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.

Common Sense Education has posted a notice on its website stating that the content on its EdTech review pages is no longer being updated, and it will be taking a break from edtech reviews beginning February 2026.

The notice also directs educators to Common Sense EdTech privacy ratings and encourages subscribing to its educator newsletter for updates on classroom tech and media trends.

For many educators and district leaders, Common Sense reviews have been a familiar first stop for quickly gauging classroom fit, usability, and student experience. This shift does not create an immediate emergency, but it does remove educator access to a widely used resource.

Educators are asking the question: “Where do I get a rating now?”

Where To Go For Edtech Ratings and Reviews Now?

A useful alternative for educators looking for ratings and reviews is the EdTech Index. The EdTech Index is a resource from ISTE+ASCD (International Society for Technology in Education and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) designed to help educators compare tools using validation badges from partner organizations such as Common Sense Education.

You can learn how it works in A Comprehensive Guide to Using the EdTech Index.

The EdTech Index is not trying to be a single-star rating destination. Its approach emphasizes validations and badges as indicators across categories that schools routinely weigh when choosing tools.

Ratings vs. Validations

Ratings and reviews summarize experience and opinion. These can surface workflow realities and teacher satisfaction.

Validations and badges are meant to indicate alignment to specific criteria within a defined scope. These can help you narrow options quickly, as long as you remember that a badge signals what was validated, not whether the tool is the right fit for your specific students and setting.

The EdTech Index organizes validation signals using five EdTech Quality Indicators: Safe, Evidence-Based, Inclusive, Usable, and Interoperable. These indicators are a decision framework that can help teams move from “This is popular” to “This meets requirements we can explain and defend.”

How To Use The EdTech Index

The EdTech Index’s guides explain how to interpret quality signals rather than relying on a single score. Here is a practical approach:

1. Start with a product page and look for validation badges aligned to the five indicators.
2. Filter or narrow your search by the indicator that is non-negotiable for your district, such as safety or accessibility.
3. Click through to see who issued a validation and what it covers using the Validations area.

A badge is a strong starting point; it is not the finish line. Even a validated tool can fall short if it does not fit local curriculum, accessibility needs, device realities, or implementation capacity.

What To Do Next

Common Sense Education's pause in edtech reviews removes a familiar shortcut. The good news is you do not have to start from scratch.

Use the EdTech Index as your decision support hub to narrow options. Start by filtering using the five quality indicators. Then open a product page and look for validation badges that match your priorities. When a badge looks relevant, click into the Validations area to confirm what it covers and who issued it.

Once you have a shortlist, compare the remaining tools side by side and choose the one that meets your instructional goals and classroom realities. The value of the Index is speed and clarity. In a few minutes, you can move from a long list of tools to a short list that clears your baseline requirements, then use the Index’s comparisons to make the best choice.

You can also check out Tech & Learning's classroom tools, which are general introductory overviews. These are continually updated, although not vetted to the degree that Common Sense reviews were.

Watch this week's conversation above or listen/download the audio-only below.

The statistics are sobering: About 130 million U.S. adults read below a sixth-grade level; approximately 45 million U.S. adults are functionally illiterate, reading below a fifth-grade level; and 21% of U.S. adults are classified as functionally illiterate, unable to complete basic reading tasks, according to the OECD.

Matt Bardin, a former New York City public school teacher who transitioned into ed-tech with Zinc Learning Labs, has developed a platform aimed at addressing America's reading crisis. He argues that teachers shouldn't try to compete with TikTok's dopamine hits, but instead offer the deeper satisfaction of meaningful reading experiences.

His platform is currently offering free student licenses to teachers who complete training modules, as part of a mission to transform reading culture in American schools.

In the snippet below, Bardin talks about the state of reading in the United States:

In this next snippet, Bardin talks about how teachers shouldn't try to compete with TikTok but to engage them in different ways.

And in this final clip, Bardin discusses reaching peak dopamine levels and what comes next for education:

• Tech & Learning Conversations with Kevin Hogan

As a psychotherapist and technology journalist, specializing in education, I'm often looking at the intersection between app-based solutions and real-world emotional needs for students.

This is a very, very busy space right now as apps, AI, and enhanced attention in this area are all making for a whole host of potential solutions. So where do you start?

I think it's important to focus on what you're trying to do, first. Are you offering tools to send kids away to self-regulate, or are you trying to work with them to offer ways to explore their emotional worlds together? Or perhaps a combination of the two?

A student with enhanced communication skills, empathy, and an ability to know their own needs and limits is automatically going to be more independent. This is good for them and for educators.

So this guide aims to lay out some of the best special ed need (SEN) apps to help foster social and emotional independence for a better mental health experience for students and teachers alike.

TeenToks

TeenToks is a very modern and highly teen-focused solution to a mental health issue that has been enhanced by social media. Only in this case, that social media-style app is used to foster better self-care, enhanced emotional learning, and reduced adult authority pressure to help.

This mirrors how adolescents process emotional information: socially, narratively, and without feeling 'treated.' In this way, the app allows them to explore videos created by peers, normalizing mental health talk, in a short-form that's easy with which to engage.

GoNoodle

GoNoodle is a great choice for anyone who wants to use movement-based work to help with the discharge of energy. For this reason, the tool can be very helpful for learners with ADHD, autism, and sensory-seeking challenges.

This uses movement to help regulate the emotional system and to discharge nervous system arousal, safely and effectively.

While that can look like burning off energy, it's actually co-regulation through movement. This is ideal for any student who may struggle to process or express emotional experiences verbally. A great, body-first somatic path to regulation.

Moshi

Moshi offers a way to help students down-regulate their nervous systems so they can be more available and attentive. This can be a great way to start lessons, setting everyone in the room on a similar level for calm and available attention.

This uses strong evidence-based approaches to reduce anxiety. This includes calming stories, mindfulness, and a focus on sleep. That makes this ideal for transition periods, such as lesson beginnings or endings, as well as refusal points, or to help with sleep when needed.

Smiling Mind

Smiling Mind is a really good tool for working on understanding how to name and communicate feelings.

Thanks to a focus on emotional vocabulary development, this is a really powerful way for students to explore their inner worlds in a meaningful and useful way, both in the moment and for the future.

This uses structured mindfulness programs, nicely adapted to age groups, that allow teachers to help students develop better emotional literacy. The fact it's free, school-friendly, and non-commercial all help to make this a really powerful option for teachers.

Zones of Regulation

Zones of Regulation is an effective option to help students with their emotional self-regulation. This works well to take emotions as they are, without the usual moral connections that can complicate the reality around working with them non-judgmentally.

This uses an emotional self-regulation framework that's visual for ease of understanding, even for younger students. The idea is to take "bad" away from feelings and rather focus on ones that, perhaps, need more support than others.

No matter which you use, these SEN-friendly options make for a powerful way to help students work more openly and effectively with their own emotions in a self-affirming way.

Educators talk a lot about teaching students to think critically online. But the uncomfortable truth is that some of the biggest offenders spreading misinformation right now are not kids. It is adults. And our students are watching.

Scroll any feed and you will see grownups confidently sharing posts that collapse under the slightest scrutiny. A fake Donald Trump post. A fabricated Jason Kelce quote about Bad Bunny. Misinformation about vaccines, shared without any supporting evidence or credible medical source.

Posts that seem plausible spread quickly, even when the speaker lacks expertise or the information lacks context. Different examples, same problem. People are sharing information without asking the most basic question: Where did this come from?

If you bother to share, you should bother to cite and check the source. That is the baseline skill we should all expect.

The SIFT Method: A Simple Framework Adults Need Just as Much as Students

Common Sense Media breaks media verification into four steps using the SIFT method, a routine that asks readers to Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims to their original context. Schools that teach SIFT give students a reliable routine for evaluating information.

Stop

Pause before reacting or sharing. Do not rely solely on whether something feels surprising, emotional, or too perfect. Misinformation now spreads because it feels plausible and aligns with existing beliefs. The Jason Kelce and Donald Trump examples seemed realistic enough to pass a quick glance. That is why it is essential to stop and reflect.

Investigate the source

Check who created the content. Are they credible? Do they have expertise in the topic? A simple guide to analyzing media can help surface foundational questions such as who is the author and what is their purpose.

Find better coverage

Look for the source behind the screenshot. Screenshots are easy to fabricate and often circulate detached from context. Check if reputable outlets or official sources have covered the claim. If the only place reporting a sensational story is a meme page or an unverified screenshot, that is a red flag.

Trace claims to the original context

Go back to the primary source. Screenshots are not sources. It is easy to generate fake or altered images that circulate widely without context. Posts without links are invitations to misinformation. If a link is provided, follow it and read beyond the headline.

The power of SIFT is that it is practical. Not academic. Not overwhelming. Just a quick, efficient way to keep bad information from spreading.

Adults Are Modeling the Wrong Habits

In districts where media literacy is part of the curriculum, students are more likely to have sharper instincts for spotting manipulated content than adults. They understand how easy it is to generate fabricated content and stage authenticity. They also recognize how repost culture strips away context.

The skills students are learning today should not stay in the classroom. Adults would benefit from the same instruction and should be open to learning from a generation raised with media literacy as a necessary skill.

Teach What Responsible Sharing Looks Like

Here is a simple rule worth adding to every classroom, staff meeting, and parent workshop:

If you share something, you should also share the source.

• No source, no credibility.
• No link, no trust.
• No verification, no repost.

As educators and leaders, we can model this. When someone shares a claim, ask them where they got it. When students catch something questionable, encourage them to walk through SIFT aloud. When adults fall for viral misinformation, treat it as a teachable moment, not a shame exercise.

The message is simple: Responsible citizens verify before they amplify.

A Path Forward

Misinformation today moves faster than ever. The answer is not fear. It is skill building.

SIFT is not just a classroom routine. It is a life skill. A civic skill. A family skill.

If adults want young people to navigate information responsibly, they must model those habits themselves. And if adults never learned these skills, they can start now.

Schools can teach SIFT in advisory, ELA, technology social studies, or really any classroom, and share the same guides with families through newsletters, school apps, or parent workshops so adults can build the skill on their own.

That is media literacy in action.

Quizplus is available as a one-stop shop for study, offering a place to practice and cement learning in an independent way that also gives educators oversight.

The company behind this resource claims that it has millions of users and, as such, offers tens of millions of questions that can be explored.

This works across a wide range of ages and institutions, from elementary schools and colleges to high schools and home schools. It offers quizzes, flash-cards, textbook solutions, and a broad question-bank across multiple disciplines.

But how does it stack up for classroom use, how might a teacher integrate it, and what are the caveats? In this article we’ll explore what Quizplus could do in your class.

What is Quizplus?

Quizplus is a massive online resource of quizzes, flash-cards, textbook solutions and questions designed to help with study.

This offers a massive 10 million+ data bank of options that cover more than 30 fields of study. That means access to a community of more than 10 million students using more than 20 million questions and answers as well as more than 300,000 quizzes.

This covers micro-learning but also plenty of school and higher ed subjects including biology, computing, chemistry, nursing, psychology, and more.

This works as a helpful supplement for educators who want to use the ready-made content as a way to support learning and reinforce independent exploration.

How does Quizplus work?

Quizplus uses a simple drag-and-drop interface that allows teachers to begin creating a quiz from scratch with ease. But it's not totally from scratch, as there are a range of questions, images, videos, timers, randomizers, and more from which to pick.

Once the quiz is all set, students can access it via a browser or mobile app -- on both iOS and Android -- allowing them to try it. Automation is applied to grading so responses can be given with instant feedback for students without a teacher needing to get involved in the process. Usefully, this can include explanations, hints, links, and supplementary materials -- all helping students progress independently with valuable actions.

For educators, there is a helpful dashboard that visualizes performance trends across classes and individual students. They also can quickly identify areas in which learners are struggling and adjust instruction accordingly. Also, the platform supports gamification, with leaderboards, badges, and rewards that encourage participation and can help provide a sense of achievement.

What are the best Quizplus features?

Quizplus has a host of helpful features beyond the broad selection of questions and answers. Adaptive quizzing adjusts the difficulty based on student responses, so this can follow the student learning curve to help keep them progressing without being prohibitively hard.

Multimedia integration means you can add images, audio, or video to a question in order to make it far more engaging and appealing to a wider range of students.

That instant feedback is a really great way to help students understand mistakes in real time. The fact it also offer additional pathways for learning can help support independent learning all in one spot.

The analytics dashboard -- which tracks class performance, question difficulty, and learning gaps -- is a helpful way for teachers to stay close to each student but at a time that's convenient to them.

The gamification -- featuring leaderboards, badges, and competitions -- can help boost engagement, especially with students who are particularly suited to that type of learning style.

For admins and educators, the LMS integration syncs with platforms such as Google Classroom and Canvas for streamlined management.

It all adds up to a service that is designed to support active learning, promote self-paced study, and give teachers actionable insights -- all in one spot.

How much does Quizplus cost?

Quizplus is subscription-based, with options for individual educators, schools, and districts. Costs vary depending on the number of students and the level of features required. A free version is available, as is a trial option.

The Free version offers some basic access with in-app purchase options.

Basic plans may offer limited quizzes per month, making it suitable for trial or smaller classrooms.

Annual institutional licenses provide unlimited quizzes, analytics access, and premium support.

Quizplus best tips and tricks

Mix question types
Use a combination of multiple-choice, short-answer, and multimedia questions to keep students engaged.

Vary challenge
Set up quizzes that adjust difficulty based on responses to challenge advanced learners and support struggling students.

Incorporate gamification
Leaderboards and badges motivate learners, especially in competitive or collaborative classroom settings.

• Best Tools for Teachers
• New Teacher Starter Kit

QR codes. They look sleek. They’re everywhere. But in education, they’re often misused.

Sure, these are convenient if the audience you’re targeting primarily accesses information on their phones. But in education, especially with today’s widespread phone bans, that’s usually not the case.

Educators and students usually engage using laptops, tablets, or desktops. So when a QR code is plastered on a slide, agenda, or online resource with no alternative, it’s not innovative; it’s misguided.

It’s time to rethink the QR code trend and align it with user experience.

When QR Codes Make Sense

Mobile-first settings

QR codes shine when phones are already out:

• Check-ins at events
• Hallway signs or posters
• Scavenger hunts or gallery walks
• Bulletin boards or printed flyers

In these cases, a quick scan saves time and typing.

On printed materials

Paper flyers, bulletin boards, or other displays? A QR code can elegantly point to a website, video, or form. Just make sure it’s large enough to scan and clearly labeled with its intended purpose.

However, a QR code alone is not enough

Pair the QR code with a shortened URL. This gives users agency over how they access the content.

When NOT to Use a QR Code

During virtual presentations to desktop/laptop users

Don’t make attendees grab their phone to scan a slide just to open it on their computer. That’s a clunky workaround when a simple clickable or short URL would do.

In person, when people are using laptops

If attendees are working on laptops, such as in PD sessions, conferences, or meetings, they shouldn’t have to switch devices just to access content. A short URL is quicker and easier.

As the only method of access

Everyone should be able to engage, regardless of device. A QR code with no alternate link assumes everyone has the same comfort level and tools. Standard QR codes can also be challenging for blind or visually impaired individuals. Providing a QR code only is not an inclusive design. That’s an oversight.

Design for Access, Not for Show

QR codes look modern, but good design isn’t about appearance. It’s about accessibility and usability.

Before dropping a QR code into your materials, ask yourself the following, and know what to look for in your answers:

What devices are participants using?
If most are on laptops or desktops, a QR code should not be the primary access point. Provide a clickable link or shortened URL they can easily type or open.

Is scanning easier or more complicated for this audience?
If it requires switching devices or copying links between phone and laptop, it’s not easier. Choose the method that works with the device they’re already using.

Have I provided an alternative, like a short URL?
If not, you’re limiting access. Always offer both a QR code and a short link so participants can choose what works best for them.

Did I include a resource document?
A resource doc (Google Doc, PDF, or slide deck) should house all relevant links. This makes it easy for participants to revisit materials later, no matter what device they’re using.

QR Codes In Education: The Bottom Line

If a QR code creates friction instead of removing it, it's not the right tool.

True innovation means designing with your audience in mind. That includes making it as easy as possible for them to access and engage with your content.

Know someone who's using QR codes incorrectly? Now you have an article to share with them.

Watch the video above or listen by clicking the link below:

A group of 40 young developers came together in New York City last month to invent technological tools that combat hate and extremism in online gaming. The three-day program, held in partnership with NYU's Center for the Study of Antisemitism, challenged participants to create prototypes addressing the crisis in gaming, specifically the use of chat rooms.

I talked to Morielle Lotan, CEO of The ADIR Challenge Foundation, who discussed the inaugural GameChangers 2025. The fellowship identified immediate technological solutions, including AI-powered moderation systems, crowdsourced reporting tools, and dynamic hate symbol dictionaries—all designed for rapid deployment by industry partners such as Playtika and Decart.

Our conversation highlights the educational gap facing parents and educators who struggle to understand gaming's hidden dangers. We're not talking about a niche hobby here: There are 3.3 billion gamers worldwide. The average age? Thirty-four. Seventy percent of U.S. households have at least one gamer. This is an industry larger than television and movies combined.

And yet, within this massive ecosystem, there's an underworld—anonymous chat rooms where 83 million American players have faced harassment, where extremist recruitment happens, and where hate speech thrives unchecked. It’s a dark but essential subject. Have a listen!

California is poised to become the first state to require warning labels on social media platforms, following the passage of Assembly Bill 56 through both houses of the state legislature. The groundbreaking legislation, now awaiting Governor Newsom's signature, represents a significant step in addressing the youth mental health crisis linked to excessive social media use.

In this conversation with Mikey Hothi, Director, California Kids & Tech Policy from Common Sense Media, he emphasizes that this legislation mirrors successful warning label campaigns for tobacco and alcohol. With Governor Newsom facing an October 13 deadline to sign or veto the bill, advocates are mobilizing grassroots support from parents and educators to secure this landmark children's digital safety protection.

The law would require platforms with “addictive feeds”—including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat—to display prominent warning messages to minor users. Upon opening these applications, users under 18 would see a 10-second warning covering 25% of the screen, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms and has not been proven safe for young users.

The legislation includes escalating warnings: after three hours of use, a secondary 30-second warning would cover 75% of the screen, with additional warnings appearing every subsequent hour.

Research shows that minors often spend more than five hours daily on social media platforms, and with adolescents who spend more than three hours per day facing double the risk of mental health issues, the need for intervention has never been clearer. This legislation represents a state-level response to what many see as federal inaction on digital safety for children.

Keeping lines of communication open between teachers and families is important. To support that, Lacey Merrifield, Director of Technology at Bosqueville ISD in Texas, created a communication app to achieve transparency in the community. Here we talk about how the app came to be, what it accomplishes, and how it helps mitigate over-communication.

Staying in consistent contact with your child’s teacher can keep you up to date with what’s going on in your child’s class, help you better understand a teacher’s way of teaching, and provide an answer when you need it the most. However, for many schools, keeping connected with what’s going on at a school has been left to the likes of Facebook. Lacey Merrifield thought of a better way to keep families connected with teachers without forcing them to be exposed to social media.

“We’re a really tiny district,” Merrifield says of her 750-student school community. “The main way they were communicating and getting information out was Facebook. At the end of every year we do a parent survey, a staff survey, a student survey, and one of the biggest things on the parent survey was that they had to actually get on social media when a lot of them avoid social media. I’d already wanted to redesign the school website and add communication to it. Our website was really outdated…and adding the app came from parents wanting to be able to avoid getting on social media [to stay connected].”

The Bosqueville ISD app acts as an extension of the updated website, which can also help keep parents connected if they find themselves without their phones or tablets.

For this effort and other work, Merrifield was recently honored with a Tech & Learning Innovative Leader Award for Innovative Director of Technology during a recent Tech & Learning Regional Leadership Summit.

Making Safety a Priority

Parents today now have higher levels of access to teachers through emails and text messages. Pushing that communication through a single platform can help organize the messages that a teacher can receive regularly, and allows for communication without sacrificing privacy and security.

“We don’t want our teachers texting,” Merrifield says. “This is on the app. That way our teachers aren’t giving out their numbers. They don’t have to get a Google number. They can still use their phone, but their privacy is protected. We’re still communicating, but it’s not intruding on personal boundaries.”

What if a teacher does not want the app on their own personal device?

“The cool part about this is that if a teacher doesn’t want to put the app on their phone, they don’t have to,” she says. “It’s a web-based app as well so they can do it all from their school computer.”

This can help to separate the working world from a personal life for teachers who feel the two may blend together too often. Keeping school-related apps and tools strictly on school devices (or separate devices if they are not school-issued) can create peace of mind for a teacher while also allowing for full focus when sending information to families or responding to an inquiry from a parent.

6 Steps To Put Together a Communication App

With the idea and the execution of the communication service running smoothly, it might seem like the Bosqueville ISD app was a walk in the park to make. However, it took strong collaboration with programmers and designers, as well as vocal opinions from the community itself, to help get this innovative moment off the ground.

“The number one thing was getting a needs assessment that came through our staff, student, and parent surveys,” Merrifield says. “Then we collaborated with Edlio, telling them what we wanted from [the service]. We had to test, and there were some glitches. Our Google Sign On didn’t work as it should have, things like that. Then we had launching and training. I think getting those in the right order [is important], because if you launch it and it doesn’t work, nobody wants to go back to it.”

Merrifield shares the step-by-step process that ensured the app achieved the proper goals and met the needs of her school community effectively.

Needs Assessment: “We began by gathering input from stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and students, to identify their communication needs and preferences,” Merrifield says. “This feedback guided our overall vision for the app.”

Collaboration with Edlio: “After defining our goals, we collaborated closely with Edlio's development team. They provided us with insights into the features and functionalities that could be incorporated, ensuring the app would align with our communication strategy.”

Design and Development: “Together with Edlio, we worked on the app's design, focusing on user-friendly navigation and an appealing interface. Edlio's team helped customize the app to reflect our school’s branding and unique needs.”

Testing and Feedback: “Before launching, we conducted thorough testing of the app with a small group of staff who were also parent users to gather feedback on functionality and usability. This step was crucial to identify any issues and make necessary adjustments.”

Launch and Training: “Once the app was finalized, we launched it to the staff first, then the rest of the community. We also provided training sessions for staff and parents to ensure they were comfortable using the app effectively.”

Ongoing Support and Updates: “After the launch, we established a system for ongoing support and periodic updates, ensuring that the app continues to meet the evolving needs of our community.”

The Hidden Ways A Communication App Helps a School

The main focus of the communication app is to keep teachers and families connected, but having that service can also have other benefits that are more uncommon but just as important.

“There are so many apps,” Merrifield says. “When I started here, we had a different company for door access, a different company for cameras, a different company for guest services. We’re also in the process of changing that. That’s been my thing coming in. I’ve tweaked a few things. Our guest services, cameras, and door access are all going to one company now.”

Combining multiple services into one convenient spot can save time, effort, and money. Doing so with the Bosqueville ISD app had a profound effect on other aspects of school life, not only influencing community communication, but also the consolidation of multiple school tools and functions into better managed situations.

• Innovative Leader Award
• Regional Leadership Summit

These top free sites for creating digital art range from simple web apps for preschoolers to sophisticated software for advanced students, educators, and professionals.

While some of these sites and apps for creating digital art can serve as essential tools for in-classroom or online art curricula, all are fun to explore and experiment with. The beauty for students of working digitally is that it allows them to easily create, mix media, and share their work with classmates and family.

Top Free Sites for Creating Digital Art

Autodraw
A delightfully simple site with unexpected AI capability, Autodraw invites the artistically challenged to turn their scribbles into legitimate line drawings created by real artists. Just start a doodle and select from among the predicted drawings. But it’s also great for the more talented among us, who are invited to submit their own artwork for inclusion on the site. The easy-to-navigate website allows users to download creations as png files, as well as share their work via links. No account required–just start creating.

Meta Animated Drawings
An AI demo project that transforms your fixed drawings into animated characters who walk, dance, jump, wave, and generally act a bit crazy, in a fun way. A great way for your students to add a storyline to their original artwork. Save and share as mp4 files.

Inkscape
This complete vector drawing program is fully free and available as a download for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but Inkscape provides an extensive video tutorial, complete with timestamps so users can easily view their desired topic. The online Inkscape community is another source of expertise for both new and experienced users. Ideal for advanced art and design students.

Exploring the Creative Process With ‘Live Art’
This art lesson from The New York Times features videos of artists at work, lesson ideas for educators, experimental techniques, and a guide to developing stories and characters. In addition to being free with no account required, all of the linked videos and other resources are also free with no account required (even Facebook video links do not require a login--just close the requested login window to view the video).

Photographing Interesting People in Your Community: A Guide to Taking Portraits
Just about everyone has the ability to take digital images with the ubiquitous cell phone. In this lesson from The New York Times, students will learn the five steps to creating compelling portraits with a camera or cell phone. After reading the article, students can try a digital scavenger hunt through the free NYT articles provided, identifying the techniques as implemented by professional photographers. Free article, no account required; all linked resources are also free.

SculptGL
Remarkable 3D digital sculpting web app that functions through your browser or as a free downloadable program. This full-fledged, powerful software supports 10 languages, file import and export, and allows users to immediately start sculpting, with no account required. Creator Stéphane Ginier provides useful shortcuts, as well as links to YouTube tutorials.

Random Art Prompt Generator for Kids
Sometimes even the most creative among us need inspiration. This easy-to-use website generates prompts to help inspire budding artists. Ideas range from a single word (e.g., gold, electric) to elaborate scenarios (e.g., Create a piece in a Caravaggistic style. Using pale yellow colors, evoke a sense of appreciation and place the subject in Capri). Plenty of prompts for an entire classroom!

ManadalaGaba
You don’t have to be familiar with Eastern religions or the popular drawing game Spirograph to appreciate this quirky design tool, which somehow manages to combine elements of both. The digital geometric drawing board automatically generates reflections of your drawn line, creating magical and perfect symmetry. Designs are exportable as .png images.

Bomomo
Simple and incredibly fun drawing site. By experimenting with their computer mouse, kids learn how the 20 unnamed tools and array of spinning circles can help them create artwork. Caution: slightly addictive.

JacksonPollack.org
A super easy and fascinating digital canvas that lets users immediately start painting à la Jackson Pollack. Created by Greek artist Miltos Manetas, the site includes no instructions, so kids can experiment to discover the rules of painting with a mouse or trackpad. How do users change colors, lines and shapes? Try it and find out.

KRITA
A labor of love, KRITA is a free, open-source digital painting software download for Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux, with a focus on illustration, concept art, matte painting, textures, comics, and animations. This full-fledged, complex digital program provides complete documentation, while a vibrant user community supports sharing and collaboration. Great for advanced art students, educators, and professionals.

Make Beliefs Comix
A comic creation site with a gentle, joyful vibe. Creator Bill Zimmerman packs a lot of resources into the site, including teacher tools and lesson plans, a Coronavirus Comic diary, ESOL/literacy help, special needs sections, and much more. Kids of any artistic talent level will enjoy creating their own comics.

Sketchpad
An impressive free site offering extensive digital tools to create, export, and share digital paintings and drawings. Site visitors can choose from many styles, effects, and gradients, while the User Guide provides clear instructions for creating and managing artwork. All Sketchpad features are fully free when used in the browser window. If you prefer the ability to work offline, a download for Mac and PC is just $4.95.

Toy Theater
Great for kids preK-6, this site’s art section includes a variety of simple art creation tools, including Spiral Art, Animation Station, Cube 3D block play, and many others. Bonus: Toy Theatre’s extensive collection of educational games.

• Best Free AI Image Generators
• What Is Canva And How Does It Work?
• AI Art Generators in The Classroom: What You Need To Know

Since the pandemic, there has been an increased emphasis on supplying students and teachers with devices that keep them connected, as well as other edtech tools. 

As these digital tools have now become essential, tech audits should be given increased consideration. 

Mike Afdahl, Coordinator of Tech Services, Northwest GA RESA, makes it clear that a tech audit can help save money while maintaining focus on keeping what works.

“Tech audits tell me where things are,” he says. “Whether that’s a bookcase, a book, or a computer, you have to get to know where that is.”

Tech audits can give you a better understanding of what devices and items you have available in your school, how these items are being used, and whether you might need to make changes to your inventory. A tech audit works hand-in-hand with your budget, providing a clear picture of where you might need to focus your spending on if necessary. 

 Tech Audits: In-House or Third-Party? 

Having your tech audits executed by skilled professionals can help give you accurate results that can be invaluable to your decision-making. However, no one may know the true impact of your devices and programs like your own staff. 

Afdahl makes it clear that in some situations your own technology department can be effectively objective when it comes to conducting a tech audit.

“Sometimes your technology department can be that third party, because often they don’t have a dog in the fight,” he says. “When it comes to those types of emotional decisions, they’re just looking at ‘What do we have?’ ‘Are we getting good use out of it?’ So a third party doesn’t have to be what you use, but objectivity is really what you’re looking at.”

 When Should You Conduct a Tech Audit? 

Many schools conduct a tech audit once per year as a form of inventory. However, Afdahl says that there might be more beneficial times during the year to run your tech audit.

“At the end of the year, as you’ve collected your student devices, that’s a good time to do an audit,” he says. “If you wait until August to do a student device audit, or an inventory check, then you may not have enough devices for that next year. Also, if I wait until July to do my platform audit, we’ve already done renewals at that point. It might be a good idea to start doing an audit in December on your edtech tools.”

If you’re looking at edtech tools, there are various questions that will dictate a tool’s usefulness and whether you should look for a replacement for the upcoming year.

 Should a Tech Audit Separate Devices and Tools? 

A tech audit can mean different things depending on who you ask. Some might lump both devices and edtech tools together in an audit, while others do one then the other at different times in the year.

Afdahl suggests conducting two audits during the year.

“When I’m doing a device audit, that’s to make sure my devices are where they’re [supposed to be],” he says. “When it comes to your edtech tools, that’s where your curriculum needs to be involved. Curriculum doesn’t really need to be involved with devices.”

To create a good flow, Afdahl suggests that there be an audit conducted in December to make sure devices are where they are supposed to be, and another one in June to make sure you have all the devices you’re supposed to have. 

 The Hidden Cost of Poor Audit Practices 

Conducting a tech audit can provide a good idea of what devices you’re using and what edtech tools are working for you, but it can also help your school save money on cybersecurity insurance. With more and more connected devices being used in schools over the last few years, keeping student and educator information secure is a top priority. Afdahl says that regular audits can help mitigate the cost of cyber insurance, especially by implementing multifactor authentication.

“Multifactor authentication has been a big push in some districts,” Afdahl says. “If my insurance rates are going to go up, or we are not going to get coverage, it’s because we don’t use multifactor authentication, and that might help those practices improve.”

• Many Schools Use Edtech That Puts Student Privacy at Risk. Here’s What They Should Do Instead
• 4 Tips For New Edtech Professionals

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

The screen inferiority effect is the name scientists have given to the phenomenon in which students, and others, seem to comprehend more when reading print vs. digital texts. The effect was noted as early as 2008, and has been seen in recent studies as well.

“It's inconsequential for some types of content and consequential for other types of content,” says Daniel T. Willingham, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia

For leisure reading, the screen inferiority effect is minimal. “People love Kindles, they like reading on their phone, they appreciate the convenience, and so what that indicates is they're not noticing any inferiority,” Willingham says. “It's not ruining the experience for them.” 

When you start reading textbooks, however, the difference becomes more pronounced. “When you get to more difficult content, the effect size is larger and people do notice it,” Willingham says. “They keep rereading, they perceive that they don't understand very well.” 

Because of the extra time screen readers take with texts, readers may end up with comparable test scores to print readers but have to spend more time to achieve the same learning, Willingham says.  

Evidence For The Screen Inferiority Effect  

Studies since the 2000s have observed the screen inferiority effect. One recent study looked at whether this effect still occurs when you compare students reading on a phone or tablet to print, as most research into the screen inferiority effect had compared text reading to reading on a computer. This study still found a small benefit for reading printed text over tablets. 

Ladislao Salmerón, this study’s lead author and a professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Valencia, says though small, this impact could add up over time. “In interpreting this, we must consider that children in schools read every day, so this effect could be accumulated over time,” he says.

Despite this research, many question marks about the screen inferiority effect persist, including what exactly causes it. 

One possibility is called the shallowing hypothesis, which assumes that when reading on digital devices people are generally doing so for short periods of time and for short pieces of text. Another theory holds that the tactile nature of reading, feeling each page, and remembering whether it was at the beginning of the book or the end, helps provide more information cues to connect with your memory. Yet another theory has to do with personal preference. 

“One thought is it might be due to most readers having a preference for paper and dislike of reading from screens, making it difficult to engage with ebooks,” says Virginia Clinton-Lisell, a professor in educational psychology at the University of North Dakota. “I wonder if this will diminish with time as children are using screens to read from a young age and may feel more comfortable with the devices.” 

Clinton-Lisell is the lead author of a 2019 meta-analysis, a look at multiple studies, that found evidence for the screen inferiority effect. However, since that study was released she has conducted several of her own experimental studies that have not observed the screen inferiority effect. “I am honestly skeptical of my own meta-analysis's generalizability,” she says. 

Natalia Kucirkova, professor of Early Childhood and Development at the University of Stavanger, Norway, says there are a number of factors that contribute to reading comprehension in young children. For instance, whether they reading to learn or reading for enjoyment has an impact, as does the type of digital text being read. 

“Interactive features in digital books can either enhance or hinder the experience,” she says. “For instance, strategically placed feedback can aid comprehension, while distracting elements can detract from it. In other words, it is not the screen that is inferior, but the design” 

Implications of The Screen Inferiority Effect for Educators 

Salmerón believes the implications of the screen inferiority effect for classroom educators and school readers is fairly simple: “Printed texts should not be abandoned,” Salmerón says. “Tablets may be well-suited for internet-inquiry tasks, but paper should be preferred when promoting comprehension of long texts.”

For Clinton-Lisell, the takeaway is that educators should think about how to use digital texts more effectively. “I think the emphasis going forward should be on how to use interactive tools that are afforded by screens,” she says. “Like was shown in my meta-analysis, interactivity, such as questions with feedback and embedded glossary definitions, have great potential for helping learning.” 

In her classes, she assigns digital readings with social annotations. “This way students are more likely to interact with the material and take advantage of the affordances of screens,” she says. 

Willingham says that textbook companies are working to improve the digital experience of textbooks and understand what might cause the screen inferiority effect. “My hunch is that it's not any one thing,” he says. “For example, one of the things that people figured out fairly early on, is that there's a comprehension advantage if you have people reading on virtual pages and flipping those pages rather than scrolling on one long text as you usually do on a PDF. That accounts for a very small boost in comprehension, but doesn't solve the problem.” 

In the meantime, Willingham says the screen inferiority effect should be a factor in the decision-making process for schools and individual educators, although other factors, of course, need to come into play, such as print text cost, access, and age, as digital texts can be much easier to update. Personal preference for educators and students might also come into play. 

“There are people who like paper just because they like paper and there's a certain nostalgia or romance and it feels different,” he says. “Then there are tech enthusiasts who enjoy adopting new technologies.” 

• Study: Students Who Read Print Learn More Than Those Who Read Tablets
• Ebook vs. Print Book Study: 5 Takeaways

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that occurs online and/or is perpetrated via technology.

Cyberbullying increased during the pandemic era and has continued to rise, thanks to students spending more time online and the prevalence of AI deepfakes. According to the CDC, 37% of middle schools and 25% of high schools reported at least one cyberbullying incident per week in the U.S. Globally, the WHO released research in 2024 showing that across 44 countries, about 1 in 6 school-aged children experience cyberbullying and 1 in 8 report cyberbullying others.

Cyberbullying can be particularly challenging for educators to prevent as it can’t be seen in school hallways and can occur off school grounds and after school hours. Despite this, cyberbullying still impacts students and can be an in-school problem. Preventing it often involves education, both of potential cyberbullying victims and perpetrators as well as outreach between education staff, parents, and other stakeholders.

Cyberbullying can take place on social media, through videos and texts, or as part of online games. Instances can involve name-calling, the sharing of embarrassing photos, and various forms of public shaming and humiliation.

This brief overview of cyberbullying includes strategies educators can take to prevent it.

What is Cyberbullying?  

Traditional bullying is generally defined as involving an imbalance of physical or emotional power, intent to cause physical or emotional harm, and behavior that is repeated or likely to be repeated. Cyberbullying also fits this definition, but occurs online frequently through social media or other forms of digital communication.

Chad A. Rose, director of Mizzou Ed Bully Prevention Lab at the University of Missouri, has said that unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying can occur anytime and anyplace.

“We live in a world now where bullying doesn’t begin and end with school bells,” Rose said. “It encompasses a kid’s entire life.”

How Common is Cyberbullying? 

Cyberbullying can be hard for both educators and parents to recognize because they don’t overhear or see it occurring, and it might take place in private text chains or on message boards that adults don’t typically frequent. Students may also be reluctant to admit it is happening.

Even so, there is good evidence cyberbullying is on the rise. In 2019, The CDC found that 16 percent of students experienced cyberbullying. More recently, Security.org’s research found that 20 percent of kids and adolescents between the age of 10 and 18 experienced cyberbullying, and children from households that earned less than $75,000 annually were more than twice as likely to experience cyberbullying.

The WHO also found that globally, cyberbullying has been increasing in recent years. Between 2018 and 2022, the period from which the most recent WHO research is based, the number of children who experienced cyberbullying rose from 12% to 15% for boys and 13% to 16% for girls.

What Role Do AI and Deepfakes Play?

Deepfake AI technology can be used to mock or bully students in the school setting. UNESCO has reported on the deepfake trend in cyberbullying, noting that “students are using deepfake technology to create harassing and sexually explicit content of classmates and teachers, leaving lawmakers struggling to adapt existing cyberbullying laws to the new threat.”

This is a new area of cyberbullying that schools are monitoring and learning how to respond. Educators Stephanie Jones and Kerry Gallagher have written here at Tech & Learning that strategies aiming to prevent AI deepfakes in the school setting should adopt a “victim-centered approach.”

They add, “This means the goal of programming is to ensure students’ voices are heard, they are engaged . . . and they know how to seek support.”

What Are Some Ways To Prevent Cyberbullying?  

To prevent cyberbullying students should be taught digital citizenship and literacy, Rose said. These lessons and activities should emphasize online safety, remind students to think before posting, that posts are permanent, and that there are important implications to that permanence.

Other key steps are for school leaders to prioritize SEL and empathy education and to forge strong relationships with caregivers. That way if cyberbullying does occur, the caregivers of both the victim and the perpetrator can be enlisted to help put an end to it.

While some educators, parents, and caregivers might be inclined to ban technology use as a way to protect students from cyberbullying, Rose said that’s not the answer because technology is part of kids’ lives.

“We used to tell kids if someone is mistreating you, delete the app,” Rose said. “I’ve long said that we can’t just tell them to socially remove themselves.” For example, Rose said you wouldn’t tell a child to stop playing basketball if they were getting bullied on the court.

Instead of banning technology use, educators and caregivers need to teach children how to use technology responsibly and guard themselves against the negative effects of cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying Prevention Resources 

• StopBullying.gov - Practical advice, including warning signs of when a child may be being cyberbullied – or may be cyberbullying others.
• Teachers’ Essential Guide to Cyberbullying Prevention - Common Sense Education’s guide includes cyberbullying FAQs as well as grade-specific lessons and activities.
• Preventing Cyberbullying: Top 10 Tips for Teens - Student-focused advice from the Cyberbullying Research Center.
• Who To Call - The Cybersmile Foundation provides helplines for cyberbullying, mental health, eating disorders, revenge porn, and more.
• Security.org - A well-rounded collection of cyberbullying prevention resources, including podcasts, books, apps, and more.
• Do Something About Bullying - Featuring cyberbullying prevention support campaigns, news, resources, and more.
• Internet Matters - Conversation guides, legal resources, and links to cyberbullying prevention in social media and gaming.
• Stomp Out Bullying - Resources, videos, supports, and more for support in regard to all manner of bullying.
• National Crime Prevention Council - An array of resources including rapid response outreach tools and cyberbullying tip sheets.
• American Federation of Teachers - A plethora of online safety and cyberbullying resources.

Whether you’re following property values or reselling items online, smart tech is making it increasingly easy and rewarding to track the value of the items you own.

Motorway recently discovered that 41 percent of vehicle owners don’t know their car’s worth. Car values change all the time, so people need specialised tools to track them.

This becomes apparent when people sell a car. Some sellers put their car on the market without checking its value, which means they might not be getting the best price for such a valuable asset.

That’s why Motorway created its handy Car Value Tracker tool. It allows car owners to see monthly price movements and track the ongoing value of up to six vehicles at once, all for free. 

Motorway is the UK’s fastest-growing used-car marketplace. The company helps people sell their cars quickly and easily, with its network of more than 5,000 verified car dealers competing to give their best price for sellers’ cars. 

By signing up to Motorway, you can sell your car for a great price in as little as 24 hours. The whole selling process can be completed without leaving your home, and they’ll even collect the car from you for free.

How to value your car

Car Value Tracker is free to use on motorway.co.uk. Using Motorway’s smart technology, the tracker tells you your vehicle’s value over time, giving you up to 24 months of pricing history plotted on a graph. 

You’ll be able to see how your car’s value is changing, whether it’s depreciating, holding value, or even rising. You can check your car’s value at any point on Motorway, and sign up for monthly email alerts.

To use the Car Value Tracker, simply create a free Motorway account and input your reg and mileage for a live valuation. An interactive map will then display the car’s latest valuation, and a graph will show historical valuations, as well as your overall two-year change (e.g. -2.23%). You can turn on (or off) monthly alerts reminding you to confirm your mileage for an updated valuation.

When you scroll below the pricing graph, you’ll see vehicles similar to yours that sold recently  on Motorway, with the prices they fetched. In addition, the dynamic Car Value Tracker webpage shows whether or not your vehicle is compliant with the UK’s Clean Air Zones such as ULEZ in Greater London. Motorway even shares the number of dealer bids from the last month your current valuation was based upon, for total transparency and trust in the numbers.

Why do car values change?

All cars depreciate at varying rates. As demand shifts, so does the rate of change in value.

And sometimes, things actually go in the other direction. In 2021, due to the pandemic and a lack of new cars being supplied, many popular models went up in price year-on-year. 

While some details such as condition, mileage, and the availability of new cars can be easy enough to predict, it’s almost impossible to calculate your car’s value every year using this information alone. 

It’s useful to understand what impacts your car’s value, but even more helpful to visualise how that price changes over time, from month to month.

Motorway’s Car Value Tracker is a first-of-its-kind product that uses advanced data science techniques to analyse data on thousands of cars that have sold through the Motorway platform. It also uses hundreds of thousands of bids from dealers to model each individual car’s valuation history. 

What if a car is on finance?

When a vehicle’s valuation is higher than the remaining balance to pay, normally at least three or four years into contract, this could be a great time to sell a vehicle with outstanding finance – also known as being in positive equity. 

If a seller is in positive equity, they can sell their car to a verified dealer with Motorway. The dealer will clear the outstanding balance directly with the lender, and pay the surplus straight into your bank account.

Vehicle owners can now find the perfect time to sell. They have the ability to track the value of their financed car or van on Motorway’s Car Value Tracker, and monitor their finance settlement as they pay off the debt. 

Motorway’s exclusive and free tool is providing people with more understanding of their car as a financial asset, and is helping car owners make the most of their money.

In the battle of Canva vs Adobe Express, the winner could become a staple part of your classroom setup that ultimately helps your students -- but which is best for their learning needs and your teaching ones?

This guide aims to lay out all the important features of the two platforms to leave you with a clear idea of what they offer, where they fall short, and exactly which features you could use to enhance your instruction with the most ease.

Both tools are digital design platforms that allow you to design and create projects for use in teaching. That can mean creating digital artwork, or pieces you plan to print out and use in the classroom, for example. These can also be used by students for projects and beyond.

While Adobe has that long history of professional design software offerings, Canva has fast become one of the most well-known free online design tools thanks to a combination of ease of use and simple tools. But which is best for you?

Canva vs Adobe Express: Which is best?

Functions

Canva (available for K-12 in two versions: Canva for Education and Canva for Districts) functions as an online and app-based design tool that can be used across a number of devices. The idea is to offer smart digital design tools in a super simple to use way that works even for those totally new to the idea. It does this with a combination of clear icons for controls and step-by-step guidance, plus lots of templates from which to work.

Adobe Express comes from the more complex professional world of design software yet simplifies it for easy use by more people. This uses an app, which you can download to smartphones, tablets, and computers, but stores the creations in the cloud so you can jump between devices as needed. In this way the two are similar as both, when used in app form, allow for offline working. It is only Adobe that won't let you access it via the web without an app -- making Canva more widely accessible out of the two.

In both cases the tools allow you to edit images, text, video, and audio as well as offer pre-built graphics and stock photos, with lots of choice.

Features

Canva is all about the templates, with most project ideas already started in some example format, which can then be edited to suit your needs. You are also able to start from a blank form, if you want, but in most cases it's quicker and easier to use a template -- of which there are more than 250,000. These also make for very professional looking finishes with minimal effort and -- crucially -- time.

Canva is optimized for Chromebooks so can be used even on slower machines and works collaboratively. In this way it's useful for teachers working together but also for students working on class projects with the tool. Or combine the two and work on a brainstorming project as a class using the smart screen and personal devices in the classroom as a group.

Graph tools are a helpful feature, allowing you to create math-focused layouts with ease. The education specific features are also fantastic, allowing teachers to setup a class, invite students, and have everyone collaborate. The comments part here is helpful to make communication between students and teacher simple, even between lessons.

Adobe Express also uses templates to offer a quick and easy way to get started, including a search function. These are wide-ranging and include Posters, Wallpapers, Flyers, Cards, Resumes, Facebook posts, and more. The choice isn't as wide as Canva offers, but is a good way to get started and covers a lot of needs. 

The Adobe Express software also uses AI tech, which makes dragging and dropping super simple. This is able to help you manipulate images with ease, as you'd intuitively expect to with touch controls, removing the complexity for you. Plus, being Adobe, you have more than 20,000 fonts and 175 million images to pick from in its extensive library of resources. 

Other helpful tools include basic filters, enhancements, and blur effects, and the ability to easily remove backgrounds.

Both tools auto save so you don't have to worry about losing work as you progress through -- it also makes rolling back to previous states easy too.

Compatibility

Canva is a highly compatible software platform that is setup for use on most devices. Primarily it is an app, available on iOS and Android so it can be used across tablets and smartphones. You can also download it for Windows or Mac to be used on computers. It is also a web browser accessible software that has been optimized for Chromebooks. 

Adobe Express is also very widely available in app form, although it can't be used via a web browser alone. You can download the app for iOS, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Microsoft, and Mac -- so it will work on most devices. A version is available as an extension for Chrome that has more basic functionality, including, crop, remove background, resize, convert to JPG, and convert to PNG.

Price

Both Canva and Adobe Express offer lots of their services for free. These also have premium tiers that allow you access to more features as required. 

Canva Free gets you more than 250,000 templates, more than 100 design types, hundreds of thousands of photos and graphics, collaboration, and 5GB of cloud storage. 

Canva Pro is charged at $119.99 per year, which offers all the free features and has brand kit upload options, one-click Magic Resize for images, more than 420,000 templates, 75 million images, videos and graphics, design saving for team use, 100GB of cloud storage, and social media scheduling for seven platforms.

You can also choose from Canva for Education (free for K-12), Canva for Districts (free for K-12), or Canva for Campus (for Higher Ed).

Adobe Express is free to use for the basic version, which could be enough for many students. This gets access to the many templates, tools and millions of fonts and images.

That Premium account is charged at $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year, with a three-month free trial. This gets you a lot more content to choose from including images, fonts, refine cutout, resize and graphics groups, plan and scheduling of social media publishing, adding branding and logos in one tap, plus conversion and export from PDFs and other file types.

Uses

There are some great ways to take advantage of these tools in class but to get you started here are a few ideas.

For Adobe Express:

Create a brand
Have students come up with their own branding and logo to represent them, getting creative and having something of their personality they can inject into future projects.

Poster the class
Create visually striking posters for otherwise basic class-based posters such as health and safety, to show students how visuals can enhance content effectively. 

Get social
Don't be afraid to incorporate social media post creations into the class to help get students interested. Just be cautious they don't get too carried away and go off task.

For Canva:

Plan lessons
Use Canva to visually lay out the lesson for yourself as a teacher but also to share with students so they know what to expect and can plan accordingly.

Build student profiles
Have students create learning portfolios so they can see how they're progressing throughout the year -- this can also be a valuable revision and review tool.

Collaborate
With up to 10 members in a project, have groups of students work together, in class and digitally from home, to create a finished body of work.

Chart graphics
Ideal for math and science, Canva can be used to display data in rich charts and graphs to make presenting experiments, and more, visually engaging.

• New Teacher Starter Kit
• Best Tools for Teachers

To share your feedback and ideas on this article, consider joining our Tech & Learning online community here.

Anurag Acharya co-created Google Scholar in 2004. The Google engineer and former professor of computer science at the University of California at Santa Barbara was inspired to create the free search tool after being frustrated by being unable to access research articles as a student at the Kharagpur campus of the Indian Institute of Technology. 

Today, Acharya is head of Google Scholar and an authority on how the scholarly search engine can best be used by teachers and their students. He offers these tips and best practices for teachers to use and share with their students. 

1. Teaching With Google Scholar: Use The “Related Searches” Feature  

One way to dig deeper into a topic, especially for students who may not be familiar with a field’s specialized terminology, is to use the “Related Searches” feature, Acharya says. 

For instance, if you or a student start with a general search term, say “tutoring,” Google Scholar will display results for that term. But if you scroll down a bit you’ll also see a heading saying “Related Searches.” Under this heading will be more specific commonly searched terms associated with your search. In this example, the related terms include terms such as “mentoring tutoring” and “peer tutoring.” 

Some of these associated terms might help a student hone their search. “It allows you to explore easily, and it is sort of a topic map,” Acharya says. 

2. Search by “Related Articles”  

Under each Google Scholar result, there is a “related articles” link that will take you to similar articles that might utilize different key phrases than what you searched. This can help you narrow or focus your search on a particular sub-area of your initial search, Acharya says. 

For instance in our search of “tutoring” articles, clicking on the “related articles” link under “peer tutoring” brings up more peer tutoring research and steers you away from other types of tutoring research.

3. Search by Author and Follow Authors

Once you’ve found useful articles, clicking on the author link and going to their Google Scholar profile can often help you find other work from the same researcher. “The authors may actually do other work that is only slightly related, so therefore may not be using the same terms,” Acharya says. 

Google Scholar lets you select researchers to follow, which can be a great way for teachers and more advanced students to stay on top of topics of interest. Google Scholar also lets you opt to receive email alerts regarding new articles by the author, new citations to the author, and new articles related to the author's work.

4. Learn to Recognize Which Articles Are Available 

“A challenge for scholarly articles always is, 'Are you able to actually read what you find?'” Acharya says. “A lot of the things are by subscription only.” 

To help with this, Google Scholar provides two columns of results, unlike a traditional Google search. On the center of your screen, you’ll get the regular link to the articles that come up in your search. However, on the right-hand side, you’ll see links to PDF or HTML versions of the article that you should have access to. 

“We merge the articles that are available to everybody, and all the articles that are available to you based on your institutional subscription,” Acharya says. “So if your college, your school or school system, or your public library has access, then this gets automatically integrated into the search results.” 

5. Search for Review Articles 

Teachers can explain to students how review articles summarize other studies or material on a given topic. As such, they can provide an excellent overview of research, Acharya says. 

Google Scholar provides two ways in which people can search particularly for review articles. One way is to select “review articles” on the left hand side of the screen. You can also just type your topic word followed by the word "review." This second method will bring up slightly different results but in most cases the quality of the search is comparable, Acharya says.   

6.  Use Google Scholar to Generate Citations  

This tip is one students will be particularly interested in. Under each Google Scholar search result is the word “cite.” Clicking on this will provide citation results in various styles, including MLA, APA, and other common academic citation styles. “You can just paste it into the paper that you're writing,” Acharya says. However, he understands some teachers might bristle at using this type of shortcut. 

“It depends on what the goal of the course is. Personally, I'm not really sure that having people learn the minutiae of styles is that useful,” he says. ”There's so much more to learn about information, the evaluation of information, how to collate it, how to combine it, which would I would think would be far more powerful and useful to students in their future lives."

• How To Use Google Earth For Teaching
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Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, the Bronx was known to be home to some of New York City’s largest digital deserts, neighborhoods where many people do not have internet access at home. 

As the Bronx Community Foundation reports: 

• The Bronx has the lowest broadband adoption rates of any borough and the disparities are even more pronounced at the neighborhood level, with 38% of The Bronx not having access to broadband.
• Nearly 1 in 5 teens cannot finish their homework because of the digital divide.
• Roughly one-third of households with children ages 6-17 and whose annual income falls below $30,000 a year do not have a high-speed Internet connection at home.

These already-significant problems were amplified during the early days of the pandemic. 

“Students couldn't learn from home, people couldn't do remote work,” says Desmon Lewis, co-founder of The Bronx Community Foundation. 

Desmon Lewis and his brother, Derrick Lewis, launched The Bronx Community Foundation in 2017. The siblings grew up in affordable housing in the South Bronx and formed the organization as a way to help support the many nonprofits already doing important work in that community by fostering more collaboration and organization between them. The foundation was designed to be flexible to the community's needs. In the aftermath of the devastating Bronx fire that killed 17 people, the organization set up a page for donations. 

Back in the Spring of 2020, the organization shifted its focus to COVID relief, as the borough was particularly hard hit by the virus with New York City’s highest rates of hospitalizations and deaths. 

“We launched something called the Bronx Community Relief Effort,” Desmon Lewis says. 

Irrigating Digital Deserts  

The Bronx Community Relief Effort’s response to COVID included efforts to help facilitate internet access for more students. “We galvanized a group of about 20 organizations from all areas of the community, education institutions, nonprofits, digital equity organizations, health institutions, libraries,” Lewis says. “The Foundation brought all them together under the umbrella of the Bronx Community Relief Effort. And we started hosting these meetings every Wednesday morning, and we would all get on a call and we would share the challenges that we were facing, and most importantly, try to come up with solutions.” 

These meetings helped community members realize just how significant the challenges posed by digital deserts were and also helped various stakeholders work together to find solutions and provide technology to students who needed it. 

“We've distributed and acquired over 3,000-plus, laptops, Chromebooks and MiFi devices. And then we also paid for internet to keep students learning,” Desmon Lewis says. “We worked with public schools, and local private schools in the Bronx, to really get technology into hands.”

Attendance at the weekly meeting grew from representatives of 20 organizations to representatives from more than 60 organizations and the work the group did and continues to do was formalized into the Bronx Digital Equity Coalition. 

Overcoming the Digital Desert: Next Steps  

Desmon Lewis says that digital deserts in the Bronx are primarily formed by three factors, lack of availability, lack of affordability, and lack of training to use digital devices. 

Many efforts were made by schools throughout the pandemic to address the first two problems and get students without access to internet-ready devices. While those problems persist, going forward a major concern of Lewis is making sure the training element is in place. “Getting students comfortable and having learning about these technologies be a part the standard curriculum, and to teach students the benefits of learning these skills and where that can take them – I think that's still a major gap,” he says.

He adds part of overcoming this digital learning gap will be fostering better connections between institutions of higher education and K-12 schools in the Bronx so that younger students know about the college majors and jobs that are available and the skills they need to develop to pursue those careers. The Bronx Community Foundation has a new president and CEO, Dr. Meisha Ross Porter, former New York City Schools Chancellor. 

“Having led the largest school system in the country,  she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table to help us hone in on the needs of our students,” Lewis says. “So we're extremely excited about what that could bring for the community in 2022.” 

• How Next Gen TV Can Help Close The Digital Divide
• How Public TV Stations Are Partnering with Schools to Increase Educational Content for Students Without Internet
• How Schools Use Drones to Deliver Internet to Students

Google Jamboard is an interactive, multidimensional edtech tool that can be used in a wide range of learning settings (online, face-to-face, dual audience) to connect students to learning materials in a collaborative way. For an overview of Jamboard and a breakdown of its unique features and recent updates, check out “How to Use Google Jamboard, for Teachers.” 

Jamboard can be used in any academic subject and to teach any topic. Below, is a sample lesson plan that describes just one of the many ways that Jamboard can be used to bring learning to life. 

Subject: Science 

Topic: Anatomy and Physiology  

Grade Band: Middle and High School  

Learning Objectives: 

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 

• Identify the major body parts of the human body
• Describe the functions of the organs within a human body

Teacher Pre-Planning  

Before facilitating the lesson, review the different annotation features within Jamboard with students, and encourage them to use a wide variety of colors and drawing options. Jamboard allows for the use of simulated drawing tools such as a paint brush, highlighter, pen, and markers. 

In addition to writing on the Jamboard with one of the drawing tools, digitally integrated sticky notes in different colors can be used to help organize the content. For this sample anatomy and physiology lesson, you may want students to use different colors or drawing tools to identify the different body parts and organs. 

Finally, since the content is focused on the human body, pre-select appropriate images that students can label and save to a shared Google Doc. Other options for selecting an image file on Jamboard include uploading from a file on your device, by the image’s URL, with the camera feature, or searching in Google Photos. 

Teacher Instruction 

Google Jamboard features frames, similar to a PowerPoint or Google Slide presentation. Each Jamboard can have up to 20 frames. On the first Jamboard frame, have the pre-identified image(s) uploaded through the Google Drive file select feature. Then, go over each body part to provide an understanding of the official names and functions. Students can contribute to the Jamboard by labeling and adding notes while you, as the teacher, are instructing. 

Peer Exploration 

In subsequent frames, students can focus on one or more of the organs. For example, you can have students work in small teams with each one responsible for a particular organ. Since all students, regardless of their physical location, will have access to the Jamboard, they can all simultaneously contribute to the learning activity. 

For each frame focused on a particular organ, you could require the students to add the following:

• A unique background (either from the Jamboard options or one you upload)
• An image of the organ
• A sticky note with the official definition
• Annotated notes around the organ, explaining the function
• A table or diagram illustrating how different body parts and/or other organs are connected to the organ
• A fun fact related to the organ

The frame(s) can remain on Jamboard, saved as an image, or downloaded as a PDF. The saved work might be helpful as quick study guides for subsequent assessments.  

Sharing Learning 

Google Jamboard integrates seamlessly into the virtual conferencing Google Meet platform. After each team or student has completed their Jamboard, they can go into present mode and share their work, right from the Jamboard.  

How Can Google Jamboard be Used to Support Dual Audience Learning? 

As mentioned above, Google Jamboard is an extremely flexible and versatile edtech tool that can be used in a variety of learning settings. As students continue to learn online at home as well as in person, Jamboard has the potential to authentically connect students who are learning in either environment at the same time. Students can use their individual devices to contribute to the lesson as well as work on content independently. 

With Jamboard being part of the GSuite family of tools, everything is saved automatically, and students can pick up where they left off, regardless of if they change locations or even the device that they use.

• How to Use Google Jamboard, for Teachers
• Top Edtech Lesson Plans

A new application developed by The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) could help close the digital divide by utilizing cutting-edge broadcast TV technology to allow students to receive and respond to work assigned by their teachers. 

The first-of-its-kind application utilizes Next Gen TV technology. A prototype was developed by NAB in collaboration with Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science and Fincons Group, an international IT consultancy. 

“If you think about the characteristics of broadcasting, it's a really great way to reach people because you have a signal that covers a large area. Cell towers don't have the same sort of coverage area that a broadcast TV station has,” says Sam Matheny, NAB’s chief technology officer and executive vice president . “Not everybody has a smartphone, or a tablet, or a laptop, and even if we give those things out, they tend to break, or get used for other purposes. But virtually everyone has a television set.” 

What Is Next Gen TV and This Application?  

Next Gen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0, is a new standard for broadcasting that is currently being launched at broadcast stations throughout the U.S. 

"The deployment of ATSC 3.0 continues and has good momentum.  It is now live in 66 markets with transmissions in markets that reach over 60% of US households," Matheny says.  

Next Gen TV is based on internet protocols and allows for targeted broadcasts to be sent as well as more robust datacasting (sending data via broadcasting). Schools can use datacasting to send tests, reading materials, or other assignments that take the form of word documents, excel sheets, and much more. Students can also complete tests and save the work on their own devices. 

A prototype developed by NAB and Howard University takes the interactivity of Next Gen TV even further. 

“They can follow their lessons, they can fulfill the coursework, and they can complete their homework assignment, thanks to their datacasting,” says Oliver Botti, strategic marketing and innovation executive director at Fincons Group. “When they complete their assignment, they can submit the assignment via smartphone using a QR code.” 

He adds that this is a simple technology that is widely available and helps establish the two-directional link between students and their teachers, which is vital for remote learning and helpful for homework for schools operating in-person. 

For this prototype, classes were presented in a TV guide-style menu, and there was a color-coded system signaling to students which work was completed, ongoing, or outstanding. When a student completed work, the QR code was generated. 

How Can Schools Use It?  

Staff at Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science helped develop the prototype by suggesting tools and capabilities, but the technology has not yet been deployed to students. Even so, there’s a lot of enthusiasm about its potential. 

“We've been blown away by what knowledge has come out of this demo and what the opportunities are,” says Sean Plater, general manager of public television station WHUT-TV at Howard University. “The middle school was really excited about it from the very beginning. They've offered up some of their systems and content to help build this out, and it's something that they see as a truly viable option in this space.” 

Matheny, from NAB, says that school leaders looking to learn more about this application and how to potentially use it at their schools can contact him. They can also view a presentation on it on the NAB Amplify Website, and the technology will be presented during the NAB Show in October in Las Vegas. Matheny is hoping the technology will attract interest from schools and businesses. 

“What I would love to see happen is for it to be commercialized and for someone to take this prototype and to say, ‘Hey, let's really implement this,’” he says. 

• How Public TV Stations Are Partnering with Schools to Increase Educational Content for Students Without Internet
• How Schools Use Drones to Deliver Internet to Students

In many districts across the U.S., thinking around seat time has evolved as a result of COVID-19. 

“The pandemic, although extremely difficult, has provided an amazing opportunity for us to think about education differently, specifically around items like seat time, or access to technology,” says Dr. Daniel Bittman superintendent of ISD 728 in Minnesota. 

That means focusing more on mastery of learning objectives rather than on how long a student is synchronously in class, whether online or in-person. 

Embracing this mindset has allowed the learners in Bittman’s district to be met wherever they're at, and to really excel.

“Our students who have done extremely well are able to embrace that technology and to explore things that they may not have been able to do previously,” Bittman says. “Our students who have struggled have been given more opportunities and more time to do that with less distractions.”

Thanks to the pandemic, most states have relaxed policies requiring students to complete a certain amount of in-person school days to complete the school year. Many of these policies are temporary, though a growing number of educators believe it is time to permanently revisit how we think about seat time. 

“COVID provided us with this clear evidence that time is an inappropriate measure for learning,” says Susan Patrick, president and chief executive officer of Aurora Institute, which advocates for competency based-learning. “States are grappling with how to determine attendance and award credit. And if we were determining attendance, and awarding credit, based on student engagement, students developing work products, by students showing us their learning, we would be in a much better place for teaching and learning.” 

Seat time is often linked to school funding, which can be an obstacle to moving away from the practice in many states. Sixteen states use Average Daily Membership (ADM) as an alternative to seat time. “This means the policy for funding a school is based on the state department counting the students enrolled in a school or program and funding per student, not on seat time,” Patrick says. 

The Aurora Institute released a guidance for determining seat time alternatives during the pandemic. 

Seat Time Issues  

In 1994, the National Education Commission on Time and Learning released Prisoners of Time, a report that called for U.S. educators to move away from a seat time-based learning model. The report noted, “For the past 150 years, American public schools have held time constant and let learning vary.” 

More than two-and-a-half decades later, seat time remains a major component of education in most districts, however, some districts are starting to change. 

“We estimate that 6 percent of public school districts in the U.S. are trying to shift from seat time and traditional forms of learning to more competency-based pathways that are personalized,” Patrick says. “It's really time for our K through 12 educational system, and states and districts, to rethink how students earn credit. A measure of time does not translate into a measure of learning.” 

When Patrick meets with educators from other parts of the world, they are consistently surprised by the important role seat time continues to play in U.S. education, she says. 

How To Rethink Seat Time  

The Kettle Moraine School District in Wisconsin began prioritizing personalized learning more than a decade ago. Currently, two of the district’s high schools are far along in their competency-based efforts and have waivers from the state’s seat time requirements. 

Dr. Theresa Ewald, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for the district, advises school leaders exploring making similar changes to get comfortable outside their comfort zones. 

“If you're uncomfortable, you're doing the right work,” she says. “It's finding that sweet spot of uncomfortable.” 

Ewald’s children attended the district’s schools, which has given her the chance to experience the advantages of mastery-based education not just as an educator but as a parent.

“My daughter, who’s actually now a teacher, when she was in one of our high schools, she finished geometry in three or four months,” Ewald says. “Then she started her Algebra II credit and that took her 18 months.” 

Ewald’s daughter was rewarded for her skill with geometry and was not penalized for taking longer to learn Algebra II on her transcript, but the importance of the experience went deeper than that, Ewald says. “It's a culture of her understanding that that's okay, like that's how life is, some stuff’s easy and some stuff’s not. That's a great lesson. If every high school kid leaves with that, that might be more important than Algebra II.” 

Ewald adds, “The seat time requirement and traditional structure suggests kids come in as empty vessels. We know that's not true, and so let's honor what kids already know and not make them sit through the learning of something they already know. If you want to disengage a 15-year-old, that'll do it.” 

• Standardized Tests Fail to Provide Evidence for Student Success
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E-rate needs to be expanded to provide cybersecurity funding and at-home internet access for students, say early respondents to Funds for Learning’s annual E-rate survey. 

The FCC’s E-rate program provides discounts of between 20 and 90 percent for broadband access for schools and libraries. It’s importance has been highlighted over the past year as the pandemic has reshaped where and how students learn. 

So far, twice as many people have responded to the survey as last year, says John Harrington, CEO of Funds for Learning, an E-rate compliance firm. Last year about 10 percent of the approximately 21,000 E-rate applicants in the country responded. 

“It shows the significance of the weight of the discussion, it’s front and center on everyone’s mind,” he says. “The early results are consistent with what we saw last year and that is the homework gap is a significant issue in essentially every community. Having students connected wherever they’re at is absolutely critical.” 

The survey closes on May 15 and will be submitted to the FCC in June. Harrington says that it gives FCC officials an idea of what those on the ground are experiencing, and has helped facilitate past updates to the program. 

E-rate Needs to Cover Cybersecurity 

Last year, the FBI reported that more than 1,600 schools were the victims of cyberattacks, a significant increase from previous years. Right now, the E-rate program does not help education institutions pay for cybersecurity, which is something school administrators across the country want to see changed as soon as possible. 

“Security is by far the number one issue because if you don’t have that, it doesn’t matter if you’ve got more devices for students,” Harrington says. “You cannot operate a school network without cybersecurity, and the E-rate program today does not provide support for that. It’s like funding a housing program, but we won’t pay to put locks and windows on the housing.”  

Extending Connectivity Off Campus  

Beyond helping pay to secure their systems, educators want to be able to use the E-rate discount to help provide internet access beyond the school or library grounds as they attempt to close the homework gap. 

“One of the strengths of the E-rate program was that when it was created, it was created with the idea of connecting students,” Harrington says. “One of the biggest weaknesses is they drew a line around it, called property lines, which made sense 25 years ago to a certain degree but certainly doesn’t make sense today. That’s what schools and libraries are clamoring for, ‘Hey, give us the support that we need and let us have the freedom to deploy those resources where they’re needed most.’ A lot of that’s on campus, but also some of that’s off campus.” 

Future of E-Rate  

The U.S. school system will see historic funding in the coming year but Harrington says as the E-rate discount is reformed the focus should be on sustainable funding rather than funding for one-time programs. 

“The pandemic did not create the digital divide but it has shone a light on it,” Harrington says. “I’m grateful that there’s higher awareness, that there’s more discussions around this topic. Now it’s up to us as communities -- at the federal, state, and local levels -- to lock arms and address this issue.” 

While there are societal problems without existing solutions, internet connectivity shouldn’t be one of those. “We need to deal with this,” Harrington says. “It’s not rocket science or cancer that we’re trying to solve here. It’s getting connected devices into the hands of students and teachers. Let’s just put our heads together and figure out a way to do it.” 

• 5 Things to Know About E-Rate Applications for 2021
• 5 Ways to Boost School Cybersecurity
• How Schools Use Drones to Deliver Internet to Students

Officials at Northland Pines School District in northern Wisconsin are working with a tech company and local entrepreneur on a pilot program to deliver internet to students via drone. 

The program, which received a $100,000 grant from the state of Wisconsin, will utilize drones that are tethered to a power source on the ground and can stay airborne for weeks, and even months. The drones will serve as flying cell towers, able to beam internet down to rural students who live in areas without high-speed internet access. 

“We’ll be testing it over the next few months,” says Harlan Leusink, director of technology for the district. 

About 10 percent of Northland Pines students don’t have any internet connectivity at home, while as many as 40 percent have inadequate connection speeds to meet the demands of remote learning. District leaders have tried for more than a decade to close that gap, but there are no easy solutions. “We’re a district of about 500 square miles and getting wired internet connection to those households that are at the end of that 500 square miles is a challenge,” Leusink says. In many cases, it isn’t feasible at all. 

Since the pandemic began, school districts have gone to extensive lengths to close the digital divide, in some cases even becoming internet service providers, but Northland Pines School District is one of the first to take to the skies to try to solve this problem 

The Tech  

The district is working with the drone companies Spooky Action and Wisconsin Telelift, which was founded by local entrepreneurs Scott and Greta Williams. 

Several years ago, Scott Williams developed the tethered drone technology while working with a nonprofit in Africa. It was conceived as a way of monitoring huge game preserves and preventing poaching. Rahul Tiwari, Spooky Action’s founder and CEO, worked with Williams in Africa and used the drone technology developed there to launch his company. 

Spooky Action drones are attached to a wire that transfers data to the drone as well as electricity. The tether is 400 feet, but usually the drone is not flying nearly that high. “What we find is for most radios, the sweet spot is about 100 feet,” Williams says. “Once you go above 100 feet, it starts to dissipate. Anything above 200 feet creates a little bit more complicated issues with the FAA for airspace, so we definitely want to stay under that.” 

The drones also offer flexibility that isn’t available with permanent structures. “One of the neat things about this technology is you can put it at 100 feet and go, ‘Well, we're not getting great coverage there, let's go to 120 or go down to 80,’” says Williams. “So you can kind of vary it based on terrain.” 

Spooky Action’s drones were originally designed to provide access during events and as part of disaster relief efforts. “A hurricane comes in and blows down all your cell towers, it's pretty easy to put up a flying cell tower,” Tiwari says. “It's not necessarily to replace a cell tower, we're not going to be able to do that. The idea is to dynamically address the internet needs of a community without having to build a million cell towers everywhere.” 

While Spooky Action drones are capable of staying in the air for more than a month, that’s not usually necessary when providing internet to students. Tiwari envisions a scenario where the drones will be active during peak class and homework times, and maybe won’t be flying overnight. 

Leusink says his district is looking at the drone service as a proof-of-concept for where and how they need to deploy more permanent equipment. If a drone in a certain area gives students good coverage in that area, he says the next step will be for the district to look for more permanent land-based solutions. 

The Cost  

Emmett J. McBride, director of technology for The D.C. Everest Area School District in Wisconsin, started looking into providing internet via drone independently of the Northland Pines project. Though a mostly suburban district, McBride’s district serves many students who live in remote wooded areas where cable is unavailable and cell service is frequently nonexistent. 

Getting reliable internet to these students remains a challenge despite the district’s best efforts, says McBride. Wireless hotspots didn’t work well and satellite internet connections were plagued by latency (lag time). They explored building their own cell towers, but the cost was astronomical.

“We realized the couple towers we  wanted to put up were going to cost close to a quarter of a million dollars and they were going to cover like 10 houses,” McBride says. “Can you imagine telling your taxpayers, ‘We spent a quarter of a million dollars and 10 people got internet, and it's okay internet, it's not even great.’” 

McBride read about Google’s efforts with Project Loon, which was an initiative aimed at beaming high-speed internet to parts of the globe where it is unavailable with a fleet of high-altitude balloons. Google’s parent company announced in January Loon was ending, but last year McBride was inspired enough by the idea to begin exploring the possibility of his district doing something similar, albeit on a much smaller scale. He ultimately connected with the Northland Pines School District. 

Though drones are only one of several possible solutions McBride’s district is looking at, he likes the idea of delivering internet access via drone. “It's like a cheap tower,” he says. “We have a tree cover canopy of about 100 feet, so you have to build a big tower, and it's expensive.” But with a drone it's easy to fly above and around any obstacles. 

What Your District Should Know  

McBride advises connecting with others in the education community through organizations such as Digital Promise and to connect with local, county and state organizations about potential resources. 

Tiwari recommends reaching out to companies such as his so developers can better tailor their products to addressing the real-world problems occurring within districts. He notes that the challenge of providing universal internet is so complex, there is no one-size fits all solution. “The magnitude of the problem is so big that they're going to need technology like ours and technology like other folks have, all working in tandem to try to close this gap.” 

• Overcoming the Digital Divide: School Districts Create Their Own Wireless Networks
• How Public TV Stations Are Partnering with Schools to Increase Educational Content for Students Without Internet

To close the digital divide school districts across the country have paid for internet for students and provided hotspot-enabled devices to students in need. But a number of school districts -- from Rhode Island to California to Texas and in between -- have gone a step further and used pandemic-related funding to invest in infrastructure to bypass internet carriers, in some cases becoming their own internet service providers. Some have laid down broadband cables while others are beaming connectivity into student’s homes with cutting-edge technology. 

In some areas these practices were in place prior to the arrival of Covid-19, but efforts intensified and accelerated due to the increased need for connectivity during the pandemic and a growing realization of their potential for cost savings. 

Why Can it Be Better Than a Hotspot? 

“A hotspot solution is quick--get this to the students or the family. And they can turn it on, press the button: Boom! They have internet,” says Angela Siefer, executive director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. “Is it a little bit unstable sometimes, yes. Kind of expensive, yes. But it works right now.” 

If you build your own network, after the initial investment, the cost will be lower, the connection should be more stable, and you are in control, Siefer says. “When you're working with someone else who's providing this really essential service to your students, you rely upon the decisions that they make, the priorities that they have, which may not be your priorities,” she says. 

What Technology is Used? 

Schools are providing direct internet access to students in a variety of ways. In some cases,  they are running their own fiber optics cables to specific areas; in others, they are using antennas to beam internet signals over short distances on airwave spectrums licensed by the FCC. 

In the Murray City School District of Utah, efforts that began before the pandemic to connect more than 4,500 students have recently intensified. The district’s technology coordinator, Jason Eyre, explains this is done using LTE radios that transmit internet signals to students. “It's a technology that the FCC has called Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS),” Eyre says. “It's a specific type of LTE that's made available to businesses and community people.” 

In San Antonio, Texas, the city has begun to provide internet access to 20,000-plus students utilizing small cell antennas. In many areas they had to place antennas where the signal would not be blocked by trees. “The technical challenge is how do you either penetrate through the canopy or how do you go over that canopy to provide that signal,” says John Rodriguez, assistant IT director for the city. They were able to solve this issue by mounting the antennas on school buildings, city-owned radio towers, and other city buildings and properties with high elevation spots. 

How Much Less Expensive is It? 

Rodriguez estimates that providing internet access by using small cell antennas can cost as little as $4 per student per month as opposed to $20 per month with a discounted rate from a commercial carrier. Connectivity is also better overall. “It's a very robust service, it can be much better than you would get from a carrier, simply because you're focusing bandwidth within that neighborhood,” Rodriguez says. 

But administrators should be aware that currently bandwidth purchased with the E-rate discount can not be used for these type of programs. “The E-rate does not allow you to provide services off of your campus,” Erye says. “So we've had to buy additional bandwidth and make sure that we route our LTE network through that bandwidth so that we're not taking subsidized circuits and providing off campus services there.” 

Educators are hopeful this restriction may be lifted in the future.

Is It Just for Students?  

Oftentimes, internet provided by school districts is limited to students with a school-issued device, but student-centered internet is serving as a model for municipalities that want to take more ownership of their own community bandwidth capabilities. 

Candelaria Mendoza, Smart City Coordinator for San Antonio, says that at the same time students stopped going into classes many of their parents lost their jobs. “People were being laid off and needed to apply for Workforce Development, and if you don't have a computer, if you don't have internet access, how are you doing that?” Mendoza says. 

Siefer says if more of these programs could eventually provide access to households, it would help everyone. “Students need supportive adults in their lives,” she says. “And those adults need internet access. So this really gets at that bigger household problem.” 

If I Want To Implement This in My District, What Should I Do?  

The Murray City School District of Utah was able to launch its program thanks to help from the state and is now serving as a model for similar efforts in Utah. 

Erye recommends that school officials look for resources beyond their districts. “Don't go out at all by yourself if you don't have to,” he says. “Look to service centers, look to statewide organizations, and start a little bit bigger than yourself if you can. If you can't, there are solutions, such as cloud computing and other things you can buy ‘off the shelf,’ so to speak.” 

Amina Fazlullah, policy counsel at Common Sense Media, says the pandemic has really highlighted the digital divide and homework gap, and there is much more enthusiasm for fixing these problems then previously. “My advice is to take advantage of this moment,” Fazlullah says. 

Every school should develop a detailed and high-quality assessment of student, school, and teacher needs, and share that data with policy makers. “I think there are going to be folks within the local, state, and federal governments who are able to actually push changes in policy,” she says. 

Why Are More Schools Considering It?

Jennifer Covington, superintendent of the Murray City School District, says that beyond the technical challenges and price points, these types of programs can be vital for increasing educational equity. “Technology will never replace good teaching, but technology enhances good teaching, and our students, every single one of them no matter what their background is, deserve to have the ability to have that equal playing field,” Covinton says. “I really think that school systems need to look at this because that educational equity divide with regard to technology is huge.” 

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Ding dong Flash is dead. Adobe Flash, that is. And, in reality, it's been dying for years now. That means your favorite Adobe Flash-based teaching website may no longer be available. That's why we're here to help.

Flash is a tool that has allowed developers to create websites with rich media such as images, audio, video, and games to be interacted with online. But, long story short, it's too insecure and has been abandoned.

Adobe stopped supporting Flash following Apple turning its back on the format in 2007 - and that was the beginning of the end. Chrome has supported websites with Flash, converting them to run in the browser on the newer HTML5 format, which replaces it. But a December 31, 2020, end date means that Flash will be no more.

So how do you get Flash-based website access?

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Why was Flash abandoned?

That previously mentioned lack of support from Apple was a huge blow to Flash, especially for iPhone users, who have never been able to access websites with Flash content. As a result HTML5 was developed as an alternative.

This wasn't a bad thing, though. Apple didn't support the format as it wasn't secure. It was also a drain on battery life and didn't offer the touchscreen support that modern devices require to interact effectively online.

Websites have mostly ditched Flash in favor of HTML5, and the few that remain are now classed as out-of-date and will require updating if they want to remain relevant and active in the future. 

But that's doesn't mean you can't access your Flash-based education content.

How to access Flash-based websites

Right now, it's still possible to get access to Flash-based videos and games on websites by using a Chrome browser that offers support during the interim. Once Chrome and Firefox remove support, however, any Flash-based sites in 2021 will be very difficult to access. In fact, most websites will be defunct. 

However, if it's Flash-based content you want to get at, such as fun education games, then you still have a chance. The ability to download a game now and use a software player to access it offline is an option.

How to use Flash-based education content offline

One of the best ways to get to your Flash-based education games, for example, is to download them to your PC. Then you can run each one using a player such as the Ruffle Flash emulator. 

You can also still download the official Adobe Flash Player to your machine, just be aware it won't get any update support like Ruffle does. For Flash, head over to the non-maintained Adobe support page and download the "project content debugger."

That's the playing part covered for video, but what about Flash content, such as interactive education games?

How to download and play Flash-based education games

The simplest way to do this is to get the Flashpoint preservation project tool, which allows you to install, preserve, and play Flash-based education games. At the time of publishing, the overall list of games reaches a massive 100GB. When you consider many of the education ones are built for online play, meaning they're tiny, that's a whole lot of options. 

Start by selecting the "Download" button from the Flashpoint site, linked above. Unzip the file, open the folder, and select "Start Flashpoint."

Now you can pick from the Hall of Fame, select View Games to browse everything, or scroll through some Flash animations. There is a search button if you know the specific title you're looking for.

Once you've found the title you want, simply double click and it will download and open automatically. 

If there's an education title you're after that isn't on Flashpoint, you can request it here. But first be sure to check the master list here, using Ctrl + F to find the title you want.

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A majority of the largest U.S K-12 school districts are going fully online for the fall semester, while hundreds more plan to incorporate at least some online learning into their back-to-school plans.  The lack of in-person classes has many direct and ripple effects, but one of the greatest concerns is insufficient access to high speed internet, especially for low-income students. Without access to basic high speed internet, kids can't fully participate in online classes, putting their academic progress  at risk.  

In light of this concern, Comcast today announced a new program for cities, schools, and nonprofits to connect large numbers of low-income K-12 students to the Internet at home. The “Internet Essentials Partnership Program” is designed to help accelerate Internet adoption, offering households low-cost, broadband Internet service for $9.95/month, the option to purchase a heavily subsidized computer, and multiple options for digital literacy training. Comcast also announced today it is giving all Internet Essentials customers its xFi platform, which enables parents to control and manage their children’s WiFi connected devices. 

The program relies on public-private partnerships and enables entire communities to work together to coordinate funding to help connect K-12 students. The program also includes two months of free Internet service for new Internet Essentials customers. Recent partnerships with schools in Chicago, Atlanta, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Portland, and Arlington, VA mean more than 200,000 qualified students now have a greater opportunity to get connected. Visit: www.comcastcorporation.com/IEPP for more information. 

The initiative builds on Comcast’s recent announcement that it will continue to offer, through the end of 2020, all new Internet Essentials customers two months of free Internet service and it will forgive back debt due so more families can apply. 

Putting Home WiFi Controls into Parents’ Hands

Comcast is providing all Internet Essentials customers free access to xFi, which is a simple, digital dashboard that enables customers to set up and manage their home WiFi. With it, they can see what devices are connected, set safe-browsing modes so children can only access age-appropriate content, get notifications about activity on their home WiFi, and have the ability to pause devices for dinner or bedtime. 

Comcast also announced plans today that it will convene a series of virtual national and regional summits this fall. Each one will focus on several issues including: education, broadband adoption, digital and media literacy and training, and Internet safety. In addition, this fall Comcast will publish its annual Internet Essentials progress report and relaunch its Internet Essentials Partner Portal, located at www.internetessentials.com/partner, to include case studies, research, and links to creative broadband adoption solutions. Resources there will be made free for anyone to access, including other Internet Service Providers and nonprofits.

Tech & Learning is pleased to announce the winners of its 39th annual Awards of Excellence Contest. This select group represents products that are unique in the K-12 market, help schools solve specific problems, and drive innovation during a challenging time for education. Winners were selected by a panel of industry experts who applied their years of experience and expertise to their selections. 

Congratulations to the following winners!

SOFTWARE

Acer, Repair Certification eLearning Program

The Acer Repair Certification eLearning Program is available to education accounts in the United States and Canada that gives high school students the opportunity to learn more about technology and build skills. Students learn to perform basic hardware repairs on Acer devices deployed in their school and develop foundational skills for employment or secondary education goals. Our judges say, "Giving students these skills as well as teaching them STEM concepts is very valuable. "

Accelerate Learning, STEMscopes Math

STEMscopes Math is the first core mathematics program from Accelerate Learning and the newest addition to its suite of STEMscopes solutions. The math curriculum for grades 3-5 is aligned to the Common Core State Standards and combines digital and print components with hands-on kits. The curriculum features inquiry-based math investigations, virtual manipulatives, and interactive games that engage students as they build their understanding. Our judges say, "This tool has all the features teachers need to move math learning forward—and good graphics as well." 

Accelerate Learning, STEMscopes™ NGSS 3D

STEMscopes NGSS 3D is a phenomena-based, three dimensional STEM curriculum that addresses the Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science and Engineering Practices that form each standard of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It includes customizable,  storyline-driven bundles that link the three dimensions across lesson modules. Interactive simulations, videos, text, images, and hands-on activities help students learn through a variety of modalities. "This tool provides teachers with everything they need to empower students with 21st-century skills to succeed in future STEM careers," our judges say.  

Amira Learning

Amira Learning™, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), provides 1:1 reading practice and administers both an oral reading fluency assessment and a dyslexia screener. Demonstrated effective with all students, including English learners, Amira saves teachers time by automating scoring and reporting. Our judges say, "This system is particularly good for struggling readers and students with dyslexia."

Aristo e-Companion for HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts

Aristo e-Companion for HKDSE BIOLOGY: Connecting Concepts’ (the e-Companion) is a comprehensive package of blended learning resources available in both web and app platforms, designed to equip students at Secondary 4-6 with biological knowledge and 21st century skills. Since the release in 2019, the e-Companion has been named a Dubai GESS Education Awards Finalist and US EdTech Cool Tool Awards Finalist. The judges particularly liked the integration of STEM and the use of Augmented Reality (AR) and note, "As a good supplement should, the Aristo e-Companion provides for multiple learning styles and differentiation for learning each topic."

Britannica LaunchPacks: Science, Britannica LaunchPacks: Social Studies, Britannica School

Britannica LaunchPacks: Science leverages over 1,800 digital content sets for science. Activities and question sets spur students to think like scientists by making predictions, exploring academic vocabulary, collecting evidence from a wide variety of sources, analyzing research and data, drawing conclusions, and writing evidence-based arguments.  Britannica LaunchPacks: Social Studies provides over 2,000 curated bundles of Britannica informational text and multimedia assets focused on K-12 social studies. Educators can differentiate instruction through multilevel articles, content groupings, and tools such as read-aloud functionality, double-click dictionaries, and article translations. Aligned to State Essential Knowledge and Skill Standards, Britannica School offers thousands of curated articles, images, videos, audio clips, primary sources, maps, research tools, recommended websites, and three databases to meet every reading level. T&L judges call the bundle of three programs "powerful" and "highly recommended."

CatchOn

CatchOn is a data analytics tool that provides district leaders a window into the efficacy of their technology investments, initiatives, integrations, and professional development. The tool allows districts to achieve better education outcomes, reduce costs, and track student technology engagement, both at home and at school.  T & L judges say,"CatchOn can be a very valuable tool for many districts, especially very large ones that have a plethora of solutions that they need to track."

ClassLink, Launchpad

ClassLink Launchpad provides students, teachers, and staff with a customizable portal where they can easily access over 6000 digital resources, using just one password and username. Our judges say "The range and variety of apps are great. They quickly create custom apps as needed and their support is outstanding." 

Clear Touch Collage™

Clear Touch Collage™ allows students to connect from their iPads, Chromebooks, or other devices and cast their screens to the classroom’s Clear Touch® interactive panel. The software also allows teachers to view all connected devices at once and choose which to cast to the screen, up to six devices. The software comes bundled with each Clear Touch® panel. "This product will have value in schools with reliable networks and consistent devices," say our judges. 

Clear Touch Command™ 

Clear Touch Command™ comes integrated into every Clear Touch® panel, giving IT departments the ability to troubleshoot remotely, monitor device usage, set power-saving modes, and send announcements to every panel on the school or district network. Command allows teachers to stream video content from internal feeds or external sources, eliminating the need for additional decoder hardware. T & L judges comment, "Command keeps everyone informed and provides access to relevant information."

Curriculum Associates, i-Ready

The i-Ready online program combines assessments and insights with engaging instruction in reading and mathematics to help teachers differentiate teaching according to students’ individual needs. The i-Ready Diagnostic provides educators with criterion-referenced and normative data showing how much growth is needed to reach grade-level expectations. Our judges say, "Districts are looking for data solutions for one-stop shopping and iReady is a quality product."

Discovery Education Experience 

Discovery Education Experience is a flexible K-12 learning platform that provides high-quality content, ready-to-use digital lessons, unique collaboration tools, and professional learning resources. Experience integrates with schools’ existing infrastructure and learning management system, whether it be Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Clever, Schoology, or Canvas. Teachers can add and distribute the resources available in Experience with the tools that they’re already using. "The breadth and depth of their resources is excellent, as well as their integrations with rostering and other LMS systems, " say Tech & Learning judges.

Discovery Education, Teaching with Testimony, an educational program from USC Shoah Foundation and Discovery Education

Teaching with Testimony is a no-cost, standards-aligned digital educational program for grades 6-12 that draws upon USC Shoah Foundation's testimony from survivors and witnesses of genocides. It helps students find their voices to act for a better future. Resources include: Testimonial video library, classroom activities, collaboration with Discovery Channel’s WHY WE HATE docuseries, and the  "Stronger Than Hate" artwork challenge. "This tool dives into relevant learning, giving students an authentic look into history," our judges say. 

Discovery Education, TGR EDU: Explore

TGR EDU: Explore provides resources designed to enhance 21st century STEM skills and helps grade 6-12 students to get into and pay for the college of their choosing. Available at no cost, TGR EDU: Explore comprises training videos, digital explorations, and professional development resources that can be downloaded online and integrated immediately into classroom practice. Our judges say, "This tool/website connects students directly with real-world opportunities and professionals so they can internalize that their college and career dreams are attainable."

Edmentum, Courseware  

Edmentum Courseware offers customizable digital curriculum to support 6th-12th grade students on their path toward graduation. With access to over 400 courses for first-time original credit and credit or unit recovery, students receive rigorous standards-aligned curriculum across core subjects, CTE, electives, world languages, and advanced courses. Interactive, media-rich courses adjust content based on student mastery and educators can customize courses to meet instructional needs. "The extensive offerings in Courseware allow for school districts to individualize learning for students," our judges say.

Edmentum, Exact Path  

Edmentum Exact Path offers diagnostic-driven, direct instruction in K–12 reading, language arts, and math.  After initial assessment, students receive a scale score and normed percentile rank to benchmark learning and chart growth.  Then students receive a unique learning path of high-quality digital curriculum. Exact Path uses mobile-optimized assessments, lessons, and activities that can be accessed from any Internet-enabled device. Our judges say, "Its integration with MAP and STAR provides districts and classroom teachers with a complete look at student success so that they can make informed decisions about programming and interventions."

Edmentum, Study Island 

Edmentum’s Study Island is a comprehensive, customizable K-12 standards-based practice and assessment tool that helps educators engage with students and monitor and assess their progress towards standards mastery. A built-in Teacher Toolkit gives educators access to lesson plans, videos, and other instructional resources. Our judges note, "This product provides teachers with real time feedback on formative assessments before, during and after lessons so that students can get their feedback in real time as well."

ed Spring

edSpring is a secure, tool-agnostic platform that centralizes student data like attendance, assessments, grades, interventions, behavior, and progress monitoring. Educators working the RTI cycle use edSpring to set early warning indicators, identify at-risk learners, implement interventions, monitor progress, and adjust interventions. Administrators rely on edSpring data and reports to reflect evidence of MTSS implementation fidelity and intervention efficacy across tiers for every classroom, grade level, and building. Our judges find it a "pretty amazing tool" and  like "how easy it is for teachers and administrators  to retrieve the data and reports that are most important to them in real-time."

Education Incites, Incite Assessment

Incite® Assessment is an assessment and reporting solution providing support for  the entire assessment process, from item creation and test administration through results analysis. The flexible solution supports formative, summative and interim assessments while generating real-time actionable data for educators.  T & L judges like the easy-to-use dashboard and say,"This is a solid data analysis and organizational tool."

Gale, Gale In Context: Elementary

Gale In Context: Elementary is a kid-friendly database that provides young learners with a place to explore their interests using I Wonder questions, quick facts and visual topic pages. The product is built using familiar Gale In Context design elements, making it easy for students to grow with Gale and develop their research skills as they progress to databases like Gale In Context: Middle School and Gale In Context: High School.  Our judges say,"This product supports inquiry-based learning at an early age which provides students with research skills necessary as they move onto middle school, high school and beyond."

GradeCam

GradeCam simplifies the assessment process, without requiring new equipment, proprietary forms, or training. Educators can customize assignments to accommodate handwritten answers, extended responses, rubrics, number grids, multiple choice, true/false, and more. Customized forms can be accessed online, printed on plain paper, or used in combination for hybrid learning environments. Student work can be scanned and scored using mobile, desktop or document camera to generate data. Our judges like the speed of the grading as well as the variety of data points tracked. "This can make assessment feedback faster and more actionable," they note. 

Hands-On Labs

The HOL Cloud allows educators to bring a physical laboratory experience to remote learners. Instructors choose from a library of virtual or physical experiments. With built-in features such as a student dashboard, gradebook analytics, automatic grading, immediate assessment feedback, live data tables, and experiment videos, the ADA- and WCAG 2.0-compliant platform aims to reduce the educator’s time spent on non-teaching activities so they can better facilitate an online classroom. Tech & Learning judges find the platform "amazing" and like the use of "real-time and virtual manipulatives to teach science and complete labs. "

HMH, Writable for HMH Into Literature

Writable for HMH Into Literature combines close reading and analytical writing through a platform that cultivates a cycle of authentic feedback and revision. Fiction and nonfiction mentor texts are displayed alongside point-of-use writing and revision tools, allowing students to produce great writing. Responsive software provides on-demand feedback and organizes review workflows. Our judges say, "Writable scaffolds and motivates students in a better writing process with a powerful feedback engine including anonymous peer review."

Illuminate Education, FastBridge

FastBridge is a research-based universal screening and progress monitoring system for academics (reading and math) and social-emotional behavior (SEB). The system includes intervention recommendations and built-in coaching. Features include single system for academic and behavioral screening, evidence-based tools, data reports from progress monitoring, adaptive testing, and universal screening tools. Our judges say, "FastBridge's comprehensive reports available to teachers, administrators and parents will be critical when assessing and supporting students as they transition back to school in the fall.

IXL Learning, IXL

IXL is a pre-K-12 personalized learning platform providing a comprehensive curriculum of over 8,000 skills covering five subjects, aligned to all state standards. IXL’s adaptive assessment tool, the Real-Time Diagnostic, evaluates students across every concept in IXL’s K-12 curriculum. IXL’s personalized guidance uses student data from the curriculum and diagnostic to give every learner a personalized action plan for growth, while IXL Analytics provides real-time insight into student progress. Our judges say,"The ability to adjust content based on the learners answers while delivering actionable data back to the instructor is very valuable."

Kognito, Trauma-Informed Practices for K12 Schools

Developed in collaboration with UNICEF USA, Trauma-Informed Practices for K12 Schools is an interactive simulation that helps educators to build skills, confidence, and empathy to support students whose behavior might be related to trauma or distress. By practicing role-play conversations with virtual students, educators learn how to spot warning signs of trauma, lead real-life conversations with students, improve their classroom experience, and explore making a referral to a mental health professional. Our judges say, "This is a fantastic tool for teachers and counselors and social workers to utilize when working with students who have experienced trauma."

Learning.com, EasyTech  

EasyTech is a self-paced, online digital literacy curriculum for grades K-12 that provides interactive lessons, application exercises, activities, discussions and quizzes to help students master technology and computational thinking skills for college and career. EasyTech incorporates technology into core content, integrates with most Learning Management Systems, and is intuitive for students and for educators alike. EasyTech is aligned to the International Society of Technology Educator (ISTE) NET-S 2016 standards. "Districts are looking for robust online learning like EasyTech that uses algorithms to increase student rigor," our judges say. 

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax Curriculum and Instruction

MobyMax offers a complete K-8 curriculum for 27 subjects, including math, reading, phonics, language, vocabulary, spelling, writing, science, social studies, and state test prep. MobyMax‘s digital courseware solution can be used on any device with an internet connection. "With functions that identify missing skills, both general and special education teachers can assess students and provide real time feedback to students," our judges say.

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax ELL/ESOL

Moby provides a complete solution for ELL/ESOL students, from letter recognition to phonemic awareness to critical English language skills. MobyMax moves each child forward at their pace offering both foundational skills unique to them and also the same content as their peers.  Our judges say, "The curriculum, periodic and real time assessment is invaluable for teachers in inclusive classroom settings to provide support and interventions."

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax Reading

MobyMax finds and fixes learning gaps in language arts in two ways. First, it offers the power of personalized learning in all K-8 subjects. Additionally, its comprehensive curriculum encompasses 16 ELA subjects, including language, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and seven phonics and reading modules. Using this inventive approach, students consistently gain more than one full grade level after 20 hours using MobyMax. Our judges say, "This product engages all students by differentiating for students with profound learning disabilities or struggling readers to challenging accelerated students."

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax for Adaptive Learning

MobyMax’s suite of integrated and automated classroom tools saves teachers time with comprehensive assessments, grading and markup tools for writing, diagnostics, IEP reporting, messaging, and real-time progress monitoring. Moby’s Pinpoint Assessments allow teachers to drill down to discrete skills to get an instant snapshot of where students are. Interactive curriculum personalizes learning, allowing educators to combine face-to-face education with online learning. Our judges say, "Using real time assessments, this product adapts lessons to target where students need support on skills and content knowledge."

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax for Assessment Solutions

MobyMax's new Quick Checker assessment package streamlines teaching by pinpointing missing skills with quick formative assessments, deep summative assessments, and diagnostic placement tests. Moby Quick Checker allows teachers to quickly check for understanding and minimizes the time it takes to create and grade tests and quizzes. MobyMax has made the complete Quick Checker program free to all teachers worldwide. Our judges say, "With its quick question, test, fluency, benchmarker, placement and skill options, teachers can easily determine understanding without having to create exit tickets."

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax for Math

Moby’s math curriculum includes math, numbers, and fact fluency and is accessible from any device with internet connection.  The MobyMax Numbers module employs interactive manipulatives to deepen student understanding of numbers and base ten using block numbers, number lines, ten frames, and more. Numbers begins simply and progresses gradually, teaching students to add and subtract large numbers without using a pencil. Our judges say, "With its interactive lessons and the ability for students to go back to prior questions and activities, the program ensures that students will be successful.

Learn Without Limits, MobyMax for Science

MobyMax’s K-8 Cognitive Skills Science curriculum is based on Touch Curriculum™ technology, which uses over 20,000 interactive manipulatives to engage students. Touch Curriculum™ allows dragging and dropping, repositioning, building, writing, creating, and more. MobyMax accelerates differentiated learning with systematic review of key concepts and science vocabulary. Formative assessment quizzes and comprehensive end-of-section tests provide detailed progress monitoring for teachers. Our judges say, "MobyMax for science provides interactive manipulatives to provide students and teachers with immersive science experiences that go deeper than traditional science activities."

LearnZillion, LearnZillion Illustrative Mathematics (IM) 6-8 Math and Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2

LearnZillion Illustrative Mathematics (IM) 6–8 Math and Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2 is a problem-based core mathematics curriculum that sparks discussion and enjoyment of mathematics. Using the curriculum, students learn by solving problems in mathematical and real-world contexts, and construct arguments using precise language. Teachers use high-leverage routines to guide learners to understand and make connections between concepts and procedures, and spark discussion, perseverance, and understanding of mathematics.  Our judges applaud the inquiry-based learning method, customizable lessons and assessments and add,"Its easy integration with SIS and LMS already in use saves teachers time."

Lexia Learning, Lexia Core5 Reading

Lexia® Core5® Reading provides a systematic and structured approach to six critical areas of reading. The research-proven program creates personalized learning paths for students of all abilities in grades pre-K–5 through an adaptive placement and scaffolded activities that align to rigorous standards. T & L judges say, "The ability to access this program from any device allows students to work with and independent of teachers and parents in the remote learning environment."

LG and Discovery Education, LG Discovery Your Happy

The Discover Your Happy program, a collaborative effort between Discovery Education and LG Electronics USA, provides educators, parents and students the no-cost resources to build resilience by practicing the Six Sustainable Happiness Skills: mindfulness, human connection, positive outlook, purpose, generosity, and gratitude. The program includes standards-aligned materials, lessons, and interactives for grades 7-12, at-home tools for parents to continue lessons, and on-demand virtual field trips. "This amazing program and the skills it teaches is something needed now, during the world pandemic—more than ever," our judges comment.

Lightspeed Systems, Analytics Powered by Relay

Analytics Powered by Relay pulls together all of the usage information for devices, applications, and online resources into a single, actionable dashboard. Analytics lets users evaluate how licenses are used, track spending on licenses, and keep data and devices protected from rogue apps.

Mango Languages, Mango Classroom

Mango Classroom provides students with real-world content, authentic native-speaker audio, and linguist-backed learning tools to comfortably and confidently practice and apply language skills in the classroom and beyond. Included are features for family involvement and support, assessments and grading, and lesson plan materials. Free mobile apps that include offline learning and auto play, allow students to practice wherever and whenever, in over 70 world languages and more than 20 ELL courses. Our judges say, "Mango offers great resources yet doesn't replace the teachers; it's a great addition to the curriculum." 

Mentoring Minds, Itematica

Itematica is a comprehensive K–12 assessment solution that gives educators access to 65,000+ rigorous, standards-based items aligned to state learning objectives. Features include the ability to modify questions; create printable test booklets and pre-slugged answer documents; and sync teachers and students via Clever, ClassLink, or directly from an SIS. Our judges comment, "The range of content areas and analytics go a long way to ensure student success."

MyStemKits.com by Boxlight

MyStemKits is a K-12 3D printable curriculum with over 300+ lessons and 30+ 3D modeling design challenges. The platform integrates with over 75 different 3D printers allowing students to learn math, science, and design thinking skills utilizing 3D printing technology in a fun and exciting way. The MyStemKits.com lessons and kits are all standards-driven curriculum (NGSS, State) and are turn key so teachers can use 3D printers in the classroom easily and effectively. Our judges like the kits very much and note, "This will work great as long as the teachers plan accordingly and the machines are well maintained."

NUITEQ, NUITEQ Snowflake

NUITEQ Snowflake is a desktop and online  educational software that brings interactivity to school and remote learning environments. NUITEQ Snowflake enables teachers and students to tell interactive stories that align with the curriculum, provides a safe community for online and small group collaboration, and allows simultaneous personalized instruction. Teachers have access to video-linked lessons that provide hands-on activities aligned to standards. Our judges think teachers and schools will find long-term value with this platform.

PowerSchool

PowerSchool helps schools and districts manage instruction, learning, grading, attendance, assessment, analytics, state reporting, special education, student registration, talent, finance, and HR.  Solutions include Unified Administration to streamline district office work,  Unified Talent to find high quality teachers and staff, Unified Classroom to coordinate personalized learning tools, Student Information Systems and Enrollment to manage data, Unified Communities to connect with fellow users, and Unified Home to improve parent engagement. Our judges say, "By combining the many systems used in school districts into one unified technology PowerSchool ensures that educators, administrators and support staff have a clear picture of every student." 

PowerSchool, Schoology, a PowerSchool Unified Classroom Product

Schoology helps teachers and districts create engaging content, design lessons, and assess student understanding. Schoology connects learning management with embedded formative assessments so school districts can improve student performance, support collaboration throughout their community, and personalize learning. Over 20 million students, parents, faculty, and administrators from nearly 1,800 K-12 organizations use Schoology to improve student outcomes in education. Our judges say, "Schoology is a very good product."

Prezi Video

Prezi Video video creation tool allows teachers to maintain the same level of face-to-face human connection from in-person classes to online classrooms.  Teachers can easily add graphics and text to the primary video screen alongside their face, whether recorded or in a live video conference. It works for asynchronous video, flipped classroom delivery and online classrooms. Teachers can show visual assets while maintaining eye contact, visual cues, and gestures to keep learners engaged.  Our judges say,"With its many designer and reusable templates that engage students, Prezi Video has stepped up its game with the new "teacher presence" feature."

Reading Plus

Reading Plus is a research-based, adaptive literacy solution for grades 3-12 that improves comprehension, vocabulary, motivation, and reading efficiency. Reading Plus provides differentiated literacy instruction for diverse learners, including English learners, special ed, and RTI/MTSS Tiers 1, 2, and 3, as well as advanced readers.  Our judges say, "Its approach to personalized learning, social and emotional learning and versatility for all learners supported by analytics and teacher PD makes this a solid product for late elementary through high school reading comprehension."

Renaissance Learning, MyOn

myON is a digital reading platform that provides students with 24/7 access to thousands of fiction and nonfiction books and news articles—in English, Spanish, and additional languages. A multimedia reading experience with colorful illustrations, professionally recorded audio, and annotation tools make each text engaging and unique. Built-in close reading tools, customizable literacy projects, and a large collection of nonfiction titles support lesson plans centered on reading and writing skills. Our judges say, "This product is versatile and promotes reading while supporting the struggling reader."

Renaissance Learning, Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader is an independent reading practice program that helps K–12 students to become confident, lifelong readers. Supporting more than 200,000 fiction and nonfiction books and articles at a wide range of levels, Accelerated Reader gives students extensive choice in what they read—and keeps them engaged in independent reading practice as they work toward personalized goals. "With its personalized goal and analytics, students take control of their learning and have voice and choice in what they read," T&L judges comment.

Renaissance Learning, Freckle

Freckle's differentiation platform allows teachers to provide every student with instruction and practice at the level that’s best for them. With instructional resources and practice activities for all four core subject areas—math, social studies, science, and English language arts—Freckle helps educators provide students with rich learning experiences that aim to accelerate growth. Tech & Learning judges like the Freckle interface for both students and teachers and the "accurate data and feedback that helps direct instruction."

Renaissance Learning, Star Assessments

Star Assessments are a suite of valid assessments for reading, math, and early literacy, in both English and Spanish. A Star Assessment takes 20 minutes and provides feedback and results for schools and districts.  Star Assessments help schools and districts predict their students' performance on state tests, provide a benchmark on student progress, and help guide classroom instruction. Our judges say, "The variety of analytics provides critical data that can be used to drive instruction.

Savvas Learning Company, Project Imagine: World History

Project Imagine is a digital companion program for World History classrooms, containing 6 module topics. Each topic starts with an optional topic project, introduction video, and background reading. Students study content through 360° Virtual Reality, Role-Play, Interactive Map, Decision Tree, Opinion Poll, and Museum Mission. Primary sources such as videos, articles, interviews and more are the building blocks of the immersives. Each module concludes with a civic discussion and document-based writing activity.  "The Project Imagine: World History interactive learning curriculum places the student into historical times and delivers an experience like no other," our judges say. 

Savvas Learning Company, Savvas Realize

Savvas Realize™ is a K-12 digital platform that is home to over 850 instructional programs across all subject areas and grade levels, accessible with a single sign-on, either in the classroom or a remote setting. Teachers can access everything in one location: content to customize, edit and rearrange; tools to manage students and groups; and data to drive instruction. Teachers can provide students with immediate, constructive feedback. "It caters to students of all learning styles and abilities and provides the assistance they need to be successful," our judges state.

Scholastic W.O.R.D.

Scholastic W.O.R.D. (Words Open Reading Doors) is a program for Grades K-5 that builds students’ knowledge of core vocabulary and the world around them. Students progress through a game-based program that uses themes with engaging texts and activities. Each theme begins with a placement activity to ensure students are introduced to words at their appropriate text level across fiction and nonfiction passages. W.O.R.D.’s reporting dashboard provides visibility to monitor student progress. Our judges say, "The system also provides robust feedback for teachers through an easy to use reporting portal."

Turnitin Originality

Turnitin Originality combines text similarity checking with new features that help institutions address trends such as contract cheating, mosaic plagiarism, or other modifications designed to circumvent plagiarism checkers. Turnitin Originality determines whether the work is similar to other known text, whether it has indications that it was not authored by the student, and provides tools, reports and insights that instructors, academic integrity officers, and students can use to understand and practice integrity. Our judges call it "valuable and necessary for classrooms to reduce student plagiarism."

Vernier Video Analysis™

The Vernier Video Analysis app brings video analysis to students in a streamlined way. Students use mobile devices in the lab or in the field to insert video with recorded motion, mark points to track the object in motion, and set the scale of the video. The app generates accurate and visually-rich graphs that reflect the recorded motion. The app is compatible with macOS®, iPadOS™, iOS, Windows® 10, Chrome OS™, and Android™platforms. Our judges say, "The analysis tools included with the app are great for documenting science as it happens."

HARDWARE

Acer, Chromebook C871

Powered by a range of Intel processors to help schools meet student and budget needs, the new Acer Chromebook C871 line adheres to MIL-STD 810G and features extras that will help protect it in accident-prone environments. The 12-inch display with 3:2 aspect-ratio provides more room for vertical viewing, so students can see more content at a single glance. T & L judges praised the larger screen size and added durability features.

Aver, M15W document camera

The new AVer M15W wireless camera features WiFi, HDMI and USB  connectivity, 23x digital zoom, 4K output, wide shooting range, mechanical arm and 13 megapixels to capture fine details.  The M15W includes an on-board battery and WiFi connectivity to allow complete freedom to move and share around the classroom.  Our judges say, "The AverMedia M15W and M70W are solid document cameras that offer great optics and many features for great presentations."

Aver, M70W document camera

The AVer M70W wireless multifunctional camera provides a powerful platform to capture and share information. Designed for the modern classroom and lecture hall, it features 4K output for the sharpest picture, wide shooting range and rich 13 megapixels to capture fine details. Our judges particularly like the peer-to-peer connectivity and the M70W's motorized, remote controlled feature.

Aver, Magic Presenter (CB-310)

The AVer CB-310 Magic Presenter is a stand-alone Android™ module that connects teacher and student devices with traditional classroom equipment to create immersive learning experiences. Older equipment can easily be integrated with the CB-310 to maximize existing technology investment. The simple integration via multiple output ports turns TVs, interactive white boards, monitors, projectors and document cameras into modern learning devices. "This box will take any old monitor panel or projector and breathe new life into it by adding interactivity and multifunction presentation tools," our judges note.

Aver, TR530 30X auto tracking camera

The AVer TR530 Professional Auto Tracking and Live Streaming camera is a PTZ camera with 30X optical zoom and a secondary 120° FOV panoramic camera providing users full HD 1080p video resolution without the need of an experienced camera operator. The TR530 supports IP streaming and ease of integration to other AV tools to deliver powerful distance learning streams. "We particularly like that it works with Zoom in today's Pandemic world," our judges comment. 

Amplivox,  Mega Hailer PA system

AmpliVox Fitness and Aquatic Sound Packages project strong, clear voice and music. They combine the AmpliVox Mega Hailer PA system with a headset microphone and other options to provide the user with maximum acoustic power, flexibility of use, and freedom of movement. Ideal for trainers, coaches and fitness instructors, indoor and outdoor gatherings, and for audiences dispersed by social distancing. "The new Amplivox Mega Hailer PA system is an extremely powerful and versatile voice amplification system," our judges say. 

BenQ, RP02 IFP Series

BenQ’s RP02 Series interactive flat panels (IFP) include features such as cloud whiteboard, advanced air-quality sensors, a germ-resistant screen, and EyeCare solutions, allowing students to learn and be engaged while staying healthy. RP02 is the ultimate interactive display to connect the entire class for a smooth, fun teaching and learning experience. Our judges especially like the health and safety, connectivity and manageability features.

Blackmagicdesign, ATEM Mini Pro

ATEM Mini Pro ($595) live production switcher is fast to set up and easy to use, making it simple for educators to create professional multi-camera live streams for YouTube and innovative presentations using Skype or Zoom. Simply connect ATEM Mini Pro and live switch between four high quality video camera inputs for dramatically better-quality images or connect a computer for PowerPoint slides and more. Our judges say, "This is a comprehensive, fairly priced solution for making professional quality videos and live streams."

Clear Digital, Gel™ Sanitizer Station

Gel’s touchless sensor delivers sanitizer without contact. It also capitalizes on the few moments a user is standing still by communicating important messages. Gel lets schools use those moments to share vital information with students and teachers alike. Gel also features an LED indicator that shows when the level is down to 20%, as well as remote notification to alert when it’s time to refill the sanitizer.  Our judges agree, "This is a must-have for schools in the fall."

Crestron, AirMedia®

Crestron AirMedia® Media Presentation Systems provide secure wired and wireless presentation in Touch-Free spaces, student lounges, and Atriums, and integrate with popular calendaring platforms to maximize use. AirMedia technology allows for wireless presentation of content from a personal computer, laptop, or mobile device via a Wi-Fi® network and enables presentation of Full HD video at frame rates up to 30 fps. Our judges say, "Crestron makes some of the best AV equipment on the market."

Crestron, DM NVX®

Crestron DM NVX® technology transports ultra high definition 4K60 4:4:4 video over standard Gigabit Ethernet with no perceptible latency or loss of quality. Using standard network switches and CAT5e UTP wiring, the Crestron DM NVX system delivers a high performance, virtual matrix routing solution that is scalable for any campus wide 4K content distribution application. "This is a great product for high useage or gaming needs," our judges note. 

DFRobot, Maqueen Plus AI kit

micro: Maqueen launched by DFRobot is a series of educational robot products for primary and secondary school programming. Maqueen Plus has been optimized for compatibility with HuskyLens AI Vision Sensor and provides more flexible AI robot teaching programs, more functions and expansion ports, better power management, larger power supply capacity and chassis.  The kit can be used for classroom teaching, after-school exercises and robot competitions. Our judges call it "An amazing learning tool and product overall— a must for any STEM or STEAM curriculum."

HUE, HD camera

The HUE HD camera is a cost-effective alternative to a standard classroom document camera and is perfect for stop-motion animation. Easy to use and portable, this camera is popular with teachers throughout the world. The built-in microphone allows you to record your presentation or a student speaking about a topic. The camera can also be used to magnify very small items such as insects, circuit boards and more. Our judges say, "This is an affordable document camera featuring a two-year warranty."

HUE HD Pro document camera

The HUE HD Pro is a colorful classroom camera that can be used immediately with standard classroom applications that recognize a USB camera. The camera can be plugged into a USB port in a computer or laptop, and then be connected to a projector so that images can be viewed on a whiteboard or touchscreens. The camera can record sound and video and take snapshots and has a built-in microphone and LED lights. "This model adds the needed features that more advanced users will need for home instruction and content creation."

Promethean, ActivPanel Elements Series - AV category

ActivPanel is an interactive display that enables educators to deliver collaborative lessons using Promethean’s software, ClassFlow® and ActivInspire®, and thousands of available apps. Teachers can create profiles by accessing their files, apps, and browser data – all of which are protected when they sign out. Integrating with cloud storage accounts like Google Drive™ and Microsoft® OneDrive allow teachers to easily access and save content during lessons and at home. Our judges say, "Device agnostic, this product allows teachers to push out lessons, resources and assessment whether in the classroom or remotely."

Scanning Pens Inc, Reader Pen 

The ReaderPen provides struggling readers access to print materials while facilitating independent learning skills. Users can scan text, view the words via the text window, and hear them read aloud or via earbuds. The ReaderPen can scan French, English (includes multiple accents) and Spanish (includes 2 accents) in a clear and natural voice. Adaptable features include adjustable screen brightness, text enlargement, right/left-handed modes, and volume control. Our judges say, "The Reader Pen is particularly useful for students with dyslexia, and levels the playing field for students of all reading capabilities."

Second Life Mac, Touchless Trade-in

Touchless Trade-in™ is a drive-through device drop-off program that enables students, parents and administrators to maintain social distancing while also enabling schools to refresh technology device fleets. The goal in creating this program is to alleviate the fears that school administrators have in taking back devices that haven’t been sanitized. This program eliminates the need for administrators to collect, inventory and package devices, reducing the risk of exposure for all. Our judges say, "This touchless system gives both parents and administrators peace of mind in going through the recycling process."

ThinkWrite Technologies, Ultra Ergo Headphones

Informed by professional classroom experience, the Ultra Ergo TW100 provides sustained comfort, superior sound, and durability. Ergonomically angled earcups and an optimized audio curve help protect ears from the stress of compression and strain of damaging frequencies over longer listening periods. With 30mm drivers delivering exceptional sound quality, the TW100 is the ideal on-ear headphone for school testing and everyday usage. Our judges say, "The ergonomic design allows for noise cancelling and comfort over almost anyone's ears."

Tripp Lite, 9x2 Multi-Format Presentation Matrix Switch

Tripp Lite’s 9x2 Multi-Format Presentation Matrix Switch is a versatile AV product that connects up to nine AV sources with two displays and provides the capability to control what content is shown on each display. Educators can switch between source devices using the front-panel buttons, the included IR remote or an RS-232 serial controller. They can preview content from all sources and view video in mirror, matrix or picture-in-picture modes. Our judges say, "The ability to control it with the remote control or an RS232 connection is a plus."

Tripp Lite, Mobile Interactive Display

Tripp Lite’s Mobile Interactive Display is an all-in-one collaboration, presentation and communication platform integrating a 65-inch 4K touchscreen, built-in multiuser PC, heavy-duty mobile stand and rechargeable battery system. Touchscreen technology accepts inputs from multiple users, while the built-in Windows PC is compatible with a wide array of software and peripherals. Wireless networking and the included high-definition webcam enable collaboration between local and remote users. Our judges especially like the webcam collaboration feature and the 20 simultaneous touch ability.

ViewSonic, ELITE XG270 Gaming Monitor

The ViewSonic® ELITE XG270 gaming monitor delivers ultra-fast 1ms (GtG) response time and 240Hz refresh rate, enabling smooth screen transitions while offering high quality color reproduction and wide viewing angles. With a native 1080p resolution and 99% RGB color coverage, the XG270 supports GSYNC technology for a seamless gaming experience by reducing artifacts and tearing. Our judges say, "The Viewsonic Elite gaming monitor is powerfully fast at 240Hz for rendering live motion video for eSports."

ENTERPRISE

Accelerate Learning, National Institute for STEM Education (NISE) Micro Certificates

NISE Micro Certificates and online courses are a professional development opportunity designed to meet educators’ needs for “just in time,” highly targeted professional development. Each three-hour course can be completed anytime, anywhere. Teachers who complete two courses in a specific area of practice earn a Micro Certificate. Teachers who complete all of the Micro Certificates in “STEM Essentials” or “Teaching Online Essentials” earn the Certificate for the series. "The low price point for these certificate courses are valuable and timely given our current situation," T & L judges say. 

Apex Learning, Learning Continuity Program

The Apex Learning - Learning Continuity Program enabled districts to continue to keep students in grades 6 -12 learning throughout the pandemic with access to standards-aligned courses and tutorials. Administrators and teachers had access to curriculum, as well as performance and achievement data to document student use and progress. This new program was created to help districts maintain continuity of learning throughout any classroom disruption such as hurricanes, floods, illness, and  global pandemics. Our judges say, "Good online learning resource."

BenQ, InstaShow S

BenQ’s InstaShow S WDC20 wireless presentation system is built for network-free, software-free classroom collaboration. The InstaShow S button can connect to nearly any device using an HDMI port and securely mirror up to four screens or sources simultaneously at 4K resolution and with up to 32 users able to connect. InstaShow S also features touch back, which allows users to control and annotate their presentations from Windows computers directly from an IFP. Our judges like the small form factor, security and versatility and say "This device is very portable and seems very easy to set up."

ClassLink

ClassLink is a single sign-on platform that addresses the significant challenges districts face when it comes to accessing and using digital content, and then measuring engagement with that content. ClassLink supports the school system in both classroom and remote learning settings by saving time with single sign-on access, helping district leaders make informed decisions using analytics, saving technology staff time through rostering tools and more. Our judges say, "ClassLink is an excellent product that solves so many issues with data integrations and rostering." 

ContentKeeper, App Defender

ContentKeeper App Defender is a new technology that identifies and blocks suspicious applications and protocols students use to circumvent school web filters. App Defender identifies and controls over 80 suspicious apps such as UltraSurf, Psiphon, X-VPN, BitTorrent and TunnelBear, resulting in improved security and ensuring schools remain CIPA and FERPA compliant. "The Content Keeper module App Defender is unique in that it not only provides content filtering, but also protects students from the use of apps that could be harmful for both the student and the network the student is on," T & L judges say.

Crestron, XiO Cloud™

Crestron XiO Cloud™ is a cloud-based platform for remotely provisioning, monitoring, and managing Crestron devices across an enterprise or an entire client base.  Built on the Microsoft® Azure® software platform and utilizing Microsoft's industry‑leading Azure IoT Hub technology, it enables educational institutions to simultaneously configure and deploy an unlimited number of Crestron products, thereby reducing installation time by up to 90%. Our judges say, "This is a great solution for any district that has a very large deployment of Crestron products."

Edgenuity, Learning Management System

The Edgenuity curriculum runs in a comprehensive LMS using state-of-the-art technology to engage students and empower educators. The user-friendly LMS makes it easy to manage programs and courses, monitor student and group progress, and customize courses to meet student, class, school, and district needs. The Edgenuity LMS frees up time for educators to do what they do best—help students. Our judges note, "The new student online learning experience allows students to see their progress in a visually appealing, accessible dashboard and to personalize and take control of their own learning."

EOS Education, The Distance Teaching Essentials (DTE) Program

The Distance Teaching Essentials (DTE) Program is a way for schools and  districts to quickly train teachers in either G Suite or Microsoft 365, to transition to distance teaching. DTE offers school leaders a plug and play professional development program that includes an online, self-paced fundamentals course, complemented by live virtual training sessions to develop skills beyond the essentials. Our judges say," This system is very timely and should be used nationwide during these summer months as schools prepare for the 20-21 school year."

FileWave, Unified Endpoint Management

FileWave’s Multi-OS Management Suite is built to assist IT teams throughout the entire device lifecycle process of imaging/provisioning, deployment, management and maintenance. FileWave’s all-in-one, scalable software, cloud and on-premise supported, ensures IT teams have a comprehensive solution that supports both client (desktop/laptop) and mobile devices across all macOS, Windows, iPadOS/iOS, Android & ChromeOS.  Our judges say, "This is a good system to organize the device fleet and streamline digital management."

FLVS, Online Learning Community

Created by Florida Virtual School® (FLVS®), the FLVS Online Learning Community serves as a free, one-stop resource hub to support all K-12 educators, administrators, schools, and families, especially parents who want to teach their kids, teachers who are new to teaching online or looking to share their online best practices, and administrators transitioning to online learning in their school district. Our judges say, "This newly created community has many resources in webinar, article and video formats, most of which are easy accessed."

GoGuardian, Beacon

GoGuardian Beacon is software that helps support suicide and self-harm prevention for K-12 schools. It identifies students’ online behaviors that could indicate various phases of suicide or self-harm, notifying school staff to quickly provide assistance with the appropriate information. Beacon now offers the option of 24/7 human review and escalation for additional mental well-being support for schools. Our judges say, "GoGuardian Beacon takes the job of identifying student mental health issues to a new level."

Hāpara, Student Dashboard

Hāpara Student Dashboard provides learners with a central, mobile-friendly location to access assignments, resources, announcements, grades and more from Google Classroom, G Suite and Hāpara. Students participating in designing Student Dashboard shared that they struggle with classroom assignment feeds that are different from one teacher to the next. Student Dashboard streamlines all notifications from Google Classroom, G Suite, and Hāpara Workspace into a student-friendly experience. Our judges say, "We like the fact that this is a one-stop page for students to see their work."

Hāpara, Workspace: Sharing is Caring Initiative

Workspace acts as a homebase for all those apps, learning content and experiences teachers want to provide to learners, whether at home or school. Teachers can embed almost any app or link to any content into a Workspace so everything is organized in one place for students. Teachers can personalize and differentiate lessons and activities. Workspace comes thousands of free curriculum-aligned lessons, activities, explorations and units of study, easily copied and edited to meet every learner's needs. T & L judges praise the concept and comment, "Sharing and collaboration is key."

HMH, Blended Coaching and the Coaching Studio

The HMH blended approach to coaching supports teachers through in-person and online coaching to provide a sustained, personalized, flexible, and collaborative professional learning experience, with access to the HMH Coaching Studio platform. Offered in a variety of formats including in-person, online, and blended, and featuring the video-powered HMH Coaching Studio platform, coaching provides teachers with the support they need to positively impact students every day.Our judges say, "This is a good solution for districts."

Impero, Student Safety Tools

Impero’s Student Safety Tools combine Impero Education Pro and Impero EdAware software, which together help schools to detect and manage student safety concerns in both the physical and digital world. Device monitoring tools help teachers identify what students are accessing online in real-time, while its keyword libraries and reporting of student safety concerns provide a holistic view of each student’s wellbeing. Our judges particularly like that "the system can monitor all platform systems including Windows, Chrome, Mac, and iOS and that there is a hierarchy of system use levels."

Lightspeed Systems, Relay Web Filter

Relay by Lightspeed Systems lets users filter, manage, monitor, protect, and analyze across operating systems, on and off network for a truly comprehensive platform. With schools having to rapidly deploy a 1:1 initiative, cloud-based Relay can ensure that those devices are accounted for, being used for educational purposes, and are filtered as effectively, if not more than if they were on campus in a classroom. "This system really has a handle on not only cloud-based content filtering, but also device management and analytics in real time," T & L judges say.

ManagedMethods, G Suite & Microsoft 365 Security

ManagedMethods is a Google G Suite and Microsoft 365 cybersecurity, student safety, and compliance platform for K-12 school districts. ManagedMethods monitors school district G Suite and Microsoft 365 cloud applications, including Gmail and Outlook, 24/7/365 and offers districts full visibility and control of the sensitive data being stored. T & L  judges say,"This is one of the few products that can ensure cyber safety, data privacy and students' physical and mental well-being when online, in one reliable seamless product."

NetSupport Limited, NetSupport DNA

NetSupport DNA provides educators, technicians, and counselors with a dedicated solution to manage student devices and school-wide IT assets, while also protecting vulnerable students. In addition, IT staff can centrally manage and support IT assets and endpoints across a school or district-wide network. Student eSafety features help counselors identify and protect students via internet metering, keyword/phrase monitoring, webcam controls, report a concern, risk index, plus more. Our judges say, "This is a comprehensive and versatile tool to keep students safe and on-task."

Pixton EDU

Pixton EDU is a web-app that lets teachers and students create stories, demonstrate learning, and enhance writing assignments through digital comics. Users can explore topics in Math, Science, Social Studies, History, English, Art or any other subject. Choose images from popular content, books and movies like The Hunger Games or The Outsiders, plus other topics like the solar system, black history or the environment, all Common Core aligned. Our judges say, "PixtonEDU is a unique approach to creative writing and vocabulary through the use of comical storyboarding." 

Securly, At-Risk AI

Securly's At-Risk is an algorithm that powers its 24 service for student safety. At-Risk has a view of each student’s online activity by analyzing web searches, websites visited, email, social posts, videos watched, anonymous tips received by the district, cloud documents & drive, and more. At-Risk can then determine which students are struggling and immediately notify the Securly 24x7 analyst, who in turn contacts the school district. Our judges say, "The At-Risk solution actually builds a student wellness score by gathering data points—a huge advancement for servicing the SEL aspect of our students."

Singlewire Software, InformaCast Fusion 12.16.1

InformaCast Fusion is a mass notification system that allows K-12 schools and districts to reach all of their mobile and on-premises devices with emergency messages from a single interface. The system leverages text, audio and visual alerts that can be delivered to IP speakers, IP phones, desktop computers, digital signage, mobile devices and more to ensure that no one misses a message during a crisis event.  Our judges say, "The InformaCast product has really improved through the years and is incredibly necessary in today's increased need for school security." 

Teq, OTIS for educators

OTIS for educators offers dynamic, relevant, and convenient professional development around educational technology, STEM, social-emotional learning, literacy, ENL/ELL, and more. Team members are State Certified Teachers and Google Certified Educators, each with their own expertise including English, Math, Science, Social Studies, STEM, ESL/ELL, Special Education, Computer Science, and more. "With remote learning, this valuable PD platform should be in every school," say T & L judges.

Across the country, colleges have been coming up with unique ways to get technology, internet access, and other resources to students. Here are four great examples of how higher education is working with local and national partners to close the digital divide.

1. Donate technology to fill the STEM pipeline 

This past April, leaders at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri, delivered 22 refurbished computers to the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club) as part of its Tech Bar initiative. The devices will allow the organization to expose its boys and girls to coding, cyber technology, and data science.

“We are committed to serving as a community resource,” says Stacy Hollins, Ph.D., associate professor of information systems at Maryville. “Through the Tech Bar, our students provide services to nonprofit organizations and individuals who have limited or no access to technology hardware, software, and training.”

The Tech Bar, which is part of Maryville’s Cyber Fusion Center [see “How It’s Done: Hands-On Cybersecurity Training”], allows students to develop technology skills and work on projects with the local community. 

2. Start a targeted fundraising program 

“As UMass Boston prepared to go into shutdown mode earlier this year, we learned that a lot of our students had no computers or access,” says Raymond V. Lefebvre, vice chancellor and chief information officer. “We had to do something quick!”

Lefebvre arranged to purchase Chromebooks at $188 each (“A great price!” he says). During a cabinet meeting, one of his colleagues in university advancement suggested asking alumni to donate. “It was ingenious. Within two weeks we’d raised enough money to buy 200 Chromebooks,” says Lefebvre.  

The student affairs office polled students to see who needed devices and posted an online form in which students could request a loaner device. Lefebvre’s staff got the Chromebooks prepped and ready, and the public safety department handed out the devices in March. 

“Students returned the laptops at the end of the semester, and I plan to start a Chromebook loaner program on campus in the fall,” says Lefebvre. “Luckily, we already have 200 in the pool to kick it off.”

3. Support at-risk students with an online marketplace 

Before the pandemic, California State University Northridge (CSUN) students were already using a secure app called Matador Exchange (from Modo Marketplace) to buy and sell everything from bicycles and mattresses to lamps and textbooks to math tutoring services.

Once quarantine hit, college leaders learned that one in four students in the California State system face food insecurity, so a hub was added to the Matador Exchange that allows students to donate or swap school supplies and home goods.

“Matador Exchange supports vulnerable student communities by letting them exchange goods and services within the campus community,” says Clayton Scott, sustainability coordinator at CSUN. “There’s immediate trust because you have to use a student ID to log in.”

When charitable organizations such as the local food bank donate items to the college, the sustainability office makes the donations available for free. For example, in February 2020, students claimed more than two dozen donated items.

4. Delivering WiFi on demand 

In early March, to begin preparing for remote learning, California’s Cypress College surveyed students to determine their technology needs for continuing studies remotely. College administrators discovered that that 400 students (12 percent of the respondents) did not have reliable internet access, 266 students did not have access to a computer, and 999 students did not have a private space at home to conduct their classwork.

Leaders used the data collected to loan three dozen laptops and Chromebooks to students, to connect students to free and low-cost internet opportunities, and to provide $12,000 in emergency grants to help students who lost jobs or experienced income loss.

Next up? A “Drive-Up WiFi” program.

In one of its parking lots, registered Cypress students with valid login credentials could get free internet access on a first-come, first-served basis. The WiFi was available on weekdays from 7:30 am until 10 pm (Monday through Thursday) or 5pm (Friday).

Students were asked to park in every-other parking stall, remain in their cars, and adhere to all public health rules. 

• Overcoming the Digital Divide: School Districts Create Their Own Wireless Networks
• How to Stay Connected to Students During Covid

Google Slides is a super useful teaching tool that's totally free. In an age of want-it-now impatience, however, sometimes clicking through Slides can be a bit much for students. One way to speak in their digital language while remaining concise and getting your point across is to use an animated GIF. So converting your Google Slides show into an animated GIF is the quickest way to do this and can be done for free.

An animated GIF is essentially an image file, or more accurately a video, which shows a selection of images, like a slide show, in quick succession and on repeat. Crucially, this can be opened on pretty much any device, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It's also condensed in size, making it ideal for sharing quickly and easily in emails and beyond.

One tool which allows you to convert a Google Slides document into an animated GIF, for free, is Tall Tweets, created by the awesome Amit Agarwal.

• Google Classroom review
• Google Classroom for teachers
• How to setup Google Classroom

With Tall Tweets you can import a Google Slideshow, set the duration for each slide (as well as some other options), and then create and download an animated GIF version of your slideshow. This can be used with many Google Slides projects to export the final product. 

Many tools to make animated GIFs are available, but it is always helpful to find one that is free and super easy to use. See below for detailed directions on how to use this great tool.

Create Your Google Slideshow

First you need to finish creating the Google Slideshow that you want to convert into an animated GIF. For helpful tips on making the slideshow, check out our Best Student Templates for Google Docs, Slides, Sheets and Drawings.

A key factor to keep in mind is that you may want some slides to last longer, and some to be shorter, when playing as a GIF later. Although you can't make a specific slide last longer, you can make it look like it does. One way to do this is to make multiple copies of the slide, without making any changes to it, so it looks like the scene is lasting longer. Here's exactly how to do that.

• Select the slide you want to last longer.
• Make a copy of the slide by clicking "Slide" and "Duplicate slide", or copy and paste the slide, or press "Ctrl" and "D" (for duplicate).
• Repeat this multiple times to make 5 or 10 copies of the slide (for example).

Later when the slideshow gets converted into a GIF, it will look like the slideshow has paused on this slide for longer. Tall Tweets has a limit of 100 slides when creating the animated GIF, so be sure your slideshow does not exceed that amount.

Convert Google Slides with Tall Tweets

Now you can convert your Google Slideshow into an animated GIF at the Tall Tweets website. Yup, you'll need to head over there to have you Google Slides offering uploaded to convert and download as a GIF. This is a simple enough process, but for clarity, these are the steps.

• Go to Tall Tweets.
• Click the "Select Presentation" button.

• Browse your Google Drive to find and select the slideshow you want to convert.
• The site will now make a copy of each slide. This can take a while depending on how many slides are in your presentation.
• When the slides have all been loaded you can now enter your settings.

GIF Image Width (in pixels) 

For this, enter how large you want your animated GIF to be. The wider the GIF, the larger the file size will be. Very large GIFs will take longer to load on websites, and some services have limits on how large of a GIF you can post. For example the maximum file size for an animated GIF on Twitter is 5MB on mobile and 15MB on web.

Slide Duration (in seconds) 

For this part enter a number for how long each slide should last. For some slideshow (such as comic strips or eBooks) you will want the slides to last long enough for people to read the content. However, for stop-motion animation, you may want the slides to move much quicker, such as 0.1 or 0.25 seconds per slide.

• When ready click the "Create GIF" button.
• When done the animated GIF will display.
• You can save your own copy by clicking the "Save" button, or by simply right-clicking on the GIF and choosing "Save image as…"

• Google Classroom review
• Google Classroom for teachers
• How to setup Google Classroom

In late March, the FBI cautioned that children's increased online presence due to widespread school closings presents a greater risk to them for exploitation by internet predators. Subsequently, Forbes magazine reported that online child exploitation complaints have indeed skyrocketed.  This increased risk to the health and safety of young people is the reason Impero has released its real-time web content filtering solution for schools.

Powered by Netsweeper, Impero Web:check analyzes web content in real-time, protecting students from inappropriate or malicious content both in and out of the classroom. 

Impero Web:check blocks potentially harmful material in multiple languages across more than 90 areas, including extremism, weapons, and substance abuse. The software also provides regular reports highlighting concerning patterns in student web activity so that staff can reach out to offer support to students at risk. The software scans approximately 150 million new URLs each day and categorizes and filters on average 408,000 webpages in real-time, ensuring that blocklists are always up to date. 

Impero Web:check helps schools comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) which requires schools to block harmful or inappropriate content. 

“It’s an undeniable fact that online risks have increased over the years and especially during the lockdown. This was a major topic of discussion at our recent safeguarding virtual roundtable, where experts discussed the growth and proliferation of online threats," said Justin Reilly, former teacher and CEO of Impero. 

Available on-site or cloud-hosted, the software enforces the ‘Safe Search’ functionality across popular web search engines such as Google, Bing and YouTube. Impero Web:check protections can be applied outside of the classroom by delivering traffic directly back to the school via a device filter, which is available as an add-on. 

Impero Web:check works alongside Impero Education Pro, allowing for filtering alongside monitoring, creating the ultimate student online safety package. 

Impero Web:check is available for schools at: www.imperosoftware.com/us/impero-webcheck.

According to the US Dept. of Commerce, fourteen percent of households with school-age children do not have Internet access. In today's climate of Covid-19 related remote learning, this means a substantial minority of students may not be able to participate fully in remote school lessons. It may also affect the remote learning opportunities for all students in a district where some do not have internet access. 

To help K-12 school districts, libraries and higher education institutions provide distance learning opportunities for more students, Kajeet® has released a new generation of managed and filtered mobile hotspot devices with unlimited data plan options. The Kajeet SmartSpot™ v400 provides students and educators with greater flexibility for data usage, including support for video-rich instruction from remote locations. 

“The lack of Internet access among economically disadvantaged students has reached a new urgency because of the pandemic, and schools are facing a critical need for solutions that address associated learning gaps,” said Daniel Neal, founder, and CEO of Kajeet. “Digital equity cannot be delayed, and our unlimited data plans and SmartSpot devices provide additional, affordable options for educators to build that bridge.” 

The recent global health crisis has had a dramatic impact on education. In the coming academic year, K-12 schools could face reduced state funding, and higher education institutions could see dramatically smaller operating budgets due to enrollment losses. With financial resources strained and even greater uncertainty over the future of classroom instruction, the Kajeet SmartSpot provides a cost-effective way to deliver filtered Internet access to students from anywhere, without disruption to instruction and learning.  

The Kajeet SmartSpot v400 aims to create more options for educators to enhance digital teaching and enrich distance learning experiences using superior connectivity for video and immersive technologies. In addition, Kajeet Sentinel®, the company’s core multi-network, cloud-native connectivity platform, provides stronger control and compliance of SmartSpot devices with integrated filtering, device management, network security, analytics and reporting. 

Using Category 9 LTE Internet connectivity, the Kajeet SmartSpot v400 has download speeds of up to 450Mbps and upload speeds of 55Mbps. The hotspot device also handles more frequencies, multi-carrier aggregation and provides administrators more control of SSID settings to improve privacy and security for students. 

Kajeet SmartSpot devices support the six major North American carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T Mobile, US Cellular, Rogers, and Bell Mobility.  

The Kajeet SmartSpot v400 is available now through Kajeet. For more information, visit www.kajeet.com/smartspot

As the school year comes to a close and the pandemic has forced families to rethink summer traditions such as camps, family reunions, and beach outings, Wide Open School is now offering new free content and resources, in English and Spanish, to provide online and offline activities to keep kids active, entertained, emotionally strong, and learning.

Powered by Common Sense and built in partnership with Amplify, Wide Open School  is a new free destination for families and educators that debuted in March 2020 in response to the pandemic and the ensuing nationwide shift to distance learning. Wide Open School's mission is to collect, curate, and disseminate the best online content and offline activities, as recommended by Common Sense’s expert editors, who rate and review media and technology based on age appropriateness, quality, and learning potential. The Wide Open School site is designed to supplement distance learning, support working parents with daily structure and a suggested schedule of activities for their kids at home, and present a diverse set of offerings that will appeal to every kid, from preschool through high school.

“Summer slide is always an issue for families, but this year, kids may have lost months of school, and without support, the gaping weeks of summer risk putting them further behind,” said James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense. “Common Sense’s free Wide Open School resources and the new partners and Spanish-language resources we’ve added will provide families with the structure and enrichment they need to support kids and families through these unprecedented times.”

Wide Open School's new features and content include:

Wide Open School en Español

Wide Open School now features Spanish-language selections with recommendations for free websites and weekly activities for kids to practice essential academic skills like math, reading, writing, and science. Also included is a new section on family well-being, designed to nurture hope and gratitude in the face of the countless unprecedented challenges resulting from the pandemic. There are listings and links for Latino career and family services, plus physical and mental health supports for Latino kids, tweens, and teens.

Text-Based Support in English and Spanish

Families without broadband at home now have the option to sign up for a free text-messaging program featuring selected weekly content from Wide Open School. The content is curated for parents of young kids, ages 3-8, offers weekly suggestions for both online and offline family activities, and includes tips for balancing media and technology use. To join, families can text the word “Kids” for English or “Familia” for Spanish to 21555.

New “Watch Now” Content from NBC News

Students of all ages can also now go to the new “Watch Now” area on Wide Open School to access a rich, exciting slate of programming from NBC News, including the newly launched Nightly News Kids Edition with Lester Holt, which is a digest of today’s news delivered specifically for a kid audience.  They can also tune in for exclusive lessons from the journalists of NBC News, such as: "Money Talks" with Stephanie Ruhle, "Voting 101" with Steve Kornacki, and "Recess" classes with Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones.

New Content and Activities for Summer Learning

In partnership with a growing list of top-tier content producers, the editors at Wide Open School have put together an exciting roster of online and offline summer activities designed to keep kids of all ages active, engaged, learning, emotionally strong, and having fun throughout the summer months.

New themes such as “Animals, Plants, and the Planet,” “Self Expression and Storytelling,” and “Space, Exploring, and Experiments” cover an inspiring range of subjects in STEM, music appreciation, language arts, art & creativity, and more, all designed to help kids and families discover new interests, fend off summer slide, and enjoy the summer. Vital social emotional resources from Child Mind Institute, Peer Health Exchange, and We.org will provide content for both kids and teens and their parents and caregivers to support their emotional well-being.

Thanks to the site’s content partners, this summer, users of Wide Open School will be able to:

- Immerse themselves in the history and legacy of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony through Universal Music Group and renowned violinist Ezinma

- Develop petal potion concoctions with Tinkergarten at Home or build a bug hotel with Super Simple

- “Win the White House” with iCivics or learn about the world of "fake news" through the art of rap with Flocabulary

- Build social and emotional skills with BrainPOP through lessons that promote self-expression, interpersonal connections, and achievement

- Engage young children while learning and moving with Ubongo and Mother Goose Club

- Take daily at-home adventures with Camp Kinda, exploring topics ranging from the mysteries of history to the wild world of extreme weather

- Visit amazing places like the White House, the Canadian Tundra, and the Super Bowl with Discovery Education through a series of immersive Virtual Field Trips

The ability to add audio to Google Slides has been one of the most requested features for many years. If you've read our Google Classroom review and are now using that, Slides is a very useful tool to add. Being creative, we have worked around this limitation in the past by embedding YouTube videos in Slides, or using a tool such as Screencastify to record a video of Slides while speaking. Although those workarounds still have their place, it is wonderful that we now have the option to add audio directly to a slide.

Being able to add audio to Google Slides can be used in so many ways in school: 

• Narrating a slideshow
• Reading a story
• Making an instructional presentation
• Providing spoken feedback on writing
• Having student explain a solution
• Giving directions for a HyperSlides project
• And much more

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The only big pain point still left is the actual recording of the audio. You see, even though we can now add audio to a Google slideshow, there isn't a simple built-in recording button. Instead you need to record the audio separately with another program, then save it to Drive, and then add it to a slide.

So that brings up the big question: What are some easy ways to record audio? When using my Windows PC, I can use a free program such as Audacity. Students often will be using Chromebooks, so we need some web-based options. 

We are going to take a look at four excellent, free options for recording audio right in your web browser, and then how to add that audio to Google Slides. 

• How do I use Google Classroom?
• Google Classroom review
• Chromebooks in education: Everything you need to know

1. ChromeMP3 Recorder from HablaCloud

The first tool we are going to look at is by far the simplest of the bunch: The "ChromeMP3 Recorder" web app from HablaCloud. This tool however is a web app, not a website, which means it only runs on Chromebooks, not other computers such as PCs or Macs. 

If you are on a Chromebook though, this is a fantastically easy tool to use. Here's how it works: 

• First, install the "ChromeMP3 Recorder" web app. You can get the Chrome Web Store link on the site at HablaCloud.
• Once the web app has been installed, you can open it from the Chromebook app launcher when needed.
• When the app opens, simply click the red "Record" button to start recording.
  You can click the "Pause" button if needed during recording.
• When done, click the "Stop" button.
• The app will now ask you where you want to save the MP3 file in your Google Drive. You can also name the file at this point to make it easier to find later. 

That's it! This tool doesn't offer any other editing options. Just a simple way for anyone to record and save audio on a Chromebook.

2. Online Voice Recorder 

If you want another tool that is just about as simple but runs on Chromebooks, PCs, and Macs, then you can use the "Online Voice Recorder" website. 

If I am not on a Chromebook, this tool is is usually my "go to" for anytime I need to record some quick audio on the web. Here's how it works: 

• Go to the site at OnlineVoiceRecorder.
• Click the mic button to start recording.
• Note: You will need to give it permission to use your microphone the first time you use the site.
• Click the "Stop" button when done.
• You will now get a screen where you can preview your voice recording.
  If needed, you can trim the start and end of the audio to remove any extra dead space.
• When done, click "Save."
• The MP3 file will be downloaded to your device! 

Note: If using a Chromebook, you can have the file save directly to your Google Drive by changing the "Downloads" option in your Chromebook settings. 

3. Beautiful Audio Editor

The next tool for recording audio online is the "Beautiful Audio Editor". This tool is reasonably easy to use as well, but offers extra editing features. If you just need to record some simple audio, this might be more options than you need but would be helpful if you plan to do some editing to the recording afterward. Here's how it works: 

• Launch the tool at Beautiful Audio Editor.
• Click the "Record" button at the bottom of the screen to start recording.
  Note: You will need to give it permission to use your microphone the first time you use the site.
• Click the "Stop" button when done.
• Your recorded track will now be added to the editor.
• You can drag the play head back to the start and press the play button to preview your recording.
• If you need to trim out any of the audio, you will need to use the "Split Section" and "Remove Section" buttons in the top toolbar.
• When you are happy with the audio, you can click the "Download as MP3" button to generate a link to save the file to your device. 

Note: If using a Chromebook, you can have the file save directly to your Google Drive by changing the "Downloads" option in your Chromebook settings. 

Editing for this tool includes the option to change the audio speed, combine multiple tracks, fade the volume in and out, and more. You can get detailed directions by clicking the "Help" menu option. 

4. TwistedWave 

If you need even more fancy editing tools, another audio recording option is "TwistedWave". The free version of this tool allows you to record up to 5 minutes at a time. Here's how it works: 

• Go to the website at TwistedWave.
• Click "New document" to create a new file.
• Click the red "Record" button to start recording.
• Note: You will need to give it permission to use your microphone the first time you use the site.
• Click the "Stop" button when done.
• Your recorded track will now be added to the editor.
• You can click at the start of your clip and press the "Play" button to preview your recording.
• If you need to trim any of the audio, you can click and drag with your mouse to select the portion you want to get rid of, and then press the "Delete" button.
  When you are happy with the audio, you can download it my clicking "File" then "Download."
• Better yet, to save it directly to your Google Drive you can click "File" then "Save to Google Drive." TwistedWave will ask you to log in with your Google account and give permission. 

This tool provides other features in addition to simple editing. In the "Effects" menu you will find tools to increase or decrease the volume, fade in and out, add silence, reverse the audio, change the pitch and speed, and more. 

Adding Audio to Google Slides 

Now that you have recorded your audio with one of the tools described above, you can add that audio to Google Slides. To do this, two things must be true for the recordings: 

1. The audio files must be in your Google Drive, so if you saved somewhere else, such as the "Downloads" folder on your computer, you will need to upload the files to your Drive. For easy access, and to help with the next step, you should put all of the files in a folder in Drive.   
2. Next, the audio files need to be shared so anyone with a link can play them. This can be done file by file, but it is much easier to simply change the sharing permissions for the entire folder that contains the recordings.

With those steps completed, you can add audio from your Google Drive to Google Slides as follows: 

• With your Google slideshow open, click "Insert" in the top menu bar.
• Choose "Audio" from the drop-down menu.
• This will open up the "Insert audio" screen, where you can browse for or search for the audio files saved in your Google Drive.
• Choose the file you want and then click "Select" to insert it into your slide.

After the audio file has been added to your slide, you can edit several options for it including volume, autoplay, and loop. Here's how:

• Click on the audio file icon to select it.
• Then click the "Format options" button in the top toolbar.
• Finally click "Audio playback" in the side panel that opens.
• Here you can adjust settings such as:
• Start playing "On click" or "Automatically"
• Set the "Volume level"
• "Loop audio" if you want it to keep playing after it ends
• And "Stop on slide change" if you want the audio to end (or continue) when the user moves to the next slide.

Most school districts have transitioned to online learning due to the covid-19 pandemic. But the quality of education varies widely from one district to another. Well-funded districts likely already had a substantial online learning presence, and at least some staff and educators who had experience in remote teaching. In contrast, districts with more limited funding may struggle to develop and implement an effective online platform. Further, many students in these less well-off districts may have their own difficulties, due to lack of access to broadband internet, a computer, or a quiet place at home to do their lessons. 

A recent study sheds light on this inequity. Real-time data for 1.6 million students across 1,364 districts engaged in remote instruction since schools were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic shows that students are on track to lose up to 49% (about 5 months) of their potential reading growth by the start of next school year. In addition, this study revealed that the achievement gap between students from lower- and higher-income schools is predicted to widen by up to 18%.

These and other findings and recommendations for change were released today in a new study by the Successful Practices Network and the Center for College & Career Readiness. Researchers have identified the following trends from the 1,364 districts it observed:

• 76% of schools showed decreased usage after schools closed
  Schools differed widely in how quickly and how well they made the transition to online learning. Overall, however, the number of students logging in has declined by 43% and the number of students completing at least one lesson has declined by 44%.
• Students are on track to lose up to 49% of gains over the summer
  Based on early data, it appears that school closures as a result of the coronavirus crisis will lead to a significant loss of potential learning gains, as 28%, for many students come June 2020.
• Worst case prediction for a widening of the achievement gap is 18%
  The achievement gap has already begun to grow in the six weeks since schools moved to online learning. The achievement gap between low- and high-income students is expected to increase by as much as 18% for students from low-income schools by the end of this school year.
• Struggling readers on track to fall behind their peers by an additional 6%
  It is already clear that struggling readers are not using online learning as frequently as advanced readers, placing them at risk of falling further behind. The study shows that the gap between struggling and advanced readers is predicted to grow by up to an additional 6% by the end of this school year.
• Some districts are succeeding with online learning
  Despite the challenges, there are success stories. The study revealed many examples of districts that transitioned almost seamlessly between school-based and online instruction. For these districts, levels of usage of Achieve3000 Literacy after the school closures are about on par with usage before the school closures.

The consortium provides a number of recommendations for educators based on the trends observed in the study:

• Plan now for next year
  Many schools were unprepared to make the transition to online instruction. In order to avoid similar rates of learning loss in future years, schools will want to begin trouble-shooting their existing implementation of online learning tools and resources and planning for improvements that can be implemented by the start of the next school year.
• Catch up over summer
  The summer slide has already commenced. Using the summer in a meaningful way will be critical to make sure students begin the next school year where they would have been had schools not closed early.
• Mind the gap
  Students who fall at or below the 25th percentile in reading are going to fall further behind their peers. Providing access to robust online learning resources that include scaffolds and other supports specifically designed to accelerate reading growth is imperative.
• Build a new skill
  Online learning is now a career skill that needs to be mastered by both educators and students. There must be a transition “teaching and learning onsite or remotely” to “a technology-enabled approach to all teaching and learning.”

To view the full research brief, Impact of School Closures on Student Learning, visit acheive3000.

Cesar Chavez was born March 30, 1927. Learn about Chavez, the Mexican American labor activist and leader of the United Farm Workers. During the 20th century, he was a leading voice for migrant farm workers.

Brought to you by Knovation, powered by ACT  

News-O-Matic EDU

Daily news stories and supplements keep elementary schoolers current

Pros: Updated five days a week for all 52 weeks of the year.

Cons: Pages and features might display incorrectly (based on device), plus feature availability varies by platform.

Bottom Line: This highly-useful current events platform can be a daily fixture of elementary classrooms.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

Comcast today announced steps to help ensure people stay connected to the internet as more schools suspend classes and companies encourage employees to work from home due to the coronavirus. 

Comcast is taking steps to implement the following new policies for the next 60 days, and other initiatives: 

• Xfinity WiFi Free For Everyone: Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi. 
• Pausing Data Plans:  Data plans will be paused for 60 days giving all customers Unlimited data for no additional charge.
• No Disconnects or Late Fees: Customers who contact comcast to make arrangements will not have their service disconnected or late fees charged. 
• Internet Essentials Free to New Customers: New customers will receive 60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month. 
• News, Information and Educational Content on X1 and Flex: Comcast has created new educational collections for all grade levels in partnership with Common Sense Media.
• 24x7 Network Monitoring:  Comcast engineers and technicians staff network operations centers 24/7 to ensure network performance and reliability. 

For more information and updates from Comcast related to Coronavirus, visit: http://www.comcastcorporation.com/COVID-19/

On March 9, 1868, President Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial began in the US Senate. The trial was political in nature, calling out Johnson's violation of the Tenure of Office Act, lenient policies toward Reconstruction and vetoes of civil rights related acts.

Brought to you by Knovation, powered by ACT  

On February 27, 1936, Shirley Temple, aged 7, received a contract from 20th Century Fox paying $50,000 per film. This guide offers a history of child film star Shirley Temple's career with audio and video.

Brought to you by Knovation, powered by ACT  

Education management platform provider Abre.io will be showcasing its non-traditional method of open-source product development at this year’s TechOlympics, February 22-23 at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, OH. Abre will hold an App Development workshop which will walk attendees through the Abre Appathon framework for development.  The framework features hosted events where students define problems and develop their own Abre apps as solutions to education challenges. 

TechOlympics 2020 is the nation’s largest student-run tech conference and Cincinnati’s premiere technology competition and expo.  During the competition and expo, students compete in challenges ranging from programming to design to networking in an effort to build their technical skills. 

Based on the Appathon framework, the App Development workshop is an opportunity for students to define problems within a learning community and develop their own Abre apps as solutions. This session will walk students through what Abre is, how Abre works, how to design and wireframe an app, and how to connect to Github and download the source code for Abre. 

The Abre App Development session at TechOlympics 2020 will be held Sunday, Feb. 23 from 9-11a.m. at the Great American Ball Park in the Center Field Pavilion. For more information, contact Emily Spinks at espinks@abre.io.

February 27 is Digital Learning Day, an event in which education leaders will highlight great teaching practices and showcase innovative teachers, leaders, and instructional technology programs that are improving student outcomes. 

This year's theme is: Innovate! Every Classroom, Every Day with Digital Learning. Schools and districts are invited to share related events and happenings on the DLD website, here. 

Future Ready advisers Adam Phyall and Brianna Hodges will moderate the live DC Event from 12 to 1pm ET, in which participants will hear from Education Superhighway CEO Evan Marwell, see snapshots of success in Arkansas, Louisiana, and North Carolina, and hear from FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on updates around digital equity and the homework gap. The kickoff event can be seen here. 

Thirteen products have earned the Research-Based Design product certification from Digital Promise. The new product certification is intended to serve as a signal for consumers, including school administrators, educators, and families, looking for evidence of research-based educational technology products.  

The following 13 product companies, each of which submitted evidence confirming a link between research on how students learn and their product’s design, are the first to receive the Research-Based Design product certification: 

• Actively Learn 
• Amplify 
• BrainQuake’s Wuzzit Trouble 
• Cignition ● CommonLit 
• The Concord Consortium's CODAP 
• Goalbook ● Lexia Core5 Reading 
• Microsoft's Immersive Reader 
• Newsela 
• Speak Agent 
• ST Math 
• Woot Math 

Quizlet

Flexible study aid supports learning at home, at school, and on the go

Pros: From personal study sessions to game show-style competition, Quizlet adapts to your situation.

Cons: May require extra teacher supervision/moderation; user-generated content isn't always reliable or appropriate.

Bottom Line: A quality study tool for learning and memorizing facts; extensions to support higher-level thinking would be a nice addition.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

QuaverSEL

Shake up SEL lessons with music and movement

Pros: With a well-designed curriculum, this site uses a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to teaching SEL skills to young students.

Cons: The program doesn’t collect individual student responses; assessment is limited to teacher observation.

Bottom Line: Fun for students, easy for teachers, QuaverSEL uses the power of music to boost social and emotional learning.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

With FETC ending later today, it’s a good time to take stock of some of the more innovative and notable things we saw at the show. From security to programming, there was a lot to see but here are a few of our favorites from the show floor.

Color-Coded Coding

Ozobot’s Evo takes robotic coding classes to a new level with a color-coded scheme that makes learning programming easier and more intuitive for students from kindergarteners to high school seniors. The classroom kit will be available later this month and include everything needed for students to learn how to program the small spherical Evo robot to perform a series of maneuvers and tricks. The company has more than 150 online lessons and the classroom kit costs $1,800 (for 18 students) or $1,200 (for 12 students).

One-Shot Sign-In

Nothing slows a class down more than stopping to sign into yet another online curriculum site, but students and teachers can now get to the Kami Acrobat reader and annotation tool via an Office log in. The new app can not only synchronize documents, but Kami files can be stored on Microsoft’s OneDrive online repository.

Protecting G Suite

Google’s G Suite of apps is a great – and cheap – way to get high-quality collaborative programs in the hands of students and teachers, but for schools that want extra layer of online security, there’s Managed Methods. The company’s cloud-based package not only monitors all G Suite accounts and blocks inappropriate online material, but can stop data loss and prevent phishing attempts, malware exploits and account takeovers.

Bright Light, Low Price

By concentrating on the basics, Epson’s PowerLite 118 model will be high on brightness and low on price. Its three LCD panel design can deliver 3,800 lumens and include an excellent assortment of connection ports. Happily, it works with Epson’s iProjection app so that 50 classroom computers can share their screens with the class.  

Book Talk

In addition to the ability to add video clips, stickers and make text pop on the page, the latest version of Book Creator adds a new voice feature. This allows kids to speak their story right into a computer’s microphone and have it show up on-screen in any of 120 supported languages. In addition to school pricing plans, the software costs $60 a year (for up to 180 books) or $120 a year (for up to 1,000 books).

Sensing a Safer School

In an attempt to create a safer school environment, Rhombus Systems software will go beyond video surveillance to integrate the output of a series of new sensors. The cloud-based service will not only look at asset tags, but door sensors as well as the company’s environmental gauge for temperature and humidity.

Safety in the Cloud

Using Amazon Web Services’ online artificial intelligence engine, the new Safety Cloud from Kokomo 24/7 Solutions seeks to end bullying, disruptive behavior and suicide at schools by surfacing the behavior before it becomes critical. The program can review and monitor up to eight years of data to provide predictive insight in identifying potential risks.

Up, Up and Away

Flinn Scientific’s new Drone app for WhiteBox Learning can not only teach middle- and high-school students about the dynamics of flight but lets them design, model and actually simulate flying it. If you want, these designs can be turned into full flying machines with parts from Flinn Scientific.

All-in-One Classroom Software

By bringing together software for classroom presentations with a powerful Learning Management System (LMS) HoverCam’s ClassFusion is trying to simplify teaching. It can not only work with multiple digital devices but can control the entire classroom’s learning landscape from creating lesson plans, whiteboarding and more than 4-million online lessons to calendars and online homework submission. Look for it later this year.

HoverCam will showcase its family of classroom learning technologies in booth 2425 at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) 2020 in Miami. The company will demonstrate its Pilot X tablet-based digital teaching station, 16-megapixel Ultra 10 document camera, and ClassFusion, a comprehensive software platform for classroom management and presentation.

With the HoverCam Pilot X, teachers and presenters can work from an ergonomic and mobile teaching podium featuring a slide out keyboard. The 13-inch, 10-point-touch tablet can be unlocked and used anywhere in the classroom. With multi-touch technology, the tablet has the horsepower of Windows 10 OS combined with the intuitive hand gestures of a mobile device. 

The Ultra 10 document camera features a 7.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, true 4K HDMI output, a 16-megapixel sensor, and a powerful Android computer. The built-in multitouch viewing monitor allows educators to see exactly what their students see without having to turn their backs. Users can connect a display, IFP, or projector — via wired HDMI or a wireless 4K transmitter without a PC — to record lessons, capture images, and show live video.

HoverCam's ClassFusion is a comprehensive software platform designed for a fully digital classroom. Drawing from the feedback of a network of educators who beta tested the solution, ClassFusion fuses a classroom presentation system with a learning management system. It features dynamic lesson and notes capture; a lesson plan builder with access to a database of over 4 million resources matched to curriculum; teachers' calendars; space-saving, vector-based lesson recording to the cloud; enhanced whiteboarding with smart tools including handwriting and object recognition; online homework submission and student messaging; Hopscotch multisplit; and more.

More information on HoverCam and their full line of products is available hovercam.com.

Tired of carrying around a bulky notebook or tablet all day from class to class? Samsung has an app for that. The company’s DeX Desktop Experience software is a unique program that lets teachers and students put all their schoolwork on their phones. With the power to redefine how schools deal with digital media and curriculum, DeX can be a real eye-opener. 

Used by first responders and the military as a way to do without bulky computers, the key is that in addition to using the phone for calls, texts, social media postings and Web work, you can plug the phone into a display and interact in a full desktop environment that’s looks and feels a lot like Windows and macOS. In other words, there’s no need to carry a phone and a computer around anymore. Teachers and students can take notes, draw geometric shapes or sketch a social studies map on the phone directly and then plug it into a display, keyboard and mouse for heavier tasks, like writing or grading essays, doing Web research and interacting with online curriculum. 

[Put To The Test—HP Chromebook X2]

PLUG AND VIEW

Even though DeX has the power to turn a phone into the equivalent of a full desktop computer, its day-to-day use is surprisingly simple. There’s nothing to download or install; the needed software is already on the phone. DeX leaves all the phone’s security in place and when it’s connected, you can open the phone by entering its PIN using a keyboard. 

The result can be eye-opening for educators, to say the least. When its connected to a display or projector, instead of a cramped vertical view of the phone’s screen occupying about one-third of the display space, Dex delivers a full-screen horizontal experience at up to the phone’s screen resolution. 

Windows and Mac users will feel right at home. There’re icons for programs as well as a row of apps and services along the bottom. Click on any icon and you get a full-screen space to work with. It’s perfect for typical school tasks, like researching a chemical reaction online, going through a spreadsheet of chem lab results, writing up the lab and even adding in tables and illustrations. That’s because under DeX’s skin is a full multi-tasking environment where windows can be resized, moved around and items can be dragged from one window to another. 

The latest DeX software allows another trick. If you load the DeX app on a PC or Mac and plug the phone into its USB port, the phone can exist inside a window on the computer. This allows you to drag images, Web addresses and blocks of text between the computer’s open windows.

Unlike other platforms, though, there are no native DeX programs, per se. There are, however, hundreds of Android apps that have been enhanced to work with DeX. They range from Word, Excel and PowerPoint to Adobe Acrobat, Gmail and the Chrome Browser to a slew of Photoshop apps and several videoconferencing services. The vast majority of Android apps have not been enhanced but work with DeX without a problem.

Not all phones work with DeX, though. The easiest way to make the connection is to use a USB-to-HDMI adapter with a Samsung Galaxy Note 9, S10, S10+, Note 10, Galaxy Tab S6 or Active Tab Pro tablet. Older phones, like Galaxy S8, S8+, S9, S9+ or Note 8 phone require the $60 DeX Station dock that also charges the phone. Once the phone is connected to the display, you can either use a USB hub to plug in the keyboard and mouse or link them using Bluetooth. You can also use the phone’s screen as a touchpad.

PHONE-CENTRIC SCHOOL

Using DeX at school will require a paradigm shift to say the least. Imagine that rather than supplying computers for students and teachers or specifying what parents should get for their kids, the school required students to have a DeX-ready phone. The students would do their class assignments, homework and tests on the phone either directly or connected to a keyboard, screen and mouse that the school provides in classrooms, libraries and common areas. At home, they can plug into a computer for research, homework and working on longer projects. 

To see how DeX can change the dynamic of teaching and learning, I set a Note 10+ phone up with an Acer 21-inch HD display, generic USB-C to HDMI adapter and a Logitech K400 wireless keyboard and touchpad; later, I switched to an AOC i1601FWUX USB-C display, which didn’t need a video adapter. All told, it took less than a minute to set up and the gear cost less than $150 but getting a compatible Samsung phone is the big-ticket item, costing between $200 and $1,000. 

I started by creating and presenting a social studies lesson in PowerPoint on immigration using the public records from the Ellis and Angel Island immigration archives. Then, I moved on to giving a lesson on simplifying fractions and how hydrogen bonding affects biology. When I was connected to the display, keyboard and mouse, it was the equivalent of desktop computer but when the bell rang, rather than stuff a cumbersome notebook into a bag, I unplugged the Note 10+ phone, put it in my pocket and was ready for the next class. 

The DeX desktop came into its own when I used Google’s Live Transcribe app on the phone to record a 45-minute lesson. While the initial transcription was tolerable, using DeX, a big screen and keyboard made correcting its mistakes much easier than doing it on a phone’s small screen or transferring the data to a desktop computer. 

It’s odd, but about the only thing DeX can’t do is allow me to use the phone’s touch-sensitive display and its S-Pen to interactively annotate what’s on the screen. This would have been a big help in pointing out a trick while solving an equation or underlining a passage in a novel. 

DeX may not be for everyone, but it has the power to transform your phone into a desktop computer. Afterall, you already have your phone with you all day, why carry anything else.

Samsung DeX Desktop Experience: Grade A

Price: works with Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, Note 8, S9, S9+, Note 9, S10, S10+, Note 10 phones as well as Galaxy Tab S6 or Active Tab Pro tablets; some might need a desktop dock 

Pros

• Free software
• Turns phone into the equivalent of a desktop computer
• Multi-tasking environment
• Lots of apps available

Cons

• Can’t use the phone’s screen to annotate
• Requires moderately expensive phone

Today, January 14th, marks a difficult day for both schools and Microsoft. After a long run, it’s the beginning of the end for Windows 7 with the company no longer promising free security updates for the venerable operating system. With roughly one in four computers still using Win 7 – and at least as many in schools – what is there to do? 

Windows 7 debuted in the fall of 2009 and quickly became the operating system of choice at home, work and school. Fast forward a little more than a decade and its end of life should come as no surprise to anyone other than a hermit living in a cave. That’s because Microsoft has been telling the world that Windows 7’s days were numbered for years. It stopped adding new features to the software years ago and has only been updating critical security flaws for the last year. Starting tomorrow, it won’t even do that anymore. 

It’s not as if these computers will stop working tomorrow, but after Windows 7’s retirement party is over and the cake is gone, these computers will become more and more vulnerable every day. Security flaws and backdoors won’t be patched as they are revealed, and you’ll be on your own as far as operating system security goes. 

How do you deal with this huge change in the computing landscape? There are three main alternatives to consider, but none of them seem to be particularly appealing. Here are your options. 

1. Get a different operating system

The most obvious solution is to use this as an opportunity to leave Win 7 behind by changing to Windows 10, macOS or Linux software. Likely, most of the machines at your school will be compatible but it will take time, money and effort to make the move. 

Expect some disappointment and the potential for a rough transition with some software needing to be left behind. Microsoft’s Desktop App Assure program can help this transition for schools or districts with more than 150 PCs.

2. Pay for extra security

Several consumer and business security companies plan to continue to provide Win 7 support for at least a year. If you get their malware protection, it will help keep the systems clean but there’s nothing a hacker likes more than an unsupported computer with security weaknesses. While the protection won’t be airtight, it will be better than a naked machine and provide the time needed to formulate a plan to create a more secure future for your school’s computers. On the other hand, all it does is delay the inevitable action of moving to a more modern and secure operating system. 

Microsoft has a site dedicated to smoothing the move away from Windows 7, but it focuses on getting new Windows 10 computers. This is a luxury that many schools cannot afford, even with the company’s buy-back program, which trades old computers for credit to buy new ones. There is another way: Microsoft may be ending its free security program for Windows 7, but it will be offering extended security coverage of Win 7 systems with security patches and updates for a price. This service used to be for its big enterprise customers, but Microsoft has opened it up to small and medium businesses, including schools. Called Extended Security Updates (or ESUs), Microsoft promises three years of paid security support, but it won’t be cheap. The costs will vary but for many it will escalate from $50 for the first year to $100 for the second year and $200 for the third (and last) year of security support. In other words, it’ll likely be cheaper to give up the ghost and move to a more modern and secure operating system than to limp along with Win 7.

3. Muddle through

My warning is that if you try to muddle through this computing sea change without making any changes, it will likely not end well. That’s because hackers and ransomware purveyors are looking exactly for this sort of opening and have been targeting municipal governments and school systems of late. 

All it will take to bring down a network of school computers is clicking on the wrong email or downloading the wrong file. At that point, “puff”, the entire school’s computers and all their data can be compromised. 

Windows 7 may not be in the rear-view mirror quite yet but there is a lot you can do to keep your school’s computers safe and secure. It’s the best example I can think of where being proactive is the only way to survive. 

The latest update to Maplesoft’s Maple Companion app can not only help math students solve a wide assortment of problems and equations on their own but can free the teacher to concentrate on working with students who need assistance or enrichment. The app can help visualize and work through a variety of equations, from integrals and matrices to systems of equations and differentials, all by snapping a photo of the problem, either from a textbook, the blackboard or a homework assignment. It’s free and runs on iOS (iPhones or iPads) as well as Android phones and tablets.