Volume 35 / Number 6

techlearning.com

Ideas and Tools for ed Tech leaders I January 2015 I $6

Student Data
Safe or Sorry? See Page 38
To see more
Tech & Learning
scan the code
or visit us online
at: www.techlearning. Big ideas Put to the test
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 J a n u a r y 2 0 1 5 | v o l . 3 5 n o . 6

contents FEaTurES
18 top 10 ed tech trends of 2014: part one
Since 2010, journalist, blogger, and self-described rabble
rouser, Audrey Watters, has annually summarized, poked,
prodded, and dissected this amorphous blob we call edtech.
This year’s dissertation once again captures the Zeitgeist in
action.

25 no more mobile mayhem

By Ellen Ullman
Whether you’re in a 1:1, BYOD or combo program, or
somewhere on the continuum, mobile device management

25
(MDM) software can be a CIO’s best friend. We asked your
colleagues to weigh in on how they handle their ever-growing
assortment of tablets, laptops, and smartphones.

33 e-rate update
The latest and greatest on the country's biggest edtech
initiative.

38 What it means When We talk about student data

By Bill Fitzgerald
Don’t worry (too much) about what edtech vendors do with it.

PrODuCTS
42
20 put to the test: T&L editors take some neW
products for a test drive.
20 20 LG Chromebase All-in-One Desktop
22 Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Education
23 Naiku for Teachers
24 WIN Math

38 42 What’s neW

DEParTMEnTS &
COLuMnS
Scan here to access
the digital edition,
which includes
additional resources.

6 editor’s note: present perfect

8 big ideas
• Gaps in Student Career Skills
• Six Steps to Flipping a
Classroom
• Current Events Resources
• 100 Web Tools/Apps of 2014
Tech & Learning (ISSN-1053-6728) (USPS 695-590) is published monthly by
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www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 3
 EdITOR’S
note
January 2015 | vol. 35 no. 6

Publisher: Allison Knapp [email protected];

Present
(650) 238-0318; Fax: (650) 238-0263

EDITORIAL
Content Director: Kevin Hogan [email protected]
Executive Editor, Content:
Christine Weiser [email protected]

Perfect
Senior Art Director: Nicole Cobban [email protected]
Associate Art Director: Walter Makarucha, Jr.
Contributing Editors: Judy Salpeter, Gwen Solomon
SchoolCIO Editor: Ellen Ullman [email protected]
Editorial Interns: Clea Mahoney and Diana Restifo

ADvIsORs

W
Chris Aviles, Michelle Vance, Shelly Sanchez Terrell, Harry
Tuttle, Andrew Wallace, Steve Young, Steve Baule, Robert
elcome to 2015 and to the 35th year of Gravina, Nancy Caramanico, Cathy Swan, Scott Floyd, Txe
Tech&Learning! While the owners, titles, and Kolstad, Carl Hooker, Debra Jackson, Lisa Gonzales, Patrick
Higgins, David Andrade, Dean Shareski, Terry Freedman, Jen
editors of this chronicle have changed many Wagner, Lisa Nielsen, Michael Gorman, Henry Thiele, Özge
Karaoğlu, David Kapuler, Jenith Mishne
times over the decades, the mission has not—to
share ideas and tools for edtech leaders. ADvERTIsING sALEs

Next month we begin the celebration with Business Development Manager: Katie Sullivan
[email protected]
a monthly series on the history of education and technology since Account Manager: Joanne Melton [email protected]
1980, written by those who lived it. This month we grapple with
mARkETING AND EvENTs
more recent events. Journalist, blogger, and self-anointed edtech Marketing Manager: Stephanie Rubin [email protected]
Cassandr, Audrey Watters, agreed to let us publish portions of Director of Events: Diana Milbert [email protected]
her annual magnum opus (Top Edtech Trends, p. 18), which I Production Manager: Fred Vega [email protected]

believe to be the most provocative, occasionally infuriating, unabashedly opinionated analysis CIRCULATION
of 2014. Get a taste here, then go to her blog, hackeducation.com, for the full effect. The other Group Director, Audience Development:
Meg Estevez [email protected]
major feature, written by educator and entrepreneur Bill Fitzgerald, breaks down one of the
most overwrought and misunderstood issues in LIsT RENTAL
(914) 925-2449; [email protected]
schools today (What It Means When We Talk
About Student Data, p. 38). Just reading these REpRINTs AND pERmIssIONs
Wright’s Media: [email protected]; (877) 652-5295
pieces made me feel smarter. I suspect you will feel
the same. EDITORIAL AND ADvERTIsING OFFICEs
28 East 28th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016
Two more Tech&Learning developments to while the owners, Phone: (212) 378-0400; Fax: (650) 238-0263
share: First, our T&L Tech Forums, which must be titles and editors For general editorial correspondence:
the longest running face-to-face traveling road show [email protected]

of education technology insight, have been renamed

of this chronicle
NEwBAy mEDIA LLC—CORpORATE
Tech&Learning Live. Don’t worry, you can expect the have changed President & CEO: Steve Palm

same great day of learning. What will be different is many times over Chief Financial Officer: Paul Mastronardi
Vice President of Production & Manufacturing:
how we deliver the content outside the physical walls, the decades, the Bill Amstutz [email protected]
using a new “social hub” platform that takes Tweeting
mission has not— Vice President of Digital Media: Robert Aames
to a whole new level. Check out our first “go” with it Vice President of Audience Development:

at live.techlearning.com, where we will be covering

to share ideas Denise Robbins [email protected]
Vice President of Content & Marketing: Anthony Savona
BETT15 in London, the world’s largest education and tools for
technology exhibition. Here’s to a great year! edtech leaders. NEwBAy mEDIA k-12 EDUCATION GROUp
Executive Vice President/Group Publisher: Adam Goldstein
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Editorial Director: Kevin Hogan
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Content Director
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4 | Ja n ua ry 2 015 | www.techlearning.com
 news
Bigand
iDeas
trenDs ThE LATEST NEwS & STATS AFFECTINg ThE K-12 EdTECh COMMUNITY

top10
blog bits
Just because work is hands-on
does not mean it is minds-on.
—Terry Heick

If we’re going to integrate

technology into education
wEB STORIES
successfully, we need to
From techlearning.com understand the difference
between learning “from
computers” and learning “with
technology.”
—Saga Briggs

Allow children to spend time in

Free Design Software from Rethinking Technology:
1 Autodesk 6 Ten Years Later
real and digital spaces, so long as
they are still positively engaged
Autodesk, Inc. has made its Guest blogger Poyan Lotfi
in other important areas of their
design, engineering, and reflects on his views on
lives like education, activities,
entertainment software free technology in classrooms.
and play.
to students and educators.
Explore Fifty Game-Based —Michael Robb & Junlei Li
HOTS for Teachers: 25 Top 7 French Lessons
2 Resources for Higher Order Motivate students with fun
Thinking Skills games and progress tracking.
Guest blogger Laura Turner
Email Safety Game for Kids
shares articles and sites 8 Özge Karaoglu reviews
designed to help teachers
Safety Land, an online
integrate Higher Order
game that teaches young
Thinking Skills into their
classroom curricula.
students how to be safe
when it comes to emails.
top
3
Free Digital Formative
The Things I Did That
tWeets
Assessment Tools 9 Stopped a Love of Reading
Michael Gorman offers @MindShiftKQED: Libraries use new
Pernille Ripp shares lessons
insight on tools that help tools to be places for curious,
learned in fostering student
gauge student learning.
engagement with reading. creative, experimental learning
Eleven iPad Literacy Apps
4 for Stations 10
Activities for STEM @E_Sheninger RT: @arneduncan:
Robotics Classes After signing the #FutureReady
Monica Burns shares her
Caroline Hanson offers pledge, join us at one of our
favorite apps for creating iPad
activities designed to
stations in the classroom. regional summits in 2015 http://
support robotics in school.
Engage Any Audience with bit.ly/1yU0ze9
5 Google Voice Texting @rkiker: The 35 Best Google
Lisa Nielsen recommends
Search Tips and Tricks http://
using Google Voice Texting
ow.ly/EsD78
to reach a wider audience.

F I N d l I N k s at W W W.t ec h l e a r n i n g .co m / x x 1 4

6 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 Big Ideas

adobe survey reveals

gaps in student sITe We
career skills lIke
www.Nasa.goV/
A recent study from Adobe, “Seeking Creative Candidates: Hiring exterNalFlash/Issrg/
for the Future,” offered insight into how hiring managers view
creativity in job candidates.
Top findings:
94 percent of hiring managers prefer candidates with
creative skills over conventional skills.
75 percent agreed that the job market will change significantly over
the next five years and identified technological skills and creativity as
essential skills of the future.
45 percent viewed problem-solving and critical thinking as skills that
are highly lacking among members of the current generation.
54 percent recommend developing courses and training opportunities that better prepare
candidates.
38 percent feel rewarding innovation and creativity in schools and the workplace is
This site invites students
important. on a virtual field trip into
the International Space
33 percent voted for requirements for technical majors to take creative courses.
Station and the lives of its
r e a d m o r e at W W W.t e c h l e a r n i n g .co m /ja n ua ry 1 5 crew members.

T&L REadER sURvEy Today

When Was 12%

Never 5%

The lasT Last week

15%
TIme you
GooGled
yourself? Last year
Last month
23%
48%

ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK

F o r m o r e s u r V e ys , V I s I t W W W.t ec h l e a r n i n g .co m /ja n ua ry 1 5

8 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 Big Ideas

win gear for six stePs to

engineers FliPPing a
Classroom
Vernier Software & Technology has announced ELearning Infographics shares insight into the
its 2015 Engineering Contest, which essential steps to flip your classroom. For a handy
recognizes STEM teachers for their visual, head over to the Web site. The steps
innovative teaching of engineering identified are surprisingly simple:
concepts and practices using 1. Plan: Identify which lesson you want to flip.
Vernier sensors in the classroom.
2. Record: Make a video that incorporates your
Three winning teachers —
classroom lessons.
one middle school teacher,
3. Share: Send the video to your students,
one high school teacher,
explaining that it will be discussed in class.
and one college instructor
— will each receive prizes 4. Change: After students view the lesson,
valued at $5,500. To apply, they’ll be prepared to take a deeper dive into the
teachers must complete an concepts discussed.
online application form, as 5. Group: Split students into groups and give
well as produce and submit them a task to perform. Make it fun—examples
a short video showcasing include writing a poem or making a video.
their engineering project 6. Regroup: Bring the students back together
involving Vernier sensors in action. to share everyone’s work. Ask questions to
Teachers will be judged on innovation,
IS
TO
CK encourage comprehensive understanding.
/T
engineering objectives, and the ease with
hIN
KS
TO
CK

ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK
which others can replicate the project. Middle
school and high school applicants will specifically need to
explain how the project addresses the engineering practices called for in the
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The winners will be announced
on March 5th on the Vernier Web site and Facebook page.

DEADLINE: January 15th

DETAILS: www.vernier.com/grants/engineering

class Tech TIps:

currenT evenTs
resources

News-O-Matic scholastic News NPR Newsela

g e t m o r e to p s I t e s at t ec h l e a r n i n g .co m

10 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 Big Ideas

amazon survey highlights apps of The

day from
helP For math teaChers TechlearnInG.com
Insight from over 4,400 K-12 teachers,

dIgITAL vISION/ThINKSTOCK
published in a recent national survey by Apps courtesy of Graphite.org
Amazon, shows how frustrating it can be to
find valuable, and plentiful, math teaching
resources. The survey reports:

71% of teachers reported receiving

standards-aligned math
teaching resources from their school/
district.

96% of teachers routinely

supplement from the Internet
or create their own resources for math.

86% of teachers spend multiple

hours a week researching,
finding, and creating math lessons.
Classdojo Messenger
This app lets students, parents, and
teachers connect through quick
Amazon’s TenMarks program helps teachers transition to the new CCSS for math. The texts or images.
program is currently focused on Grades 2-6, with instructional resources for 12 core
standards available at no cost to educators.

r e a d m o r e at h t t p s : // W W W.t e n m a r k s .co m / m at h -t e ac h - h oW- i t-Wo r k s

digital badges
A new report from the Alliance for Excellent
Education, “Digital Badge Systems: The Promise
and Potential,” highlights how the increasing doceri Interactive Whiteboard
adopting of digital badge systems supports This simple tool helps students
professional learning for teachers and college and create slideshows and demonstrate
their problem-solving skills.
career readiness for students.

The report recommends strategies that include

transitioning from seat-time requirements for
learning to more flexible models that advance
students after they master course content. The
report also recommends safeguards at the state
level to ensure that competency-based learning
prevents at-risk students from falling behind.
Finally, the report emphasizes the importance of clear protocols around how student
data is collected and how privacy is protected within a badge system. Grammaropolis
This animated app brightens up
t h e r e p o r t I s aVa I l a b l e at h t t p : //a l l 4 e d.o r g / r e p o r t s - fac t s h e e t s / d i g i ta l b a d g e syst e m s / grammar lessons and engages
young learners.

12 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 Big Ideas

toP 100 SiteS anD

AppS of 2014 By DaviD
Kapuler

It’s that time of year again for my favorite and most robust list of the top 100 sites and apps of the year. as with the
previous year’s list, more mobile apps are making the list. The following sites and apps are all new. any product that was
included on a previous year’s list will not be on this one.

1. been for education: An 9. glean: An excellent site for finding educational videos and lessons on math
innovative site for social and science.
learning that allows educators 10. *towerstorm: An innovative, free iOS game that takes place in a 3D virtual
to surf and collaborate on the world designed for grades 2-10 for math and literacy.
Web with their students in a safe 11. tackk: A great site with an educational portal that allows educators to create
environment where educators student accounts where they can create static pages filled with dynamic media.
can create and manage student 12. thinglink: A wonderful site and app for students to tag images with
accounts. multimedia content such as text, audio, or video files.
2. *otus: A fantastic and easy- 13. gonoodle: My favorite site around for giving students “brain breaks” during
to-use 1:1 learning solution for class through educational and fun activities and videos.
mobile classrooms (i.e., iPads 14. gooru: A great place for students to find study guides on a wide range
and Chromebooks). Educators of subjects that are aligned to Common Core standards. It’s also ideal for
can manage and create student accounts, take attendance, grade, and assess personalized learning.
students in real time, and much more. 15. booktrack classroom: An excellent site and app for adding a soundtrack to
3. *pixel press floors: An amazing iOS app for game-based learning that allows students’ writing. Also, it’s a nice place to find Common Core-aligned lesson
students to create their own game by drawing. plans.
4. answerables: A super fun and innovative site that brings game-based 16. pear deck: A cool educational tool that interacts with Google
learning together with a learning management system to provide a safe Chrome and Google Drive to create interactive quizzes, slideshows, and
environment for students presentations.
to learn any subject in a 17. news-o-matic: A terrific, free mobile app
3D virtual world. designed to bring five Common Core-aligned
5. *stick around: A great articles to students.
iPad app that can be 18. prodigy: A fantastic, free, online math
used for project-based game aligned to Common Core standards for
learning or flipping a students in grades 1-6. Best of all, this game
lesson by creating puzzles differentiates instruction and educators can
and diagrams and having track students’ progress as well as generate
students label them. detailed reports.
6. *rosetta stone for kids: A wonderful, free iPad app for kids ages 3-7 who 19. citelighter: An online, K-12 writing platform
are learning how to read. that helps students organize and research for
7. WordWriter: A new learning tool from the award-winning collaborative papers and homework. Also, educators can
writing site, BoomWriter. Using BoomWriter’s innovative collaborative monitor, add assignments, and grade students.
process, students can learn and develop their reading, writing, and vocabulary 20. *plickers: A unique, free, mobile app
skills. that acts as a student response system,
8. geddit: A fantastic, easy-to-use learning tool that lets students use their by using QR codes and mobile devices to
mobile device to answer questions with a tap of a button in real time. answer and respond to questions.
*MOBILE APP

14 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 Big Ideas

21. *math with amigos and healthy heroes 1: Two of my favorite educational iOS 40. flashcard monkey: A fun way to learn vocabulary with cartoon-based
games that are ideal for game-based learning in basic math and health. flashcards.
22. *chronicle: A unbelievable iPad app for helping teachers with their best 41. *magical mental math: A super fun iOS game designed for grades 2-6 that
teaching strategies by “chronicling” each student through notes, videos, helps students to work on their basic math skills.
assessments, and much more. 42. *telestory: An amazing new iOS app for digital storytelling that lets kids star
23. *voice dream: The best text-to-speech app I have ever seen, with an in their own TV show.
abundance of features such as highlighting, definitions, bookmarking, and more. 43. *Write to read: A iPad app designed for students 3-10 years old to help
24. *ar flashcards shapes & colors: Space: Excellent iOS app that uses develop their reading and writing skills by creating a digital book. This app is
augmented reality to bring also aligned with Common Core standards and is ideal for introducing digital
interactive 3D objects to life storytelling.
to teach about shapes, colors, 44. modern chalkboard: A wonderful, free site for finding free interactive
and outer space. SMARTboard lessons for
25. *teachley: mt. multiplis: your digital whiteboard.
Players build bridges 45. *exam elf: A
in this computational fantastic, free iOS
math game to help students app that helps students
build their multiplication develop basic math skills
skills. while developing test-taking
26. *book Writer one: A free skills.
and easy-to-use iOS app for 46. *tell about this: A
creating digital books. This is a great way to introduce digital storytelling to the great iPad app for digital
classroom. storytelling that lets students
27. 30hands learning community: An ideal, easy-to-use, cloud-based LMS that record their voices to visual
lets educators assess, collaborate, and grade students in real time. prompts.
28. *Welearnedit: An excellent, free iPad for the mobile classroom, ePortfolios, 47. *xnote: An innovative iOS app for geocaching that takes going on a
and project-based learning. scavenger hunt to a whole new level.
29. namecoach: An interesting free site for teachers wanting to learn student 48. *tocomail: A excellent site and app that provides a safe “filtered” email
names and the proper way to pronounce them. environment for kids.
30. *Word clouds by abcya: A terrific, free iPad app for creating word clouds. 49. *picme: A nice, free iPad app where kids “star” in their very own digital story
31. *drawp for school: A wonderful, free iPad app with an educational portal and by placing their faces on the main characters.
cloud storage for creating beautiful-looking projects. 50. *Quiz dungeon: A wonderful iOS game that helps students learn basic math
32. *grid lines: Ordered Pair Game: One of my favorite iOS apps for game-based through an RPG-style adventure.
learning that uses a familiar Battleship-style game to practice plotting points 51. *hideout: Early
on a graph. Reading: A great iOS app
33. roomrecess: A excellent site for finding free educational games for El Ed for young readers looking
students. to develop their reading skills in
34. *ask3: One of my favorite free iPad apps for adding narration to an image to such areas as word recognition,
visually explain any topic. This is ideal for creating a flipped classroom. sounding out words, finding the
35. *guidedvideo: A wonderful iPad app for guided learning where educators letters, and more.
can create questions with images based on the answers that students provide. 52. *Zeus vs. monsters / math
36. kahoot: A fantastic free tool that combines game-based learning and a vs. dinosaurs: Two excellent
student response system to bring a fun, easy-to-use, real-time assessment tool Android apps for learning basic
to the classroom. math skills by fighting off mythical creatures and dinosaurs.
37. edventure builder: An 53. *tynker: A free iPad app that teaches students how to program and code by
innovative new site that assembling blocks together (i.e., Scratch).
is perfect for sparking students’ 54. *letter battle: A super fun iOS app for learning how to spell in an RPG setting.
creativity by providing an online 55. *bluster: A free iPad app
platform to create scavenger hunts, that helps students develop
interactive stories, or choose-your- their vocabulary by playing
own-adventures stories. a multiplayer game.
38. *Write on video: A great iPad app for 56. *chromville: A
digital storytelling that allows users fantastic mobile app
to upload a video and then annotate, that uses augmented
draw, or add images. reality to have students
39. photos for class: The easiest way to find safe Creative Commons-licensed complete a fun-filled, 3D
photos for the classroom that are cited appropriately. adventure.
*MOBILE APP

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 15
 Big Ideas

57. everyslide: A great way to take a presentation and make it interactive by 79. *flipgrid: An “adult” version of Voicethread where educators can ask a
sharing a unique access code. question via a video and students can respond.
58. *kid screen time: An excellent schedule and timer for an iOS device that 80. fishtree: A new, innovative,
alerts parents when their child’s time is up. digital learning platform that
59. ginkgotree: An innovative way for students to take any kind of print media allows educators to curate
(e.g., textbook) and digitize it to make it their own. and create lessons for their
60. penzu classroom: A wonderful, safe site where educators and students can students.
create an online journal, track and grade assignments, and more. 81. *speaking times table: A fun
61. *Zookazam: This Web site brings 3D animals to life in this beautiful, iPad app for students
interactive augmented reality iOS app. wanting to learn and
62. hooda math: A great site with over 50 math games for grades K-12. practice their multiplication
63. flipsnack edu: A new Web 2.0 site with an educational portal that allows tables.
educators and students to create and deliver online content in a safe way. 82. *math hunter: A wonderful
64. matific: A nice, all-in-one, match site for finding a wide variety of iOS game for basic math skills
worksheets, videos, activities, and more. with replay value in this adventure-filled, bow-and-arrow game.
65. flashdecks: A cool and easy-to-use site for finding and creating digital 83. bouncy balls: A great way to monitor classroom noise through balls bouncing
flashcards. on a screen.
66. *imagistory: A free iPad app where students record and narrate their own 84. *common core Quest: An excellent, free Android app aligned to Common
“wordless” picture book. Core standards for practicing math and language arts tests and problems.
67. *book builder: A free 85. *reading raving: A great iPad app for beginning readers where they progress
iOS app that acts as a from letters to phonics to
“choose-your-own” adventure reading full sentences.
where students select how the 86. *speech Wizard: A terrific
story is going to progress. iPad app for ESL, parents,
68. portfoliogen classroom: or teachers looking to
An excellent site with an help students with their
educational portal that articulation skills.
allows students to create 87. *classkick: An interesting
digital portfolios in a safe new iPad app that allows
environment. educators to gather, assess,
69. *toonia storymaker: One of my favorite and provide real-time
iPad apps for digital storytelling, where the feedback to students.
more students play, the more features they 88. *door 24: A wonderful, free iPad app for basic math skills aligned to
unlock. Common Core standards for grades 4-8.
70. *math monsters bingo: A fun, free iOS 89. processon: A great site for brainstorming or mind-mapping in real time.
game for learning basic math in a Bingo- 90. classflow: A cloud-based learning platform that teachers can use to create
style game. digital lessons that can be viewed on browser-based devices.
71. *teachable: A nice productivity iPad app that 91. *sticker story: A fun iPad app for digital storytelling through the use of
helps teachers plan, track, and organize their stickers.
classrooms. 92. *verso: A great way to flip your class by creating lessons students can view
72. classWallet: An interesting new site that and respond to from home.
allows educators to electronically manage and 93. *slidebean: A nice site and app for creating beautiful presentations with lots
organize classroom funds. of templates to choose from.
73. *littlebig history: One my favorite timeline 94. *elevated math: An excellent, free iOS app for finding animated math lessons
apps for the iPad that covers areas from the Big on a wide variety of topics.
Bang Theory to Current Events. 95. poindle: A nice free tool for educators to schedule appointments.
74. *little story creator: A wonderful new iOS app for scrapbooking or digital 96. *marcopolo ocean: A wonderful iPad app for young learners wanting to
storytelling. interact and learn about the ocean.
75. Wizenworld: Uses game-based learning to teach Common Core math skills 97. comment bubble: A neat little site where a user uploads a video and then
in an RPG action adventure setting. selects what type of feedback others can give (i.e., text, audio, or video).
76. *angle asteroids: A fun iOS app that helps students learn how to measure 98. *puzzlin pieces usa: A fantastic iPad app designed for students 6-8 years old
angles in the old “Asteroid”-style arcade game. for learning the geography of the United States.
77. *brainfeed: An excellent iPad app for finding safe and educational videos for 99. *piiig labs: An iPad app that teaches young kids about science by performing
students. different scientific experiments.
78. classcraft: This program brings the mega-popular PC game World of 100. twistedWave: A nice, online audio editor that integrates with Google Drive
Warcraft to the classroom to promote game-based learning. and SoundCloud.

16 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 BIg IdEAS

toP 10 ed tech trendS

of 2014: Part one
By Audrey Watters

since 2010, journalist, blogger, and self-described rabble rouser, audrey Watters, has annually summarized,
poked, prodded, and dissected this amorphous blob we call edtech. This year’s dissertation once again
captures the Zeitgeist in action. Read on for excerpts from Part One.(Look for Part Two in the February 2015 issue.) For
the full list of 2014 edtech trends, complete with linked references and footnotes, visit hackeducation.com

1 the BeSt of the BuzzwordS

The phrase “education technology” has become a bit of a buzzword in its own
right. If you put the adjective “digital” in front of an educational practice or a piece
2 the politicS of the
BuSineSS of edtech
“What’s Big Business Got to Do with Education Reform?” asked
of educational content, then you can act as though you’re tapping into something the industry newsletter Edsurge this fall. I mean, other than
profoundly new and transformative. Or, as the Obama administration now calls it, you EVERYTHING, right? The deep (deep-pocketed) connections
can be “future ready.” This has been a boon for the education industry, which has seen between the business of edtech and the politics of education (and
record level investment into edtech startups this year, despite reports of slower sales of edtech) couldn’t have been any clearer this year when the Senate
digital and print materials. confirmed NewSchools Venture Fund CEO Ted Mitchell as the
Other notable education and edtech buzzwords include the following: new Under Secretary of Education. (Mitchell was replaced at his
investment firm by former Gates Foundation executive Stacey
* adaptivity
behaviorism (OK, probably very few people call it “behaviorism.” They use some Childress.) With 2014 as an election year, education was—believe
* other coded language like “classroom management” or something.) it or not—an issue in many races. (I’ll talk more soon about the
controversial Common Core State Standards.) Voters in New York
* bite-sized lessons
digital natives (Yes, people still use this phrase.) did approve a $2 billion bond measure to pay for more edtech. But
* it’s hard to say that the public really endorses edtech or edtech
* efficacy
expenditures, particularly on the heels of something like the
* efficiency
ongoing Los Angeles Unified School District’s iPad disaster.
* “everyone should learn to code”
gamification (This term is closely related to behaviorism but it should not be
* confused with game-based learning, Gamergate, game-changers, or having grit.)

* growth mindset
interactive educational gadgets (Heck, we’ll take anything “interactive.” That’ll
* probably boost “engagement,” whatever that means.)
learning object repositories (These repositories may or may not be related to
* “knowledge clouds.”)
learning outcomes (These are skills in which you really, really want to demonstrate
* “deeper learning.” Duh.)
learning styles (Yes. Learning styles. Still.)
* mastery-based learning (This kind of learning is different from competency-based
* learning, a trend that I’ll explore more soon.)

* open

* school choice
the sharing economy (Let’s go ahead and make it very, very clear that this phrase
* is utterly awful, exploitative, and has little if anything to do with sharing. But hey,
it’s innovation!)
social learning (This term often seems to be the code word for “homework help”
* and “note-sharing” for students or “PD” for teachers.)
ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK

18 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 BIg IdEAS
ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK

CREATAS/ThINKSTOCK
3 SchoolS And
SkillS
If you listen to the stories
that the industry tells about
education, in particular
the tales out of Silicon
Valley, we’re in the middle
of a major “skills shortage.”
Schools aren’t training
(the word “training” is key
here) students correctly
or adequately. And so, as
the story goes, schools
must change. They must
change to meet the needs
of the industry. One of my
favorite headlines of the year
involved the coming “clown shortage.” We aren’t training enough clowns, the Ny daily News warned.
The industry is gravely concerned. I think of that every time I hear someone announce that we’re
facing a “skills shortage” in this country. Do they mean “clown skills”? I gotta wonder.
Rather than fostering an education system and culture where students love to learn and
where their employers are happy to help them gain the specific “skills” they might need for a job
or a project, we demand that folks commit to a larger “trade” or specialization—and to do so at
their own risk, at their own cost. It’s almost like the tech industry is rehashing the ol’ Microsoft
certification, wherein the focus of “computer” classes is specialized knowledge in one company’s
products rather than training students to have a broad understanding and engage in healthy inquiry.
In other words, clown school.
After all, students who love to learn, know how to learn, ask critical questions, and solve problems—
that’s sorta what a liberal arts degree could and should produce, right? But nah. Instead, this year, we
got more “boot camps” to address the “skills shortage.” “Learn-to-code” boot camps have grown in
popularity in recent years, which has been a direct reflection of the “learn-to-code” trend and the lure
of high-paying jobs in the computer industry. 5 coMpetencieS And
certificAteS
Neither competency-based education nor alternative
certification efforts have reached the frenzied hype
of MOOCs. (Not much in education technology has,

4 MoooooocS! (MAyBe)
First there were MOOCs. Then there were MOOCs!!! Then we witnessed the MOOC backlash.
Then the MOOC backlash backlash. And maybe even the MOOC backlash backlash backlash. At this
with the possible exception of Khan Academy.) After
writing tens of thousands of words about these trends,
competency and certification feel much smaller to me.
point, it’s hard to keep track. Or at least my discussion about them is shorter. There
A better focus is probably is talk to suggest that competency-based education and
on online education more certification are poised to become “a thing” to “disrupt
ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK

broadly. MOOCs create education.” But again, I just don’t think that change
a bigger picture of what happens in ways that neatly fit into a research firm’s or a
the Internet affords for business school professor’s model.
teaching and learning, the There’s much glee among education reformers, who
outsourcing of education are predicting that the increasing support for CBEs is an
technology services to indication that “the (college) degree is doomed.” There
third-party providers, and are arguments from some corners that CBEs, and not
what these actions mean MOOCs, are “the real revolution.”
for educational institutions. But do students want a slimmed down, unbundled
As I noted before, the trend degree? And if so, why? They may need scheduling
to watch may really be a flexibility and appreciate accelerated times to earn a
redefinition of education as degree, but they still want to feel like they’ve attended
skills training. MOOCs have a “real college.” And it’s not at all clear that alternate
undoubtedly been a major certification programs will “count.” Do they count for
part of that. students? Will they count for employers?

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 19
ProDUctreViews Tech & Learning EdITORS TAKE SOME NEw PROdUCTS FOR A TEST dRIvE

LG Chromebase aLL-in-one DeskTop

www.lg.com/us/commercial/display) n retail Price: $349

By Peter Griffiths

T
he LG Chromebase is a desktop
computer with a 21.5-inch full HD
(1920 x 1080) IPS display and ultra-
wide viewing angle.

Quality and Effectiveness: Students

were able to take the LG Chromebase
out of the box and set it up in less than 10 minutes.
They were then prompted to enter their Google
sign-in addresses and in moments they were up
and running. Any user familiar with other Google
products (e.g., Chromebooks, Google Apps, and
Google Play) can quickly navigate the system. The
LG Chromebase features a large 21.5-inch IPS
screen, making it easy to navigate the Web browser
and applications.

Ease of Use: The Chromebase is simple to start

up and navigate. The keyboard is large and familiar
enough to use like a standard desktop.

Creative Use of Technology: Because this

OVERALL RATING: This
desktop features a larger screen than most is a great product. Districts
Chromebooks, students can more easily that have already invested top features
use and view Google tools like Google in Chromebooks, which offer • The 21.5-inch IPS screen offers more display room
Drive and Gmail, and navigating Web portability, will especially appreciate for students to explore their creativity.
sites was more reader-friendly on the the Chromebase. The large IPS screen,
familiar-size keyboard, and access to • The LG Google Chromebase allows easy transition
big screen.
all of the Google applications makes the from Google Chromebooks, Google Drive, and
Chromebase a good option for schools Google Apps.
Suitability for Use in a School that are upgrading standalone computer • With a suggested price of $350, the Chromebase is
Environment: This multi-faceted labs. The suggested price makes it an affordable option for school districts needing to
computer is the perfect complement extremely affordable as well. It can upgrade their labs.
easily be integrated into libraries,
for schools using Google Apps for
labs, offices, and classrooms
Education, Google Chromebooks, and for daily use. offers all of the convenience of cloud computing: ease
Google Drive. It is especially good for of sharing, device-to-device accessibility, and lightning
education because, like all Google tools, it speed.

FOR MORE OF ThE LATEST PROdUCT RELEASES, vISIT US ONLINE AT Techlearning.com.

20 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
PROdUCT REvIEwS

samsunG GaLaxy Tab 4 eDuCaTion

www.samsung.com/education n Suggested retail Price: $369 (the device is only available to schools through Samsung reseller partners)

OVERALL RATING:
By Rebecca André The Galaxy Tab 4

T
has some unique features
he Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Education is a
that make it easy to use. It
builds on earlier technologies
lightweight tablet with a 10.1-inch and leaps ahead with information
display screen. organization functions, such as:
bundling Google programs; the
Quality and Recent, Smart Stay, and Close All
Effectiveness: The buttons; and a split screen feature,
to save users time and energy. Its
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab
beautiful design makes it a
4 is very lightweight, has a high- pleasure to handle and
resolution display, and is completely navigate.
easy to navigate. Some new functions,
including a split screen for two open apps and
the ability to return quickly to another app via the
“Recent” button, make it a winner for educational Suitability for Use in a School Environment: The
settings. For example, a student can easily run two apps Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 could be smoothly integrated into
simultaneously, research the topic in one app, type up reports, an existing curriculum to enrich it today and into the future.
and insert pictures in another app at the same time. As traditional teaching methods shift toward more learner-
centered approaches, the Galaxy Tab 4 could support the transition
Ease of Use: The Galaxy Tab 4 is easy to handle and operate. It with its easy-to-use design and wide variety of free, valuable apps.
includes intuitive buttons and actions that cover all features and
functions under the Settings icon.

Creative Use of Technology: The Samsung tablet has some unique

top features
• Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 4 is lightweight, sleekly designed, and easy to use.
capabilities that enhance its value. Google programs are bundled
together and easy to access. Plentiful apps are available through the • A key differentiating feature of the product is its compatibility with Google
Play for Education, which includes the following:
Play Store via text and spoken requests and (eerily) recommended to
me based on reviews by people in my contact list. For example, when − Access to a Web-based console that allows IT to manage the entire fleet of
tablets remotely. This is critical for schools looking to expand 1:1 student
I searched for free video editing, 200+ recommendations were listed
computing programs without straining limited IT resources. The Web-based
with a five-star rating system. Some apps required a Facebook account console is an extension of the Chromebook management console that has been
and access to my communications, but I declined. one of the key drivers for the rapid adoption of Chromebooks in K-12 classrooms.
− NFC can be used for initial provisioning of devices, allowing an entire
The default “sleep mode” setting helps keep the battery running classroom to be set up in a few minutes.
longer than most tablets. The “smart stay” function extends the
− Access to Google Play for Education app store is separate from the consumer
screen time by enabling the camera only when someone is looking at Google Play store. It provides access to curated education apps organized by
the screen. The cradle, called a Loop, is designed as an oval that can grade level, subject, and even Common Core standards.
hold the screen in three different comfortable orientations on any − The tablet features Corning Gorilla Glass and is bundled with a protective
flat surface. Near field communication (NFC), similar to Bluetooth, case for durability.
quickly allows one device to connect to other devices to share and − A connected keyboard and docking station are available so students can use
collaborate. Another new feature is a “close all” button for apps, which the tablet productively for written assignments.
is a great time and battery saver.

22 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 PROdUCT REvIEwS

naiku for TeaChers

www.naiku.net n retail Price: $159/year

By Shannon Mersand materials. The written guides are up-to-date and easy to

n
follow, though some of the videos are a bit outdated (ed.
aiku for Teachers is an assessment OVERALL RATING: note: new video content has since been added).
platform that allows teachers
Naiku for Teachers
makes it easy to track
to create standards-aligned Creative Use of Technology: The user interface
student performance based on
assessments and track student standards and objectives and of Naiku for Teachers is clean and simple, as is
progress. Naiku allows teachers to offers individualized instruction. the testing environment for students. Results of
create tests and quizzes, and tag Auto-grading of items coupled each assessment can be viewed for individual
each question with standards, either pre-loaded with powerful reports frees students or for the whole class, allowing the
teachers up to spend more
or teacher-created. teacher the ability to make data-driven decisions
time in instruction and less
time on paperwork. about curriculum. Naiku also makes it easy to add
Quality and Effectiveness: Naiku for Teachers is reading passages, images, and other attachments to
appropriate for PreK-university teachers who wish to questions, allowing for flexibility.
track student performance based on standards. Naiku offers
a variety of question types, including true/false, multiple choice,
constructed response, matching, passage w/sub-items, and essay.
Naiku for Teachers offers some standards pre-loaded (CCSS, some
AP standards, and some National Standards such as ISTE-NETS)
and also allows teachers to create their own standards and learning
objectives. Teachers are able to align each question to any number
of standards. Naiku also offers teachers a curriculum mapping tool,
which allows them to plan out their courses and standards for the
year, as well as a resources tool, which can be used to teach, re-
teach, reinforce or enrich what is being taught.

Ease of Use: Navigating Naiku for Teachers is straightforward, and

Naiku offers Pop-up help when the account is created, which can be
turned back on at any time. The Pop-ups explain what each feature
is, and how to use it. Naiku has an extensive collection of support

top features
• Flexibility: Because users can create standards from scratch, import data from
Suitability for Use in a School Environment: Naiku for Teachers
existing exam software, or use exams in word processing or PDF format, Naiku can quickly and easily be integrated into the classroom, even those
for Teachers is a solution for everyone. not in a 1:1 environment. Because teachers can print out not only
• Data Driven Instruction: The ability to track performance on standards the tests, but also the answer sheets, and then scan them for grading,
at the individual or whole-class level and the use of item analysis and Naiku makes tracking student performance a less arduous task.
longitudinal performance allows teachers to make informed decisions Teachers have the option of creating assessments from scratch,
about instruction. uploading PDF or word processing-based exams that already exist,
• Time Saving: Scoring of items is automatic. Teachers are now able to spend or importing tests and questions from existing test banks in a variety
more time on instruction and less time on paperwork. of formats.

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 23
PROdUCT REvIEwS

Win maTh
www.winlearning.com n retail Price: Prices begin at $40 per student per year for less than 70 students; volume pricing is available for up to 2,000 students; $25 dollars per student
for access to full curriculum. Teachers have access for classroom use.

By Rebecca André

W
OVERALL
RATING: WIN
ith the WIN Math digital Learning’s big-picture
teaching and learning philosophies shine in WIN
platform, teachers Math, educating students
facilitate instruction
to connect math skills with
career possibilities. Descriptive
through a blended learning language and detailed concepts
model, introducing are tied to actual situations,
the objective, career context, warm-up, and fostering critical thinking
engagement activities. and problem-solving
in each lesson.
Quality and Effectiveness: WIN Math
employs an engaging, unique approach to help
students, from 5th grade to college, build and
improve their mathematics skills. Lessons
are based on real-life scenarios and include practical problems with
career-related relevance. Students are introduced to a wide variety of
positions, ranging from health science professionals to natural sciences
managers, urban planners, and environmental engineers. Diverse
individuals share their career paths and experiences via concise and
compelling videos in each lesson. Exposing students to current and
future career paths powerfully connects math to their everyday lives.

Ease of Use: WIN Math is an online program with built-in

instructions. Students have a cleanly designed dashboard that is easy
to navigate. One box lists lessons that are individually marked with
a large green checkmark when completed. Easy-to-follow icons and
tabs allow students to quickly understand the
process and take next steps, such as Close and 1) an Introduction by someone working in a
Submit. Students may jump between lessons
and answers are always saved. Another box on
top features specific career, 2) Your Mission, which details
the problem and possible solution paths, 3)
• WIN Math delivers a solid, unique connection
the dashboard, My Messages, offers an easy way between practical math problems and career paths. tools to use, such as a Map and Formulas in the
to communicate with the teacher and displays Park Planning lesson, and 4) the Final Project
• WIN Math lessons align to Common Core standards,
previous correspondence. including geometry, measurement and data,
where a clear rubric is used to assess the lesson.
fractions, expressions and equations, statistics and
Creative Use of Technology: WIN Math probability, base ten, and the number system. Suitability for Use in a School Environment:
creatively and consistently employs graphics, • WIN Math includes clear examples for students WIN Math can be integrated into existing
video interviews with closed captions, forms, to imagine themselves in future careers, which curriculum. These lessons would be invaluable
and text to make each lesson visually pleasing encourages them to be persistent in problem- as remediation for students entering college or
and easy to comprehend. Each lesson includes solving and to stay in school. struggling with certain aspects of math.

24 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 SupplemenT

Mobile Device
ManageMent

sponsored by

Multi-Platform Systems & Mobile Device Management

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 25
 no More MoBile
MayheM

ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK
By Ellen Ullman MAnAging Multiple handle those computers, it was only natural to

W
plAtforMS use Casper Suite to manage iOS devices as well.
hether you’re in a 1:1, Like many districts before it, Beaverton “With changes happening in instruction and
BYOD, or combo program, (OR) School District wanted to find the best changes coming from vendors like Apple, we’ve
or somewhere on the way to get devices into students’ hands so they been forced to rethink our philosophy on what
continuum, mobile device can collaborate, access resources, and reap the we manage,” says Andrew Stenehjem, manager
management (MDM) benefits of a digital world. To be sustainable, the of user services. “We’re looking for tools in
software can be a CIO’s best district chose to be device-agnostic. Today they MDM that allow our users to be self-reliant so
friend. These days, there may be as many MDM have 21,700 devices in use, including 13,000 that IT is not a bottleneck.”
packages as there are types of devices. So we’ve Mac desktops and laptops, 4,000 Windows Since Beaverton isn’t a completely 1:1
asked your colleagues to weigh in on how they computers and devices, 2,500 iOS devices, and program yet, Stenehjem can’t take full advantage
handle their ever-growing assortment of tablets, 2,200 Chromebooks. Because they had the of Apple’s new system for setting up and
laptops, and smartphones. Macs for a while and used JAMF software to deploying iPads. This is where the Casper tools

26 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 no More MoBile MayheM
shine. A few weeks ago, the district changed its
wireless name and password. If they had not
been using an MDM solution, all 2,500 iPad
users would have had to have to type in the new
information to connect. Instead, Stenehjem made
the change from his computer in 30 seconds and
sent it to all the iPads. “Obviously, that’s a huge
value add,” he says. As for apps, he’s happy to
use the product’s self-service tool. “We can put
items we buy in self-service and users go into
self-service and install the app. The Casper Suite
also has a tool called Casper Focus that is geared
toward educational use. It lets teachers lock their
students on one app and then release them, one at
a time, when they are ready. Teachers can keep an
eye on their students’ battery power or send work
to Apple TV for sharing and collaboration.”
Stenehjem admits that IT has traditionally
forced teachers to wait for the apps and
resources they request. “We want to give some of
that control to the school or the teacher without
increasing their workload. Casper will let us do
that. Being able to delegate is huge.”

a high school film student in the Beaverton school district records an elementary student showing how she uses A MoStly MAc Shop
the iPad to create things. Dr. Scott S. Smith, chief technology officer of

tools they use

beaVertoN (or) school
dIstrIct
 apple production
apps (garageBand, imovie,
and iphoto)
 edmodo
 google apps for education
 Khan academy
 Scratch

students in Mooresville Graded school district work on a group project.

28 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 no More MoBile MayheM
tools they use summer and put the client on every Obama praised for its 1:1 iPad
mooresVIlle (Nc) graded machine; when he decided to go program during his White House
school dIstrIct forward and buy it, the solution was ConnectEd Conference in
already in place. Within the first two November, has used AirWatch
 angel
weeks of the school year, there was a filtering for MDM for about three years.
 Brainpop problem that required Smith to change every “We did a small iPad pilot with
 Discovery education machine. Thanks to FileWave, he did it with administrators in 2011 without
the click of a button. “In one mistake, it paid for any MDM solution, but as soon
 icurio
itself,” says Smith. as we went to a 5,600-iPad pilot
 ipads and ipad minis By the next year, he had FileWave on every we started looking for the right
 iStation machine and has used it ever since. Smith loves solution,” says Israel Oliveros,
that it’s cross-platform because the district now mobile technology coordinator.
 iXl
has iOS devices, PCs, and so on. “The FileWave “AirWatch fit the bill.”
 macBook airs client on each machine checks in with my Today, the high-poverty, predominantly
 razKids and reading a-Z FileWave server every three to five minutes or so migrant district is completely 1:1, with more
for updates and does them automatically. I can than 20,000 iPads for teachers and students in
 rosetta Stone see all my devices, upgrade software, and just grades preK-12. Oliveros used Active Directory
 Wixie push them out. It happens in the background and
the end user never knows.”
the Mooresville (NC) Graded School District, Another thing Smith likes is that FileWave tools they use
is no stranger to MDM. Currently in its seventh lets students install and uninstall apps as they coachella Valley (ca) usd
year of a digital conversion, Mooresville students need them through a self-service kiosk on their  active Directory
have had MacBooks since 2007. “In our first device’s toolbar. He controls what they see—
year, we had laptops at one high school and based on their school and/or grade level—but
 airWatch
one intermediate school with no management they can install software when needed, such  ipads/ioS
solution, and that bit me you-know-where,” says as a QR reader for a month-long project, and  ilife
Smith. “When we needed to install software, we he doesn’t have to get in the way. “Basically, it
had to run around and touch every one of our makes our lives easier and management more  iWork
2,500 devices.” efficient.”  lightspeed
In the second year, when they were up to  macBooks/oS X
4,000 machines, Smith heard about FileWave A whole lottA ipAdS
from someone at Apple. He did a trial over the Coachella Valley (CA) USD, which President  mac minis/oS X Server

Elementary students and physical education teachers at Coachella valley Usd use their iPads throughout the day.

30 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 no More MoBile MayheM
to create accounts and email addresses for each allow teachers autonomy while maintaining the tools they use
student, all of which tied into organizational rules,” says Judd. She’s also pleased that it lets VeNtura (ca) uNIFIed school
groups in Active Directory. “It’s called user them handle upgrades and other formerly time- dIstrIct
mapping. Each student logs into the network and intensive tasks.
 accelerated reader
gets access to the right materials, based on his or “MDM solutions can allow teachers to
her unique ID.” get software to their students without having  adobe reader
In the past, Apple’s volume-purchasing to figure out the logistics. If you have a good  Discovery education
program let districts purchase 20 or more app tech department involved in the process, your Techbook
licenses for a discount. However, Oliveros teachers can focus on teaching.”  educreations
says he needed to treat each app as a
consumable. Now, with Apple’s new  garageband
managed licensing plan, the district retains  google Drive/Docs/Sheets/
ownership of the license. “Any user in our Slides
MDM gets a managed licensing account, so  google earth
a school can use an app for three weeks and
then we pull it back and issue it to someone
 imovie
else. It’s more of a one-time purchase,  iTunesu
perpetual license than an ongoing cost.”  Keynote
He has given AirWatch administration
privileges to two people at each school,  microsoft office for ipad
and they handle their school’s requests. “It  myBigcampus
makes it easy for the users to have a good
 nearpod
experience.”
 noteability
hAndling ipAdS  puppet pals 2
In the one-and-a-half years that Julie
 Qr reader
Judd has been chief technology officer for
Ventura (CA) Unified School District, the  Quizlet
district has bought close to 6,000 devices,  Scratch Jr.
including iPads that went to six elementary
science is even more engaging at ventura Usd,  Sketchbook express
schools as part of a grant program.
Judd’s team tested a few MDM products thanks to mobile devices.  Socrative
and chose Lightspeed Mobile Manager. Ventura
is a long-time
Lightspeed
customer, so
integration was
easy, although
Judd’s lead
technician had
to learn how to
handle Apple IDs
and the purchasing
process. “We trained
a lead teacher at the elementary
school and he is training other
teachers how to use Mobile Manager to load and
manage apps for their classroom sets,” says Judd.
“We’re fully functional at the six elementary
schools that are part of the grant. Now we have to
expand to the rest of the schools that have iPads.”
She and her team appreciate that Mobile
Manager lets them take advantage of Apple’s
volume-purchasing program. “When you’re
evaluating solutions, make sure it will let you set
up a process with a hierarchy of permissions to

32 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
e-R ate
UpDate

sponsored by
 e-R ate UpDate

the districts take

oPPosition the pledge
is heard In November, President Obama hosted
school leaders and educators from
Part of the dissenting statement by
across the country at the White House
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pal on the
$1.5b increase in funding to E-rate: for “ConnectED to the Future,” a day-
long convening session to explore the
Having grown up in rural Kansas, I know what potential of education technology and the
it’s like to wait for your hometown to catch up innovations needed to bring America’s
with urban America. In the 1980s, small towns schools into the digital age.  At the event,
were waiting for cable. In the 1990s, we waited the President launched his administration’s
for an Olive Garden. In the 2000s, we waited for effort to assist school leaders in their
good cellphone service. And today, it’s all about transition to digital learning, following his
broadband. plan to connect 99 percent of America’s
Three years ago, the FCC told rural
students to high-speed broadband
Americans they could stop waiting. The
Internet in their schools and libraries.  More than
Commission’s Universal Service Transformation
Order created the Connect America Fund, Phase
1,200 school superintendents took the Obama
II, which we anticipated would start paying for Administration’s Future Ready District Pledge to set
new broadband connections to unserved areas a vision for digital learning across America.  These
by January 1, 2013. educational leaders will foster a culture of learning
Almost two years later, we’re finally through technology across their schools, assist their
launching that project. I wish we [had] done students and families in the transition to high-speed
so sooner—rural families and small businesses connectivity, provide their learners greater access to
have already waited too long—but I’m glad high-quality digital devices and content, and provide
nonetheless that we’re finally getting something teachers and principals the support needed to use
done.
technology in innovative ways.  Together, they will
However, I cannot support every aspect of
reach approximately 10 million students in more
today’s decision because I fear that we are going
to leave many communities without broadband
than 16,000 schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 
for the foreseeable future. Incentivizing After taking the pledge, districts are eligible to attend one of twelve regional events across
wireline broadband providers to deploy service the country this year. Future Ready Regional Summits focus on a comprehensive set of
deep into the unserved countryside requires a issues that drive student learning. These issues include:
balancing act, one that the Universal Service
Transformation Order performed admirably.
* curriculum, instruction, and assessment;
Yet today’s order disrupts that balance.
* technology, networks,
professional learning;
Specifically, it raises the speed benchmark
* budget and resources; and hardware;
to 10 Mbps—the right call in my book—but
then largely ignores that this change roughly * data and privacy;
doubles the expected costs of deployment. An * use of time; and
appropriate counterweight would have been * community partnerships.
increasing the term of support from 5 years to * 
10, but the order only increases it marginally, to Trained facilitators, skilled at using technology and digital learning effectively, many of
6. This imbalance needlessly risks tipping the them initiative partners, will lead the regional summits. The summits highlight experiences
scales against deployment, which may strand of districts in each region and offer district leaders tangible ways to build capacity among
millions of Americans in broadband dead zones their teams and throughout their districts. Each team will leave with a concrete action
for years to come. plan for creating a Future Ready school district. The summits also encourage cross-district
collaboration as participants join an active network of regional experts and other district
For the Full report go to:
WWW.fcc.gov/article/doc-330989a5
leaders committed to sharing information and lessons learned.
For more information, go to: www.futurereadyschools.org

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 35
 e-R ate UpDate
more money For sChools that any generation has
is the preparation of the
next generation. He said
As reported by John Eggerton from called it an ill-targeted spending that 16 cents a month,
Tech&Learning’s sister publication spree. Democrats called it the launch less than the cost of a
Multichanel News: of a necessary digital upgrade for McDonald’s soda over the
the nation’s school kids, and FCC course of a year, is a small
Amidst protests over Title II, a politically Chairman Tom Wheeler called it price to pay for that “great
divided FCC voted 3-2 (Republicans strongly a moral imperative. The move also responsibility that we all
dissenting) to approve an expansion of the FCC’s provides more payment flexibility have.”
E-rate program, which subsidizes advanced for non-recurring construction costs,  Wheeler added that
telecommunications for schools and libraries, allows for self-construction of last two-thirds of American
including raising the cap on E-rate subsidies by mile facilities when that is the most schools, or about
up to 16 cents per phone line. The current tax on cost-effective option, adjusts the per- 40 million students,
consumer phone bills is 99 cents per month for square-foot calculation for funding, don’t currently have
all Universal Service programs, the chairman said expands the definition of “rural” area connections sufficient to
in announcing the proposal. In addition to the eligibility to 250,000 people or less, support “modern digital
Tom Wheeler
protestors, also speaking out were witnesses from and dismisses various challenges to the learning. “ That, he said,
schools and libraries, who said the expansion was proposed new rules. is an “F.” Wheeler pointed
crucial to learning in the digital age. Wheeler said he was aghast at the hostility out that he had spent the previous decade in
The FCC voted to increase the cap on expressed to giving kids 21st-century education the private sector as an investor. “This is the
E-rate funding by $1.5 billion to $3.9 billion, tools. He said the bottom line was that it was a most significant investment I have made in my
with inflation escalations as well. Republicans moral issue. The greatest moral responsibility professional life,” he said.

see more at: WWW.multichannel.com/neWs/fcc/divided-fcc-votes-expand-e-rate/386230#sthash.x3kdm26f.dpuf

Why does
e-raTe
maTTer?
* The E-rate discount represents the ONLY
source of federal funding available for
education technology.

* The US Education Department provides

ZERO funding for education connectivity
or professional development, even as
schools brace for online assessments and
the meaningful integration of technology

neW e-raTe in teaching and learning.

* New policies channel more E-rate funding toward high-speed broadband and * The sole source of federal education
other technologies to provide schools and libraries with fast and reliable Web technology money is the FCC, not USED.
connectivity.
* Latest approach phases out support for various types of phone and “legacy” * E-rate and connectivity are the difference
services that the FCC says are outmoded. between students having access to a 21st-
* Application process promises smoother funding, and more transparency about century digital learning experience and
prices schools and libraries pay for services being left behind.
FROM ThE PRESENTATION, "ThE UBIqUITY OF INEqUITY & MYTh OF ThE ROBUST RELIABLE CONNECTION," BY STEvE YOUNg, CTO OF JUdSON ISd, TX ANd ShERYL ABShIRE, CTO OF CALCASIEU PARISh PUBLIC SChOOLS, LA.

36 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 what it Means when
we talk aBoUt
Student dAtA
By Bill Fitzgerald

W
ithin educational technology,
ISTOCK/ThINKSTOCK

tech companies can acquire

data from multiple routes.
The most direct way is via
a direct signup. A teacher
creates an account to use a
service, and the teacher is the only person using
the service. BetterLesson is an example of a
site like this. A teacher creates an account, and
only that teacher’s data is collected. The site is
primarily teacher-focused.
Web sites also pull their initial data from
teacher or school signups, but then as part of the
service offered on the site, they acquire student
information. Basic gradebook applications
and some simple student information systems
work like this. The teacher or school signs up
for the application, and in the process of using
it, they enter student names, grades, notes,
parent information, and other details. The
actual data added will vary based on the needs
of the application, but information is shared
about people without their direct involvement
or consent. Online IEP programs also fit
this description. While the teacher or school information about all participants that includes either to parents or to children. Examples of
provides the original input for the account, the personally identifiable information, location applications like this include most educational
vendor ends up getting additional data through data (via IP addresses and/or phone GPS apps sold in the Apple and Google app stores,
the teacher’s use of the account. In this model, location), and behavioral and interaction and some online learning sites. Because these
students and parents do not use the service data pulled from time spent using the service. apps are built to be used outside of schools, the
directly, but data about them is collected and Examples of services like this include many data collected by them is not considered an
stored in the account as teachers use the service. edtech products, including Edmodo, Remind, educational record under FERPA. However,
Data can also be collected when a teacher, ClassDojo, Schoology, most digital text offerings there are safeguards in place that are covered
school, or district creates an account on the from traditional publishers like Pearson and by the privacy policies and terms of service
service, and either creates accounts for their McGraw Hill, learning programs like Agilix provided by the app vendor. If the app is
students and parents or uses an invitation Buzz, and app ecosystems like Amplify tablets, primarily intended for children under 13,
process. In this version, teachers, students, and iPads, and Chromebooks. parental signoff (and therefore parental data) is
potentially, parents sign up for and interact Learner and parent data can also be often required for use.
with the service. The data trail here involves compiled from apps for kids that are marketed Highly structured datastores to collect

38 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 what it Means when we
talk aBoUt Student dAtA
longitudinal data, and glue services that dAtA privAcy plAyS out into a site means that a user accepts the updated
integrate multiple external services, are other over tiMe terms. The simple act of reading updated terms
ways that personal data can be harvested. Unless data collected by an app is deleted or of service is now interpreted as “acceptance”
These applications can support both storage destroyed, and this includes data in backups and in of the terms. Even on sites that have better
of and analysis on data collected in a variety of systems that provide redundancy, we need to start notification policies (and at this point, the
applications. A partial list of examples includes thinking of data trails as timeless. This means that “best” policies generally include an email and a
Knewton, Infinite Campus, eScholar, Schoolnet, a data trail can be transferred from one entity to banner on the top of the site), users often have
Learnsprout, and Clever. another if the conditions allow these transfers to no recourse (aside from stopping their use of
occur. In technology, the terms and conditions and the site) if they don’t like the updated policies.
the context of edtech privacy policies are where we can see the ways in Additionally, many sites do not allow users to
dAtA collection which our data trails are preserved. delete their data from a site, so even if they stop
The context around educational data is arguably While privacy policies and terms of service using a site, their data is still stuck in the site.
different than for data collected in consumer should be read in full (such as for free logins that The following example from ShareMyLesson
technology. In both K-12 and higher ed, schools are required for access), for the purposes of this Privacy Policy uses pretty typical language:
can sign up for services that students use directly, discussion we are going to focus on two specific
and in many cases, student data is uploaded before sections that can be used to gut the terms in From time to time we may be required to,
students or parents are consulted. For example, if any policy— how policies can be changed and or need to, update this Privacy Policy. your
a teacher signs up for Remind, parents aren’t asked how data is treated in case of sale, merger, or continued use of the service after we post
if their contact information can be shared as part of bankruptcy. a revised Privacy Policy signifies your
an “invite” feature. While many consumer tech apps acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. It
include invite features, edtech apps are used within a chAngeS to terMS is therefore important that you review this
different context. When a student or a parent sees an Over time, a site’s policies may change. Privacy Policy regularly to ensure that you
app or an invite coming from a school or a teacher, Unfortunately, many sites specify that terms can are aware of any changes. If we materially
there is a level of implied trust. Increasingly, the be changed at any point, with no notice to end change our practices regarding collection, use
implicit trust that students and parents give schools users and with no explicit signoff from end users. or disclosure of your personal information,
and districts appears to be unearned. Many sites state that visiting a site or logging your personal information will continue to be
governed by the Privacy Policy under which it
was collected unless you have been provided
Who caRes WheRe Data enDs Up? it’s only school! notice of, and have not objected to, the change.
Where necessary and appropriate we may
contact you through the email address that
Data Brokers care. They have created lists of victims of sexual assault and lists
you have provided, to advise you of a change.
of people with sexually transmitted diseases. There are lists of people who have all changes will be accessible from the service
alzheimer’s, dementia, and aiDS. you can find lists of people who are impotent and through the Privacy Policy and notification of
lists of the depressed. There are lists of “impulse buyers.” you can search for lists of the last date of change placed at the top.
suckers, also known as gullible consumers, who have shown that they are susceptible
to “vulnerability-based marketing.” There are even lists of those who are deemed Most sites reserve the right to change their
commercially undesirable because they live in or near trailer parks or nursing homes. terms of service whenever they want, with
not to mention lists of people who have been accused of wrongdoing, even if they minimal notification, and no option to remove
were not charged or convicted. data. In the case of a site where a learner has
been added to a site by a school or district,
in the housing market, we have examples where information from data brokers was
learners have even less recourse.
used to discriminate loan approval based on race. if you’re looking for a relatively
benign example (if you can get through the marketing speak) of how data from dAtA trAnSfer during SAle,
brokers can be mashed up to create profiles, spend some time on this zip code Merger, or BAnkruptcy
profiler put out by eSri. it’s worth noting that the profiles were created based on While the sale, merger, or bankruptcy of a
aggregated data of individuals, so that the summaries here are the result of millions company are three very different events, most
of data profiles on individuals. The description of how the site was put together privacy policies treat them identically. If these
provides a superficial glimpse of how data on individuals from multiple sources can conditions happen, user information is an asset
be combined to tell a story. that gets sold.
The following privacy policy from Edmodo is
now imagine the increased accuracy that could be added to personal profiles if they
pretty standard for edtech terms:
were fleshed out with datasets that contain personal information, starting with hab-
its formed in elementary school.
5. Business Transfers
The life of a data trail matters. If Edmodo, or some or all of its assets
were acquired or otherwise transferred,

40 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 or in the unlikely event that Edmodo goes question—why should education records ever When a technology company reserves the
out of business or enters bankruptcy, user have the possibility of ending up outside an right to sell user data in case of bankruptcy, they
information may be transferred to or acquired educational context? Treating records as a are hedging their bets. By claiming a stake in
from a third party. financial asset that can be acquired in a merger user data, instead of getting firmly behind their
or bankruptcy ensures that some records end up product or service, they are telling us that they do
To start, the weak terms used throughout being used outside an educational context. The not have complete confidence in their product.
edtech could be improved by implementing the combination of the “fail faster” mantra of VC- When a company tells us that, we should listen
following four changes: funded tech, and the ongoing deals reaching over and return the favor. If a company doesn’t have
 Users can opt in to changed terms and/ 8 billion dollars worth of revenue in 2014 alone, enough faith in their product to leave user data off
or export data as part of an account cancellation guarantees that student data is getting sold and the table as an asset, we should match their level
process. used outside an educational context. of faith and not use their product.
 Users opt in when data is transferred to a
new owner.
Users can access account cancellation or
data deletion as a regular feature within an app.
 In the case of a bankruptcy or the sale of
a business, the user’s data is destroyed and not
treated as an asset.
These four changes would ensure that user
awareness and buy-in are included as factors
when terms are changed. There are additional
ways that vendor practices could be improved,
but starting with these four recommendations
would be a solid beginning.
When a student is signed up for a service by
a school or teacher, data is collected from people
who have no say in forming the relationship or
shaping the terms of the deal. In some cases,
this involves student work being sold without
student knowledge. The fact that edtech
companies treat student data (which really is
a track record of learning, personal interests,
and growth) as an asset to be bought or sold is
on very shaky ground, both pedagogically and
ethically. Given that a learning record is also
a snapshot of behavior, and that behavioral
info is gold for marketers, it raises the real

the fact that edtech

companies treat
student data (which
really is a track
record of learning,
personal interest, and
growth) as an asset
to be bought or sold is
on very shaky ground,
both pedagogically
and ethically.

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 41
 what’snew
Tech & Learning ROUNdS UP A SUMMARY OF NEw TOOLS FOR SChOOLS

BenQ America Corp. (www.benq.us) has released the colorific px9710,

pw9620, and pu9730 DLP displays. Featuring up to 7,700 ANSI lumens and
flexible installation options, the displays let teachers cast high quality content easily within
any ambient lighting environment or large venue. The PX9710, PW9620, and PU9730 offer
XGA (1024x768), WXGA (1280x800), and WUXGA (1920x1200) resolutions, respectively.

Epson America, Inc.

(www.epson.com) has
announced the epson
workforce wf-100,
the smallest and lightest
mobile printer available on
the market. The WorkForce
WF-100 includes built-in
wireless connectivity and
an integrated rechargeable
battery, for printing from
nearly anywhere and nearly
any mobile device. The
WF-100 also features an
automatic power-off feature
to save battery life.

Mimio (www.mimio.com) has expanded its

Mimioclassroom suite of products to a full
range of interactive teaching technology options.
The latest addition, the MimioBoard touch
Vernier Software & Technology (www.vernier.com) has expanded board, features six-point Touch 360° interactivity,
its line of wireless sensors with the go wireless ph and which accommodates up to six single-point touch
the node+ co2 gas and thermocouple sensor users or three dual-touch and gesture users.
modules. The Go Wireless pH is a rugged, general purpose sensor Available in 78-inch and 87-inch models, the
designed to remotely conduct pH measurements using devices MimioBoard touch board provides a 16:10 aspect
such as the LabQuest 2 or iPad. The NODE+ sensor modules ratio for widescreen views. The Porcelain-on-Steel
are compatible with the NODE Wireless Platform and Vernier’s surface is classroom-rugged, projection-optimized,
Graphical Analysis for iPad and iPhone, as well as a collection of and erasable, so teachers can also use it as a
iOS and Android apps from Variable, Inc. conventional whiteboard.

FOR MORE OF ThE LATEST PROdUCT RELEASES, vISIT US ONLINE AT Techlearning.com.

42 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 hardware what’s new

Kensington (www.
InFocus Corporation (www.InFocus.com) has released the kensington.com) has
IN118HDa, short-throw IN118HDSTa, and networkable released the PresentAir
IN2128HDa projectors. The IN118HDa is rated for 3000 Pro Bluetooth 4.0
lumens while the IN118HDSTa is 2700 lumens. Both have LE Presenter, which
HDMI, VGA, S-video, and composite connectivity options, features three different
15000:1 contrast ratios, and up to 10,000-hour lamps. The function modes to support
IN2128HDa has the same contrast ratio and connectivity different types of activity
options as the other new HD projectors but adds network — presenting, controlling
connectivity through a LAN port, a USB port for presenting media, or editing — in a slim
directly from a thumb drive, optional wireless connectivity, design. The free companion
and Miracast support for wireless display from mobile devices. app, PresenterWorks, allows
users to set buttons to the
functions of their choice.
The app is available for
Android, Windows, and
Apple devices.
whAT’S NEw
hardware
Acer America (www.acer.com) has announced the
travelMate B115 notebook PC, featuring an
11.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) display with 10-point multi-
touch support. The notebook is less than one-inch thin
and offers up to 10 hours of battery life for a full day
in the classroom without having to recharge. The
display eliminates glare, so it’s perfect for use
outdoors.

NEC Display Solutions of America

(www.necdisplay.com) has released
the MultiSync pA322uhd
monitor, featuring a wide gamut
Swivl (www.swivl.com), a robotic mobile
white LED backlight and an IGZO
accessory solution with secure cloud content
technology IPS-type LCD panel
hosting, has exited beta mode and announced
that delivers excellent image quality
a new set of features, as well as integration
with lower power consumption than
with Android devices. The Swivl robot tilts
similar LCD displays. The monitor
and rotates to follow the presenter as he or
offers two DisplayPort, two DVI-D,
she moves around the classroom, recording
and four HDMI inputs, as well as a
wireless video and audio with its Cloud and
USB 3.0 hub.
Capture app. Swivl then automatically uploads
these recordings to its highly secure network.
New features include unlimited uploading with content staging, 2x faster uploading
speeds, and cloud exporting of produced files to a computer or to YouTube.

NewTek (www.newtek.com) has released the tricaster Mini, an ultra-

portable system that lets users easily transform an ordinary presentation into
engaging multimedia content that looks like network-style TV. Users can
assemble visually sophisticated multimedia presentations and stream them
live, publish to social media, or upload to a Web site from any location with an
Internet connection.

Epson (www.epson.com) has introduced the powerlite 520, 525w,

530, and 535w short-throw projectors and the Brightlink 536wi
interactive short-throw projector. These models deliver large, colorful images
projected from a short distance with minimal shadows or glare. Teachers can
wirelessly connect up to 50 devices and share students’ work from up to four
device screens simultaneously.

44 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 software & online whAT’S NEw

abSoluTE managE 6.7 ciTElighTEr digiTal byTES

(www.absolute.com) (www.citelighter.com) (www.digitalbytes.commonsensemedia.org)
Absolute Citelighter has Digital Bytes
Software enhanced its teacher teaches
Corporation and administrator teens digital
has released functionality across elementary, middle and citizenship through student-directed,
Absolute high school levels, offering platform users interactive activities that tackle real-world
Manage the ability to assign, monitor, and improve issues. Students can learn from their peers
6.7, offering full support for Mac OS students’ writing. Students can use outlines, and create collaborative projects to share
X Yosemite within the Apple Device prompts, and content capturing tools to find ideas for making smart, safe choices online.
Enrollment Program (ADEP). This lets and organize their own ideas or research The program is ideal for after-school
Absolute customers remotely provision from the Internet. Then, they can arrange programs, community centers, or blended-
employer- and employee-owned Macs as information in a way that allows them to see learning classrooms
part of the standard device set-up process, the connection of their ideas as they write.
ensuring that all new Macs are registered diScovEry EducaTion
and compliant from the first use. claSSroom STrEaming
orchESTraTor (www.discoveryeducation.com)
aSSiSTx TESTPolicy for (www.lightspeedsystems.com) Discovery
air Classroom Education
(www.air.org) Orchestrator has added
The American by Lightspeed hundreds of
Institutes for Systems offers teachers a view of all student new titles to
Research (AIR) screens to verify which students need help its flagship
is teaming up and which students are ready to move Discovery
with Microsoft ahead. Classroom Orchestrator integrates Education Streaming and Discovery
and AssistX Education, LLC, to offer with school Student Information Systems, Education Streaming Plus services, with
students a secure, online assessment simplifying the process of adding classes and a heavy focus on core academic areas for
environment for Windows 8 devices. AIR students. grades K-5. The Discovery Education
Secure Browser 7.2, bundled with AssistX’s Streaming Plus service offers a digital
TestPolicy for AIR, creates a standardized dESTiny rESourcE library of instructional videos, skill
testing environment for Windows 8 that managEr builders, writing prompts, multimedia
provides schools with a simple way to (www.follettsoftware.com) activities, and articles that are aligned to
achieve testing compliance in preparation Follett has state and national curriculum standards.
for assessments. introduced
Destiny EdgEnuiTy onlinE
auTodESk SofTwarE Resource lEarning and digiTal
(www.autodesk.com) Manager, ciTizEnShiP courSE
Autodesk, a universal (www.edgenuity.com)
Inc. has made system that enables K-12 districts to track Edgenuity
its design, and manage all school assets. The system has released
engineering, and entertainment software monitors barcoded textbooks in addition to a new
free to students, instructors, and academic traditional assets such as laptops, tablets, curriculum designed to help middle and high
institutions. Now, schools can access the and equipment. Teachers get a complete school students learn and engage in a safe
full suite of next generation cloud-based view of each student’s responsibilities, manner online. The course includes lessons
design products, cloud services such as including print and digital textbooks, tablets, on interacting with digital curriculum,
the A360 collaboration platform, and and band instruments, as well as special understanding digital leadership and safety,
maintenance subscriptions at no cost. education, STEM, and sports equipment. practicing proper “netiquette,” dealing with

FOR MORE OF ThE LATEST PROdUCT RELEASES, vISIT US ONLINE AT Techlearning.com.

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 45
whAT’S NEw
software & online
online harassment and cyberbullying, and manage and reflect on their collections of growth monitoring system. The cloud-
other key topics. work, and then exhibit their collections in an based application is free for the 2014-15
environment made safe through teacher or school year, and $29.99 for an annual
EdmEnTum cTE courSES administrator controls. subscription.
(www.edmentum.com)
Edmentum will fundS for lEarning mindPlay TEachEr
release over 70 E-raTE filing window comPanion
Career Technical Survival kiTS (www.mindplay.com)
Education (CTE) (www.fundsforlearning.com) MindPlay recently launched a new
courses for the Funds For professional development course to
2015-16 school Learning has help teachers share best practices and
year to help released its learn about effective reading instruction
students explore E-Rate Filing strategies. The course uses a combination
career options and receive training. The Window Survival Kits for Funding Year of lectures, videos, written information,
courses cover Arts, A/V Technology and 2015. The kits help school districts prepare and activities, organized into eight modules
Communications, Business Management for the opening of next year’s window by to inform educators on what every student
and Administration, Health Science, helping them navigate through the E-rate needs to become a proficient reader.
and Information Technology. The CTE program. The program is designed to help Teachers can earn up to eight hours of
courses are designed for use with mobile administrators secure funding for their professional development credit for
devices, and feature real-world content and schools and libraries, and offers tools to successfully completing the course.
multimedia to keep students engaged. help them manage the process.
PEEP and ThE big widE
Enrich STaTE galE digiTal collEcTionS world
(www.excent.com) (www.gdc.gale.com) (www.peepandthebigwideworld.com)
Excent Gale, part of WGBH has launched
Corp. has Cengage Learning, an all-new bilingual
released will make content Web site and
Enrich State, a special education data from its Gale Digital Collections available curriculum for PEEP
management system designed to help to academic researchers for data mining and the Big Wide
school districts adjust to new Results- and textual analysis. This initiative will World, the Emmy
Driven Accountability (RDA) monitoring help researchers draw new conclusions Award-winning preschool science and math
requirements. The Web-based solution among disparate data. “Term cluster” and series for 3-5 year olds. The new Web site,
provides real-time, statewide data collection “term frequency” tools will sort through available in both English and Spanish and
for improved local and state compliance and the text and index terms from the content, narrated by John Cusack, includes PEEP
special education program management. generating visual displays of information animated episodes, live-action videos, new
Enrich State can receive data from any to help researchers identify relationships games, and family activities, as well as an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) between words and phrases. extensive collection of educational materials
software or student information system. and professional development tools for
mETria maSTEr TEachEr center-based and family-based preschool
Exibi EdiTion educators.
(www.edvation.com/exibi) (www.metrialearning.com/
Designed by teachers, for masterteacheredition) PErformancE maTTErS
teachers, Exibi consists of Metria recently ParTnErS wiTh kEy daTa
a private workspace and launched Metria SySTEmS
a moderated showcase. Master Teacher Edition, a curriculum (www.performancematters.com)
It offers tools to help management, formative assessment, Performance Matters is partnering with
students independently intervention management, and student Key Data Systems (KDS) to offer new

46 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 software & online whAT’S NEw

Common Core items and assessments rand mcnally world development resources to help students
as part of the Unify next generation aTlaS meet the writing expectations of the new
assessment platform. Unify is the first (www.worldatlas.sunburst.com) CCSS standards. The program also works
social platform designed for educators Sunburst seamlessly with any ELA curriculum,
anywhere to collaboratively develop, Digital now including Ready Reading.
administer, and share assessments offers Rand
aligned to all standards, including the McNally SchoolcirclE
Common Core, state, and course-specific World (www.schoolcircle.com)
standards. Through this partnership, Atlas, a SchoolCircle
Performance Matters customers can new online educational resource that is a free, easy-
now subscribe to the KDS INSPECT delivers dynamic maps with social studies, to-use Web
Assessment Solution, which includes an history, and geography content, as well as application
innovative formative assessment item suggestions for lesson plans and writing that simplifies pre-K-grade 6 teachers’
bank and a suite of over 200 pre-built connections. The platform lets users lives by eliminating the paperwork related
assessments, including interim and end- create, draw on, annotate, and share to communicating with parents. Once a
of-year assessments custom maps. teacher spends a few minutes creating
their “class circle,” the communication
ProjEcT nExTTEch rEadyTEST a-z with parents is automated.
(www.learning.com) (www.readytesta-z.com)
Learning.com has Learning SchoolSEarch
released Project A-Z, has (www.guidek12.com/schoolsearch)
NextTech, a high launched GuideK12 re-
school digital a new cently launched
literacy course that helps prepare students Web site, SchoolSearch,
for success in high school, college, and ReadyTest a comprehensive online communication
beyond. Project NextTech addresses the A-Z, tool that’s designed to help districts com-
24 performance indicators in the ISTE featuring downloadable resources that municate boundaries, program or school
Standards for Students and lets students are designed to help grade 3, 4, and 5 options, and more. Parents can filter by
demonstrate their skills through projects teachers provide effective high-stakes ELA school type or program offerings to iden-
and a final portfolio. assessment practice and instruction. The tify school locations on a map in relation
kid-friendly site helps students develop to where they live. School districts can
QuickSchoolS high-stakes testing skills, while teachers customize their information to include
(www.quickschools.com) can monitor student progress and provide registration links or other important con-
QuickSchools launched a Standards-Based customized instruction. tent in the portal.
Gradebook (SBG) app for teachers and
administrators to gauge student mastery of rEady wriTing SmarT room SySTEmS for
CCSS and provide vital data for institutions (www.curriculumassociates.com) microSofT lync.
as to the effectiveness of CCSS long- Curriculum (www.smarttech.com)
term. The fully cloud-based application Associates SMART Technologies now offers
is currently available free to customers has Services for its SMART Room Systems
who are on the Apollo and Athena plans. introduced for Microsoft Lync. The new services
(www.quickschools.com/quickschools/ Ready offering includes network readiness
pricing) The app plugs seamlessly into the Writing for check, usage reporting, and proactive
school information system (SIS) offered grades 2–5. monitoring, for the SMART Room
by QuickSchools and eliminates the need The research-based program provides System (SRS). The Network Readiness
for redundant paper records or re-keying educators with rigorous instructional Check ensures a customer’s Lync IT
student data. materials as well as professional environment is optimized for SRS

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 47
whAT’S NEw
software & online
deployment. Usage Reporting generates Manager (TDM) 4.0, online reports to support their practice.
visibility into when and how SRS are the next generation Tripod’s scoring engine uses data from
used, quantifying ROI and driving enterprise-class over 125,000 classrooms to calibrate
adoption and deployment decisions. remote device survey results. The reporting highlights
Proactive Monitoring of SRS 24 x 7 management areas of strength and provides guidance
provides visibility into the health and solution that about opportunities to improve.
operability of systems and allows for early improves
incident detection, minimizing downtime. upon its predecessor, TriumPh common corE
Aurora. New features include remote script SuPPorT coach
SPaniSh comPaSS deployment and execution, support for (www.triumphlearning.com)
(www.tobiidynavox.com) both Windows and Linux, silent software A new review
Tobii Dynavox has released an English- distribution, and an intuitive interface of Common
Spanish version of its Compass Software, that lets users manage both PCs and thin Core Support
which helps students with communication clients. Coach, a targeted instruction curriculum
challenges communicate more effectively. for students who require intervention
Spanish Compass is included with all Tobii ToTal moTivaTion or additional foundational support with
Dynavox devices, on the iPad app and in a (www.mentoringminds.com) Common Core standards, shows the
free update for existing Compass software Mentoring curriculum provides effective research-
users. Minds has based tools in math and English language
launched Total arts (ELA) for students in grade 3–8.
TEachErcoach Motivation, Developed by Triumph Learning Support
(www.teachercoach.com) a standards- Coach helps teachers identify gaps in
TeacherCoach, aligned, student understanding and supports their
LLC, has supplemental areas of need in key foundational skills.
announced curriculum,
a new online resource community for delivered in a combined print and online TurbobridgE
educators that integrates Personal Growth solution. The program offers real-time, (www.contentkeeper.com)
with Professional Development (PGPD). visual feedback of student performance ContentKeeper has released TurboBridge,
TeacherCoach’s online training combines on all Common Core content standards, an Ethernet bridge technology designed
coaching with online multimedia courses, to allowing educators to easily target their to meet the high-speed performance
help teachers develop in their careers as well instruction for each learner. and scalability demands of districts’
as progress in their emotional well-being. bandwidth requirements. TurboBridge
TriPod EducaTion retains high performance and bandwidth
TEnmarkS maTh TEach ParTnErS capacities even when SSL decryption
(www.tenmarks.com) (www.tripoded.com/teachers) features are active, allowing for full
TenMarks Education has launched Tripod offers inspection and filtering of all (or selected)
TenMarks Math Teach, a professional free access to a secure Web traffic.
development, preparatory, and in-class new platform
resource for teachers. The program focuses where teachers wagglE for ThE Sbac
on grades 2-6, with instructional resources of grades 3-12 (www.triumphlearning.com)
for 12 core standards available at no cost to can administer Triumph Learning has announced Waggle
educators. annual, for the Smarter Balance Assessment
classroom- Consortium (SBAC). The assessments in
ThinlabS dEvicE level student Waggle include 26 different item types that
managEr surveys students will see on the SBAC assessments,
(www.thinlabs.com) and receive including Part A and Part B problems and
Thinlabs, Inc. has released Thinlabs Device confidential performance tasks.

48 | Ja n ua ry 2015 | www.techlearning.com
 apps whAT’S NEw

adobE crEaTivE cloud designed to improve diy Sun SciEncE

(www.adobe.com) teacher workflow DIY Sun
Adobe has released a family around assignments Science is a
of mobile apps and enhanced and track student free NASA-
Creative Cloud desktop submissions. Teachers funded
tools, designed to enable and faculty can easily reference
students and teachers to track, sort, and grade tool that's
access creativity tools both student assignments packed with
in and out of the classroom. across multiple courses directly from their information and activities related to the
The Adobe Shape CC and iPads. Furthermore, they can offer text, sun. Kids can tap to explore three different
Adobe Brush CC let users audio, and video feedback on submissions areas within the app: Activities, Images
capture real-world shapes and textures as well as view metrics on potential student and Videos, or the Sun Observatory. The
and then use them as vector objects and performance risks. 13 hands-on activities are each organized
brushes, while the new Premiere Clip into sections that make it easy to plan and
brings advanced editing tools to iPhone boardmakEr STudEnT conduct the activity.
and iPad video. cEnTEr aPP
(www.mayer-johnson.com/apps) laurEn innovaTionS
aruba mobilE The fliPcharT aPP
EngagEmEnT Boardmaker (www.laureninnovations.com)
(www.arubanetworks.com/solutions/ Student Lauren Innovations
mobileengagement) Center app, has introduced a
Aruba Mobile Engagement is an available flipchart application
enterprise-grade solution that integrates with a that gives users easy
best-in-class enterprise Wi-Fi and location subscription access to emergency
services with a mobile app platform. The to Boardmaker Online, is a free tool that and crisis preparedness
solution integrates Aruba Beacons with the allows students to play Boardmaker flipcharts from their
Meridian mobile app platform, enabling activities on an iPad. Boardmaker’s mobile devices, without
users to provide a variety of location- symbol-adapted special education the need for an
based features through a mobile app. For software helps students overcome Internet connection.
instance, the app can provide turn-by-turn their speech, language, and learning Administrators can
directions to guide visitors to different challenges. customize their
locations in an indoor setting. flipchart content into the application,
curiouS world assign labels, create call lists, and more.
avaTar TmS (www.hmhco.com)
(www.truenorthlogic.com) Houghton maTh PaPEr
Truenorthlogic has purchased Avatar TMS Mifflin (www.panthertechnology.com/products/
(Training Management System) from Harcourt math-paper)
Generation has launched Panther
Ready. The Curious Technology has
Avatar system assists human resources World, a Web site and app designed teamed up
departments in K-12 schools by automating to help young kids prepare for school with App
course registration, management, and and the world. The program features Partner to
certification tracking for educators. activities that spark curiosity while launch Math
helping kids meet key developmental Paper, an educational
bb gradEr milestones for kindergarten. The app also app for the iPad. Math Paper
(www.blackboard.com) lets parents keep track of their child’s is designed to address the difficulties that
Blackboard Inc. has released a tablet app progress. students with motor or learning challenges

FOR MORE OF ThE LATEST PROdUCT RELEASES, vISIT US ONLINE AT Techlearning.com.

www.techlearning.com | Ja n ua ry 2 01 5 | 49
 apps
on DemanD
Check out the following resources from may face in a classroom environment. The student’s strengths. Then, TestPrecision
our partner sites: app enables students at all academic levels personalizes and customizes practice
to do math more easily. questions based on student performance.
Upcoming Webinar:
Dell Software customer expert Series: SMART NoTebook TiMe foR kidS clASSRooM
San bernardino county Superintendent
of Schools
MAeSTRo App
Sponsored by Dell Software
(www.smarttech.com) (www.timeforkids.com/tfkapp)
SMART The TIME for
archiveD WebinarS: Technologies Kids Classroom
The Ultimate guide to modernizing has released App brings
classroom Wi-Fi the SMART exclusive current
Sponsored by Aruba Networks Notebook events content
Maestro to life through
casper Focus - helping Teachers
software, interactive images,
manage ipads in the Digital classroom
Sponsored by JAMF Software enabling teachers to remotely control videos, animations,
and interact with SMART Notebook polls, maps, and
reSoUrceS: collaborative learning software on any more. The app lets teachers integrate
Leadership product Showcase interactive display through the SMART multimedia and real-world connections
Sponsored by Tech & Learning partners Notebook iPad app. Teachers can change into their K-6 classrooms, address students’
Notebook pages and add and manipulate individual abilities with leveled content,
check techlearning.com for updates
objects while moving around the meet Common Core State Standards, and
classroom. put current events into context for young

aD InDex Spellex MedicAl Spell

checkeR foR ANdRoid
learners. The app offers audio text and
vocabulary definitions to support learners,
as well as a version of select articles for the
(www.spellex.com) grade level below.
COMPANY PAGE Spellex has released a native medical spell
Airwatch 31 checker for Android devices. Users can ViSioN Me ipAd App
simultaneously spell check both medical (www.netop.com/visionme)
Blackmagic 5
terms and common English text while Netop has
Boxlight 43 typing in browsers, email, messages, and released the
Brighthouse 7 notes without having to copy text to a third Vision ME
Casio 41
party spelling app. The app can be used iPad classroom
with or without an Internet connection. workflow app,
ELMO USA CORP. 11
designed to
Epson 52 TeSTpReciSioN AcT/SAT App make teaching in iPad classrooms easier
Extreme Networks 37 (www.testprecision.com) and more effective. The app combines
TestPrecision teaching tools with mobile device
Filewave 29
has launched management (MDM) capabilities to
Intel/Bett 21 its ACT/SAT provide a classroom workflow app that
JAMF Software 33 app, offering a two-step diagnostic and engages students and improves learning
adaptive approach combined in one test outcomes in iPad classrooms. Teachers
Metmoji 9
prep platform. TestPrecision employs its can present lessons directly on classroom
MyOn 17 Rapid Diagnostic Comparative Testing iPads, showcase student work, blank
NetSupport 27 (RADIACT) technology and an exclusive student screens, block Internet access with
Psychometric Test to determine which a single click, administer Web-based tests
Samsung 51
of the ACT or SAT best matches a and quizzes, and more.
Tales2Go 2

Tech & Learning Live 39

Vernier 13
50 | January 2 01 5 | www.techlearning.com