APPS OF THE
REMAINS KIDS’ DAY FROM
MOST POPULAR TECHLEARNING.COM

PASTIME App of the Day picks are selected from
the top edtech tools reviewed by Common
Findings from the latest Kids Tech Consumer Survey from Futuresource Consulting include: Sense Education.

Kids around the world aged 3–16 watch 63% of children (and over 75% of 350+ Real-World Activities
TV an average of 4.8 hours a week 13–16-year-olds) multitask, using Make Math Relevant
(compared to 3.9 hours in active play and another device—to play games, watch Yummy Math offers 3rd–12th grade
3.5 hours watching content on mobile other content, or engage in social Common Core-aligned math activities
devices). media—while watching TV. on topics kids care about, such as
earthquakes and Fantasy Football.
US children spend the most Social networking is still a staple, with 70%
time in front of the TV—an of Gen Zers accessing Facebook (49% use Vocabulary App Teaches Words
average of one hour per day. WhatsApp and 45% are on Instagram). from the Ground Up
Ink Blott Underground helps students
32% of kids globally (45% in the US) are Over a third of kids in the US learn word stems and word attack skills as
active watchers of others playing video consume over five hours of they build vocabulary.
games (eSports). YouTube content per week.

FOR MORE SURVEYS, VISIT WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM/JUNE18 Coloring App Brings Artwork to Life
Augmented reality adds interactivity
THREE SCHOOLS NAMED NATIONAL WINNERS IN and a “wow” factor to coloring in Quiver
THE SAMSUNG SOLVE FOR TOMORROW CONTEST Education’s 3D Coloring App.

This nationwide competition challenges 6th through
12th graders to use STEAM to address real-world
issues and inspire change in their communities.
The winning projects address the opioid epidemic,
concussion detection, and natural disasters:

Ashland Middle School (KY) created a device that
allows first responders to safely collect hazardous
needles left behind by opioid and other drug users.

Cavallini Middle School (NJ) developed software and sensors for football helmets to
quickly and more accurately identify potential concussions.

Thomas Jefferson Middle School (NC) built a water sensor and barrier system that
deploys when water reaches unsafe levels to mitigate the effects of flooding.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE PROJECTS GO TO SAMSUNG.COM/SOLVE

1 0 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

An Product

What applications are being used in your classrooms?

CatchOn provides district technology leaders with up-to-the-minute
usage on all apps, software, and website activity across all devices.

Why CatchOn?

Invest Wisely Inform Training Improve Usage Spot Trends

Evaluate software renewals Identify which apps need Ensure that important Discover what free or
with actual usage and more training for your classroom apps are being used unapproved apps are being
nancial data, not surveys. used that can improve learning.
teachers to be successful. effectively across campus.

DEMO CATCHON TODAY!

See firsthand why district leaders say
they cannot lead the district without it!

Visit www.ena.com/get-catchon to gain immediate visibility into your software activity.

TRENDING THINKSTOCK/SERRNOVIK

REPORT FINDS INCREASE THINKSTOCK/A-IMAGE TOP 10 WAYS
IN DATA BREACHES IN
EDUCATION AND OFFERS TOYS CAN
TIPS TO HELP PREVENT THEM TEACH STEAM

Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) provides a Based on findings from their new report, “Decoding
comprehensive view of global cybersecurity from an analysis of more than STEM/STEAM,” the Toy Association offers 10
53,000 cybersecurity incidents and over 2,300 data breaches from over reasons to encourage children to play with toys.
65 countries. Key findings in the education sector include:
◗ 70 percent of all cyber incidents in education 1. Toys get kids involved with STEAM subjects and give
were financially motivated.
◗ Social engineering targeting personal information, them positive experiences with these disciplines.
specifically around W-2 scams, remains high.
◗ Highly sensitive research is also at risk, with 20 percent 2. Toys can teach kids how to fail and still have fun.
of attacks motivated by espionage.
◗ 12 percent of attacks were motivated by “fun” rather than This also develops perseverance.
financial gain.
◗ Education continues to face denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. 3. Toys teach collaboration and build social skills.
◗ 79 percent of threat actors were external, and 21 percent 4. Toys expand stereotypical roles and foster cultural
were internal.
diversity.
Proactive steps to take now include:
◗ Stay vigilant. 5. Toys teach kids to take healthy risks.
◗ Train staff to spot the warning signs. 6. Toys can promote hands-on exploration and help
◗ Keep data on a “need to know” basis.
◗ Patch promptly. improve cognition.
◗ Encrypt sensitive data.
◗ Use two-factor authentication. 7. Toys encourage kids to explore their talents and
◗ Don’t forget physical security.
develop their passions through play.
FOR MORE GO TO WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM/JUNE18
8. Toys help kids relate STEAM subjects like math and
1 2 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M
science to everyday experiences including cooking,
running, and building.

9. Toys teach kids to problem solve, think deeply, and

take their time.

10. Toys help integrate the arts into STEAM projects by

encouraging creativity, intuition, and imagination.

FOR MORE GO TO WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM/JUNE18

Introducing OneSync

Q&A with ClassLink CEO, Berj Akian

ClassLink recently announced OneSync. What is it? What’s the relationship to Single Sign-On?

OneSync is software that does account provisioning. That’s We’re best known as a leading single sign-on and rostering
where you can import a list of names, typically from your provider. OneSync is a natural t with our mission to provide
student information system (SIS) and human resources (HR) instant access to online resources to students and teachers.
system and create network login accounts in your directories.
Most schools today use a combination of Microsoft Active Is that all it does, create new login accounts?
Directory, Azure/O365 Directory, and Google Directory.
OneSync takes the list of names from the SIS and HR systems Glad you asked... It does more. There are a few products out
and automates creating accounts in these directories. It does it there that create login accounts. It’s not that di cult to write
securely and the experience is so easy. software to do that. I’ve seen schools even hire developers to
write custom software to do it (it’s usually a little ‘sketch’, but it
Is that a big deal? gets the job done!). Ours has the polish of ease of use and it
comes with unlimited support... we still go further though.
Oh yes. Just ask any new student or new teacher who can’t login With OneSync, schools can also import the list of users from a
to online resources. They might be patient for a few hours or till directory and run a comparison to the SIS and HR, to identify
the next morning. After that, everyone gets frustrated that new login accounts for people that are probably no longer associat-
people can’t login. ed with the school. We call this process account reconciliation
and OneSync does it beautifully. There are a lot of schools out
Why did ClassLink Develop OneSync? there with directories containing accounts that should be
deleted. I’ve even heard about schools getting ‘dinged’ on
The short answer is that our clients asked us to build it. They told compliance audits on this point. With OneSync, that cleanup
us that the existing tools in the market weren’t satisfactory and can be automated.
they trusted us to build something better and provide better But wait, there’s more... when OneSync is combined with
support. I think we did just that. And the schools that have been ClassLink Roster Server, which is OneRoster® certi ed, schools
testing it for us feel the same way too. can not only provision login accounts into O365 and Google,
but they can also create groups in Microsoft Teams and Google
AD Classroom. And that’s a big deal too, because today, there’s no
AD easy way to correctly create those groups with select course/-
class enrollments.
OneSync O365
Google VISIT

How does it impact teachers and students? BOOTH #2613!

Well, if you can’t log in, you’re not happy. OneSync was built for www.classlink.com 1.888.963.7550 [email protected]
IT teams to ensure teachers, students, and sta , have valid login
accounts that work reliably... to clean up accounts that shouldn’t
be there... and to help with Microsoft Teams and Google Class-
room. So, I guess if it all works correctly, teachers and students
don’t even notice. I once heard someone describe it as “there are
no parades for technology sta when everything works, but it’s
pitchfork time when it doesn’t!”.

TRENDING

5G AND EDTECH? to many promises made through the years for
technology in schools. Even the most optimistic
First, there was Sneaker Net. Then came the the education, connecting it to everyday of projections don’t see any real solution in fewer
Information Superhighway. Next up? The experience, reinforces learning and often than five years. Nevertheless, major carriers like
Cloud. And now the latest catchphrase for the increases students’ motivation since it shows its Verizon, have begun to invest in research and
next great Internet thing—5G. What could this practical application side.” Saracco and other development today. As part of a $400 million
mean for edtech? If the price is right and various visionaries point to augmented and virtual initiative to fund STEM education, the company
regulations and standards fall into place, it could reality technologies as two areas where 5G can has announced plans to double the number of
mean a faster, more reliable platform to access make a real difference. in-school programs it supports, from 100 middle
online learning opportunities. We don’t suggest schools, beginning in September 2018, to 200
holding your breath for it any time soon, however. Imagine learning biology by taking a virtual middle schools by the end of 2020. Verizon
tour of the human body or taking a field trip to Innovative Learning schools will have access to
Roberto Saracco writes in the IEEE Rome without leaving your classroom. 5G and continue programs in urban and rural
directions: “In the education sector the communities that expose students to skill-
possibility of personalising and contextualising Sounds great, right? You’ve also probably building in augmented reality, machine learning,
heard it before. The promise of 5G is similar coding, 3D printing, and more, reaching a total of
an additional five million students by 2023.

CLASS
TECH
TIPS

How To Skype with an Adobe Spark Activities for Can an App Spark Student Curiosity?
Expert in Your Classroom
Elementary Students The goal of thoughtful technology
Here are a few things to consider as integration is to take the best
you prepare for an expert Skype visit. Students and teachers can
create movies with Spark Video, practices of the past to the next
level with digital tools.
websites with Spark Page, and
graphics with Spark Post.

FOR MORE GO TO WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM/JUNE18

1 4 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

PRODUCTREVIEWS

TECH & LEARNING EDITORS TAKE SOME NEW PRODUCTS FOR A TEST DRIVE

PROJECT PALS OVERALL
RATING: Project Pals
projectpals.com n Retail Prices: Class: Free (up to 20 projects and 50 students); Team: $500 per teacher per year (unlimited is a complete project
projects and students); School: $10 per student per year (unlimited projects and teachers). management platform. It
provides a comprehensive and
PBy Frank Pileiro manner. The easy-to-navigate environment
roduct Description: Project Pals is a Web-based management collaborative features for both teachers and students to
system for project based learning (PBL). It allows students to work are simple to use and complete individual or team tasks.
collaboratively or individually to organize projects and content. teachers can create Using this platform, students
Teachers can use Project Pals to organize work, monitor classes in order to assign can develop the skills they
student progress, and assess projects in an interactive work as needed. need to succeed in today’s
collaborative work
Project worksheets give
environments.

environment. Project Pals also provides a resource bank of teachers a template to plan out and

Common Core-aligned lesson plans so teachers can drag and drop content to create an entire project. The worksheets have sections for project descriptions,

differentiate instruction. Using the publishing and standards, essential questions, resources, etc. If

sharing features, finished work can be shared with a they wish, teachers can plan out an entire unit of

school or district library. study before they move the content to Project Pals.

Quality and Effectiveness: Project-based Creative Use of Technology: Project Pals is

learning (PBL) has proven to be effective, and an innovative product for PBL classrooms with an

Project Pals helps teachers and students organize intuitive and visually pleasing user environment.

information and share and track their work. When users log in, they see all of the project

Students can visualize their work and collaborate workspaces graphically displayed as “cards”

to share tasks. This tool is also very effective for on the home page. Teachers can see all of their

individual student projects, because it’s flexible classes, publish and share projects, or search the

and allows students to upload or post a variety of catalogue. While it’s great for students to be able

content. to collaborate, the ability for teachers to share

Teacher tools help instructors monitor content and projects is very innovative.

progress, communicate with students, and evaluate Suitability for Use in a School

work. Project Pals also gives teachers insights into Environment: Project Pals is a great solution

group projects so they can see who has contributed. for PBL lessons. Teachers and students can

This keeps students accountable and enables have anytime, anywhere access to work alone or

collaboratively. Because teachers can track and

TOP FEATURES teachers to identify potential analyze student work as a project progresses,
issues with understanding or they can gain insight and make data-driven decisions in real time. In
addition, teachers can build a catalogue of projects and students can build a

1. Common Core-aligned projects can be shared workload. portfolio of work.
reused and shared. Ease of Use: Project Pals is

2. Users can upload and share a variety a fast-loading, comprehensive,
of media files in a collaborative work and easy-to-use program. It
environment. gives teachers and students tools
and resources to successfully
3. Provides useful project and student implement PBL in an organized
data and analytics for teachers.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

1 5W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

WBESINT ONFEIRNFSOCOMM

Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Best of InfoComm!
Below are highlights of these winning products:

LAYER LOGIC, CORETOUCH HALL RESEARCH, EX-HDU

( layerlogic.com) ( hallresearch.com/page/products/EX-HDU)
Whether it’s figuring out the right input The EX-HDU allows users to connect
on the display, connecting the laptop, their HDMI + USB from their PC to
uploading the content, or adding the a wall plate transmitter and have both
remote participants, there always seems to signals extended to a receiver up to
be some technology getting in the way of 200 feet away. The patent-pending
starting the meeting on time. CoreTouch provides a simple and inexpensive single-gang wall plate sender has a
way to integrate up to four computers that are simultaneously touch- two-port hub for USB connection
interactive onto any touch screen. The judges like that there’s no software to and one HDMI input—so no power
download and the program can work with any OS—simply plug in your device supply is needed. The plug-and-play extender is ideal for interactive displays
and start sharing. and KVM extension, and it’s compatible with all PCs, MACs, and Android
tablets and does not require driver installation. The judges think it’s a unique
SONIC FOUNDRY, solution, as it combines a variety of different products into a simple and easy-
MEDIASITE RL MINI to-integrate kit.

(pages.sonicfoundry.com/RL-Mini) RORYCO,
Sonic Foundry introduces the CROWDBEAMER
Mediasite RL Mini, proving that great
lecture capture can come in small (crowdbeamer.com)
packages. The newest member of Crowdbeamer is a presentation
the company’s classroom-based recording family provides the automation system that streams any HDMI
and high-quality capture Mediasite is known for in a compact, affordable or VGA video signal in real
device, ensuring even more students never miss a lecture. The RL Mini is time to all wirelessly connected
fully automated and schedulable, designed to be run from the Mediasite portable devices. One crowdbeamer can broadcast to up to 175 different smart
Video Platform or Mediasite Video Cloud. It gives students instant access clients (smartphones, tablets, and portables). Using a free app—available for
to valuable video study materials and provides system administrators with all major operating systems—the audience can capture the presentation, add
everything they need to manage, secure, share, search, and track the video personal notes, and export the content to other business apps. That audience
content. Though pricey for K–12 at $2,995, the Mini is still less expensive engagement helps presenters create long-term impact with their message.
than many lecture capture systems and now includes polls, quizzes, and the The judges like that users can connect to a private network and can easily
ability to aonnotate. download the app and see the presentation on their devices. They can then save
the presentation to their cameras or export the pdf and save to Google Drive,
INFOCUS, 86” JTOUCH PLUS Dropbox, etc.

(infocus.com/products/inf8630ag) CHIEF, ELECTRIC HEIGHT ADJUST MOUNTS
The 86-inch JTouch Plus INF8630eAG is the
largest open Android-based interactive touch (www.legrandav.com/Products/Chief)
display solution from InFocus, built specifically Chief’s new electric height adjust series provides
for K–12 classrooms and higher education greater accessibility to interactive technology. The new
spaces. The expansive 4K anti-glare display is cart floor-support and wall mounts have a 310-pound
an ideal solution for presentations, interactive (140.6 kg.) weight capacity to support heavy-duty
learning, and collaboration, giving users the interactive displays, and they also give an option to
ability to customize and annotate documents, users who may prefer an electric solution over a non-
browse the Web, and run Android applications motorized one. The judges think these features make it
at the front of the classroom. The judges like that the touch display works as ideal for schools, since it can easily adjust to different
both a whiteboard and a monitor and that teachers and students can easily cut heights appropriate for students from kindergarten to
and paste documents, post to the board, and annotate the images. high school.

1 6 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

CRESTRON ELECTRONICS, INC., DM-NVX SERIES ViewSonic display, the NMP660 Chromebox
WITH DANTE SUPPORT delivers a complete and secure Chrome OS
and Google Play experience. The NMP660
(crestron.com) Chromebox offers a quick out-of-the-box
Engineered in the Crestron DigitalMedia setup, an integrated Google management
Lab, the DM-NVX is the only secure console, and built-in security features—
network AV solution that now supports making it an ideal solution for educational environments.
Dante and AES67. The exclusive, patent-
pending technology eliminates the latency SHARP ELECTRONICS CORPORATION,
associated with network video. DM-NVX provides a high-performance, real-time PN-UH701/601
AV encoder or decoder that transports 4K60 4:4:4 video over standard Gigabit
Ethernet and enables fully-scalable, enterprise-wide 4K content distribution. (siica.sharpusa.com/Professional-Displays/Models)
Sharp’s new 70” Class (69 43/64” diagonal)
CRESTRON ELECTRONICS, INC., PN-UH701 and 60” Class (60 5/64”
CRESTRON AIRBOARD diagonal) PN-UH601 commercial displays
are ideal for education environments. The
(crestron.com) true-to-life precision of 4K-Ultra HD
AirBoard enables the viewing of electronic resolution enables students and faculty to see
whiteboard content on any display device, subtler textures and finer details. The PN-
thereby solving the problem of remote UH701/601 displays have a powerful RS-232C command set, which permits
participants not being able to see the flexible remote control capabilities from connected devices. They also come
whiteboard unless they’re seated with a with lockout capabilities, including a public mode function for instructors and
direct line of sight. AirBoard is essentially a school administrators to control who is viewing the content.
camera on an arm that attaches to any electronic whiteboard via the included
mounting kit. With PoE, only a single Ethernet cable to the LAN is required for 4K 4X4 HDMI Matrix Switch
video, communication, and power. The AirBoard is ideal for distance learning. with IR, RS-232, and IP Control

CRESTRON ELECTRONICS, INC., HSM-44-BX
MEDIA PRESENTATION CONTROLLER M5
HDCP 2.2 and 4K UHD
(crestron.com) Simultaneous HDMI and HDBaseT on each output
Crestron MPC is a family of two-series control Extends HDMI, IR, RS-232, Ethernet, and Power on HDBaseT
systems designed for installation in a wall or Intuitive front panel control with two-line LCD
podium. Perfect for classrooms, meeting rooms, Analog and Digital Extracted Audio Outputs
lecture halls, and training facilities, the MPC-M5 Uses Hall Research Genesis™ Control Command Set (GCCS)
provides a fully programmable user interface
featuring an attractive and intuitive layout of push SERVING YOU SINCE 1984
buttons with customizable backlit labeling and wireless remote capability. hallresearch.com 714-641-6607

CLEVERTOUCH, PLUS SERIES 1 7W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

(clevertouch.com/education)
Clevertouch’s Plus Series includes easy-
to-use LUX software and an intuitive
walk-up-and-use experience. Connectivity
is a cornerstone of the Plus Series; its
open platform enables teachers to share
content or media from any connected tablet,
smartphone, or laptop directly onto the Plus
screen. The Plus Series comes with Snowflake MultiTeach and Lessons Online
software, featuring a diverse range of pre-designed lessons. Every Plus Series
comes with the Cleverstore—a carefully vetted collection of popular teaching
apps that are free to download with no in-app purchases or advertisements.

VIEWSONIC, NMP660 CHROMEBOX

(viewsonic.com/us)
The ViewSonic NMP660 Chromebox can transform any Google classroom
into a collaborative learning hub or provide content management as a signage
player and desktop virtualization solution for conference rooms. Paired with
the company’s ViewBoard family of interactive flat-panel displays or any

BIG IDEAS

TAKING
SMART
RISKS

ISTE 2018 TBy Matthew X. Joseph
CHEAT SHEET aking risks can be uncomfortable and
even scary, but innovation and growth
HBy Patricia Brown DO: Work hard—then play hard (and take in education won’t happen unless
ere are a few “do’s and don’ts” to help advantage of the free stuff!). leaders step outside their comfort
you make the most out of your ISTE Bring a small carry-on bag, or leave room in your zones. How can district leaders create
experience this year. suitcase for all your goodies. Here are two pro tips: an environment in which educators
• The exhibitors don’t want to take anything feel it’s safe to take risks? Here are some basic
DO: Make a plan, but download the principles for taking smart risks:
ISTE mobile app to stay open to home, so revisit your favorite booth on the last
other possibilities. day and ask for any leftover giveaways. DEFINE SMART RISKS
View the program online and follow the conference • Print labels or business cards so you can share AND SET LIMITS
hashtag #iste2018 on social media to keep your contact information easily for special prize
up with the latest information. Use the app to drawings and scavenger hunts. We need to define what we mean by “smart
discover sessions, stay abreast of updates, browse risk.” The last thing we want is for every staff
conference news, save your resources in the “digital DON’T: Wait until you get home to start member to take a risk “for the heck of it” and
tote,” and play the mobile app game for a chance to reflecting. jeopardize student learning or educator confidence
win a trip to ISTE 2019. Use your downtime to reflect on your experience and growth.
as it’s happening, so you don’t forget any of the
DO: Contact people you want to meet up important details. Take pictures of things you MODEL RISK-TAKING
with prior to ISTE. want to remember, create video blogs, and use BEHAVIOR
I can’t stress enough the importance of having note-taking apps like Evernote to organize your
conversations at ISTE—when it comes to talking information. We need to be willing to try new things and let
to people and making connections, you never know staff observe our efforts. Try using new technology
where something will lead professionally. And lastly, take some time out to enjoy in staff meetings, social media, or professional
the local sites in Chicago. Consider arriving a development. Don’t be afraid to show vulnerability.
DO: Explore an innovative session model. day early or staying a couple of days after the
It’s not just about panels. Poster sessions, playgrounds, conference. This can also be a great way to CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
and ISTE Blogger Café are informal yet powerful unwind and reflect—or create a plan of action to FOR RISK TAKING
small group presentations where you can interact on implement the great ideas you acquired at ISTE
a more personal level with presenters, explore flexible 2018. I hope to see you there! Creating a safe environment means not
learning spaces, and ask more questions—which can punishing people who take smart, acceptable risks.
spark more conversations. Patricia Brown is the Technology Integration Unfortunately, concern over evaluations may deter
Coach at Old Bonhomme Elementary School in Saint some teachers from taking risks. Leaders can talk
Louis, MO, where she implemented the first annual OB about taking smart risks in educator goal-setting
Family Tech Week and Digital Learning Day. meetings early in the year. If educators hear that
one of their goals for the year is to try a new edtech
tool and/or curriculum initiative or instructional
style, they will be more willing to take risks.
Leaders can assure teachers that they will not be
punished, and that their ratings will not be affected,
when they try new things—even if those ideas don’t
always succeed.

1 8 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

BIG IDEAS

WE NEED TO DEFINE WHAT THINKSTOCK/ANDREYPOPOV
WE MEAN BY “SMART
RISK.” THE LAST THING WE celebrate attempts to do something different? taking is, they’ll feel safer stepping outside their
WANT IS FOR EVERY STAFF Try building a time into every staff meeting for comfort zones and will be better able to deal with
MEMBER TO TAKE A RISK staff to share something they tried during the anxiety and uncertainty. Creating a culture of
“FOR THE HECK OF IT” AND past month, including successes and missteps. risk taking starts with preparation and vision—
JEOPARDIZE STUDENT This time could also be used for staff to present and taking a risk to do it.
LEARNING OR EDUCATOR new ideas and gather feedback. In this kind
CONFIDENCE of environment, everyone can learn together, Dr. Matthew X. Joseph (@MatthewXJoseph)
AND GROWTH. gather ideas, and collaborate. is currently Director of Digital Learning and
Innovation for Milford (MA) Public Schools.
REWARD SMART MISSTEPS When staff understand what smart risk

To show that the school is serious about
risk taking, set up a structure that reviews
missteps and celebrates the best attempts at
new initiatives. Instead of designing plans in the
spring and summer that will focus on academic
success in the first few weeks of school, why
not create plans that encourage risk taking and

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CHANGE AGENTS:
TECH & LEARNING’S

MOST
INFLUENTIAL

PEOPLE IN
EDTECH IN 2018

Each of these leaders is working in to organize and effect change. By Tara Smith
thoughtful and creative ways on the His generation, Hoth says, has “used
frontlines of some of today’s most THINKSTOCK/PHOTOTECHNO
pressing issues—from the way we think technology and underestimation to our
about learning, AI, and innovation to gun advantage. Adults tend to underestimate the MURSAL HEDAYAT
control, refugees, and student privacy. younger generation, thinking that we don’t
know what we’re doing, but I for one have used Mursal Hedayat, multi-award-winning
DEMITRI HOTH Facebook ads and Google AdWords to promote entrepreneur, founder of Chatterbox, and a
SSU. Knowing how to utilize this technology former refugee to the UK from Afghanistan,
Out of the most harrowing circumstances, has allowed me to level the playing field.” While advises young entrepreneurs to identify big
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School adults may know how to use social media, he problems that are worth investing their time
senior Demitri Hoth emerged as a passionate says, they haven’t been immersed in it their and energy in to solve. Hedayat is leading the
and dynamic leader for change. Hoth is co- whole lives. “The second a new trend changes, way in this new genre of social enterprise with
founder and president of Students Speak Up our generation is the first to know about it, Chatterbox, a platform that offers meaningful
(SSU), a nonprofit formed through the power before adults. Using social media to rally the employment for refugees by connecting their
of technology to promote civic engagement nation virtually is something adults wouldn’t expertise with the global need for language tutors.
among youth to empower them to speak have thought of, because that isn’t their world—
up to change gun laws. Hoth brings diverse it’s ours.” Hedayat has many inspiring stories to tell
skills, including graphic and Web design and about how Chatterbox has already made an
social media marketing, to his work for this As survivors of the mass shooting at the impact in the lives of refugees. Through this
critical cause. He also brings what he calls the Florida school that took the lives of 17 people, work these men and women have able to help
“underestimated power” of his generation to Hoth, together with fellow-student Samantha others, use their skills and training, and provide
leverage their native milieu, the virtual world, Hysa and teacher Gregory Pittman, aim to for themselves and their families. And the work
share resources as well as knowledge of media of these tutors has in turn transformed students,
relations, political engagement, and civic who are growing not only in confidence and
galvanization with students. Hoth says that the knowledge in language learning, but also in
support teachers give is fundamental for student understanding and motivation. As students hear
success. “I believe it is in the best interest of the inspirational stories of their tutors and get
teachers to allow kids to form more independent
opinions by giving them all of the facts,” he
says. “Teachers need to act as enablers to the
independence and critical thinking of their
students, not as inhibitors.”

SSU offers help with networking and
gathering accurate information as well as with
initiatives including letter-writing campaigns,
voter registration drives, and organizing
rallies. Using the hashtags #StudentsSpeakUp,
#GetLoud, and #SSUGetloud can help spread
awareness.

2 0 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

Promethean
Booth #2144

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Technologies that

Empower Educators
and Inspire Students

Interactive Displays Enter Our
Featuring ActivPanel® Escape Room

Lesson Delivery To Learn &
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Meet 18
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Led by our PD Team
Visit us at PrometheanWorld.com

INFLUENTIAL

to know these articulate, intelligent people, ANOTHER MAJOR communities. “Everyone I’ve met,” she says,
Hedayat sees hope in the midst of a worryingly EMERGING ISSUE, “from educators and district administrators to
toxic climate in which refugees are so often VANCE SAYS, companies and state providers, has come in with
mischaracterized. It’s a pressing and growing IS FINDING “THE the primary intention of helping kids succeed.
global issue. “The framework for human rights REALLY DELICATE With this valuable goal in common, it’s a matter
that gives refugees the same rights we have,” BALANCE BETWEEN of asking the right questions and finding the
Hedayat says, “is an insurance policy for us all. ENSURING SCHOOL resources they need to answer those questions.”
It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we are all SAFETY AND
one red button away from becoming refugees SECURITY AND MEG ORMISTON
ourselves.” STUDENT PRIVACY.”
“EVERYONE I’VE MET, “As I coach in classrooms, travel
Chatterbox offers excellent instruction for FROM EDUCATORS internationally, and lead professional
language learners—from online tutoring for AND DISTRICT development, I see school hallways near and
individuals and groups, including Skype sessions ADMINISTRATORS TO far filled with cookie-cutter projects,” says
for young students in classrooms around the COMPANIES AND educational technology specialist Meg Ormiston.
world, to conversational practice to supplement STATE PROVIDERS, “We’re ‘over-rubricing’ our students and baking
and accelerate classroom language learning for HAS COME IN WITH out their creative approach to tackling real-world
university students and others who want to learn. THE PRIMARY problems.” But educators need to be preparing
Chatterbox also delivers introductory courses in INTENTION OF students for college and career by focusing on
many different languages, including Arabic and HELPING KIDS the 4Cs. “We just can’t wait,” she says. “Change
Persian, which are not found in most curricula but SUCCEED.” has to be made now.”
are increasingly important languages for people
to learn. Chatterbox is receiving rave reviews at Vance says. But as the debates rage, new laws Always start with teaching and learning—and
many schools and top universities across the UK, add technology if it fits the lesson, Ormiston says.
and Hedayat would love to extend that reach to proliferate, and technology continues to advance She sees teachers who are using technology well,
elementary and high-school classrooms, as well as ineffectively, and not at all. To help educators
higher education, across the US. at breakneck speed, the good news is that there bridge this edtech disconnect, Ormiston brought
together a team of 26 “rock-star educators” to
Chatterbox is offering a special discount are a ton of resources available for educators. co-author the NOW Classrooms series of five
for Tech & Learning readers. Enter the code practical, research-based, and grade-banded books.
TECH&LEARNING to receive five percent off FPF’s brief is to equip stakeholders with
Chatterbox lessons at wearechatterbox.org/ Ormiston is witnessing extraordinary
actionable solutions to privacy concerns, and changes with this approach. She began working
AMELIA VANCE with Maercker School District near Chicago
Vance is justifiably proud of their education about five years ago, and now she watches their
“Probably the biggest thing educators need daily success on Twitter (#D60learns). Their
to know is that humans are the weakest link privacy resource site, FERPA|Sherpa. Users student projects focus on the learning standard,
in data security,” says Amelia Vance, director and then the ISTE standard. When she visited
of education privacy at the Future of Privacy can search for resources by tag, audience, and their grades 3–5 school recently, about half
Forum (FPF). The vast majority of breaches the students gave up lunch and recess for five
are due to accidental and preventable mistakes. even type (e.g., infographics or videos). FPF will sessions to try a new coding curriculum called
“It’s important that everyone who has access to EduCode. “Eating, collaborating, and coding,
data is trained properly to use and protect it,” also launch a new training initiative, addressing these students independently worked through

educators’ top questions, sometime this fall.

The Student Privacy Pledge, a collaboration

between FPF and SIIA, is a code of conduct for

edtech companies aimed at raising awareness

and encouraging clear articulation of privacy

policies. “It’s incredibly complicated,” Vance

says, “and it shouldn’t be. Teachers should be

able to take advantage of these amazing tools

for student learning without the burden of

having to interpret privacy laws.” She notes

that companies like ClassDojo are leading the

way with a plain-English “translation” of their

privacy policy formatted in a Q&A format.

Another major emerging issue, Vance says,

is finding “the really delicate balance between

ensuring school safety and security and

student privacy.” The key is getting buy-in from

2 2 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

Touchscreen Monitor Map-Based Alerts Graphical User-Interface

INFLUENTIAL

the lessons at school and home and loved the computer systems we build. Luckin’s new book, “JUST BECAUSE YOU
challenge. This district has been transformed Machine Learning and Human Intelligence: The GIVE A STUDENT
from a very teacher-centered instruction model Nature of Education for the 21st Century, poses A DEVICE
to one where the 4Cs are in action. I’m so proud crucial questions about the role of technology in DOESN’T MAKE
of all of them.” teaching and learning. THEM A DIGITAL-AGE
LEARNER . . . AND
Catch “There Is No Rubric for Your First Because we have built machines that can learn, JUST BECAUSE YOU
Job!” at ISTE, a session Ormiston is leading retain, and access vast amounts of information GIVE A TEACHER A
with her son. For more information on the NOW more quickly and accurately than we can, Luckin LOGIN DOESN’T
Classrooms project, go to nowclassrooms.com/ advocates a foundational shift to an intelligence- MAKE THEM TECH-
based curriculum that reflects the rich complexity SAVVY. THE
ROSE LUCKIN of human intelligence. “If we get the design and CHALLENGE FOR
adoption of AI for use in education right, it will help EDUCATORS IS TO
Now is the time, says University College us to understand our own progress as learners and BEGIN BUILDING
London Institute of Education professor Rose teachers beyond increasing our knowledge and A ‘FACE OF THE
Luckin, to adopt education systems that will understanding of specific curricular subject areas CLASSROOM’ OR
help ensure that humans stay smarter than the to increasing our social, emotional, and physical ONLINE PRESENCE
intelligence too,” she says. THAT INCLUDES
PERSONALIZED AND
“The design of AI for education must be INTERACTIVE
informed by what we know about how people EXPERIENCES TO
learn, and it must involve educators as early ENGAGE STUDENT
as possible in the design process,” Luckin says. CREATIVITY AND
“Data is the new oil . . . it feeds AI to help us build DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP.”
smart technology. However, just like oil, data is
crude until it is refined by well-designed AI, and technology has a positive impact in schools.” In
the design of the AI we use in education needs to
be very, very good indeed, because learning and addition to providing best-in-class instructional
human intelligence are extremely complex.”
supports to ensure effective use of technology,
“DATA IS THE NEW DR. JENNIFER PARKER
OIL . . . IT FEEDS AI Parker has been active in the Michigan adoption
TO HELP US BUILD As the interactive learning, school data, and
SMART TECHNOLOGY. improvement consultant for Macomb (MI) of the ISTE Student Standards (Michigan
HOWEVER, JUST Intermediate School District, Dr. Jennifer
LIKE OIL, DATA IS Parker provides professional development, Integrated Technology Competencies) and
CRUDE UNTIL IT IS training, and support for the effective use of
REFINED BY WELL- technology to assist and inform instruction for also serves on various regional and state
DESIGNED AI, AND 21 school districts in Macomb County (including
THE DESIGN OF 130,000 students and more than 10,000 staff ). organizations and committees.
THE AI WE USE IN Parker was recently honored by ISTE with their
EDUCATION NEEDS TO 2018 Award for Outstanding Leadership, “in Parker is one of the original creators of
BE VERY, VERY GOOD recognition of her commitment to ensuring that
INDEED, BECAUSE the 21things Project (for teachers, students,
LEARNING AND
HUMAN INTELLIGENCE administrators, and kids)—a series of websites
IS EXTREMELY
COMPLEX.” for free and open resources for technology

integration in the classroom that has earned

two ISTE Seals of Alignment. The project was

born out of a desire “to provide a single site of

free resources and tutorials to meet the ISTE

standards and offer any-time training to be

used for professional development.” Teachers

across the country appreciate the breadth of

free, interactive, engaging, and customizable

resources for teaching ISTE standards that they

find organized in this one place.

“Just because you give a student a device

2 4 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

Student Safety Solutions
for School and Home

INFLUENTIAL

doesn’t make them a digital-age learner . . . and Sense Media and Code.org. These partnerships WE NEED SMART,
just because you give a teacher a login doesn’t support professional development efforts ACCESSIBLE MARKET
make them tech-savvy,” says Parker. “The for teachers as they engage in leveraging INTELLIGENCE THAT
challenge for educators is to begin building technology to create a personalized learning GATHERS WISDOM
a ‘Face of the Classroom’ or online presence environment for students. Other LAUSD FROM EDUCATORS,
that includes personalized and interactive initiatives include a three-day series for STUDENTS, AND
experiences to engage student creativity and principals and their leadership teams to OTHER EXPERTS AS
digital citizenship. That’s digital-age teaching set their instructional technology vision, WELL AS R&D HUBS
and learning.” which is crucial for a department that leads OR FUNDS TO MAKE
with instruction. They then return to their SIGNIFICANT
SOPHIA MENDOZA schools and share the information—including LONG-TERM
digital resources and practices grounded in INVESTMENTS IN
Sophia Mendoza, who began her career at pedagogy that teachers can use with students IDEAS FOR APPLYING
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) around various concepts included in the ISTE THESE TECHNOLOGIES
as a kindergarten student, is now director of the standards. But, Mendoza warns, the tools TO HELP SOLVE
Instructional Technology Initiative where she are never the focus—this is a lesson learned PERSISTENT
oversees the implementation of instructional from the district’s past initiatives. Current LEARNING
technology across the nation’s second-largest priorities for LAUSD’s instructional technology CHALLENGES.
school district. Mendoza says it’s important to efforts center on expanding digital citizenship
her to give back to the district that opened so supports, creating access to computer science raises charitable funds to invest in teams of
many doors for her. She was recently named education for all students, and developing educators and education entrepreneurs with
a NextGeneration Leader by EdScoop and professional learning opportunities that cross- the vision and skills to reimagine learning
CoSN, an honor that recognizes her work stitch digital tools and rigorous instructional so all students finish high school prepared
in coordinating instructional technology practices. and inspired to achieve their most ambitious
initiatives across the 400 schools that comprise dreams and plans.
LAUSD. STACEY CHILDRESS
Childress is optimistic about a new wave of
The focus is on leading with instruction, No one knows what the economy will look opportunities for creating innovative schools
Mendoza says. The shift has been away like when today’s kindergarteners graduate from and developing education technology to help
from the device as the catalyst and towards high school in 2030. The opportunity we have, deepen and accelerate student learning. There
pedagogy and lesson design enhanced with says NewSchools Venture Fund CEO Stacey are early signs that emerging technologies such
technology, with a new refreshed focus Childress, is to reimagine school so students as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual
on personalized learning for the district’s have a strong academic foundation and develop reality, and machine learning are creating fresh
589,000 K–12 students. In addition to other important mindsets, habits, and skills for possibilities. We need smart, accessible market
integrating the K–12 Computer Science long-term success. intelligence that gathers wisdom from educators,
Framework and the US Department of students, and other experts, Childress says, as
Education’s National EdTech Plan, LAUSD As NewSchools celebrates its 20th well as R&D hubs or funds to make significant
was the first district in the nation to adopt the anniversary, Childress is leading the long-term investments in ideas for applying
refreshed 2016 ISTE Standards for Students. organization—and the sector—to look to the these technologies to help solve persistent
future. What trends will drive the next 20 learning challenges.
Partnerships are important as well, years of education innovation in pre-K–12
Mendoza says, and LAUSD has established learning? NewSchools, a venture philanthropy, Childress, who previously taught education
key collaborations with, for example, Common entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School,
spent a decade as a leader in the private sector
and led the K–12 Next Generation Learning
team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
She is a strong voice advocating for a coordinated
and sustainable ecosystem for innovation that
will bring new voices and ideas in to the design
and creation of innovative schools.

2 6 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

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THINKSTOCK/NONGPIMMY

FROM BREADCRUMBS
TO BREADBOARDS

By Jerri Kemble, Assistant Superintendent of Leading, Learning, and Technology, Lawrence (KS) Public Schools

Breadboarding, Arduino boards, “educational breadcrumbs” include after-school current lessons by infusing them with higher-
Tinkercad, Scratch, and Makey clubs focused on coding and working with drones level thinking skills and STEM components.
Makey are all products that educators and littleBits, STEM professional development, The “reimagined space breadcrumb” involved
are using to embed STEAM (science, reimagining educational spaces in school repurposing a computer lab into a makerspace
technology, engineering, arts, and buildings, and purposeful school-wide STEM where students and teachers could learn
math) into their curricula. Today’s initiatives. alongside one another to integrate STEM
forward-thinking educator is asking herself how and STEAM into existing classroom lessons.
to infuse coding, STEM, and STEAM into the In Swanson-Williams’s district, technology Another breadcrumb leading to the STEAM flag
classroom. Many educators, however, find it coaches lead professional development. This at CCSD 26 is called “STEM Days and Nights.”
difficult to know where to start. STEM training empowers teachers to redesign
How to spearhead effective STEM/STEAM
initiatives was a hot topic during the Tech &
Learning Leadership Summit in Redwood City,
California. Tech leaders from across the country,
led by Steve Ouellette and Lynn Swanson-
Williams, discussed leading STEM education in
their districts.
Swanson-Williams, instructional technology
coordinator at Cary (IL) CCSD 26, believes that
educational leaders must “plant a flag for STEM
education” and leave a breadcrumb trail, in the
form of STEM opportunities, for teachers to find
and wave the “flag for STEM education.” These

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Teachers and students spend four days working on Photos courtesy of Lynn Swanson-Williams, Instructional Technology Coordinator - District, Cary CCSD 26
a subject-area project that’s infused with STEM (IL). These images are from her STEM presentation at the March Tech & Learning Leadership Summit.
concepts. To conclude the work, students showcase
their project to parents and the community, thus
raising the awareness of STEM education. Many of
the projects focus on developing empathy in students
by asking them to identify a community problem and
work toward a solution.

Ouellette, director of technology, learning, and
innovation in Westwood (MA) Public Schools,
discussed ways that his district is “cracking the
code” and leaving breadcrumbs to find the STEM
flag. These include immersing elementary students
in coding classes once a week and providing
high-school students with a larger menu of
STEM classes. Ouellette challenged conference
participants to ponder the following questions:
How can we replicate the learning dispositions
STEM/STEAM courses foster in other content
areas? How can we integrate STEM/STEAM ideas
across all content areas? And how do we overcome
the challenges of institutional constraints and
competing demands on time, resources, and talent
to offer STEM/STEAM experiences for our
students?

Technology leaders attending the conference
discussed their own “breadcrumbs,” or projects
in which teachers and students are involved
that integrate STEM into the core curriculum.
These “breadcrumbs” include tech teams, digital
portfolios, art classes using Sphero computers,
3D printing, reimagining libraries by integrating
makerspaces, Skyping with technology business
leaders, and clubs that teach Breadboarding and
Arduino board development. Whether districts are
leaving a few breadcrumbs or many breadcrumbs
to help educators find the STEM flag, one thing is
certain—educators are hungry to know more about
STEM.

To learn more about STEM so you can plant some
breadcrumbs in your own district , check out these
resources:

❱ www.tinkercad.com
❱ scratch.mit.edu
❱ scratch.mit.edu/tips
❱ www.code.org/learn
❱ classroom.shellyfryer.com/workshops/scratchjr
❱ makecode.com
❱ wiki.wesfryer.com/Home/handouts/scratch
❱ makeymakey.com/apps
❱ scratch.mit.edu/projects/2530241

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MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR BUDGET

MWIATHKTEHRESSPEAGRCEEATPRPROODDUUCCTTS:
ROUNDUP

By Shannon Mersand and Sheri McNair Each is made to components. Students utilize printed circuit board
stack, similar to tiles that are connected together with circuit
It seems like everywhere you turn, new building bricks, links. Students add resistors, capacitors, switches,
products are being launched that are the and the clear transistors, LEDs, and other accessories to create
perfect fit for making and makerspaces in plastic base grid distinct circuits that, when built correctly, will
schools. These products help extend the allows blocks play authentic sound and light effects from Star
offerings in makerspaces and enable students to mount easily Wars movies. Tile pieces fit easily into the Death
to make connections between the curriculum in place and be Star-shaped circuit base, and there are over 20
and their lives. (Find the full Makerspace properly spaced. experiments students can undertake to bring a bit
Product Roundup online.) There are 120 different circuitry projects to of Star Wars into their school day.
choose from in the included instruction manual.
CIRCUITRY Using the easy-to-follow instructions and Name: Electricity Master Lab
diagrams, students build circuits with different Made by: Thames & Kosmos
Name: Circuit Scribe Maker Classroom Kit switches, LED lights, lamps, sounds, and a fan Website: thamesandkosmos.com
Made by: Electroninks Writeables, Inc. and motor. Cost: $199.95
Website: circuitscribe.com Audience: Ages 10+
Cost: Classroom bundle of 10 Maker Kits Name: Circuit Craft Pack What it Does: This
for $899.99 Made by: Lectrify award-winning
Audience: Ages 8+ Website: lectrify.it kit, with its plug-
What it Does: Each Maker Cost: $65 together electric
Kit contains 17 assorted Audience: Ages 5+ building blocks,
magnetic components (younger with allows students aged 10 and older to explore
and color-coded modules adult help) electricity. Circuit assembly is quick and easy
that students can use to What it Does: Lectrify allows students to learn to understand, with 88 pieces and a 128-page
build and create circuit simple circuits, resistance, and conductivity with manual that guides students through 119
activities. The kit also easy-to-use LEDs and battery packs. The Circuit experiments as they learn about electricity,
includes a metal sheet Craft Pack comes with supplies for 20 students, magnetism, and electrochemistry, including
and printed workbook. Students place the metal including 20 battery holders, 20 white LEDs, 10 alternating current and electrical engineering.
sheet under an activity page or clean sheet of color-changing LEDs, copper tape, conductive From electromagnetic coil to transformers, this
paper in order to “magnetize” the page. This thread, conductive tape, and extra batteries—all kit allows students to explore safely the complex
allows components and modules to stay firmly in in a convenient storage box. world of electricity. The manual explains what
place. Students follow the written instructions, is happening in each experiment so students are
draw circuits with the included conductive pen, Name: Death Star Electronics Lab not just playing but learning as well.
and connect components and modules such as Made by: Uncle Milton
a buzzer, blinker, photo sensor, and LEDs to (a subsidiary of Basic Fun) Name: Hall of Fame Kits
complete engaging circuit activities. Website: unclemilton.com Made by: littleBits
Cost: $39.99 Website: littlebits.com
Name: Circuit Builder 120 Audience: Ages 8+ Cost: $39.99 each
Made by: E-Blox, Inc. What it Does: Death Audience: Ages 8+
Website: myeblox.com Star Electronics What it Does: littleBits
Cost: $43.99 Labs teach students are magnetic, snap-
Audience: Ages 8+ circuitry through over together modules that
What it Does: The Circuit Builder 120 contains a 70 included circuitry allow students to create
base grid, 40 building blocks, and the accessories
needed to build all sorts of electrical circuits.

3 0 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

electronic circuits. The Hall of Fame Kits are skills necessary to build ten different aircraft students must use
inspired by makers who have contributed their to save the day. The Level 1 kits in this their ingenuity to
inventions to littleBits, and each contains four collection help children answer the “how” and build forty unique
bits, sticker sheets, paper templates, and other “why” questions that begin their exploration roller coasters.
accessories, along with instructions for building into problem solving and critical thinking, On each challenge
two inventions each. Bubble Bot walks students while also helping to build their visual, spatial, card, students are
through creating a bubble-blowing robot and and fine motor skills. purposely given
a Fan of Fortune. The Crawly Creature kit limited setup
includes instructions for building an electronic Name: Laser Chess instructions and
pet as well as the Moving Collage, an interactive Made by: ThinkFun, Inc. the pieces they’re allowed for stacking, tunnels,
poster. The Night Light kit includes instructions Website: thinkfun.com and tracks to complete the challenge. Using
for a night light and a wrist cuff called the Cost: $39.99 only that information, students must build a
Megablaster, while the Arcade Game kit helps Audience: Ages 8+ successful roller coaster to win the challenge.
students build a pinball machine and a catapult. What it Does: A build is successful if the Coaster Car can
Laser Chess is a roll from the beginning to the end of the track.
ENGINEERING 26-piece chess- While this is a one-player game, there’s no
AND STRATEGY like game of logic, reason it can’t be a collaborative effort. Skills
reasoning, and honed during play include visual perception,
Name: 10” x 10” Classic Baseplates problem-solving problem-solving skills, and deductive
with Traps and Gaps Set for two players. reasoning.
Made by: Strictly Briks At each turn, a
Website: strictlybriks.com player is tasked Name: Structural Engineering:
Cost: $24.99 with moving or rotating certain pieces on Bridges & Skyscrapers
Audience: Ages 5+ the game board. The goal is to position their Made by: Thames &
What it Does: The pieces strategically to reflect their laser beam Kosmos
Traps and Gaps Set to strike the opponent’s King. They do this Website:
includes four 10” x while trying to avoid positioning their valuable thamesandkosmos.com
10” baseplates. Two pieces in locations that leave them open to Cost: $49.95
of the baseplates have being “zapped” by their opponent’s laser beam Audience: Ages 8–14
removable trap doors, and eliminated from the game. (but it’s appropriate for
and two are standard older students as well)
baseplates. There are Name: Maze-O STEM Starter Kit— What it Does: This is a
also 15 stacker blocks The Mighty Maze Maker great kit to use with students to teach structural
to be used as columns between baseplate Made by: Maze-O, LLC engineering. The 323-piece set includes
layers. Students will have fun building a Website: maze-o.com everything necessary to complete 20 building
“garage” for their diecast vehicles, LEGO Cost: $29.87 experiments. The 44-page manual with color
figures, or any other small figures. The set will Audience: Ages 3+ illustrations is full of fun facts and teaches
inspire hours of building challenges and is the What it Does: The students about different structural elements and
recipient of the PAL award, which recognizes award-winning the forces that act on them. Experiments cover
outstanding toys that strengthen and promote Maze-O starter concepts such as vectors, forces, moments, load,
speech and language development in children. kit comes with 52 and structural elements such as columns, beams,
colorful and durable plates, arches, catenaries, cables, and shells.
Name: Kids First: Aircraft Engineer plastic maze pieces.
Made by: Thames & Kosmos Students learn strategy, as well as problem CODING
Website: thamesandkosmos.com solving, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking
Cost: $49.95 skills as they challenge themselves to fit the Name: Code Car
Audience: Ages 3+ correct pieces together to create their own Made by: Let’s Start Coding
What it Does: The mazes. Thirty maze challenge cards are also Website: letsstartcoding.com
Omegas are on included. Cost: $45
vacation and need Audience: Ages 8+
help. Children Name: Roller Coaster Challenge (younger if working
read the 32-page Made by: ThinkFun, Inc. in groups or with
color storybook and come to the family’s Website: thinkfun.com instructor support)
rescue by building the various aircraft they Cost: $29.99 What it Does: Code Car teaches basic text-
need. This award-winning kit teaches budding Audience: Ages 6+ based coding using C++ language through fun
aircraft engineers the building and engineering What it Does: In this brain-challenging game, projects that ask students to modify the car.

3 1W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

MAKERSPACE

Projects include turning on headlights, blinking 186-page curriculum guide and a one-year built-in
the brakes, flashing sirens, and beeping the subscription to Wonder’s Code to Learn Lesson programming
horn. The projects teach core coding concepts Library. Through 12 fun challenges at six buttons,
like loops, variables, functions, operators, and different coding levels, students learn essential a digital
statements. Students have no fear, because concepts and skills such as sequences, loops, display panel,
experience is not required. The program conditionals, functions, events, and variables. building-brick-
includes walkthrough videos, explanations, Students also learn problem-solving skills, compatible
and guides, making it an all-in-one package computational thinking, and how to collaborate connector holes, and two powerful DC motors
to get students started with learning to code. with one another. The Curriculum Guide that are building-brick-compatible as well.
After completing the 15+ hours of lessons and supports teachers by mimicking the challenge Phiro is pre-programmed to start in Sequential
challenges, students will be well prepared to cards and providing helpful information such Mode (device-free programming), but it can be
customize their own programs. as estimated times for the challenge, hints switched to Swish Mode and Pro can also be
to help students, a suggested solution for switched to Bluetooth Mode.
Name: CodeGamer each challenge, worksheets, and discussion
Made by: Thames & Kosmos questions. Name: Programming Canvas
Website: thamesandkosmos.com Made by: Workbench Education
Cost: $169.95 Name: Love to Code Creative Coding Kit Website: workbencheducation.com
Audience: Ages 10+ Made by: Chibitronics Cost: School site license starts at $2,200 per
(younger with adult Website: chibitronics.com school. Seat licenses start at $5/user (minimum
assistance) Cost: $85 100 users). Cost includes full access to platform
What it Does: The Audience: Ages 14+ (younger with adult help) including
award-winning What it Does: The Love to Code Creative authoring,
CodeGamer blends Coding Kit introduces students to circuitry, sharing,
gaming, coding, computer remixing,
and making into one product. CodeGamer programming, and discovering,
first asks students to assemble their own game debugging with and assigning
controller, which they then use to play games. the help of Love projects, as
They learn how to code in Arduino programming to Code Volume well as the programming canvas. Professional
language by progressing through levels of the 1, an interactive development workshops, content development
game solving puzzles and challenges. Students instruction book and consultation, and other services are
can then create their own projects using the starring Fern priced on a case-by-case basis. In-person PD
sensors and programming knowledge they have the Frog. The workshops start at $1,200. Content development
gained. The kit includes an Arduino-compatible book is packed with fun illustrations that starts at $1,500.
microcontroller with Bluetooth, cable, rotary walk students through various projects while
control wheel, circuit board, gamepad housing, explaining what is happening on the technology Name: SPRK+
push buttons, sensors for motion, temperature, end. The kit includes everything necessary Made by: Sphero
sound, and light, parts for additional projects, the to complete the lessons, including the Chibi Website: sphero.com
CodeGamer App, and a 64-page manual. Chip microcontroller, programming cable, Cost: $129.99
Chibi Clip, circuit sticker stencil, copper tape, Audience: 8+
Name: Dash & Dot Learn to Code 36 Chibi Light white LED stickers, and fabric What it Does: Designed to inspire curiosity,
Curriculum Pack tape swatches. Students will learn to blend creativity, and invention through connected
Made by: Wonder Workshop technology with art to bring their own creations play and coding, SPRK+ is far more than just a
Website: makewonder.com to life using either text-based or block-based robot. Powered by the Sphero Edu app, you can
Cost: $129.99 Curriculum Pack (Challenge programming languages. easily learn programming, complete hands-on
Cards, Curriculum Guide, and Library Access) activities, and share your creations with the
If bought separately, these would cost $179.98. Name: Phiro Robot community. Learning is evolving. Get on the ball.
Audience: Grades K–5 Made by: Robotix U.S.A. Project Ideas: Have students navigate a maze,
What it Does: Fully Website: robotixedu.com program a painting, mimic the solar system,
aligned to Code.org’s Cost: Pre-orders $149 – $199 swim across the water, or have a dance party.
CS Fundamentals Audience: Ages 4+
courses, the What it Does: Phiro comes assembled and
Curriculum ready to code right out of the box. There are two
Pack includes 72 models: Phiro Unplugged and Phiro Pro. Both
challenge cards for have dual programmable RGB LEDs, a built-in
Dash & Dot, as well speaker for single tone generation, a card reader,
as a comprehensive and front, side, and bottom sensors. Both have

3 2 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M



THINKSTOCK/EDUARDROBERT WHAT ARE
THEY BUYING?
WHO IS IN
THE MONEY? According to the most recent figures from Funds for Learning, E-Rate
applicants nationwide requested almost $748 million in discounts against the
Districts across the nation are in a constant contest to keep their tech purchase of just over $1 billion in Category Two products and services, which
relevant by raising bond funding. Here are some of the most recent are detailed in this chart (right). Designed to support the installation and
winners: upgrade of data networks inside school and library buildings, more than 75
percent of applicant sites nationwide have requested Category Two support
School District 51 (CO) students scored 9,000 new Chromebooks for the since Funding Year 2015.
next school year. The new computers are one of the most noticeable changes
among several technology updates taking place while school’s out for the In looking at the FY2018 demand, it’s clear that the basic building blocks
summer. The Chromebooks and charging carts were purchased with $3.18 of network infrastructure represent the lion’s share of the services requested.
million from a bond measure approved last November and will bring the Network switches and routers, as well as classroom wifi equipment, represent
district closer to its goal of having a computer or device for every student. The approximately 63 percent of total Category Two demand:
influx of technology brings the district’s technology ratio to one device for
every two students, which is lower than the previous ratio of roughly one device HOW TO
for every three students. —The Daily Sentinel GET IT

Forsyth County (GA) voters have approved a $295 million school bond that As states and districts update technology resources, it may seem that the
supporters say will fund four new schools, new school technology, improved needs overwhelm resources. Before major technology purchases, leaders
facilities, and safety measures in the coming years. More than $28 million will want to consider an approach and define goals that make sense for their
of the total improvement costs will likely be covered by state funding. The particular region. The Office of Educational Technology in the Department
proposed bond projects include $500,000 in improvements to elementary of Education suggests asking these fundamental questions in your search
STEM facilities and $17 million for improvements to school technology. — for funds:
Forsyth News
● What resources are presently available in schools, and how are they
Guilderland (NY) Central School District will receive $531,447 from the distributed? (For example, are there two computers in every classroom
state’s Smart Schools Bond Act, of which the lion’s share—$498,723—will or a dedicated physical computer lab? Or are there mobile laptop/tablet
go for classroom technology, including buying new Chromebooks for each stations?)
middle- and high-school student. Another $32,724 will be used for school
connectivity. A four-year replacement cycle will be set up for Guilderland’s ● What are the one-, two-, and five-year goals for terms of digital learning?
Chromebooks. At the high school, for example, the newest ones will be given
to ninth-graders; sophomores will get one-year-old devices; juniors, two-year- ● What devices do students already bring to school? How do they use those
old Chromebooks; and seniors, three-year-old Chromebooks. —The Altamont devices?
Enterprise
● How fast are the internal and external connections in schools? How fast
must they be to meet students’ and educators’ needs?

● What are the major strengths and challenges this area has in terms of
technology?

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INNOVATIVE PLANNING Device refurbishment: Repairing, upgrading, and reusing devices
that businesses or community members no longer need can create both
To provide the best access to students and educators, leading states and an educational opportunity and a source of low-cost devices. In making its
districts think comprehensively about all funding and support. Individual transition to online assessment, Delaware used this strategy.
situations vary, so the right mix of the approaches below will differ from place
to place.

Leveraging economies of scale: At both the multi-district and multi- BYOD and student wireless access: Some states and districts leverage
state levels, school systems can negotiate more favorable rates with vendors the devices that students already own, carefully considering privacy, security,
by collaborating with others seeking similar devices and services. Louisiana,
Maine, Illinois, and North Carolina, among other states, have and logistical issues. In other locales, it may be possible to
done this successfully. negotiate very low rates for student wireless devices
and services, which they could use both in and out of
Public-private partnerships: Cross-sector school.
collaboration can prove mutually beneficial. What
major businesses and industries are in the region? Strategic decommissioning: What activities or
Because they have a stake in ensuring that students resources are no longer needed? Areas to consider
graduate digitally literate, they may be willing include paper textbooks, copy machines and supplies,
to partner in funding, device donation, fax machines and supplies, copper-line phone service,
connectivity sharing, or training. paper supplies, consumable workbooks, in-person
trainings where virtual or peer-to-peer options exist,
Cross-agency and printing (schedules, grades, announcements, etc.),
coordination: Some among others, depending on the context.
states and districts
leverage higher THINKSTOCK/SUMKINN Leveraging student experience: Where can
education or medical students themselves serve as technologists, professional
facility resources to boost developers, and technicians? How can students support
education access. educators in advancing their technology-based professional
capacity?

3 5W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

9 TIPS FOR PASSING
SCHOOL BONDS

By Don Lifto THINKSTOCK/DORUKTR

School bond dollars remain a vital support. One of the most important questions to on internship opportunities. Engaging your
component in helping schools realize ask in your community survey is: “How would you community is an excellent way to get buy-in for
their visions, whether that vision is rate the quality of the education in your public your work.
building a new high school or growing schools—excellent, good, fair, or poor?” It’s not
the district’s bandwidth capacity. In surprising that when more than 17 percent of the 8. Voters love gadgets: Communities like
2017 alone, $46.6 billion in bonds public give their public schools fair or poor marks, to be perceived as innovative and tech savvy.
were passed in the United States. the vast majority of school elections fail. A recent study of Oklahoma bond campaigns,
for example, found that elections were six
But school leaders who have been through 5. Drive your district story: Districts that times more likely to pass if they included an
the process of trying to get a school bond passed share positive stories with local media and their investment in technology. As you tell your
in their community know that there’s no magic communities throughout the year have a more district story throughout the year, focus on
formula to ensure success. Many districts need positive impression with their voters. Develop an programs that showcase ways that your district is
to secure approval from communities where ongoing public relations campaign in which all an innovative hub for technology.
as few as 20 percent of the population are communication-related messages are part of a
families with children in the district. How do comprehensive communication system planned 9. Reflection: No matter what the outcome
you convince the other 80 percent of your voting and coordinated at the district level. of the school bond election is, take time to
community to approve school funding? understand and analyze what went right and
6. Make the connections: How, specifically, what went wrong and integrate these lessons as
Below, author and former superintendent will these dollars benefit your voting community? you prepare for your next election. Ask questions
Don Lifto shares his tips for getting school bonds Districts need to make the connection between like: Did parents participate in the school finance
approved in challenging communities: the purpose of the bond and the cost of the bond. election? Why or why not? What can the next
Use focused messages for different audiences campaign learn from the participation of non-
1. Do your homework: School district that emphasize the positive impact the school parent supporters? The answers to questions
leaders need to do their research. What’s worked bond dollars will have. For example, invite local like these form the “lesson” for planners of your
in other similar districts and how can you businesses in to show them the important career next election.
replicate these strategies? Connect with your skills that students/future employees will learn
colleagues in those districts to get their advice through access to increased technology. Invite Don Lifto is a former Minnesota
and feedback. non-parents to come in as special guests for superintendent, the author of “School Finance
science fairs where they can see the positive Elections: A Comprehensive Planning Model
2. Know your voters: Understanding your outcome of their tax dollars in action. for Success, 2nd Edition” and dozens of articles
community’s makeup of parents, pre-school on referendum planning published in national
families, alum, and past supporters, as well as data 7. Get your community involved: Invite journals. He is a consultant for schoolbondfinder.
from commercial databases, can be powerful tools local retired experts to mentor students in their com, an online database that tracks K–12 bond-
for planning, canvassing, targeting messages, and areas of expertise. Partner with local businesses funded capital improvement projects in the US.
implementing get-out-the-vote strategies.

3. Demographic mapping: Use tools that
allow you to merge census data, which includes
registered voter and parent data, to better
understand your district’s makeup.

4. Conduct a feasibility survey: What
does your community value? How much are they
willing to pay in higher taxes? A high-quality,
random-sample phone survey, controlled to mirror
the demographics of the district, helps align the
ballot proposal with what a majority of voters will

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Crossing the Edtech Chasm

Moving beyond fear of change to transformation of instruction and learning

Q&A with Elliott Levine, HP Director of Education

Q: It seems that we’ve been An example of real transformation would be to redefine
having the same conversation the learning process through project-based learning with
for years. Why has technology student-driven initiatives. Essentially, educators are unable
not yet transformed education? to see the summit from the classroom, and mistakenly
believe that the level they’ve reached is the top, when
A: Technology as it’s used much greater possibilities remain ahead. For schools
today in many classrooms looking for a measurable RoE, there’s so much greater
doesn’t motivate or foster creativity, potential. But when we try to cross the chasm from mere
imagination, and new ways of thinking enhancement to true transformation, fear of time and fear
beyond some unique anecdotal examples. of failure holds us back.
Only by opening our minds to explore “what’s possible
with technology” can we break away from the cookie- Q: So, how do we move beyond fear of change?
cutter models that so many technology and content
companies continue to drive educators toward. We need A: To get faculty buy-in, proactively addressing the fear
to remain focused on the “RoE” or Return on Education. of failure must be addressed. If a teacher attempts a new
The question for all of us is, “How do I want technology to project-based learning activity, but fails in the execution,
transform teaching and learning?” will that fear of failure hold them back from even making
the attempt? How school leadership addresses this
Q: What do you see as you visit schools across the country? concern can make a world of difference when it comes to
adoption. Simple examples, like a “Get out of jail free” card,
A: One common trait I’ve found with nearly everyone or a celebration of mistakes called a “Failure Fest” not only
is a shared passion to deliver better experiences for assuages the fear but can encourage risk-taking. Effective
their students. A school I visited recently was having a professional development is key, but time to learn and
heavy debate around Microsoft Office or G Suite for their practice newly learned skills is equally essential. Today
students. Issues around price, ease of training teachers, we have the connectivity, ingenuity, and technology to
privacy, and home access have been the subject of turn our vision of teaching and learning into reality. Our
all those conversations. But there was a fundamental potential to create change lies in our ability to learn and
question missing from the conversations—how will spread new skills.
switching to either platform fundamentally change
teaching and learning? Elliott Levine is Director of Education and Distinguished
Technologist for HP. He is also the co-inventor of the
Q: What about the SAMR model of transformation HP Personal Learning Engine, a former K-12 district
for edtech? administrator and adjunct professor.

A: The SAMR model fails to visually represent the journey
and prevents organizations from moving beyond mere
substitutions, such as reading a digital vs. a print textbook.

ADVERTORIAL

WHAT’SNEW

TECH & LEARNING ROUNDS UP A SUMMARY OF NEW TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

Dante Domain Manager (www.audinate.com/

products/software/dante-domain-manager) is network
management software that enables user authentication, role-
based security and audit capabilities for Dante networks,
while allowing seamless expansion of Dante systems over any
network infrastructure. Dante Domain Manager brings IT
best practices to AV, making audio networking more secure,
more scalable and more controllable than ever before.

Boxlight Corporation (mimio.boxlight.com/mimioframe- Casio America, Inc. (www.casioprojector.com/) showcased
touch-board-kit/) announced it has two new touch
technology products ready to ship to classrooms. One, the its expansive lineup of LampFree projectors at

MimioFrame touch board kit, is a front-of- InfoComm 2018. Casio showed its XJ-L8300HN 4K UHD
projector. This projector comes equipped with a 4K DLP
classroom interactive solution that turns conventional chip that projects images of approximately 8.3
whiteboards into touch boards in less than 15 minutes. million pixels, reproducing the true color and
beauty of images at a much higher level than
Next, the ProColor 490 Touch Table, enables conventional projectors. With its high brightness
of 5,000 lumens, the XJ-L8300HN is great for
small-group instruction by allowing up to four students to brightly lit rooms and larger venues.
work on interactive lessons; it can also be used to develop
fine motor skills in special needs classrooms.

AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection (ESP) announced the

new SurgeX Defender Series line of power protection

products. Designed to safeguard everyday applications, the Defender
Series provides cost-effective, comprehensive power protection and
conditioning to increase uptime and ensure connected equipment
functions properly. The 1-outlet SX-DS-151 model is small enough
to be deployed in environments with constrained space. The 8-outlet
SX-DX-158 and SX-DS-208 models are rack mountable and ideal
solutions for a variety of environments with limited budgets.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

3 8 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

Belkin (www.belkin.com) announced
its 2018 portfolio of enterprise products

including the BOOSTCHARGE
8-Port Charging Station,

a versatile power solution for multi-
user conference rooms and public
spaces, a multiport to HDMI Digital
AV Adapter that provides plug-and-play
connectivity, support for both Ultra HD
4K and backwards compatibility for
lower resolutions, and the BOOSTUP
Wireless Charging Spot, a device
available in three installation styles that
can power up to four units via one outlet.

Hitachi America, Ltd.
(www.hitachi-america.us/)

showcased the LP-AW4001 at

InfoComm 2018. The new 3LCD laser
projector line features WXGA 1280x800
resolution, 500,000:1 contrast ratio,
and is equipped with Long Life 2 Mode
allowing for up to 50,000 hours of
virtually maintenance-free operation.
With one HDMI and one HDMI/MHL
digital inputs, the projectors offer a
larger, flexible display at lower cost
versus large flat panel displays.

hardwareWHAT’S NEW

LEGO Education (www.legoeducation.com) and MakerBot (www.makerbot.com/3d-printing-certification/)
FIRST (www.firstinspires.org) unveiled two new
exclusive space sets to inspire participants in the has announced a comprehensive 3D printing
certification program for educators—available
2018-2019 FIRST LEGO League Jr.
and FIRST LEGO League season. The now. Teachers can become certified in one of two ways.
The first is a series of online, self-paced courses that trains
programs for the new season are themed “MISSION MOON” users to become operators first, then curriculum creators.
and “INTO ORBIT” to help build students’ curiosity around The second covers the same material as a blended workshop
space exploration and scientific discovery, tasking students that combines online coursework with an additional 5 hour
with completing a space challenge designed in partnership hands-on training session, led by 3D printing experts at
with astronauts and space experts, using a variety of LEGO MakerBot HQ.
Education solutions including the aforementioned sets.

littleBits (shop.littlebits.com/pages/hall-of-fame-kits) announced the release C
M
of its Hall of Fame Kits, a new line that feature four electronic block Y
CM
kits. The Crawly Creature kit lets users build an electronic pet or a Moving MY
Collage, an interactive poster. Bubble Bot CY
features a bubble-blowing robot or a Fan CMY
of Fortune, a prediction game. Night Light K
features a night light or a Megablaster wrist
cuff. Arcade Game Hall features a pinball
machine and a catapult.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 0 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

hardware WHAT’S NEW

The Misty II robot (www.mistyrobotics.com) is an Nureva (www.nureva.com) just announced the release of

easily programmable and affordable personal its Nureva Wall WM408i system and the Dual
robot made for developers, makers
and STEM educators/students. HDL300 audio conferencing system.The system supports
The Misty II helps students to large dynamic spaces up to 30’ x 50’ (9.14 x 15.24 m) and
advance beyond Lego Mindstorms is the second model in the HDL300 audio conferencing
into learning to program a pre- system product line, first introduced in June 2017. Powered
built robot with more advanced by breakthrough Microphone Mist™ technology, the Dual
skills, using simple Blockly and HDL300 system fills a room with up to 16,384 virtual
Javascript language. Misty II is a microphones that pick up sound throughout the space,
fun, simple way for kids to explore regardless of where in-room meeting participants are standing
advanced tech, get comfortable or the direction they are facing.
with it, and grow along with it
from middle school through
grad school.

Tech & Learning ad version 1 print ready.pdf 1 2/22/2018 3:53:00 PM

Turn lectures into Reinvent the classroom.
field trips.
From the #1 DLP® projector supplier & 1080p
leader in the Americas, Optoma education
projectors combine unparalleled features
with industry-leading technologies—perfect
for classrooms and lecture halls.

Optoma’s Education First
program is available to all K-12
and higher education
institutions and educators:

• Increased discounts

• Enhanced technical support

• FREE extended warranties

• FREE lamps & mounts

Learn more about eligible models at
edu.optoma.com

hardwareWHAT’S NEW

NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc. (www. Premier Mounts (www.
necdisplay.com) announced the launch of two 27-inch premiermounts.com) created three
distinct audiovisual solutions for
desktop monitors, the MultiSync E271N and the
MultiSync EA271F. Both models are designed the Samsung FLIP which can

for multi-monitor configurations and the EA271F also be used in collaborative work and
includes NEC’s exclusive ControlSync, which keeps educational environments. The Fixed
settings in sync when using more than one monitor. Both Floor stand has a heavy flat steel base
models are also effective for small signage uses (less than to minimize potential trip hazards in
24/7) and are supported by a 3-year warranty. heavy traffic areas; the Mobile Stand
kit features an office door friendly
mobile base, and the Rotating Wall
mounting bracket offers the perfect
digital drawing and note taking
canvas.

Spectrum Industries Inc. (www.spectrumfurniture. TabPilot (www.techpilotlabs.com) Learning Systems has
com) introduced a new locking feature on the
changed its company name to TechPilot Labs. The company’s
Collectiv8 Charging Pillar. The cloud-based MDM for Apple platforms takes on a new name,
SchoolMDM. The company also launches ChromeTools as a
Collectiv8’s new optional feature is a security door companion to the Google Admin console providing teachers with
that was created to help protect tablets, notebooks, classroom tools to view and control Chromebooks. The
laptops, Chromebooks and more. The compact design company introduced the name change to reflect the
of the Collectiv8 allows it to fit under standard-height more broad focus of the company while still keeping
cabinets and be hung, stacked, or mounted to a work- a familiar name and look. The company’s ownership
surface. A metal wall shroud, another optional piece remains unchanged.
for the Collectiv8, is ADA compliant.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 2 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

hardware WHAT’S NEW

Wonder Workshop (www.makewonder.com)

announced Sketch Kit, a new accessory for its

Dash and Cue robots that lets kids create artwork
by programming robots. Sketch Kit attaches directly
to the robots, coming with six color markers, drawing
missions, and an optional whiteboard drawing surface.
The marker tip is placed at the center of the robot’s
base, providing accurate control and mobility. Sketch
Kit lets the robots utilize the pen on command,
resulting in unlimited capabilities for design.

The new Vernier Thermal Analysis Plus

for FLIR ONE app from Vernier Software & Technology
(www.vernier.com/products/software/thermal-analysis/)
allows students to use the latest versions of FLIR ONE
cameras—the FLIR ONE Pro Thermal Camera and FLIR
ONE Gen 3 Thermal Camera—as they study thermal
energy concepts. With a FLIR ONE camera, available
for iPad and iPhone, students can observe temperature
changes on the skin, illustrate convection, track heating
due to friction, compare heat conduction in different
materials, and more.

Promethean’s (www.prometheanworld.com) ActivPanel is

the premium interactive display for immersive learning, providing
a tablet-like experience at the front of the classroom. Providing
highly-accurate touch detection, ActivPanel’s unique technology
creates a smooth pen-on-paper writing performance with no
script-lag, enabling teachers and students to collaborate easily.
The technology automatically detects differences between pen,
touch, and palm erase, allowing teachers to teach efficiently
without switching between software tools. Dual, front-facing
stereo speakers, an Android module, and
more are included.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 3W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

cartsWHAT’S NEW

Bretford (www.bretford.com/juice) announced its new Juice Mobile
Power, an active charging station that eliminates non-compliant,

overloaded extension cords by delivering a safe way to turn a single wall outlet
into a power source for the entire classroom or office, at a fraction of the cost
of a retrofit. Juice Mobile Power detects foreign objects and instantly powers
down to ensure safety, powering up once the object has been removed from the
powered surface.

The mobiLAB EC32S Economy Charge
Cart by eduGear (bit.ly/2J5O530) is a budget-friendly solution for everyday device

management. It is designed for Chromebooks and Notebooks of up to 15 inches and can

hold up to 32 devices, making it ideal for larger classrooms. The cart’s compact design

(32 inches wide, 29 inches deep, and 37 inches high) and its 5-inch swivel casters make it

easy to transport devices in crowded corridors or small spaces.

The EC32S provides cable management and four power strips with outlets that are The Tech Tub2 Stacking Cart is one of the
compatible with almost any A/C adaptor. The EC32S also includes enclosures to store
power bricks if needed. The cart’s “Smart Charge” technology protects devices while newest members of the Tech Tub2 (www.copernicused.
providing maximum charging power so schools don’t have to worry about overloading com/product/ftt124/stacking-cart) family. It’s designed
classroom circuits. The carts are UL-certified, have a lifetime warranty on parts, a to charge and store up to 24 iPads, Chromebooks,
limited 3-year warranty on electrical, and a $0 Cost of Ownership Guarantee. and other tablets in one compact footprint. The cart
includes four Tech Tubs that hold six devices each, a
Revolution 32 Charging Cabinet sturdy steel frame, a power timer (requires one outlet),
and an optional model with USB hubs that sync and
by LocknCharge (www.lockncharge.com/ charge iPads.
products/revolution-32-charging-cabinet).
Charge, store, and secure up to 32 of almost The cart’s design makes it easy to move devices
any laptop, Chromebook, or tablet device up to throughout a school and to maneuver easily around
a 17” screen size. The ultra-durable Revolution desks and chairs
32 Cabinet makes the most of its compact size, in the classroom.
taking up only half the footprint of a traditional The Tech Tubs can
charging cart while still holding a similar also be unclipped
number of devices. from one another
and placed around
This stationary, cabinet-style charging station is perfect for 1:1 mobile device the class to reduce
programs where devices stay in the classroom overnight. Bricks and cables deployment
are hidden in two spacious compartments, keeping them secure yet easy to bottlenecks.
access when needed. Charging cables hang down in front of devices, allowing
users to plug them in quickly and easily after each use. Cords drop down
from individual holes and will never become tangled. Schools no longer have
to worry about being stuck with an outdated charging cabinet. Removable
racks allow this cabinet to adapt to future needs as devices change or new
technology (including STEM/STEAM) is added.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 4 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M



WHAT’S NEW software & online

ACHIEVE3000 & ICIVIC to get a free subscription CSUAPRPOLLYINCAOMBIPOALNOYGICAL
for their school as well. BSCUIIELNDCINEG3DBLOCKS OF
(www.achieve3000.com) The promotion allows
& (www.icivics.org) teachers and schools to test (www.carolina.com/ help/pressreleases/
Achieve3000 out the Bloomz Premium 2018/ building-blocks-of-science-3d)
and iCivics are subscription, which Carolina Biological Supply Company
partnering to offer offers exclusive tools to launched the new
middle and high communicate and coordinate with their Building Blocks
school students parent community, such as unlimited of Science 3D
government and storage for teachers and administrators, hands-on unit kits for students in grades K
civics lessons designed so that students engagement reports, premium calendar, to 5. This complete, inquiry-based program
can learn the fundamentals of American and more. integrates engineering into every grade
democracy at their own individual reading and includes everything teachers need
levels. Achieve3000 will add 30 of iCivics’ CASIO CLASSPAD.NET for their entire class for every lesson and
best-in-class student readings to its activity with hands-on materials, print,
platform. Achieve3000 will apply its online (classpad.net) digital simulations and components for one
differentiated instruction to the content, Casio’s ClassPad. comprehensive price. The series provides
helping students to digest critical material net is an all-in- an entire school year’s science curriculum,
so they can read, discuss, and debate core one web-based enabling teachers to teach science daily
U.S. civics and government topics. mathematics with 30-minute lessons.
resource geared
A&SASPISETXELDEUACRANTINIOGN for K-12 mathematics and beyond. The CLASSLINK ONESYNC
software takes advantage of Casio’s Natural
(assisteducation.com/) Display technology for input and output of (www.classlink.com)
& (www.apexlearning.com) mathematical expressions. ClassPad.net ClassLink
ASSIST Education and helps kids brush up on their math skills all announced
Apex Learning enhanced year-round by offering digital scratch paper the release of
their partnership with students can use to help them solve problems. OneSync during
the addition of adaptive IMS Global’s Learning Impact Leadership
content and digital CCOOADLEI.TOIROGN ADVOCACY Institute. OneSync is a comprehensive
tutorials into the ASSIST account provisioning platform designed to
Integrated Education Management (advocacy.code.org) streamline the synchronization between
System for K-12 schools. The adaptive Since January 2018, disparate data systems faculty and student
Apex Learning Tutorials for intervention, 20 states have passed directories. ClassLink has OneSync not
remediation, and preparation for high- legislation and funded only automates account provisioning, but it
stakes assessments were proven to improve $49 million to expand also provides bidirectional account syncing,
students’ performance on the Tutorials access to and diversity enabling schools to maintain accurate reports
from pretest to posttest by more than 50% in K-12 computer science, according and quickly and securely eliminate old or out
and by an average of 23 to 26 percentile to the Code.org Advocacy Coalition, a of date accounts from their directory.
points during the 2016–2017 school year. group of over 60 industry, non-profit, and
advocacy organizations working together CCOLELALARBOONREATE SPACE
BPRLOEMOMIUZMFARPEPE OFF to make computer science a fundamental
part of K-12 education. Coalition (www.clearone.com)
( bloomz.net) members include Microsoft, Amazon, ClearOne unveiled
Bloomz announced that it will be Computer Science Teachers Association, COLLABORATE
providing a free year of its Teacher College Board, and Excellence in Space, a video
Premium subscription to educators Education Foundation, and other local collaboration app
across the country, with the opportunity tech and education organizations.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 6 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

software & online WHAT’S NEW

that connects hundreds of users joining capabilities, including a professional FRONTROW MOBILE APP
from any device, anytime, and anywhere, learning offering for K-12 and higher
and includes messaging, calling, and education teachers and staff, a feature (www.gofrontrow.com)
meeting functions. COLLABORATE that lets parents participate in their child’s FrontRow has
Space provides persistent space to store learning via activity feeds, assignment released a mobile
messages, documents, whiteboards, insights and more, and other options that app that lets staff
recordings, meeting minutes, or anything connects parents to the classroom. at schools using
else exchanged on a specific topic or project the Conductor
during a call or meeting at anytime, and is ELADNGGENUUAIGTEYLWIVOERLLEDSSONS paging, bells, and alerting system activate
accessible from any device, whether it be a critical functions like a lockdown, evacuation
mobile, desktop, or room appliance. (www.edgenuity.com) warnings, all-clear, or other announcements
Edgenuity is from any Android or Apple mobile device.
EDDISUCCOAVTEIORYN AND MCREL implementing This can be extremely useful for school
IONNTESRTNRAATTEIOGNIEASL SPOTLIGHT live lessons administrators who may be moving about
for its virtual World Language courses. campus and can’t always be near a Conductor
(www.discoveryeducation.com) Beginning this summer, the new “World console. The application is free to download
& (www.mcrel.org) Language Live Lesson” add-on will allow from the App Store or Google Play.
Discovery students to access virtual Extended
Education Learning Teachers –provided by FOLLETT AND KIMONO
announced Edgenuity– that teach live, weekly lessons
it has aligned its popular Spotlight alongside Edgenuity’s existing courses (www.follettlearning.com)
on Strategies content to McREL and virtual instruction. The Extended & (web.kimonocloud.com)
International’s six-phase model for Learning Teachers provide an engaging Follett and Kimono announced they have
learning. The alignment of this popular learning experience in which students can renewed their
series of digital professional learning interact with teachers and fellow students, partnership. The
resources to McREL’s model helps practice speaking the language and partnership,
educators choose the appropriate receive real-time feedback from expert entering its fifth
classroom tactics for aiding the acquisition professionals. year, enables
and recall of information. Available in Follett customers to enjoy seamless
all Discovery Education Techbooks and EDMENTUM EXACTPATH integration with their Destiny solution, and
Streaming services, the Spotlight on lets students begin their library experience
Strategies series offers creative, research- (www.edmentum.com/ without delay, saving district staff from
based instructional videos and supporting products/exact-path) having to carry out time-consuming
materials developed for teachers, by Edmentum Exact updates. Recently, Kimono launched a
teachers. Path utilizes hosted version of the solution, offering
adaptive diagnostic Destiny users a cloud-based option that is
D2L EMERALD RELEASE assessments paired faster and more reliable.
with targeted student
(www.D2L.com) learning paths to ensure academic growth FCUOLULRSSAEIELXLPAABNSSOIONNLIANNE D
D2L launches its in K-8 reading, language arts, and math. SUBSCRIPTION PLANS
Emerald Release — This summer, the program will receive new
the newest version enhancements to benefit administrators, ( fullsaillabs.com/
of its Brightspace teachers, and students, including a new FreeLessonsCourseCatalog)
LMS — which provides a social, mobile- data dashboard, introduction of Quantiles, Full Sail Labs announces
friendly teaching and learning experience a Renaissance Star assessment integration, the expansion of its
for people around the world. The Emerald simplified onboarding and classroom online courses and
Release features additional socially driven management, curriculum additions, new subscription plans
navigation improvements, and more. to help teens explore
their creativity through storytelling, art,

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 7W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

WHAT’S NEW software & online

and technology. The subscription plans projectors and accessories for K-12 teaches children
include courses in Game Design, YouTube environments, and a 5-year projector how to code by
Creation, and music production. These warranty on select models and extended allowing them to
self-paced courses were strategically lamp warranty. program their Jibo
created for teens to broaden their scope of robot. Children
interest in a creative, interactive way. Each HUGHESNET & NATIONAL ages 7-12 can use the Be a Maker app to
course includes informative experiences in 4-H COUNCIL create customized programs for their Jibo
media providing teens with hours of guided robot to perform, including speech and
learning to develop new skills. (www.hughesnet.com) & (4-h.org/parents/ expressions. Users engage in critical and
stem-agriculture/youth-stem-activities) creative thinking in a novel way with the
GALE DIGITAL ARCHIVE HughesNet and app, while simultaneously growing their
National 4-H interest in STEM.
(www.gale.com/c/amateur-newspapers- Council announce
from-the-american-antiquarian-society) the launch of KAHOOT EDTRENDS
Gale is introducing STEM Lab to inspire the next generation REPORT FOR EDUCATORS
a digital archive of scientists. A free resource to parents and
that gives students teachers, STEM Lab is an online hub that ( kahoot.com/files/2018/05/EdTrends-
and researchers features STEM activities organized by report-May-2018-educators.pdf)
a unique inside age group for youth ages 4 to 16. Projects Kahoot! published
look at how teens include easy-to-follow instructions, project a new report which
and young adults of the period expressed duration, an explanation of the foundational addresses latest
themselves and their opinions to the concepts at work, discussion questions and trends in EdTech
world. Amateur Newspapers from the a list of necessary supplies – most often in the U.S. K-12
American Antiquarian Society provides consisting of basic household items. market. Key findings of the report discuss
authentic newspaper writings published Google being the top choice in classrooms
by the youth of the 19th century, giving an DIXILAGLENAORSNTIICNGFOCRONENTIGNLUISOHUS for hardware and software, data-driven
unprecedented look at how youth viewed LANGUAGE ARTS instruction being mainstream in K-12
themselves and the world around them, classrooms, the unpopularity of VR and
drawing researchers into the world of (www.ixl.com/diagnostic/) AR tech in schools, the issues schools
America’s first youth subcultures. IXL Learning announced face concerning connectivity, insufficient
the release of its funding and training obstructing teachers
HOINTEAVCIHSIIOANMEKRIDICSAPROGRAM Continuous Diagnostic from implementing tech into their
for English language arts programs, and more.
(www.hitachi-america.us/) (ELA). Available on IXL,
Hitachi America, the Continuous Diagnostic LEARNPLATFORM IMPACT-
Ltd. announced simultaneously analyzes students’ READY DESIGNATION
the OneVision language arts and math abilities and
Kids Program for provides teachers with specific next steps ( learnplatform.com)
K-12 Education to help learners advance. By expanding to LearnPlatform
Facilities. The new program provides English language arts, the IXL Continuous has announced
a quality-projection solution for every Diagnostic now offers an accurate picture of the launch
projector application on K-12 campuses, each student’s proficiency in language arts, of the new
and provides members with specialized as well as his or her overall reading level. IMPACT-Ready designation, a way for
pricing, premium warranty, enhanced edtech companies to demonstrate their
service and direct access to Hitachi experts. JIBO BE A MAKER APP commitment to driving positive student
Program benefits include product and outcomes in several key areas. IMPACT-
program updates, specialized Hitachi (www.jibo.com) Ready is designed to encourage all product
promotions and pricing for Hitachi Jibo, Inc. announced the U.S. launch of Be providers to attain the basic qualifications
a Maker, an all-new mobile application that and enable them to clearly indicate their

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 8 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M

software & online WHAT’S NEW

commitment to providing education a 501 (c)(3) literacy comprehension and proficiency.
organizations with utilization information. non-profit, for Raz-Plus, the blended learning platform
This helps schools and districts to work the compliance of ClassFlow with the from Learning A-Z, which contains
with providers more easily and save time in Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act thousands of technology-enabled resources
the procurement process. (COPPA). As part of the achievement, for personalized reading practice, will
the cloud-based lesson delivery software be integrated in Renaissance Flow 360,
MILESTONE MATH APP ensures that parents remain in control of enabling educators to use Renaissance
the personal information that websites Flow 360 to assign and add Raz-Plus
(itunes.apple.com/us/app/milestone-math/ and other online services can collect from resources to their students’ lesson and
id1212424824?mt=8) their young children. iKeepSafe conducted assignment plans.
The Milestone Math App a thorough manual and technical review
launched in the iTunes App of ClassFlow to assess its compliance with RRCHEENNAAANIINSSESSLAANNUCCPEED-A&UTTEPEDLAACTHFOINRGM
Store around the world to iKeepSafe Privacy Assessment guidelines.
ensure that students enter (www.renaissance.com)
their school exams and RPROEELADEDCAILNSAEGSSHEODRPIZOODNCSAST & (www.teachingchannel.org)
standardized tests prepared
and confident, and that their (www.readinghorizons.com) Renaissance and Teaching Channel are
scores reflect it. It is intended for 4th-8th Reading working together to provide an enhanced
graders and is flexible enough to challenge Horizons learning experience to educators who use
and engage students at any skill level. The announced Renaissance-U, an online professional
app will be free to educational non-profits its new podcast, Podclassed. The development solution from Renaissance.
and schools with a majority of students podcast is hosted by Reading Horizons’ Renaissance-U will now be housed on
below the poverty line. education specialist Laura Axtell, who Teaching Channel’s online professional
explores current educational topics with learning platform Teaching Channel Plus,
PKIUTBSOCOREODBUOCTAICTSION distinguished educators and leaders allowing educators greater interaction
whose practical solutions will improve the with other educators on the platform,
(www.kubo.education) future of education. Podclassed shares the as well as the ability to upload their own
KUBO Robotics, perspectives of educational stakeholders classroom videos. The companies will roll
a screen-free to identify solutions to relevant issues on out the updated Renaissance-U platform
coding solution for professional development. Episode one in August 2018.
emergent readers, is covers teacher preparation for reading with
now available in the guest Rob Rickenbrode, senior managing SAM LABS BLOCK-BASED
US exclusively through Pitsco Education. director for the National Council on PROGRAMMING
A fun, puzzle-like way for K-2 students to Teaching Quality.
experience coding for the first time, KUBO ( blockly.samlabs.com)
comes with activity mats, coding TagTiles, LREEANRANISINSAGNAC-EZ & SAM Labs
and the KUBO robot – and is available in launched SAM
a single set and four-packs that serve up to (www.renaissance.com) Blockly, a
12 students at a time. Teachers can access & (www.learninga-z.com) solution that
support through KUBO Education, an Renaissance helps students
online community. announces progress
Learning A-Z from visual flow-based programming
PROMETHEAN CLASSFLOW as its latest Renaissance Growth Alliance to block-based programming. Created
SWPORIITFVHTAWCCAHYRIPLERDCOROTEENMC’PSTLIOIOANNNLCAINECET partner. The companies are collaborating in partnership with Workbench, SAM
to provide personalized reading instruction Blockly is a complete classroom solution
(www.prometheanworld.com) to help educators increase students’ that provides access to a combination
Promethean was recognized by iKeepSafe,

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

4 9W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M | JUNE/JULY 2018 |

WHAT’S NEW software & online

ON DEMAND of content, the SAM Blockly app and VLEEAGRANSIPNBGSAACNADDENMEYVADA
SAM blocks. SAM Blockly enables SCCTOAARUTEREESWREISPDAETOHNWLAINYE
Check out the following resources progression from SAM Labs’ visual
from our partner sites: flow-based coding environment SAM (VegasPBS.org)
Space, to the Blockly environment, & (nvlearningacademy.net/academy/)
WEBINARS preparing students to advance to script-
Strategies for Delivering Required based coding languages as they develop Vegas PBS, through a state grant for
ESSA Reporting and Supporting their skills. distance education, has partnered with
Student Success Nevada Learning Academy (NVLA)
TRIANGLE INTERACTIVE to provide additional opportunities
Sponsored by: BrightBytes READ-ALOUD EBOOKS for students to prepare for industry-
recognized certifications in Health
8 Ways Teachers Can Incorporate ( bookbuddymedia. Science, Information Technology, and
Technology into the Classroom com/triangle- Business Management. This initiative
interactive-llc/) enables students to enroll in online
Sponsored by: Voyager Sopris Triangle Interactive career pathway courses, some provided
LLC announced the by Fuel Education, through NVLA at
Back to School: Putting Lessons launch of their first 1000 English and an affordable, greatly reduced cost
Learned from ISTE Into Practice Spanish read-along eBooks. Triangle of $75 per course, per semester. To
eBooks are enhanced with embedded enroll, visit NVLearningAcademy.net/
Sponsored by: itslearning audio, synchronized to offer automatic admissions.
page-turn functionality. All audio
The Journey to Data Interoperability: narrations are professionally performed WOFOFRICDEPXE9RFECT
How Lawrence Public Schools by talented voice actors, and each
Simplified and Centralized Data to word is highlighted as the audio is read (www.wordperfect.com)
Inspire District Success aloud. Triangle eBooks are designed Corel introduces
for beginning, developing, and striving the latest version
Sponsored by: BrightBytes readers, as well as English language of its office suite,
learners. WordPerfect Office
IT Infrastructure & the 21st Century X9, that prioritizes
Classroom: Ensuring Technology TYPING AGENT 5.0 productivity and
Availability control over your
(www.typingagent.com) documents. Work
Sponsored by: Schneider Electric Typing faster than ever with user-suggested
Agent, the workflow enhancements that give easy
Check techlearning.com for updates leading access to essential tools and functions.
online K-12 keyboarding solution, Updates to favorite tools, such as
AD INDEX announced the launch of its completely Reveal Codes and Macros, provide
upgraded version TA 5.0. Set to be even more ways to take control of your
COMPANY PAGE launched in the summer of 2018, Typing documents. In addition, a Quattro Pro
Audio Enhancement 23 Agent 5.0 will include a fresh new spreadsheet program, a Presentations
look, upgraded adaptive keyboarding slideshow creator, and more, are
Boxlight 19 curriculum, more gamification for included.
students, a Digital Citizenship curriculum
BrightBytes 51 aligned to ISTE standards, more Learn
to Type Code, ADA Compliance Features
CatchOn 11 and much more!

CDW-G 37

ClassLink 13

Elite Screen 9

Hall Research 17

Lightspeed Systems 52

NetSupport 27

NewTek 5

Optoma 41

Promethean 21

Scholastic, Inc. 2

Securly 25

Tab Pilot 39 FOR MORE OF THE LATEST PRODUCT RELEASES, VISIT US ONLINE AT TECHLEARNING.COM.

Vernier 7 5 0 | JUNE/JULY 2018 | W W W . T E C H L E A R N I N G . C O M