Schools generate enormous amounts of data every day. Most of it is never analyzed. Beyond benchmark scores and attendance dashboards lies a quieter layer of information—LMS click paths, revision histories, help desk tickets, device repair logs, app usage analytics, and formative assessment timestamps.

This unused layer is often called “dark data.” It is not secret data, just simply ignored.

For instructional coaches and technology facilitators, dark data represents one of the most practical and overlooked levers for improving instruction. The key is not collecting more information, but learning to interpret what schools already have.

What Counts as Dark Data in Schools?

Dark data includes data that has already been collected, has not been systematically analyzed, and is not currently connected to instructional improvement. Common examples include:

• LMS analytics (time-on-task, submission timestamps, revision frequency)
• Assignment resubmission patterns
• Help desk tickets by classroom or department
• Wi-Fi usage density by time of day
• Formative quiz attempt patterns
• Accessibility tool usage (text-to-speech, captioning)

Individually, these data points seem technical. Collectively, these tell an instructional story.

Why Coaches Should Care

Instructional coaching traditionally relies on classroom observations, student work artifacts, teacher self-reporting, and testing data. Additionally, building strong interpersonal relationships between teachers and coaches is essential.

Dark data adds another dimension: behavioral signals that occur between instruction and assessment. For example:

• If LMS logs show that most students access a resource only minutes before submission deadlines, pacing or clarity may need adjustment.
• If revision histories show minimal drafting activity, students may not understand the iterative writing processes.
• If help desk tickets spike during a specific unit, tool complexity may be interfering with learning goals.

These insights shift coaching conversations from abstract impressions to concrete patterns.

Step 1: Start with a Focused Question

The biggest mistake schools make is pulling reports without a hypothesis. Effective dark data analysis begins with a coaching question, such as:

• Are students engaging with feedback before submitting final drafts?
• Are digital tools supporting differentiated instruction?
• Is a new platform improving formative assessment practices?
• Are accessibility tools being used by the students who need them?

Dark data should answer instructional questions, not generate technical trivia.

Step 2: Identify the Most Actionable Data Sources

Not all dark data is equally useful. Coaches and tech facilitators should prioritize data that connects directly to classroom practice.

High-value sources include LMS logs showing time spent on resources, sequence of materials accessed, frequency of logins, and peer discussion participation. Assignment version histories can be useful to show the number of drafts, the time between revisions, and how feedback was incorporated into the final revisions.

Formative assessment data can reveal important patterns in how students engage with learning tasks, including their accuracy on first attempts, how often they retake assessments, and which questions consistently present challenges. When combined with analytics on accessibility feature usage, such as caption activation, read‑aloud tools, and translation supports, coaches can better understand how students are navigating content and whether built‑in supports are being leveraged effectively.

Support request data further enriches this picture by highlighting recurring help desk themes, patterns of app‑related confusion, and classroom‑specific technical issues that may be interfering with instruction rather than enhancing it.

These datasets often require collaboration with IT staff. Building that bridge is essential.

Step 3: Translate Technical Data into Instructional Language

Raw analytics overwhelm educators. Coaches can serve as translators.

• Instead of saying: “Students averaged 3.2 clicks per module.” Reframe as: “Most students appear to skip directly to the assignment without engaging the instructional materials.”
• Instead of: “Revision frequency is low.” Reframe as: “Students do not see drafting as part of the learning process.”

The goal is not to present dashboards, but to highlight potential instructional implications.

Step 4: Use Patterns, Not Surveillance

Dark data must never become a compliance tool.

Ethical guardrails include:

• Looking for grade-level or course-level patterns, not individual policing
• Anonymizing student identifiers during coaching analysis
• Framing findings as instructional improvement opportunities
• Avoiding punitive teacher comparisons

The purpose of dark data is insight, not enforcement. When used responsibly, it builds trust rather than eroding it.

Practical Scenarios for Instructional Improvement

Scenario 1: Feedback Isn’t Being Used

An instructional coach reviews LMS timestamps and discovers that 78% of students open teacher feedback less than five minutes before final submission deadlines.

Coaching conversation can help identify if students are taught how to apply feedback–would draft checkpoints improve engagement? The coach might suggest the following instructional adjustments: to add structured revision conferences and require a brief “feedback response” paragraph before final submission.

Scenario 2: Tool Fatigue Is Undermining Learning

Help desk tickets reveal repeated confusion with a newly adopted digital annotation tool.

A coaching conversation shift could discuss whether the cognitive load of the tool outweighs instructional benefits, and whether simpler workflows could achieve the same goal? The coach could suggest the following instructional adjustments: providing micro PD on streamlined tool use and replacing complex features with focused functionality.

Common Coaching Pitfalls to Avoid

• Data Overload – Too many metrics paralyze action. Coaches should start with a single data thread to consider and then build from there with the teacher.
• Misinterpretation – For instance, clicks do not equal comprehension. Don’t overvalue the data; confirm what it means.
• Equity Blindness – Usage patterns may reflect access disparities.
• Tech-Centric Framing – Coaches must remember that data must serve pedagogy, not the reverse. Instruction remains the goal, technology is the lens.

Building a Data Culture

For school leaders, supporting this work requires intentional coordination rather than isolated technical efforts. Effective use of dark data requires collaboration between instructional coaching teams and IT departments, clearly defined privacy protocols, and professional learning focused on interpreting analytics through an instructional lens. Leaders must also provide structured time for cross-functional teams to examine patterns together and ensure that insights are explicitly aligned to instructional priorities.

When these conditions are in place, dark data moves out of siloed systems and into strategic instructional conversations through which it can meaningfully inform practice.

A Reframing for Learning

For years, schools have invested in platforms that promise insights; however, many of those insights remain buried. Instructional coaches and technology facilitators occupy unique positions: They understand pedagogy and systems and can see where digital behavior and classroom intentions diverge.

Dark data is not about mining students or pointing out teacher failings, but illuminating instructional blind spots. When interpreted ethically and strategically, the quiet signals already flowing through school systems can become powerful catalysts for better teaching. The question is no longer whether schools have enough data but whether educators are effectively using the data that already exists.

Education leaders recently met at an event sponsored by Lightspeed Systems in Sacramento, California, to discuss AI in education, including its implications for students, teachers, workflow, and data privacy.

“There was a diverse set of philosophies around the use of AI in districts,” said panelist Jason Borgen, Chief Technology & Innovations Officer (CTiO), Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Some districts are treading lightly around AI use, either banning or discouraging it, while Borgen and the districts he works with are taking a different approach. “We're in the mindset with the schools that we serve and support, ‘Let's try it out and pilot it and test the waters with it,’” he said.

In the past, teachers have had concerns about using search engines, spellcheck, and email with students, but over time they have learned how to navigate these once-new technologies. To do that with AI, Borgen said educators have to get used to experimenting. “Life sometimes is R&D, and in our work as educators we need to research and develop how things can work for our own use and our own programs,” he said.

Protecting Data Privacy While Using AI  

When using any technology at schools protecting students’ data privacy is paramount. Even though AI tools often save questions and inputs to add to their data training set, Borgen said that interacting with these is not all that different from inputting information into a search engine.

“It comes down to just digital literacy,” he said. “Don't share personally identifiable information about yourself or students.” That goes for any digital tool that isn’t vetted and doesn’t meet your district's privacy requirements, whether it's a generative AI tool or a search engine.

Even so, Borgen says it is okay for teachers to input student work into an AI model as long as that work does not contain identifiable information regarding that student.

Use AI Effectively With Students 

Teachers who work in different subject areas often have different views of utilizing AI technology. For example, “The high school English teachers are somewhat conservative around their use and are concerned about cheating,” Borgen said.

The trick is figuring out how to utilize AI in a manner that familiarizes students with this important new technology and prepares them for careers that will likely require them to interact with AI, all while also protecting academic integrity.

For those English teachers worried about cheating, Borgen advises against using AI detection tools due to the unreliability, and instead suggests building assessments that are more AI-proof.

“Evaluate small chunks of information rather than large summative approaches to writing because then you can really tie in student voice to that,” he said. “Make sure students build connections to their life, because, obviously, AI cannot get into a student’s body to understand their life and mind. So when creating assignments, make sure there are those variables that AI cannot generate.”

Use AI to Save Teachers' Time 

Several AI tools are already being used by teachers Borgen works with to increase efficiency. These tools can do things such as watch YouTube or other videos and then create transcripts, questions, and instructional activities based upon the video, Borgen said. Others can help teachers generate lesson plans, create IEDs, and more.

Borgen stresses that teachers need to curate the use of these tools. “Treading lightly though, these are all brand-new tools, so spend some time making sure it's valid and correct,” he says. “The idea is not to replace the human, but really give the human a catalyst to consider ideas that they may have not thought of before.”

Go here to find out more about Lightspeed Systems

Researchers and practitioners from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research (UChicago Consortium), the Network for College Success (NCS), and The To&Through Project explain their “practice-driven” approach to data in Practice-Driven Data: Lessons from Chicago’s Approach to Research, Data, and Practice in Education. The UChicago Consortium has conducted more than two decades of research on Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and helps build capacity for school reform by identifying what matters most for school improvement and student success. NCS helps build CPS high school leaders’ capacity to respond to emerging research and data with actionable strategies for improvement through ongoing professional learning. The To&Through Project is an initiative that utilizes NCS and the UChicago Consortium as partners to integrate research, data, and professional learning to move more students to and through high school and college. This combination of research, data, and professional learning has yielded significant improvements in CPS students’ educational attainment, as well as some important lessons with implications for educators in Chicago and across the country. These lessons are:

1. PREPARE
Build Capacity to Facilitate Hard Conversations

Using data to guide school improvement means that the conversation around the data is just as important as the data itself. In order for data to improve student outcomes, educators must be able to use data in conversations about their practice. Our work in Chicago has underscored the importance of building educator capacity to have hard data conversations that clarify what the problem is and what the solutions might be. This requires investing in the capability of one person or a few people at a school to lead data-driven conversations, and it also requires strong school leadership to support a culture of data-driven improvement.

2. FOCUS
Prioritize Research-Based Indicators

In a relatively short period of time, CPS, like a great many school districts across the country, moved from a system in which educators were thirsty for any data to one where they could drown in data if they weren’t careful. The proliferation of data meant that educators needed to find ways to focus their discussions on the most important data. It’s the role of researchers to work with educators and develop high-leverage indicators that can help them focus on what matters the most for future student outcomes. Data system designers can then integrate these indicators into the data that reaches schools. Finally, educators and school leaders can then incorporate this data into their ongoing work, using these indicators to track progress and examine patterns both within and across schools.

3. MAKE MEANING
Develop Shared Ownership over the Implications of Research

When using data for improvement, accessible research findings give school and district leaders the opportunity to infuse their data work with research evidence. This in turn builds educators’ sense of ownership over the problems of practice raised by the research as well as their commitment to changing adult practice to improve student outcomes.

4. STRATEGIZE
Use the Right Data at the Right Time

Decision making in schools varies from big-picture strategy to fine-tuning interventions with individual students. Each of these decisions—and everything in between—benefit from the right data at the right time. The data system should provide schools with different data for different levels of decisions, with researchers evaluating popular strategies across contexts to determine the potential for scale.

5. DISRUPT
Identify and Stop Inequity

Decades of public discussion on the need to reduce achievement gaps has done little to produce more equitable outcomes for American students. In Chicago, we use data not only to highlight differences in student achievement, but also to push educators to examine the beliefs, practices, and institutional conditions that create inequitable outcomes for our youth across the district. Everything from the intentionality of the conversations at the school to the organization of the data ecosystem to the design of the research itself has implications for equity.

Taken together, these five lessons from Practice-Driven Data: Lessons from Chicago’s Approach to Research, Data, and Practice in Education form an approach to data use that focuses stakeholders at various levels on the most important goals and features of a data ecosystem that has the potential to catalyze systematic improvements in student outcomes.

An excerpt from the December 2018 report New Knowledge and Developments in Public Education, published by the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute.

“The cloud” is a major buzzword in computing right now, but its meaning is rather, well, cloudy for most people. Nevertheless, chances are high that you’ve already used the cloud, even if you may not have known it at the time. Media sharing services like Flickr, Instagram and YouTube? They use the cloud. Webmail clients like Gmail and Hotmail? Banking apps? Those too. Read on and we’ll see if we can’t dispel the fog a little…

At its heart, cloud computing involves using the power of the internet to outsource tasks you might traditionally perform on a personal computer – anything from handling simple storage to complex development and processing – to a vast and powerful remote network of interconnected machines.

This outsourcing is handy for the casual user who is fed up of having to free up space on their hard drive or purchase new storage for all the cat/baby/food photos they can’t stop taking. It’s even better for businesses that want to use the cloud for processing and storage – because users only pay for what they use.

Think about it. Back in the day, companies purchased computing infrastructure based on what they figured they might need now and in the next couple of years. Fearing what would happen if they underestimated demand, they tended to over-buy only to then have the equipment sit around idle. Not only that; business software is expensive. Not to mention the servers, networks, bandwidth, power, cooling, office space, and the experts needed to install, configure and run the whole caboodle.

Cloud computing allows businesses to run essential programs and applications through the Internet, saving them time, space, hassle and lots and lots of money. Billing for cloud services works just like the way you pay for utilities like gas and electricity in your home; it’s pay-as-you- go. The cloud is also extremely flexible. For heavy tasks, clients have instant access to scaled-up computing power on the fly. When they’re done with it they simply release it back to the cloud.

For more detailed information on how cloud computing works, go to https://www.howitworksdaily.com/cloud-storage-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work/

Boxlight Corporation (Nasdaq: BOXL) (“Boxlight”) today announced two partnerships with Critical Links and Modern Robotics, Inc.

Critical Links, provider of microcloud solutions for e-learning environments, will deliver Mimio MicroCloud, a complete cloud-enabled learning environment for any classroom in the world regardless of Internet connectivity or infrastructure limitations.  Previewed at Bett Show 2019 in London, the C3-based Mimio Micro-Cloud will provide secure in-classroom WiFi access to curriculum, content, and a Learning Management System.

The Mimio MicroCloud will also underpin the company’s newest STEM, robotics and Internet of Things (IoT) program developed by Modern Robotics, Inc. – MyBot. The educational robotics program will help students from pre-school to University levels develop skills and a passion for programming and robotics.

As a science teacher, I often get the following statement when working with other educators: "Sparking student interest in the Sciences is just easier. You get to show cool demonstrations and stuff...".

Yes, this is very true. It can be easier.

BUT, I recently had an incredible conversation with a Humanities teacher at my school, and she shared some incredible great resources for leveraging data visualization a method for sparking student curiosity in the humanities. 

If you are not familiar with data visualization, check out this talk. 

By finding a visualization, downloading it, removing specific information (titles, legends, keys, etc.) and displaying it to students, questions emerge. 

For example, this visualization of drought patters over the course of the past 100 years in America can be a powerful spark to build student interest in the Dust Bowl. 

Show students the image, say: "What are you curious about?"

Questions will emerge that will vary but ultimately, because of the nature of the visualization, students will not only ask "What does the orange region represent?", they will also notice that similarities exist between the  the 1940s and parts of the 2000s. 

Questions will emerge related to differences in farming practices, the economy, polities, etc.

​Suddenly a conversation related to the core causes of the Dust Bowl emerges without even discussing the Dust Bowl directly. 

​THEN, the next day (or for homework) show Ken Burn's documentary on the Dust Bowl. Delay the instruction. Delay the mentor! It's how the Hero's Journey operates. 

Below are some excellent Data Visualization Resources:  

GapMinder
What's Going On in This Graph? 
Information is Beautiful 
New York Times Data Visualizations 

cross posted at www.cyclesoflearning.com

Ramsey Musallam teaches science and robotics at Sonoma Academy in Santa Rosa, California, with the aim of fostering inquiry-based learning environments fueled by student curiosity. He presents widely on sparking student curiosity and teaching with technology. Musallam is a Google Certified Teacher, a YouTube Star Teacher, and a Leading Edge Certified Teacher. Watch his TED talk here and read his blog at www.cyclesoflearning.com.

Safe Zone, a Melbourne, Florida technology start-up, today announced it will introduce its Safe Zone Gunfire Detector (GFD) at CES 2019 (January 8-11, 2019) in the Stampede Booth #25708 in South Hall 2.

“The Safe Zone system responds within ten seconds to an active shooter situation, analyzing the on-the-ground situation and automatically communicating with all key personnel, from first responders to school administrators to parents and management,” Safe Zone President Mike Anderson said.  

Designed and manufactured in the United States, and priced at $149.00 per unit, the Safe Zone Gunfire Detector combines infrared and sound detection technologies with immediate cloud-based data analysis. 

By utilizing the data from multiple detectors simultaneously, the system determines the location of shots fired, the number of shots, and the type and caliber of gun being used. Within ten seconds of the trigger pull, an alert is sent to Public Safety Access Points in the appropriate dispatch center.  

The Safe Zone Gunfire Detector is a small (less than 3” x 3”) triangular unit that mounts in a ceiling corner and provides gunfire detection for an area of up to 9,000 ft3. 

Each detector monitors ambient noise and infrared level, with a full second of data recorded around any instance of a sudden increase in noise or light level. If an Infrared flash or sound more than 10 dB louder than ambient noise is detected, all detectors in range send the captured acoustic and IR signals to Safe Zone’s cloud-based machine learning system where they are compared against a database of thousands of signatures of known firearms and other non-firearm disturbances. The system analyzes more than 3000 datapoints in each record. False alarms like car backfires, firecrackers or balloons popping are filtered out through their distinct acoustic signatures.

For more information, contact Mike Anderson directly at mike.anderson@SafeZoneTech.com or visit the company at the Stampede CES exhibit at Booth #25708 in South Hall 2.

Leaders from more than 40 state departments of education descended upon Arlington, VA this week to attend The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA, @SETDA ‏) Leadership Summit (#setdals).  The annual forum showcased an education all-star cast of speakers including Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, and Jon Landis (@jonlandis), Education Development Executive for Apple Education, who kicked off the day with some big picture thoughts: “‘For a long time, what technology teachers were asked to adopt was about efficiency. Now, at this great moment, we are engaging in things that fundamentally change our pedagogy.’” 

One panel focusing on “Inspiring Thought Leadership in the Digital Age” included speakers Michael Golden, Executive Director and Senior Fellow at Catalyst @ Penn GSE, Betsy Corcoran, CEO, EdSurge, and Karen Cator, President and CEO, Digital Promise, who asked how exactly is big data helping education? “Data continues to inform the decisions, but how do we integrate all of this data effectively? We hear a lot about AI, for example, but if you are doing data analysis, you have to be careful about thinking AI will solve all of our problems. 

“There is such incredible power in data,” she continued, “but we haven't always focused on the messaging around data. When can you use it and when should you be concerned? How do you use data while protecting privacy? We haven’t messaged that clearly to teachers and parents.” 

Rosenworcel focused her remarks on her determination to close the homework gap. She noted that the FCC’s E-rate is still “the largest edtech program in the country and the primary program to connect all schools to modern communications.” She reflected on how E-rate looked five years ago when it “was stuck in the dialog era.”  

“We called for E-rate 2.0,” she said, “and it’s now built for the digital age. More than 40 million students have access, and this change was especially dramatic in rural areas. But there is still work to do.” She noted that 28% schools are not meeting the E-rate goal of 1 GBPS Internet Access per 1,000 students. 

Rosenworcel expressed concern about the current administration's commitment to ensuring the E-rate program moves to close the homework gap. “How do we get students connected at home when 7 out of 10 teachers require some form of connectivity to do homework, but 1 out of 3 households has no broadband access?” she asked. 

She proposed a solution that would rethink the Educational Broadband Service, a program that “allows educators to offer instructional services utilizing low-power broadband systems and high-speed internet access" (FCC).  

Student Voices

The lunch Student Voices Plenary Presentation was introduced by DeVos, who commended the leaders in the room. “You challenge us to rethink school,” she said. “...to look  at everything with fresh eyes and forward thinking. This is very inspiring.” She introduced the students of St. Albans City School (VT), winners of the Student Voices Award, who presented highlights of their programs that included no, low, and high tech tools for stewardship projects that included educating people about how to restore their wetlands, community gardens, and an urban forest.

The SETDA Education Forum inspired many to go back to their states and rethink how they innovate in their schools. “Innovation is always important in the world of education,” tweets Zach Scott‏ (@zachscott33), @NASSP Senior Manager of Federal Engagement and Outreach. “...but we need to ensure that innovation is inclusive. If not everyone has access to innovation then we don't see real growth or success.” 

Capstone announces its most popular PebbleGo™ databases are now available in Spanish. Three new modules PebbleGo Biografías(Biographies), Ciencia (Science), and Estudios Sociales (Social Studies), joined the previously released Spanish Animales (Animals) database.

[Salsa in the United States]

All of the modules include Spanish text and read-aloud Spanish-language audio recorded by professional voice-over artists, and a content map that matches the English language version. The databases were created with authentic Spanish text and audio, not machine translated or text to speech. The databases are correlated to state and national curriculum standards supporting core concepts in their given subject areas.

All PebbleGo database modules (Animals, Spanish Animales, Biographies, Dinosaurs, Science, and Social Studies) include leveled text, fully narrated by professional voice-over artists.

Atlanta (GA) school districts are using data and social media to drive their hiring practices and become more intentional about recruiting. These districts are also working to boost starting salaries as well as using incentive pay for teachers to take assignments in problem schools.

https://tinyurl.com/ybopu4cy

The information from SaaS applications is stored on the cloud. Because this is so convenient, use of these apps is growing at K–12 schools. However, experts warn that the convenience of the cloud should not mask the vulnerability of the data being stored. While Microsoft and Google guarantee the security of their platforms, cloud users are expected to manage their own SaaS configurations. This is where security issues are most likely to occur. Many breaches today are a simple result of accidentally leaving storage buckets open. SaaS information should be held to the same industry-regulated standards as those that apply to finances and healthcare. Just as banking records and medical diagnoses are deemed sensitive information, so too are student identities, including Social Security numbers, birthdates, and more. Emerging tools on the IT side are designed to help look for and set alerts for data going onto the cloud. School districts also need to adopt better built-in controls to protect against hackers. 

https://tinyurl.com/y9bwj6w6

Hero K12, which is a web-based platform teachers use to emphasize and reward students for positive behavior, has partnered with Clever Secure Sync for data integration. Adding Clever integration capabilities means that schools can securely synchronize data from their SIS (student information system) to Hero K12 for rapid set up of new accounts.

[Report Finds Increase in Data Breaches in Education and Offers Tips to Help Prevent Them]

Lenovo today launched LanSchool Air, a cloud-based classroom orchestration platform that aims to help teachers keep students engaged in a safe online environment. Designed to meet the instructional needs of connected classrooms, LanSchool Air minimizes digital distractions, keeps students focused and on track and increases collaboration in the classroom

[Make the Most of Your Budget with These Great Products: Makerspace Product Roundup 2018]

LanSchool Air is available for use in single classrooms as well as entire school districts. Compatible with a Google Classroom™ account, the subscription-based platform can support a variety of tasks:

• Push Website allows teachers to instantly launch the same webpage on every classroom device, eliminating the need to retype, correct or walk around to help students navigate to the correct URL.
• Thumbnail Monitoring gives teachers thumbnail views of all student screens, easily seeing what students are working on and identify when additional assistance is required.
• Web Limiting keeps students on task by limiting web browsing to approved websites through whitelisting and by blocking unwanted websites via blacklisting.
• Blank Screens empowers teachers to blank all student screens, and lockdown keyboards and mice, with one click.
• Snapshot lets instructors take screenshots of student screens, whether to showcase great work or share activities during parent-teacher conferences.

A valid Google Classroom™ account is required to start a free 30-day trial of LanSchool Air. Once Google Classroom™ integrates with LanSchool Air, all updates made within Google Classroom automatically sync to the classroom orchestration platform.

For more information and to start a free trial, visit www.lanschoolair.com.

“That’s not going to happen with MY teachers,” declared the woman to my right. The scene was an edtech futurist event 10 years ago in Washington D.C. The presenter, Tech&Learning advisor and legend David Warlick, was introducing the idea of using a new app called Twitter in class and how teachers would communicate with students after school during homework hours or even on the weekend. “My teachers are done at 2:48PM and are back on duty at 7:18AM,” proclaimed the Luddite, who also happened to be the teacher’s union president of a Mid-Atlantic state (rhymes with mercy.)

Thankfully, we all know how that turned out. Faculty are more connected to students than ever. But with those new abilities come greater responsibilities. While Twitter is now considered “old school” by students, they still find ways to use it incorrectly. Likewise, while the access to information has never been better, the ability to process what information is “real” has never been so compromised. This month, another Tech&Learning advisor, Paul Sanfrancesco, Director of Technology at Owen J. Roberts School District in Pennsylvania, breaks down some immediate, real world best practices to help train children becoming savvy digital citizens (page XX.) These tactics aren’t just for students either. Judging by my social media feeds, there are plenty of parents who need to be schooled on these practices too. I would argue that there may be no more important duty of today’s educators than to guide us all through this brave new world.

PowerSchool has announced a partnership with Level Data to offer its State Data Validation Suite as a fully integrated data validation tool for PowerSchool’s Student Information System (SIS).

PowerSchool’s SIS covers both administrative and instructional needs, enabling school personnel to manage a variety of student data including demographic information, attendance, state compliance reporting, grades, and emergency/medical and health.

Level Data allows users to correct multiple records concurrently that are in violation of any particular state validation rule.

The tool is available now for PowerSchool student information system customers. Visit http://www.leveldata.com/validationsuite/ for additional information.

Houston’s Families Empowered is the latest organization to partner with SchoolMint, provider of cloud-based strategic enrollment management software for PreK-12 school systems worldwide, to launch a common online application for its city’s charter schools. In addition to Houston, SchoolMint’s common online application for charter schools has been implemented in cities with some of the highest percentages of charter enrollment nationwide, including Boston, Kansas City, New York City, Oakland, Rochester, St. Louis, and West Contra Costa.

Created by non-profit Families Empowered, Apply Houston is a partnership between multiple public charter school networks designed to streamline the PreK-12 school application process. Parents looking for school options can fill out one application and apply to any or all of the 50-plus participating schools. The Apply Houston application takes parents approximately 10 minutes to complete, can be accessed on mobile devices, and is available in multiple languages.

To learn more, visit http://www.schoolmint.com.

I always find it enlightening to read analysis that pertains to education technology that is outside our traditional edtech walls. This piece posted on MIT Technology does just that by summarizing this UNICEF paper called Children and the Data Cycle: Rights and Ethics in a Big Data World. There’s a long way from the heady big picture issues these articles highlight and how we use student data in the classroom. But I think it helps put the day-to-day in perspective. —Kevin Hogan, Content Director

Next week during the EDUCAUSE Conference, TeamDynamix will showcase V10, released on October 23. The latest release focuses on data protection for sensitive information housed in the service management platform.

TeamDynamix delivers solutions for service management and project portfolio management on a single platform and is widely used in higher education environments which must adhere to federal guidelines.

“TDX V10 aims to offer service leaders and CIOs the ability to limit the risk associated with sensitive information by instituting multiple layers of protection and access to field level data,” said Andrew Graf, head of product strategy at TeamDynamix. "This means that, regardless of who may have access to a specific record, additional access for specific fields can require a PIN.”

Talk about a touchy subject. Mention data and its use in education and be ready for some long conversations: Student privacy! Teaching is an art, not a science! Kids are people, not numbers!

The topic can get complicated, too. An essay summarizing the recent EdTech Efficacy Research Symposium puts it as succinctly as possible. The symposium was a gathering of 275 researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs, professors, administrators, and philanthropists, who discussed the role efficacy research should play in guiding the development and implementation of education technologies: “Data can provide strong, real-time signals that advance productivity through, for example, predictive analytics, personalized learning, curriculum curating and delivery, and enabling the direct investigation into educational practices that work in specific contexts. The challenge is how to control and channel the deluge of bytes and information streaming from the estimated $25.4 billion K-16 education technology industry.” (For the full essay, go to http://bit.ly/2xtxr7b).

Ellen Ullman does a superb job of breaking down data’s role in schools even further. Want to find a way to manage student feedback? Read how Spring (TX) Independent School District does it. How about finding ways to boost attendance? Check out the successful strategies employed by Oakland High School in Oregon. North Branch (MN) Area Public Schools can even show you how to pass a referendum.

Data in schools doesn’t have to be a controversial or complicated subject. How do you handle it? Send me a note and we’ll add to you to the chorus of early adopters!
— Kevin Hogan
Content Director
khogan@nbmedia.com

Insight ADVANCE today announced the launch of real-time data and data management features to complement its ADVANCEfeedback® solution, an online tool used in K-12 and higher education for educator self-reflection, peer-to-peer collaboration, coaching, and evaluation. The platform has won Tech and Learning’s Awards of Excellence for the past two years, among other respected industry accolades.

ADVANCEfeedback® allows teachers to record and upload video to share with peers and request feedback through embedded notes at key moments in the video. Administrators can:

• Create scheduled windows for video and in-person observations, and track observations in progress.
• Ensure teachers and observers are paired appropriately, and review completed reports as they become available.
• Review observation results at the teacher or observer level in real-time, and pull detailed reports to meet specific needs.
• Build a custom resource library for Observers to assign in support of recommended best practices and areas of focus.
• Configure summative evaluation systems and manage internal and imported data, generating final reports at the teacher, school, or district level.

Aerohive Networks® today announced its cloud-managed stacking technology for Aerohive and Broadcom FASTPATH®-based switches. Watch this video of Aerohive’s engineering team demonstrating the new features of switch stacking.

Available late August, features include:

• Deployment and provisioning up to 1+ Million managed devices with streamlined configuration and the ability to create, clone, and customize switch stack templates
• Organizations can define and manage switch stack settings, customize exceptions, and apply bulk device configurations
• Can enable near-real-time configuration, in-depth visibility, faster reporting, SSH-troubleshooting access, and secure management traffic communication via the Aerohive Cloud.

Learn more about Aerohive’s Cloud-Managed Switch Stacking here.

Nineteen winners across three award categories were recognized at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Sector Summit in Washington, DC. The competition recognizes how local and regional governments are innovating on behalf of citizens across the globe. Winners include:

● Best Practices (Large): Solodev and Seminole County (FL) Public Schools set a new standard for modern K–12 websites while saving money and streamlining operations.

● Best Practices (Small): Intermediate School District 287 (MN). By using open digital curriculum, every teacher and student in Minnesota now has access to rich learning experiences and educational outreach programs.

● Dream Big (Large): Tulsa (OK) Public Schools aims to build a recommendation engine to support school teams with data-informed decision making.

● Dream Big (Small): Marmion Academy (IL): Marmion CPARC Engineering Center is a prototype for business and education STEM collaboration. They will begin expanding to the first outside school this fall.

● Dream Big (Honorable Mention): Seattle (WA) Public Schools’ top strategic priority is closing the opportunity gap for historically underserved students. The district intends to design a system that allows immediate answers to strategic issues fundamental to this goal.

FOR MORE, GO TO WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM/AUGUST17

WeVideo, a Microsoft Education Partner, today announced that its cloud-based, collaborative video editing application is available immediately as part of the new Microsoft Windows experience for K-12 classrooms. WeVideo was selected by Microsoft as an early participant in the new Education Apps Store. The two companies plan to showcase the new WeVideo Windows app through demonstrations at the ISTE Conference & Expo 2017 in San Antonio, June 25-28, in the Microsoft partner booth (#1140) as well as the WeVideo booth (#3045).

WeVideo provides students and teachers with a creative toolset that includes video editing, graphics, green screen, screencasting, voice-over, special effects, speed control, motion titles and more. Deep Office 365 integration ensures privacy, security and makes it easy for administrators to provision and manage users, groups, schools and districts when using the WeVideo for Schools product.

WeVideo for Schools

WeVideo for Schools provides both beginner and advanced editing modes to support any skill level and enable students to progress at their own pace. Designed for collaboration, students can take turns editing or share each other's clip libraries, each using their own device to complete tasks and interact with the project. Teachers can oversee group projects and observe and assess individual contributions as students work together, each from their own device and on their own time, to contribute unique elements and collectively finalize a video project.

New apps, digital resources, and subscriptions abound in classrooms. Yet, district administrators are left with a limited picture of actual technology usage. Now CatchOn has introduced its proprietary iOS solution, which provides visibility into native app usage, to help administrators hone their classroom technology without interrupting teaching and learning.

“The addition of iOS means district leaders can use CatchOn to see 100 percent of activity on 100 percent of devices at their schools,” said Jena Draper, CEO of CatchOn Inc. “They can finally answer, with confidence, ‘Is our technology being used?’ and ‘What are students and teachers doing with the technology?’”

Launched in September 2016, CatchOn is an administrative tool that collects real-time data on every device type and all app, software and website activity. The tool provides granular evidence on what’s happening digitally in classrooms, enabling district leaders to make decisions about app use, implementation fidelity, cost and ROI. In addition to iOS, current operability includes Mac OS, Windows Surface, Android and Chromebook.

For more information about CatchOn and the iOS expansion, visit http://www.getcatchon.com.

To protect students as they use school-issued devices to access the internet off campus, Smoothwall, provider of internet security and content filtering solutions, announces a new cloud-based, remote filtering tool for the Chrome browser.

Cloud Filter for Chrome enables districts to provide a customizable level of URL filtering on devices using the Chrome browsers when those devices are off-site and no longer connected to the school network. Devices will switch automatically from on-premises filtering to cloud-based filtering once students leave the network.

Early iterations of the product will include filtering by level, a simple way to scale filtering stringency to preferred levels and a simplified reporting module, to heed of problems early.

The Cloud Filter for Chrome will be fully available in August 2017. To learn more about the cloud-based, remote filtering tool, visit Smoothwall at ISTE booth #2340 or https://us.smoothwall.com/cloud-filter-for-chrome/.

As educators we are always on the lookout for ‘good stuff’ that we can make use of in the classroom. But not everything is miles away in a different state or somewhere up in the cloud. Sometimes, it’s right under your nose.

Here are some examples of things going on locally to me, and how they or something similar could be used.

When an empty space becomes a maker space

Where some people see an empty space in a shopping mall as, term, an empty space, Ken Wilks, a retired engineer, saw an opportunity to create a maker space or, as he likes to think of it, a hack space.

His mission is to give people an opportunity to learn how to do things like 3d printing without having to go to all the expense of buying a 3D printer. Also, how to make new things out of other things, eg reusing bits of discarded bicycles to make a new bicycle.

He is hoping that such a space will appeal to geeks of all ages who have nowhere to work on projects at home, or who can’t afford to do so. Also, to older people who would like to pass on their skills to others.

He and a few other people temporarily set up shop, so to speak, where a store used to be in a shopping mall. His ultimate aim is to set up an area where people can come any time of the day or night to work on their projects, in return for a membership fee of around $30 per month.

Are there any spaces near you that could be turned into a ‘maker space’?

If you’re not as familiar with hacking and making as you think you ought to be, is there a space like this near where you live? If so, maybe you could take yourself there and learn new skills at your own pace.

More information at http://www.romfordmakerspace.org/

Library Pi

There are some parts of England that still have public libraries, despite all the cuts to local funding, and I live near a couple of them. One of them runs classes in how to set up and use a Raspberry Pi. It’s a great place to go if you don’t want to look totally ignorant in front of the kids! (Although I think there’s a huge benefit in learning together.)

Do you have a library near you? If so, does it run anything like that?

3D comes to life in the library

Another library nearby runs a weekly session in which people can come along and learn about 3D printing and bring along their own design to have printed out for the cost of the materials. The staff provide advice on the best software to use, so it means you can get to grips with 3D printing without shelling out a few hundred bucks for the privilege.

Anything like that going on near you?

Tech day

An event being run by my library on a Saturday coming soon involves sessions like learning how to make an animation with ScratchJnr, learn about robotics with Prepare Robo, go on a Virtual Reality trip, and much more.

Be proactive

If your local library isn’t running anything like these, why not ask them if they can do so?

Another thing you can do is a nice little trick in Google. Just search for ‘Digital placename’.

For example, I’ve just typed in ‘Digital Atlanta’, and a whole bunch of interesting-looking sites popped up. One of them is Digital Crafts, which runs classes in programming. I have no idea what they’re like, but at least that search has given me a starting point. When I’ve conducted similar searches for other places, I’ve come across local organisations that work with schools in various ways, and which I’d previously never heard of.

It’s also worth contacting local organisations anyway. They may not be geared up for a visit by a teacher with 30 schoolkids, but they might still be helpful. A few years ago I contacted a 3D start-up and they spent a couple of hours taking me around their workshops and showing me what they do, and who does it — and I got to play with some very expensive toys!

The key message from all this is simple:

Think local!

Terry Freedman is an ed tech writer, trainer and speaker. He publishes the ICT & Computing in Education website at www.ictineducation.org.

Today, AWS announced the winners of the 2017 AWS City on a Cloud Innovation Challenge at the AWS Public Sector Summit in Washington, DC. 19 winners across the three award categories were recognized – Best Practices, Dream Big, and Partners in Innovation. The competition was designed to recognize how local and regional governments are innovating on behalf of citizens across the globe. Selected winners include:

Best Practices (Large)

• Solodev and Seminole County Public Schools

Best Practices (Small)

• Intermediate School District 287

Dream Big (Large)

• Tulsa Public Schools

Dream Big (Small)

• Marmion Academy: Marmion CPARC Engineering Center is a prototype for business and education STEM collaboration. They require high performance computing, remote learning, and virtual desktop solution assets to advance this to other schools.

Dream Big – Honorable Mentions

• Seattle Public Schools

For more information on the winner’s projects, click here.

Inside a London Bus, by Terry Freedman

There is a small but interesting exhibition in the Science Museum in London. Called 'Our lives in data', it tells us how our data is collected and what is done with it -- or could be done with it. And it challenges us to think about how much data we are prepared to give away.

Read more.

cross-posted at www.ictineducation.org

Terry Freedman is an independent educational ICT consultant with over 35 years of experience in education. He publishes the ICT in Education website and the newsletter “Digital Education."

I guard my privacy -- or so I thought. Photo data-lock.jpg by Terry Freedman

There's a very nice exhibition at the Science Museum in London. Called 'Our lives in data', it looks at how the data that we provide in various ways is used in planning decisions, how our likes and dislikes can be used to customise the advertisements we see, and also how we as individuals regard our privacy. It's that last one I'd like to consider in this post.

Read more.

cross-posted at www.ictineducation.org

Terry Freedman is an independent educational ICT consultant with over 35 years of experience in education. He publishes the ICT in Education website and the newsletter “Digital Education."

Suffice it to say that the editors here at Tech & Learning are pretty bullish on, well, technology and education. You won’t find any hand-wringing scare stories about dangerous devices in the classroom, lurking bogeymen on social media, or some sundry new tool that will subvert students from a “real” classroom experience; not that these aren’t reasonable issues with which to engage, it’s just that we believe the right approach is not to demonize.

One topic that does furrow our collective brow is that of student data privacy. A report released last month by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) lays out those worries in stark terms. The group surveyed over 1,000 stakeholders across the country, including students, parents, teachers, and school administrators. They also reviewed 152 school district edtech privacy policies in a yearlong effort to determine whether and how tech companies protect students’ privacy and their data. Their conclusion: “In short, technology providers are spying on students—and school districts, which often provide inadequate privacy policies or no privacy policy at all, are unwittingly helping them do it.”

I encourage you to download the report in our current issue online at techlearning.com or directly from the EFF (http://bit.ly/2oOH9fe). In the meantime, dig into the article on page 28, which was originally published just before the survey was released. Written by Gennie Gebhart, one of the EFF researchers, she interviews an anonymous district IT director, who expresses his or her own personal concerns: “We’re putting all our eggs in one basket that we’re not in control of,” he says, “We don’t know where this student data is going.”

Paranoid or prophetic? Be sure that these won’t be the last words on this topic at Tech & Learning.

—Kevin Hogan
Content Director
khogan@nbmedia.com

Amazon Web Services announces the call for entries for the AWS 2017 City on a Cloud Innovation Challenge, a global program to recognize schools or districts, local or regional governments, and technology partners that are innovating for the benefit of students and citizens using the AWS Cloud. Up to $50,000 in AWS promotional credits will be claimed by the winning school or district.

Schools or districts can compete in three categories:

Best Practices - Have you deployed an innovative solution with a proven track record of success? Submit for the Best Practices Award so you can take your project to the next level.

Dream Big - Have a great idea but need help getting started? Submit your idea, plan for implementation, and how your students, teachers, or operations will benefit.

Partners in Innovation - Are you a partner or educational technology company working with schools and districts? Share how you impact student success for K-12 and primary learners worldwide.

The 2017 City on a Cloud recipients will be announced at the AWS Public Sector Summit, June 12-14, 2017 in Washington D.C. The deadline for applications is May 12, 2017.

#NY1Snow Photos
There was a snow day for New York City schools this week. Everyone had something to say about whether or not schools should have stayed opened or closed. It was even the topic of the popular news program, "The Call."

Some felt the city was too darn soft. Some felt the city made the right call. It's a familiar refrain.

Unfortunately, regardless of the decision to keep schools open or closed no mayor, chancellor, or head of schools can ever make a judgement call that makes everyone happy.

But why?

Why must this decision rest on a judgement call?

Why not let the let data drive the decision? If the National Weather Service says this and/or this... then do that.

No one needs to be blamed when decisions are driven by data. When we get more, new, or different data, we can update decisions.

As long as we're talking about decisions, here's another plan that would help make this work better for everyone.

It is hard to get to school / work for some staff on snow days, but some live near schools, and it's not so hard. So, why not make a plan that includes that data?

Just have a smaller percentage of schools open on days when weather or other factors are an issue. In places like New York City we already have a similar type plan through the Office of Emergency Management to set up schools and other spaces should there be a hurricane. Something similar can be done for a snowstorm.

Have staff that is nearby schools come in. Let the families who need to send their kids to school, send them. Staff who can come in, are identified in advance. They get a day added on to their personal day bank. Families who need options have them.

Easy peasy, data driven, snow day plan.

Lisa Nielsen writes for and speaks to audiences across the globe about learning innovatively and is frequently covered by local and national media for her views on “Passion (not data) Driven Learning,” "Thinking Outside the Ban" to harness the power of technology for learning, and using the power of social media to provide a voice to educators and students. Ms. Nielsen has worked for more than a decade in various capacities to support learning in real and innovative ways that will prepare students for success. In addition to her award-winning blog, The Innovative Educator, Ms. Nielsen’s writing is featured in places such as Huffington Post, Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, ASCD Wholechild, MindShift, Leading & Learning, The Unplugged Mom, and is the author the book Teaching Generation Text.

Disclaimer: The information shared here is strictly that of the author and does not reflect the opinions or endorsement of her employer.

As the entire field of education continues to evolve - from curriculum and standards to accountability – teachers and administrators are expected to achieve ever-increasing degrees of success with ever-decreasing levels of resources. The reality, however, is that all the knowledge, experience, and dedication in the world can’t add hours to the day. Fortunately, educators don’t need to work harder. They just need the tools to work smarter.

Professional Learning Communities are literally changing the way the education process is viewed, understood, and accomplished. Collaboration is building bridges and closing gaps. Flexibility is driving curriculum modifications and meaningful interventions. And technology is helping deliver on the promise of efficiency and effectiveness. The challenge is to bring all these components together in a way that is both manageable and affordable within existing educational systems.

Educators Need the Tools to Work Smarter

GradeCam offers a comprehensive solution to this dilemma by streamlining processes, reducing costs, connecting stakeholders, and providing actionable data in a timely manner. Teachers are able to customize assessments, get immediate feedback, share information, and address needs as they arise. And GradeCam can facilitate all of these functions without requiring any special forms or equipment – just plain paper and a computer, tablet, smartphone, or document camera. But perhaps the best part is that GradeCam can also automatically transfer and record scores with the touch of a button.

Teachers are able to create unique forms specific to their needs, regardless of grade or subject area, comprised of multiple choice, true/false, number grids, rubrics, credit assignments, and more. And they can use them however they choose, from adding form code identifiers to regular assessments, or embedding them into existing worksheets, to laminating them for re-use, or printing multiples on a page to save paper.

Not only does GradeCam then make scoring instantaneous, but it also generates individual and cumulative data that can be viewed by question, score, student, class, teacher, school, and existing or custom standards. It even produces reports and enables direct sharing between educators and/or administrators.

By combining all the best elements of a successful PLC model with state-of-the-art technology developed by teachers, for teachers, GradeCam is already delivering proven results at schools and districts across the nation.

See the results of one school’s PLC breakthrough with GradeCam.

View Case Study

As the entire field of education continues to evolve - from curriculum and standards to accountability – teachers and administrators are expected to achieve ever-increasing degrees of success with ever-decreasing levels of resources. The reality, however, is that all the knowledge, experience, and dedication in the world can’t add hours to the day. Fortunately, educators don’t need to work harder. They just need the tools to work smarter.

Professional Learning Communities are literally changing the way the education process is viewed, understood, and accomplished. Collaboration is building bridges and closing gaps. Flexibility is driving curriculum modifications and meaningful interventions. And technology is helping deliver on the promise of efficiency and effectiveness. The challenge is to bring all these components together in a way that is both manageable and affordable within existing educational systems.

Educators Need the Tools to Work Smarter

GradeCam offers a comprehensive solution to this dilemma by streamlining processes, reducing costs, connecting stakeholders, and providing actionable data in a timely manner. Teachers are able to customize assessments, get immediate feedback, share information, and address needs as they arise. And GradeCam can facilitate all of these functions without requiring any special forms or equipment – just plain paper and a computer, tablet, smartphone, or document camera. But perhaps the best part is that GradeCam can also automatically transfer and record scores with the touch of a button.

Teachers are able to create unique forms specific to their needs, regardless of grade or subject area, comprised of multiple choice, true/false, number grids, rubrics, credit assignments, and more. And they can use them however they choose, from adding form code identifiers to regular assessments, or embedding them into existing worksheets, to laminating them for re-use, or printing multiples on a page to save paper.

Not only does GradeCam then make scoring instantaneous, but it also generates individual and cumulative data that can be viewed by question, score, student, class, teacher, school, and existing or custom standards. It even produces reports and enables direct sharing between educators and/or administrators.

By combining all the best elements of a successful PLC model with state-of-the-art technology developed by teachers, for teachers, GradeCam is already delivering proven results at schools and districts across the nation.

See the results of one school’s PLC breakthrough with GradeCam.

View Case Study

itslearning.com■Retail Price: Based on number of students and the services a district requires.

Itslearning is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) for grades K–12.

Quality and Effectiveness: itslearning meets a district’s need for one system to coordinate personalized learning. Each stakeholder has a single point of entry to this cloud-based LMS. Students, teachers, parents, and administrators log in on their own dashboards. Once connected, users can easily access the resources they need, including course content, a customizable standards-aligned planner, grades and assessments with rubrics, free and paid resources, and a variety of communication tools. Learning resources are all readily available and searchable—from those created within the district to those provided by partnerships with Gooru, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Office 365, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.

Ease of Use: itslearning employs a single dashboard where students find all of their courses, assignments, materials, assessments, and communications in one place. The system utilizes familiar communication sources like Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and discussions in a safe, controlled setting. Teachers find it easy to align curriculum to standards and use tools for tests, blogs, polls, video-conferencing, Web 2.0, and virtual field trips. itslearning also saves teacher time by setting up and collecting assignments, reporting grades, and presenting data in many different report templates. Since itslearning complies with the IMS Global Learning Consortium, the program can easily integrate with many content providers and mobile apps (e.g. iOS, Android).

Creative Use of Technology: The planner in itslearning provides teachers with a quick and easy way to get an overview of students and their recent activity. Students can access feedback from teachers in any format they prefer (audio, video, or text) to best fit their learning styles. The parent portal allows parents to see all student work, activities, and assessments, and it also enables them to communicate with teachers and administrators. Since itslearning is cloud-based, all stakeholders can use the program at home and at school. Clear expectations for students can be communicated on student dashboards for use at home and school so there is less uncertainty about what is required of them. Flipped classroom activities and discussion boards concerning assignments can be done at home or at school.

Suitability for Use in a School Environment: Because communication between all stakeholders (parents, students, teachers, and administrators) is readily available with itslearning, school learning communities can be created easily. For teachers, professional learning communities are a valuable addition—they can communicate with other staff members in their district and access PD as needed. The program’s automated grading and reporting features save time and make all information readily available to all stakeholders for planning and data decisions. With itslearning, digital content and data come together in each district. For students, e-Portfolio and personalization capabilities allow them to maintain an ongoing file of their work to share. itslearning also provides customer support and has created a support center with videos, user communities, and guides. Live chats and access to an extensive library of self-help materials are also available.

OVERALL RATING:

Itslearning is an excellent, comprehensive, and user-friendly LMS for all district stakeholders.

TOP FEATURES

●Single log-in so each stakeholder can access everything that is available to them.

● It’s simple to create individual learning plans using suggested resources with the automated content recommendation engine for remediation and review.

● Teachers can organize everything right on their dashboards to plan, assign lessons, assess, and communicate with students as well as with administrators, parents, and other teachers.

Who is assessment for? That’s a fundamental question for any teacher and any assignment--what data or feedback does this work provide and to whom? How? What comes next? Why?

These types of questions are essential in making sure that our teaching and assessment is meaningful. Assigning thirty projects and getting the same thirty results is a recipe, not a demonstration of learning, as the cliche goes.

In my school, the buzzwords of formative and summative assessment have always been important in our planning, instruction, and assessment. Technology, too, often plays a role as we explore new tools to make assessment and data collection easier and more effective. As a teacher and coach, I work with students and teachers on implementing technology into teaching and learning, and have thought a lot about the value of formative assessment.

As great as a formative assessment tool or strategy may be, it’s a dud if the data is not used to drive future instruction and learning. Too often, we are so distracted by the shine of new edtech and engagement that we don’t take advantage of the powerful data they can help communicate.

Defining Terms

At its core, formative assessment is for the learner--it provides feedback to the learner about how to meet desired outcomes. It can also provide feedback to the teacher for reteaching and to inform further planning. It doesn’t need--and usually doesn’t get--a grade; it’s assessment for learning and growth.

If formative assessment takes place primarily during learning, summative assessment is the larger demonstration of that learning. In today’s educational world, it’s the quiz, test, project, or paper. It’s the thing that’s due and gets graded.

While all assessment should provide meaningful, timely, and specific feedback to students, typically summative assessment marks the end of a period of learning. Formative assessment drives the learning forward.

This quote from Robert Stake describes formative and summative assessment better than I ever could. The image is from PD Mosaic.
For more reading about formative and summative assessment, I enjoyed ASCD’s What Teachers Really Need to Know About Formative Assessment by Laura Greenstein, "A Visual Chart on Summative vs. Formative Assessment" from Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, and the 2014 Hanover Research Study on the impact of formative assessment.

Assessment for Learning

If formative assessment is intended to improve learning, it needs to produce meaningful data and feedback. The exit ticket is a common practice for closure and formative assessment, but it’s only really useful if the teacher reviews the exit ticket and uses the data to inform future plans. Whether it helps redesign a whole lesson, demonstrate whole class understanding, or provide data about specific students, it needs to provide actionable data.

This means that whether it’s paper or an online game, we need to know how to look at data. For many teachers--me included--that’s not something that was ever part of classes or training Sure, I can give feedback to writing, track some trends on multiple choice, and interpret the big picture results, but it’s not an easy skill. Using data to inform instruction and interpreting data should be something that drives more conversations in schools and professional learning.

A Kahoot! game or other online tool may be engaging, challenging, and offer opportunities for valuable learning, but it’s power is intensely limited if we’re not looking at the data it has to offer, too.

“We Aren't Using Assessments Correctly”

After starting this article, I came across John Hattie’s 2015 article on Education Week, “We Aren't Using Assessments Correctly.” Hattie, best known for his work with Visible Learning, explains that the way we use summative and formative assessment in schools is often misguided. Hattie writes:

“The major purpose of assessment in schools should be to provide interpretative information to teachers and school leaders about their impact on students, so that these educators have the best information possible about what steps to take with instruction and how they need to change and adapt . . . Until we see tests as aids to enhance teaching and learning, and not primarily as barometers of how much a student knows now, on this day, on this test, then developing more tests will add little, and will remain an expensive distraction . . .”

Hattie sums up my feelings perfectly, and says it so much better than I ever could. His article is great and really emphasizes the whys of assessment. It’s also important to talk about the hows. There are so many ways to assess students and to collect data.

I’m particularly fond of tools like Google Forms (see Using Data for Better Learning with Google Forms) and other free, engaging tools provide assessment opportunities. No matter your choice, make sure that you can take action to help students better understand and improve their learning. Strategies for making formative assessment matter are worth exploring to make sure that the assessment matters beyond the teacher.

What are your favorite strategies for formative assessment or using data to drive instruction? What are the challenges of formative assessment? Share your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter @MrSchoenbart.

cross posted at www.aschoenbart.com

Adam Schoenbart is a high school English teacher, Google Education Trainer, and EdD candidate in Educational Leadership. He teaches grades 10-12 in a 1:1 Chromebook classroom at Ossining High School in Westchester County, NY and received the 2014 LHRIC Teacher Pioneer Award for innovative uses of technology that change teaching and learning. Read more at The SchoenBlog and connect on Twitter @MrSchoenbart.

Aerohive Networks® (NYSE: HIVE) today announced the introduction of Aerohive Connect™, a new cloud networking solution that offers enterprise connectivity and centralized management starting at $229 per access point.

As part of the new Connect offering, Aerohive also announced the launch of the AP122, a new enterprise-grade 802.11ac access point.

Features include:

• Reduced Cost
• Six-Click Configuration
• Simplified Cloud Management
• Ability to Scale
• HiveCare™ Connect Support – with access to the HiveCare Connect Community, a forum-based interactive support community, online tools and resources, and email support. The optional HiveCare Connect CallBack service provides phone access to Aerohive’s support team.
• Ability to upgrade –to Aerohive’s highest levels of functionality and support with no need to touch already deployed access points.

Pricing and Availability

• Aerohive’s AP122 is available immediately for $229 and the AP130 for $299 on Aerohive’s US and International price lists
• HiveManager Connect is available today
• HiveCare Connect support is available today on HiveNation™

With the support of a grant from The NEA Foundation, Girls Thinking Global (GTG) has launched its GTG Collaborative Visualization Tool, an online community of practice.

The GTG Visualization Tool is an interactive global data mapping of hundreds of organizations that support the education, health, well-being, and success of young women and girls globally. Users can select a country or service area and see a list of organizations serving that geographic location, as well as the services they provide and their websites. Currently, the Visualization Tool includes information for 286 organizations.

Find the GTG Collaborative Visualization Tool here.

Edsby® is now running on Microsoft Azure, Microsoft’s hyperscale, enterprise-grade cloud platform, as part of a global relationship between the two companies.

K-12 education organizations may have strict data sovereignty requirements that require them to store their academic data in the country/region they operate. Edsby is now leveraging Microsoft’s investment in Azure data centers worldwide to meet these requirements for customers around the globe.

This summer, Microsoft named Edsby a finalist for global 2016 Education Partner of the Year.

Software & Online

CDW-G CLOUD PLANNING SERVICES
(www.cdwg.com/IT-solutions/cloud/overview.aspx)

CDW-G announced an extension of its cloud computing competencies, offering a comprehensive set of services that helps customers develop a customized plan for leveraging the cloud. CDW-G Cloud Planning Services enable organizations to select from a variety of fee-based advisory services that offer insights and recommendations for developing a cloud strategy. The offering combines consulting and diagnostic services to help customers determine which of their applications and workloads make the most sense to move to the cloud.

CLASSDOJO EMPATHY SERIES
(www.classdojo.com)

ClassDojo and Making Caring Common (MCC), a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), recently announced an initiative designed to help students learn about the power of empathy. Through the initiative, ClassDojo and HGSE MCC created an original series of animated, short films along with discussion guides that will be available to all teachers, parents, and students on ClassDojo. Available online and in-app, the Empathy series features Pixar-like animated video shorts that star ClassDojo’s monsters as they prepare for a school play that has everyone preoccupied with their own concerns. Each video is paired with a set of projects and discussion guides for class and home, to help students build a deeper understanding of the concept of empathy.

CTE CURRICULUMS AND CERTIFICATIONS
(www.cevmultimedia.com)

CEV Multimedia released several new CTE curriculums and certifications: Health Science Curriculum, created in partnership with Covenant Health to offer a curriculum for rapidly growing healthcare industry; Law Enforcement Curriculum, created in collaboration with the Lubbock Police Department; Architecture, Construction, Transportation, and Manufacturing Curriculum, designed to educate students in variety of jobs that require skilled workers; and Culinary Meat Selection and Cookery Certification, created with help from the American Meat Science Association for students who want to go into culinary fields.

EDTHENA COMMENT STATS
(www.edthena.com)

Edthena, the video classroom observation platform for teacher development, now features a Comment Stats tool that transforms the data from comments left on teachers’ uploaded videos into a visual, data-driven way for teachers (and their coaches) to gauge whether the professional development is improving teaching practices. Using Edthena, teachers can upload videos of their classroom instruction and then share those videos with coaches and colleagues who provide timestamped comments. The system automatically generates reports and graphs that show comments by their type – questions, suggestions, strengths, or notes – and by any associated professional framework tags.

GENERATION GLOBAL
(www.generation.global)

Generation Global provides practical support for educators to guide the next generation of young people in becoming global citizens by peacefully navigating cultural and religious differences through meaningful dialogue. With Generation Global’s complimentary platform and curriculum, American students learn alongside students from around the world. Generation Global’s classroom resources can be integrated into any lesson but fit especially well into those focused on diverse cultures like history, geography, and social studies. Using the online learning community, teachers can group their students into facilitated conversations with other young people around the world, creating a safe and monitored environment that encourages open dialogue.

IDEAPHORA CLASSROOM
(www.ideaphora.com/classroom)

Ideaphora launched an online concept mapping environment for classroom use, designed to help teachers seamlessly apply concept mapping to digital content to create deeper learning experiences for their students. Teachers can assign resources or allow students to identify their own to use in their maps for activities such as note-taking, brainstorming, research, reinforcing a lesson, or introducing a new topic. As students interact with digital content, they discover key concepts and build connections among them in a visual map, moving them up through the top levels of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy.

LIFELIQE VR MUSEUM
(www.lifeliqe.com)

Lifeliqe, a visual learning platform incorporating virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and interactive 3D content, launched its first VR experience - Lifeliqe VR Museum. The free version is available exclusively on Viveport, HTC Vive’s content platform, with the premium version coming by the end of the year. Lifeliqe VR Museum is built on more than 1,000 interactive 3D models that are already available in a mobile version of Lifeliqe. The VR experience takes students into a virtual world where they can roam freely among dinosaurs or visit an ancient home. The explore function enables users to study interactive 3D models from K-12 sciences in a virtual lab while learning about different parts in great detail.

MATROX
(www.matrox.com)

Matrox introduced Monarch LCS, an easy-to-use, two-input lecture capture appliance that accepts video from any SDI or HDMI camera and presentation content over HDMI with computers. The inputs can be encoded independently and in sync for use with multi-stream video players, or they can be combined prior to encoding in a variety of production layouts for use with standard video players. Capable of both recording and streaming in H.264, Monarch LCS can be integrated into video management systems such as Opencast and Kaltura, and learning management systems such as Moodle.

MINECRAFT: EDUCATION EDITION
(www.education.minecraft.net)

As of November 1st, the full version of Minecraft: Education Edition is available for purchase. The Web site www.education. minecraft.net includes lesson plans and a new Minecraft Mentors program that connects educators with others experienced in teaching with Minecraft. New features include Classroom Mode, a companion app for Minecraft: Education Edition that lets teachers interact with students and manage settings from a central user interface. The company will continue to update the game to include features from other editions of Minecraft. All of the latest updates to the Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta will be included, such as leads and horses, additional player skins, and an updated user interface.

MYDAY (www.collabco.co.uk)

Collabco’s myday is a personalized academic organizer that provides schools, colleges, and universities with a customized student portal that keeps students engaged and organized. The platform incorporates data from a school’s LMS and SIS, as well as things like laundry scheduling, bus routes, low balances, and push notifications. myday is available in a browser to support desktop and laptop computers, as well as through a personalized mobile app. Students can access email, social media, news feeds, and academic sites with one login. They can also customize their portal to include whatever information they find most useful.

ODYSSEYWARE AND WEBBALIGN
(www.odyssyware.com)

Odysseyware has become a WebbAlign Depth of Knowledge Partner. Dr. Norman Webb developed the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Framework to analyze alignment between standards and assessments and for teachers’ professional development. Dr. Webb and his team have trained Odysseyware’s curriculum and product design teams on the most upto- date approaches to applying Webb’s (DOK) framework to curriculum and assessments. WebbAlign works with educators, along with curriculum and assessment developers, to help ensure that assessments match the rigor expected in corresponding learning expectations. The DOK framework will be applied to existing Odysseyware curriculum and assessment items, and will also be leveraged to inform the creation of new items.

PIVOTED LESSONS
(www.pivoted.com)

Capstone has released pivotEd, its newest digital content offering that includes more than 500 pre-built science, social studies, and language arts lessons for students in grades 3–6. Using pivotEd, teachers can instantly lock, unlock, and deploy interactive lessons to keep students on task. pivotEd’s smallgroup activities encourage students to work together to accomplish tasks. Students can submit their responses using their devices, while teachers simultaneously monitor student interaction, incorporate students’ answers into the lesson, and provide immediate digital feedback without disrupting instruction. pivotEd is fully integrated with Google Classroom, and includes professional development resources to help teachers implement effective digital strategies in their classrooms.

PRESENCELEARNING AND THE WOODCOCK-JOHNSON IV
(www.presencelearning.com)

PresenceLearning recently introduced psychoeducational assessments, administered live and online by fully credentialed school psychologists. PresenceLearning is also the only remote provider of the Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ IV) Cognitive and Achievement batteries. The WJ IV is used to determine a student’s strengths and weaknesses for intervention and/or eligibility for special education. Using PresenceLearning’s live, online therapy environment, WJ IV tests are administered via secure, interactive video by licensed school psychologists, helping schools conduct initial, re-evaluation, and triennial assessments quickly and effectively.

PROMETHEAN PLANET JOINS CLASSFLOW
(www.classflow.com)

Promethean Planet, an interactive whiteboard community for educators, is now part of the collaborative teaching and learning software community, ClassFlow. All lessons and resources designed for interactive whiteboards can now be shared across a connected classroom and sent to students’ Chromebooks, tablets, and laptops using ClassFlow. With ClassFlow, Promethean Planet users can search among thousands of teacher-created lessons and resources now available in the ClassFlow Marketplace. The resources support a wide range of file formats including PowerPoint presentations, Microsoft Word documents, ActivInspire FlipCharts, and Adobe PDF files.

WRITETOLEARN
(www.writetolearn.net

Pearson announced new capabilities in WriteToLearn, its automatically scored, Web-based tool for building writing and reading comprehension skills for students in grades 4-12. WriteToLearn also now features 39 new literature-based prompts for essay writing. Each of the new essay writing prompts in WriteToLearn is linked to at least one piece of literature, and all support college and career readiness. WriteToLearn lets students practice their essay and summary writing skills and expand their vocabulary. The tool instantly assesses student work by evaluating the meaning of text, not just grammar and spelling.

YOU CHOOSE 2016
(www.pbskids.org/youchoose)

PBS KIDS recently launched You Choose 2016, a Web site for ages 6-8 providing kids with relevant, nonpartisan democracyrelated information through interactive exploration and video. The site aims to teach kids about the Presidential election process in an entertaining and fun way. Kids can “meet the candidates” and learn fun and important facts about them, collect trading cards of past presidents and their spouses, create a digital campaign poster, and watch videos featuring PBS KIDS characters and new role models discussing democracy, election, and government – related topics.

Apps

BULB
(www.bulbapp.com)

Bulb is an easy-to-use digital portfolio for teachers and students where they can create, reflect, and share projects, assignments, lessons and more. Bulb portfolios allow students to track and demonstrate their growth over time. Additionally, user accounts are not tied to specific schools or learning management systems, enabling students to build up their portfolio throughout their school experience and beyond.

SCHOLARCONNECT
(www.scholarchip.com)

ScholarChip announced ScholarConnect, a new iOS and Android mobile app that lets parents track their children’s attendance, lateness, and meal purchases from any mobile device. Parents can also monitor and add funds into cafeteria accounts from checking or savings accounts, debit cards, or credit cards. The ScholarChip smart ID card protects students’ confidentiality and allows all students to simply tap to pay. Students use their ScholarChip One Card throughout the school day, so attendance and cafeteria purchase information is recorded electronically and automatically.

EPSON IPROJECTION APP AND CREATIVE PRINT APP
(www.epson.com/projectors)

Epson announced the availability of the Epson iProjection App for Chromebooks, enabling students and teachers to wirelessly display content from Chromebooks on Epson BrightLink interactive projectors and most PowerLite projectors. With the Epson Multi-PC Projection with Moderator function and the Epson iProjection App for Chromebooks, the teacher can display up to four Chromebook notebook computers simultaneously from a maximum of 50 connected devices for an engaging and collaborative classroom experience. Epson also announced enhancements to its Creative Print App. Featuring a direct link to Instagram on the home screen, Epson Creative Print 4.1 expands customization features allowing users to place text within a collage and customize fonts and collage backgrounds. The updated Creative Print app connects to iCloud, allowing access to photos stored on multiple computers, tablets, and phones.

GO MATH! GO
(www.hmhco.com)

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) released GO Math! GO, a playful learning app available for the iPhone and iPad that offers kids ages 3-7 an interactive math experience. The app takes students on a learning journey filled with friendly monsters, lovable animals, and adventurous heroes that will inspire them to master math, at home or on the go. Each grade level offers over 1,500 math problems addressing key topics such as addition, subtraction, and measuring for Kindergarten; graphs, charts, and geometry for first grade; and money, time, and fractions for second grade.

NEBO
(www.myscript.com/nebo)

MyScript’s Nebo app lets users convert notes into digital form for searching, sharing, and storage. Additionally, users can write and solve complex mathematical equations in the app, draw diagrams, and sketch pictures. Nebo features robust handwriting recognition technology, simplifying the process of digitizing written notes.

Hardware

The EMX-I-AMP (www.hallresearch.com/page/emx-i-amp) is a 4K HDMI audio extractor with built-in 50 watt audio amplifier for direct connection to 8 ohm speakers, and a separate stereo input for connecting a wireless microphone or audio player. The device is ideal for any setting where a controllable audio amplifier is required. HDMI audio is mixed with the analog audio input and amplified. Users can control output volume via LAN, front panel buttons, RS-232 commands, or by using a remote wall-plate with a rotary knob. An independent RS-232 output port available so that users can control other devices such as TVs or projectors. Additionally, the EMX-I-AMP incorporates a user-friendly internal Web site where users can control volume, mute and un-mute the audio, and turn the connected display on and off using the Web interface.

Spectrum Industries, Inc. (www.spectrumfurniture.com) announced the addition of the Flex Flip Tables to the Expressions line of product offerings in laminates and metals. The Flex Flip Table can meet the needs of any collaboration layout, while ADA accessible options allow teachers to engage any user in any environment. The flip top and locking casters provide quick and easy room reconfiguration and storage capabilities. The Flex Flip Table comes in multiple size options and can be purchased together with an optional power module and wire management kit.

Epson America, Inc. (www.epson.com) unveiled the next-generation Expression Premium XP-640 Small-in-One. The model offers a complete wireless solution, including Wi-Fi Direct to easily print directly from an iPad, iPhone, Android tablet, or smartphone, without a router. The XP-640 is compatible with the Epson Creative Print App, allowing users to print photo collages, personalized coloring book pages, and stationery directly from personal photos as well as from Facebook and Instagram accounts. The printer is also compatible with Epson Connect, a suite of solutions that includes Email Print, Epson Creative Print, Epson iPrint, Epson Remote Print, and Epson Scan to Cloud services and works through Wi-Fi direct or a wireless connection.

wePresent (www.wepresentwifi.com) announced a firmware upgrade to their wireless presentation devices which will allows support of Apple iOS 10, optimizes them for macOS Sierra, and provides a number of device-side optimizations and behindthe- scenes changes meant to improve the wePresent user experience for everyone. wePresent offers solutions that enable end-users to move away from cables and connections toward wireless presentations and collaboration. wePresent allows up to 64 users to connect and give a wireless presentation, in full 1080p HD, to the display from ANY device, and is compatible with PC, Mac, iOS, Chromebook, and Android. The new firmware is available for both wePresent’s WiPG-1600 and as well as the WiPG-2000.

RoboKind (www.robokindrobots.com) released a humanoid robot designed to expand access and engagement for African-American students in K-12 STEM education. The robot, with African-American likeness, will deliver the Robots4STEM curriculum designed in partnership with Quadrant 4 System Corporation (QFOR). Students in third grade and beyond gain foundational skills in coding and computer science through programming the robot, Jett. The program is designed to support educators with or without experience in computer science in implementing Robots4STEM, all while meeting competency-based math and science curriculum standards.

As a result of a new partnership with EXO U, Samsung (www.samsung.com/us) will bundle the Ormiboard (www.ormiboard.com) with new and current educational packages as well as offer it as a standalone feature to current Samsung customers. Samsung will incorporate Ormiboard functionality on large-format displays, interactive displays, Chromebooks, Android devices, and more. Ormiboard is device-agnostic digital learning environment that transforms any device into an easy-to-use white-boarding tool. Ormiboard also features a suite of device-management tools that have been customized for Samsung. Educators will be able to lock and unlock students’ Samsung devices, specific pages, and more—helping keep students on task during lessons while still personalizing their experiences with content and activities.

Tripp Lite (www.tripplite.com) introduced two USB 3.0 docking stations, designed for Microsoft Surface and Surface Pro tablets. These new docking stations expand the capabilities of the Surface by adding Gigabit Ethernet access, three USB 3.0 ports, and an optional HDMI port. They are compatible with all Surface models and versions and feature a low-profile design that fits onto the back of a Surface kickstand. The USB 3.0 hubs support data transfer rates of up to 5 Gbps and are backward-compatible with previous USB generations. The docking stations are plug-and-play, no software installation required.

Leka (www.leka.io) is an app-enabled robotic smart ball designed for children with special needs that aims to change the way children learn, play, and progress. Thanks to its sensors, Leka can detect and respond to a child’s interaction through autonomous behaviors. For instance, Leka appears sad and turns a red color if a child throws it to the ground. It also targets specific needs of children such as motor, cognitive, social, and emotional disorders.

The power to harness and visualize current, contrasting data across a school district is altering the way administrators and superintendents plan and communicate change.

More data than ever before is being generated by internal resources as well as external sources. The key to using this information is having a tool to pull them together for analysis. By connecting the dots between student characteristics and performance, property records and other data sets with physical addresses, geovisual analytics organize and bring patterns to vivid life. (see also: http://guidek12.com/category/resources/)

Visualization is crucial when tackling issues like boundary change, demographic shifts, referendum planning, open enrollment analysis and program placement. With the majority of the population categorized as visual learners, visual analytics make it easy for decision makers to clearly see answers as well as explain the causes behind changes in policy, and to communicate in ways more people will easily understand.

Geovisual analytics are providing actionable information in easy-to-understand bites that match the visual learning habits of the majority of people, allowing school districts to make informed decisions. Administrators are now able to find patterns, such as analyzing open enrollment trends to visualize where a student lives and where they attend, helping them avoid potential capacity challenges by identifying trends early.

When administrators can see how resource allocation aligns with student dispersion and patterns, programs for special needs populations can be located in the areas of greatest need, and diversity policies such as free and reduced lunch can be properly planned. Creating scenarios for growth or consolidation can be done by those closest to the issues and at a very granular level for impact analysis.

GuideK12 is helping administrators visualize their school districts’ complete stories and show stakeholders the data behind their decisions in a platform that virtually anyone can use. Learn just how easily this tool can improve your decision making and communication.

GuideK12 helps districts find quick answers:

•What is the impact of these boundary changes? Where is the boundary best located?
•Where are the voters in the community and do they have students?
•Where do the students live and where do they attend? Where are you losing capacity or getting too close on capacity?
•Are the specialized programs placed in the building closest to where the students with the need reside?
•Are there any patterns to understand regarding students not performing well on standardized test and any other factor? What could be done to support those students?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Why Analytics Are Key to Solving Budget Woes
When the Sunnyside Unified School District in Arizona faced a budget shortfall, administrators used geovisual analysis to address the issue strategically and create a solution that benefitted its stakeholders.

How Data Can Influence a Capital Campaign
Bond requests to replace aging infrastructure and provide 21st century learning environments can present challenges in today’s tax tolerance climate. See how data visualization can help target the right people with the right messaging.

See also: www.GuideK12.com

CDW today announced an extension of its cloud computing competencies, offering a comprehensive set of services that helps customers develop a customized plan for leveraging the cloud.

CDW Cloud Planning Services enable organizations to select from an array of fee-based advisory services that produce insights and recommendations for developing a cloud strategy. The offering combines consulting and diagnostic services to help customers determine which of their applications and workloads make the most sense to move to the cloud. Available services include four progressive levels of optional, pre-defined workshops that range from a one-day seminar to a seven-week engagement, with opportunity for customized projects tailored to customers’ needs.

• The most basic level of CDW’s Cloud Planning Services is Cloud 101 – a one-day workshop that outlines cloud market trends and evaluates an organization’s IT environments.
• CDW’s Cloud 201 is a one-week, in-depth look into the customer’s IT environment to help them develop a cloud strategy, construct supporting business cases and identify data center transformations necessary for cloud adoption.
• Cloud 202 is a three-week process that includes the Cloud 201 consultation and additional focus on total cost of ownership (TCO) frameworks to identify cloud vendors that match the customer’s specific workload needs.
• The most comprehensive CDW Cloud Planning Services engagement, Cloud 301, is a seven-week process highlighting consideration and definition of the financial and non-financial benefits of cloud adoption at the customer organization.

For more information about CDW cloud services offerings, visit www.cdw.com/cloud.

An increasing number of charter school networks across Texas have partnered with SchoolMint, provider of cloud-based student enrollment and school choice systems for PreK-12 district, charter, and independent schools. SchoolMint is currently serving more than 50,000 charter school students in Texas – or approximately 20 percent of the state’s entire charter school student population – by providing an automated system for schools to more efficiently and effectively complete the application, lottery, and registration processes.

KIPP San Antonio Public Schools, IDEA Public Schools, and YES Prep Public Schools are the latest Texas-based charter school networks to partner with SchoolMint. These networks join KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth Public Charter Schools, Life School, and Southwest Preparatory School District, among others, to implement the award-winning system.

To learn more about SchoolMint and its features for charter schools and school districts, visit http://www.schoolmint.com.

Software & Online

ABSOLUTE DATA & DEVICE SECURITY
(www.absolute.com)

Absolute introduced functionality that detects data at risk on endpoints associated with cloud storage applications. This new capability allows organizations to remotely secure data stored in the cloud and beyond the corporate network. With the latest release of Absolute Data & Device Security, users can determine which cloud applications are being used and what information is being stored, including the discovery of sensitive data using Absolute’s Endpoint Data Discovery capability. Leveraging Persistence technology from Absolute, organizations can detect folders on devices associated with cloud storage applications, identify at-risk data such as PHI, PII, payment information, or intellectual property, and remotely delete sensitive data – even if an endpoint is off the corporate network.

AEROHIVE SD-LAN
(www.aerohive.com)

Aerohive Networks introduced a comprehensive solution for Software Defined LAN (SD-LAN), offering flexible wireless and wired networking capabilities. SD-LAN is a new architecture for access networks designed to help organizations adapt their network to the changing demands of mobility. Aerohive’s SD-LAN capabilities include a new line of cloud-managed access switches –the AP250, a Wave 2 802.11ac access point with software definable dual 5 GHz radios; the latest release of HiveManager NG cloud-delivered network and policy management; dynamic application and identity-driven network performance; and an open API platform.

AUDIO NOTETAKER
(www.sonocent.com)

Sonocent released its enhanced Audio Notetaker tool for Windows, enabling users to work more effectively with information in text, audio and visual formats. The latest update includes a suite of audio enhancement features. The new Clear Lecture functionality has been embedded into the software to improve the clarity of recordings on playback. Additional features allow users to download content from both Sonocent and third party providers in the form of “content packs.” These can be a mixture of Audio Notetaker and other files, such as presentations or PDF files.

CEV MULTIMEDIA SKILLED WORKER CURRICULUM
(www.icevonline.com)

CEV Multimedia announced the release of a new Architecture, Construction, Transportation, and Manufacturing curriculum that addresses the demand for educational materials that provide realworld and practical learning opportunities for the next generation of skilled workers. Delivered through iCEV, an online learning platform, and developed in collaboration with various industry organizations and professionals, the new curriculum offers content areas on construction technology, welding techniques, small engine repair, and more.

CHRONICLING AMERICA
(www.chroniclingameria.loc.gov)

New digital content has been added to Chronicling America, the open access database of historic U.S. newspapers that’s part of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP). The content covers 18th-century newspapers from the three early American capitals: New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The NDNP is expanding its current time window (1836-1922) to include digitized newspapers from 1690-1963. The expansion will further the program goal of capturing the diversity of American history in an open access database.

CODECOMBAT
(www.codecombat.com)

CodeCombat offers an engaging platform for helping kids learn computer science. New updates to the platform include Game Development and Web Development, as well as a quadrupled number of levels within the Learn to Code module, allowing students to keep enhancing their coding skills. Additionally, a new adaptive personalized learning system recommends extra practice levels when it senses a student is having trouble with a concept to ensure they have mastered a skill before they move on.

DESTINY 14.0
(www.follettlearning.com/librarymanager)

Follett’s new Destiny 14.0 release supports IMS LTI capability, providing single sign-on integration to resources available in Destiny Discover via districts’ learning applications. Now, institutions using any LTI-compliant learning application can enhance the visibility and accessibility of resources the district has invested in through the addition of Destiny Discovery tools to their online classes. Additional updates to Destiny include a Chrome extension and access to open education resources.

DISCOVERY EDUCATION
(www.discoveryeducation.com)

To further support educators using Discovery Education’s digital services to grow their students’ creative, communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills, ten collaborative projects will be added to all Techbooks as well as Discovery Education Streaming and Streaming Plus. Powered by GlobalLab’s Web-based platform, the projects help students explore data with their peers, learn content, and build skills like data analysis, reasoning, and teamwork. Discovery Education is also offering educators using the Science, Math, and Social Studies Techbooks the opportunity to increase student engagement through an advanced level of immersive learning experiences. With lessons powered by Discovery Education’s new virtual reality content, students can explore topics such as how potential energy is transferred into to kinetic energy as they ride along with a pro skateboarder.

EDGENUITY ACQUIRES COMPASS LEARNING
(www.edgenuity.com)

Edgenuity has acquired education software provider Compass Learning, supporting a comprehensive suite of digital curriculum products. Compass Learning gives Edgenuity a full K-12 math and ELA curriculum product line, enabling Edgenuity to meet the growing demand of school leaders and teachers for personalized, targeted learning at all grade levels. Compass Learning products help pinpoint and close skill and concept gaps and move students forward academically with explicit instruction, supported practice, independent practice, and ongoing formative assessment

IMPERO KEYWORD LIBRARIES
(www.imperosoftware.com)

Impero Software has updated its keyword libraries to include a more comprehensive list of U.S. specific terms related to bullying, selfharm, radicalization, and more, in order to alert educators so they can help students before a tragedy occurs. The updated library, combined with Impero Education Pro software, helps teachers monitor and analyze student activity on school devices. Impero’s keyword library includes terms such as “gkys” which is text-speak for “go kill yourself;” “smack down” which is slang for severely injuring someone in a fight, and “thinspiration,” a term often used by people with eating disorders. The software also allows for adding new keywords or phrases so that educators can incorporate such things as neighborhood-specific gang references or student nicknames. Students can also use the software to anonymously report concerns about themselves or others to trusted, trained adults.

ITSLEARNING AND GOORU
(www.itslearning.net)

itslearning partnered with Gooru, a nonprofit that provides educators with free open educational resources (OER). The two organizations will offer 35 curriculum courses, backed with assessments, for grades 6-12 in core subject areas, including science, mathematics, ELA, and social studies. Gooru’s catalog includes standards-aligned courses, assessments, and multimedia resources, and has been vetted by educators and districts. By using the itslearning platform with Gooru’s capabilities, educators and learners can easily curate publisher, district-developed, or open education content with standards-aligned instructional support.

JAMF SUPPORT FOR IOS 10 AND MACOS SIERRA
(www.jamfsoftware.com)

JAMF Software announced support across all of its products, including Casper Suite and Bushel, for iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. Now, institutions will be able to automatically associate Managed Apple IDs for simplified app deployment using Apple’s Volume Purchase Program (VPP) with Apple School Manager, as well as manage Bluetooth settings to ensure that the Classroom app for teachers has uninterrupted communication with student iPads.

KIDS DISCOVER ONLINE
(www.kidsdiscover.com)

Kids Discover, a provider of science and social studies curriculum, announced that its interactive digital library, Kids Discover Online, now includes custom assessment capabilities. Kids Discover Online enables educators to mix and match material from science and social studies to facilitate students’ exploration of big ideas through cross-curricular learning. The new Assessments tool helps teachers create, distribute, and assess custom quizzes, tests, and homework assignments directly within the platform. The tool includes more than 5,000 questions covering more than 1,200 science and social studies topics. Question types include discussion prompts, short answer, multiple choice, and true/false.

KORGEDU WEBSITE FOR EDUCATORS
(www.education.korg.com)

-image in Dropbox Korg USA recently launched a new Web site dedicated for KorgEDU, the company’s educational division dedicated to helping educators integrate electronic music instruments, audio components, video production tools, computers, and software into learning environments. The mobile-friendly site is easy to use and navigate, and includes access to videos and downloadable lesson plans withcorresponding assets such as handouts, worksheets, and music/audio files.

MASTERTRACK 3.0
(www.mastertracksolutions.com)

MasterTrack Solutions released the latest version of its progress monitoring tools to track student mastery in K-8 CCSS for Math and ELA. MasterTrack 3.0’s tools serve as an early warning system, providing feedback to principals and teachers that they can use to make course corrections throughout the school year. Additionally, MasterTrack’s monthly coaching helps elementary school principals collect and act upon school-wide formative learning feedback to identify, clarify, and rectify students’ skills gaps on the CCSS.

MICROSOFT OFFICE 365 EDUCATION
(www.microsoft.com/o365eduction)

Based on feedback from teachers, Microsoft has released new features of Office 365 Education (free for teachers and students) for the new school year—Microsoft Classroom, School Data Sync, Microsoft Forms, OneNote ink, and Learning Tools. Using these tools, teachers and students can manage their class and assignment workflows in a single experience, receive and directly provide feedback on assignments, send out quizzes, and collaborate with colleagues and students paperlessly.

ONCAMPUS
(www.k12.blackbaud.com/oncampus)

Blackbaud announced that its onCampus LMS is Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) certified, giving users the capability to plug into external tools that pass through content, roster, and gradebook information in a standardized way. By leveraging onCampus’ LTI certification, Blackbaud integrates with Microsoft OneNote Class Notebook to streamline user experience and save time for educators. Through these LTI capabilities, Class Notebook can add to a variety of onCampus Topics to help create and share relevant and engaging resources within the classroom and throughout a school.

ORMIBOARD
(www.exou.com/products/ormiboard)

EXO U Inc. recently introduced Ormiboard, a digital learning environment that transforms any device with any operating system into a whiteboarding and collaboration tool. Teachers can migrate existing whiteboard content from software such as Smart Notebook and ActivInspire, choose from Ormiboard’s ready-made lessons, or create their own activities, games, and lessons with students on any device within Ormiboard’s interface. Ormiboard’s growing library of templates and searchable content covers all subject areas and includes quick quizzes, clickand-drag assignments, games, and exams. Additionally, teachers can fully integrate Ormiboard with Google Classroom, Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, and other platforms.

RENAISSANCE AND CLASSLINK
(www.renaissance.com)

Renaissance has partnered with ClassLink to enable OneClick access to Renaissance solutions. ClassLink’s OneClick delivers single sign-on to cloud-based resources, such as the Renaissance platform, and to files, whether they are stored in the cloud, on a device, or on the school network. The partnership aims to simplify sign-on for student and teachers while maintaining high levels of data security and privacy.

RETHINK FEEDBACK
(www.turnitin.com)

New resources and tools in Turnitin’s back-to-school program, “Rethink Feedback,” help K-12 teachers and higher education instructors teach proper methods of attribution and improve students’ writing skills. The resources include “In the Loop: Feedback Quiz,” a 12-question, online self-teaching tool that explains how students can get the most from feedback and how they can respond to instructor feedback; “Feedback that Makes the Grade,” an infographic that offers tips for high-quality feedback and details how students use and think about feedback; “Aiming for Integrity Analysis,” a report that covers student perceptions of plagiarism and citation methods; and “Plagiarism Spectrum,” an infographic that defines ten types of plagiarism.

SINGAPORE MATH FACT FLUENCY
(www.mceducation.us/fact-fluency)

Marshall Cavendish Education released a new workbook series for grades K-5, Singapore Math Fact Fluency. Each print-format student workbook is for one grade level and supports any math curriculum. Marshall Cavendish’s approach to help students master fact fluency is based on the idea that number sense leads to fact fluency, and that fact fluency and higher-order thinking can be taught simultaneously.

SKYWARD AND CLEVER
(www.skyward.com/k-12/partners)

Skyward, a K-12 school administrative software provider, has teamed up with Clever, a platform that simplifies and secures the integration of student data exchanged between SIS platforms and educational applications. Districts using Clever will be able to access Skyward’s free API to complete a data transfer of students enrolled in their district or select schools. The information will then integrate, at the discretion of district administrators, with authorized educational applications. Students are then able to use approved learning apps in the classroom through Clever’s single sign-on, which ensures student data is kept secure.

SMITHSONIAN PRIMARY SOURCES IN U.S. HISTORY
(www.gale.com/smithsonianps)

Gale introduced Smithsonian Primary Sources in U.S. History, offering access to 1,800 digital primary sources such as documents, maps, and historical objects from the Smithsonian’s museums and archives, in addition to content from Gale’s own collections. These curated materials are designed to help libraries provide a one-stop resource to save educators’ time while satisfying curriculum requirements and enhancing the study of U.S. history. Smithsonian Primary Sources in U.S. History is integrated with Google Apps for Education tools and Microsoft Office 365.

TOSHIBA AMERICA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
(www.business.toshiba.com)

Toshiba America Business Solutions announced the availability of ten new e-STUDIO MFPs, including six color and four monochrome models. Advanced software and hardware features enable users to tackle nearly any print, document management, and workflow application. The models include a multicore Intel Atom processor, a customizable tablet-style user interface, Embedded Application Platform, and Dual-Scan Document Feeder. The latest e-BRIDGE Next controller, combined with the new user interface, gives users the flexibility and power to accommodate their unique workflow needs.

VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL COURSES
(www.vhslearning.org)

The Virtual High School will pilot three new courses suitable for ESL students this fall. The courses were developed in partnership with CERNET Education and with input from ESL professionals at the Massachusetts International Academy. The courses are American Studies, Introduction to Natural Science, and Differential Calculus.

VOTERS ED AND EPALS
(www.secondavenuelearning.com/products/voters-ed)

Cricket Media partnered with Second Avenue Learning to integrate Voters Ed into one of the collaborative ePals Global Community Experiences. The collaborative Global Experiences integrate educational content from Cricket’s other reading-leveled media products as well as multimedia resources from experts such as the Smithsonian Institution. Voters Ed is an interactive product that helps students worldwide understand the U.S. Electoral process. The combination of Voters Ed and the Global Community helps students around the world become more informed global citizens while practicing skills in communication, collaboration, and the purposeful use of technology.

YOUCUBED WEEK OF INSPIRATIONAL MATH LESSONS
(www.youcubed.org)

To help students in grades K-12 approach math with creativity and enjoyment, youcubed, a Stanford University center that provides research-based resources for teaching and learning mathematics, released a series of free lessons. The Week of Inspirational Math lesson series for teachers, parents, and students includes five lessons that offer students open, rich mathematics experiences that inspire creative thinking and a growth mindset. Five motivational videos created by Stanford professor Jo Boaler and her undergraduate students accompany the lessons.

Apps

BLOOMZ
(www.bloomz.net)

Bloomz recently added new functionalities to its free parent communication app: Behavior Management and Student Portfolios. Behavior Management lets teachers securely share student conduct reports with parents in real time, while reinforcing positive behavior through a points-earning system. Finally, the Student Portfolio feature allows teachers to share student-submitted work with parents, keeping a record of the student’s work throughout the school year and beyond.

CLASSFLOW MOMENTS
(www.classflow.com)

Promethean released ClassFlow Moments, a new free app for teacher-parent communication. With the app, teachers can easily share classroom assignments, announcements, and awards with parents so they can proactively engage with their students’ learning. Additionally, teachers can share classroom content directly from ClassFlow – the hub where they direct classroom activities, deliver lessons, launch quizzes and interactive polls, and send out homework assignments.

LEARN WITH HOMER
(www.learnwithhomer.com)

Learn With Homer has updated its learn-to-read app with more robust teacher and classroom integration, Wickle avatar makeovers, the addition of reading lessons on planes, trains, dinosaurs, giraffes, presidential pets, and more, and added parental controls. The company also introduced Learn With Homer for Educators, bringing the program to classrooms and libraries. Teachers and librarians can access Learn With Homer through the Web site and access a custom classroom dashboard that supports progress tracking for up to 32 students with one account, placement of student at the appropriate level, and have students complete lessons in a specific order.

LEGO MINDSTORMS EDUCATION EV3
(https://education.lego.com/en-us)

The LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 app is now available for Chromebooks, enabling the robotics platform to reach a larger number of students with additional mobility and hands-on learning activities. The free app controls the EV3 programmable Brick using Bluetooth. The app includes a “Get Started” lesson plan along with six tutorials and three design engineering projects. The functionality mirrors the experience of the EV3 Programming app for iOS devices.

VISION CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FOR CHROMEBOOKS
(www.netop.com/chrome)

Netop released the Vision Classroom Management app for Chromebooks, a simple solution to manage a Chromebook classroom. The app provides real time views of every student screen on the teacher’s computer, and shows every student action, inside and outside of the browser window. Teachers can stop certain activities and freeze computer screens with a single click. Additionally, teachers can share their screens on student Chromebooks, allowing students who struggle to see the teacher’s materials to have a clear view.

Hardware

InFocus (www.infocus.com) announced the Mondopad Ultra line of premium multi-touch collaboration displays, available in 80 and 85 –inch screen sizes. With all-in-one videoconferencing, interactive whiteboarding, and data sharing, the Mondopad Ultra line delivers high-definition 4K clarity with seamless operation and enterprise integration out of the box. The InFocus Mondopad all-in-one system enables teams to connect and share any type of content with local and remote audiences. Users can brainstorm on a shared whiteboard, collaboratively edit documents, and draw directly onscreen. Documents can be saved to the Mondopad for future access and can be emailed to anyone directly from the device. A built-in high-quality camera and speakers facilitate enterprise-grade video conferencing.

WowWee (www.wowwee.com/coji) introduced its Coji robot, which combines STEM education with humor, games, and robotics for students ages four and up. Coji helps young kids learn the basics of coding through interactive educational games, with an optional app feature. The robot is sturdy enough to withstand hours of classroom play. Students can easily program Coji with simple Emoji comments, control the Coji using their smart device, and play games that test memory, show cause and effect, and help develop problem-solving skills.

The Kensington (www.kensington.com) LS510 Portfolio for 11.6” Chromebooks provides both drop protection and a professional carry experience for classroom users. Key features include EVA foam bumpers, a faux leather cover, soft inner lining, and magnetic flap to guard Chromebooks against bumps and drops. Ventilation channels ensure proper airflow to prevent overheating, while strategic cutouts allow easy access to power and USB ports. Hand straps provide a safer option for students and teachers to carry the portfolio, and a handy ID window quickly helps identify each user’s device.

D-Link (www.dlink.com) announced the new Wireless PoE Outdoor Access Point, DAP-3320, built to withstand outdoor environments and offering expanded coverage and signal strength of any wireless network. Equipped with high-performance 802.11n wireless connectivity, the DAP-3320 delivers wireless signal rates of up to 300 mbps using the 2.4 GHz band, and a built-in 2dBi omni antenna ensures the wireless signal will cover a wide area. The Wireless PoE Outdoor Access point can be used as a wireless bridge for an outdoor IP camera. In addition, the DAP-3320 is able to support a large number of wireless clients due to its processing power and support for 802.11n. The Wireless PoE Outdoor Access point also offers advanced security features, including WPA/WPA2, wireless LAN segmentation and VLAN support, and is powered by PoE for convenient installation.

A new survey of 400 K–12 IT professionals from CDW-G has found that cloud usage is on the rise in schools. While schools delivered only 42 percent of their IT solutions fully or partially via cloud in 2014, they deliver 67 percent today. Survey respondents expect this number to reach 74 percent in three years.

Schools have moved a significant number of foundational systems and apps to the cloud:

■ Email: 88% (compared to 64% in 2014)
■ Storage: 83% (compared to 63% in 2014)
■ Web hosting: 82% (compared to 56% in 2014)
■ Collaboration apps: 80% (compared to 46% in 2014)
■ Disaster recovery: 76% (compared to 33% in 2014)
■ Traditional business apps: 75% (compared to 40% in 2014)

Remaining barriers to using the cloud include security concerns (46%), student data privacy concerns (38%), and budget concerns (35%). More than two-thirds of IT professionals also say, however, that all of these barriers are getting easier to surmount over time.

READ MORE OF THE “K-12 CLOUD POSSIBILITIES: THE JOURNEY CONTINUES” STUDY AT CDWNEWSROOM.COM/K12-CLOUD-POSSIBILITIES/

Released today at ISTE, the following CDW-G K-12 Cloud Possibilities infographic illustrates schools’ cloud progress.