Hot Topic

EdGate Supports Microsoft Teams for Education and Microsoft 365

sschuller — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:33:03 +0000

EdGate Supports Microsoft Teams for Education and Microsoft 365

EdTech

Hot Topic

Highlights from the 2024 1EdTech Learning Impact Conference

sschuller — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 23:51:16 +0000

Highlights from the 2024 1EdTech Learning Impact Conference

1EdTech

EdTech

Hot Topic

The Future of AI in Education

The opening session set an ambitious tone, discussing the exponential growth of computing power, which is really mind-boggling. Today, $1,000 worth of computing can match the cognitive power of one human brain. By 2050, it's projected that the same amount will equal the combined brain power of all humans! However, multiple sessions emphasized that while AI can excel in fostering specific skills, it cannot replicate human judgment and wisdom. The expected progression of AI integration in education was discussed and outlined as follows:

Learning ABOUT AI
Learning FROM AI
Learning WITH AI

The consensus at the event was clear that we are in Stage 1 and the current K-12 infrastructure is lagging in AI adoption. Many pointed back to the fear of the emerging technology, while others felt we are just in the beginning stages of understanding how to use AI effectively. Instead of thinking of it as a tool that can be used for cheating, educators need to begin to think about Stage 2, and how we can learn from AI. This means working alongside students to understand how it can be used effectively and how it can spark imagination. From there we can move on to Stage 3 of learning with AI.

The Expiry of ESSER Funds

With the expiration of ESSER funds at the end of this year, many sessions focused on the implications and future planning for schools that have relied on these resources. This is a critical issue, impacting budgets and funding allocations across various educational institutions.

The Power of EdGate's ExACT Standards Authoring Platform

sschuller — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 23:48:54 +0000

The Power of EdGate's ExACT Standards Authoring Platform

sschuller Mon, 06/17/2024 - 16:48

Harnessing the Power of EdGate's ExACT Standards Authoring Platform

June 17 2024

Author

Sharla Schuller

The need for robust tools to manage and align educational standards has never been more critical to the education market. Enter EdGate's ExACT Standards Platform, a comprehensive suite of digital tools designed to streamline the management, reporting, and alignment of content standards. Today, we are thrilled to introduce the latest addition to this powerful platform: Standards Authoring.

Introducing Standards Authoring

Responding to the growing demand from our clients, Standards Authoring is now available within the ExACT Standards Platform. This innovative application not only allows for the importing of existing standards and frameworks, but also enables users to manage, edit, and even create entirely new frameworks. Whether you are part of a State Department of Education, a publisher, or a non-profit organization, ExACT offers a tailored solution to meet your unique needs.

Centralized and Secure Management

Many organizations currently juggle their standards across numerous Google spreadsheets, which can be cumbersome and prone to errors. The ExACT Standards Authoring tool provides a centralized, secure environment for organizing and storing standards. This ensures that all standards are safely managed and easily accessible as they are being developed.

Key Features of ExACT Standards Authoring

Design and Develop Content Standards: Create and refine content standards for all K-12 subjects, ensuring they meet your specific educational goals.
Import/Export Functionality: Seamlessly import existing standards and export them as needed, making transitions and updates smooth and efficient.
Alignments: Leverage the EdGate Concept Index to link relevant terms with newly created frameworks, and utilize EdGate’s alignment methodology for detailed content alignments and standards comparisons.
Standards Comparison: Generate comprehensive reports that compare authored standards with other state and national standards, ensuring consistency and compliance.
CASE Formatting: Ensure that your standards are formatted according to the 1EdTech CASE standards, promoting interoperability and ease of use.
Secure Hosting: Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with secure hosting of your standards within EdGate’s repository.

Access to the World's Largest Standards Repository

EdGate is proud to offer access to the world’s largest repository of enhanced U.S. and international education standards. Our expertise in providing SaaS solutions for standards framework analytics and design is backed by a dedicated team of subject area experts, ensuring that your content is managed within a secure environment.

Exciting New Features on the Horizon

Our development team is continuously working to enhance the Standards Authoring application. Upcoming features will provide even greater control and flexibility, making it easier to manage and maintain educational standards. Here’s a sneak peek at what's coming:

Rights Management: Assign and manage rights, monitor modifications, and approve edits throughout the workflow stages.

Review, Approval, and Authorization Levels: Tools for reviewing, approving/rejecting, and commenting on standards and updates within your group profile.

Retention of History & Tracking of Edits: Maintain logs of changes/edits and approvals by user, and generate reports based on user activity.

Versioning and Archiving: Keep track of different versions and archive older standards for easy retrieval.

Public Commenting: Collect and manage public comments directly within the tool, fostering community engagement and feedback.

EdGate’s ExACT Standards Platform, with its new Standards Authoring application, is designed to empower educators and institutions by simplifying the standards management process. With the ability to publish, manage, and create new frameworks effortlessly, ExACT is the trusted solution for many educational entities. Join us in revolutionizing the way educational standards are managed and aligned.

For more information or to see a demo of the ExACT Standards Platform, contact us today. Let EdGate help you harness the power of standards management to enhance educational outcomes

Staking out EdTech Priorities: Seven Keys to Success

sschuller — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 23:44:26 +0000

Staking out EdTech Priorities: Seven Keys to Success

EdTech

Hot Topic

sschuller Mon, 06/17/2024 - 16:44

Staking out EdTech Priorities: Seven Keys to Success

June 17 2024

Author

Rich Portelance

Preparing for our upcoming webinar, Discovering the Secrets of K-12 EdTech Product Adoptions (and if you haven’t signed up yet, here’s the link) I had the chance to interview each of our panelists beforehand. These interviews were recorded, and are available on our Youtube Channel for those of you who would like to gain further insights. For me, the interviews provided preparation for the webinar, helped me shape the questions I will be asking, and gave me a chance to get to know the panelists and their work better.

Three of the interviews are live, one will be released after the webinar. From the discussions with Michael Rubin, Principal of Uxbridge High School in Uxbridge MA, David Berg, Director of Digital Innovation at Big Picture Learning, and Mark Maslowski, Director of the Jefferson County Ohio Virtual Learning Academy, I gleaned the following list of critical keys to success for any EdTech provider looking to gain adoption within the classroom. If you have others, please feel free to share with us via email or on social media — the more we can amplify the voice of our community the better.

1. Solve a problem
When I was speaking with David Berg he brought up an interesting point — many of the EdTech innovators today were successful students in their day, and had positive outcomes. However, based on Gallup Polls conducted and updated over the past 15 years, most students in today’s academic environment do not have the positive outcomes we would hope for, and are not engaged in the process. Thus, the innovators may not have a clear eye on the problems faced by a large majority of students in today’s normalized classroom approach.

The point is, in order to innovate, we need to look hard at solving an existing problem, and often those problems don’t level with what an investor might think is important. Ask yourself, what problem is your product solving, and will it move the needle for teachers, students, administrators or parents? It’s also extremely important to ask (and be critical in answering) if your idea is a nice to have, or a must have.

2. Creates operational efficiencies
The first things that came to mind while speaking with Principal Rubin, which were echoed in a conversation with Dr. Sara Delano Moore, VP of Content and Research at Origo Math, were innovations that help teachers do their jobs. For instance, AI can be useful in creating a second set of assessment items for a lesson, for grading homework and tests, or simply freeing their time so they can spend more time teaching.

A second area of operational efficiency can be centered around empowers students. Tools to help them create their own rubric or learn in unique and productive ways. One example shared was AI that allows students to have a real conversation with a historical figure. This type of innovation is powerful, and allows students to gain a different perspective on the topics at hand.

3. Accessibility matters
No matter if your technology is software, hardware or something else entirely, one thing administrators are looking for is accessibility. This is what can be referred to colloquially as a ‘showstopper’, so if your product or service isn’t accessible, you want to prioritize it before you get too far down the road.

4. Low cost, high yield
These are schools afterall, and budgets will always be challenged (to put it lightly). Capital purchases in schools need to be justified, so keeping cost as reasonable as possible while ensuring its usefulness is important. Principal Rubin brought up his purchase of a Torquebox unit for Bench Drilling. It works for his school because these are the same tools that the students will work with at industry associate locations during internship programs. Secondarily, the students will build transferable skills they can apply on other machines, in different settings. Principal Rubin also noted that the machines they have purchased will be used often for 100 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, so reliability is critical.

His purchasing top three: useful, pragmatic, and reliable.

5. Be courageous
Often it takes courage to buck trends and go against the grain. It’s easier to build something that will gain 1 million users and investors will love than to create a truly transformative solution. Sure, there are times when the world needs a new LMS tool, but there are so many other places that could use innovative ideas and efforts. David Berg spoke about the genesis of the ImBlaze product. One feature of the internship tracking system is administrators can see if students have checked into their internship in real time. As he put it, once that genie is out of the box, it can’t be put back in. Once an administrator knows they have this knowledge they are obligated to use it to improve their programs.

6. Engagement matters
Going back to the Gallup polls I mentioned earlier, the finding consistently show year after year student engagement rates continually dip from 7th grade on. By the time students are in 11th grade, the average engagement is 38%. Putting that another way, 62% of students in 11th and 12th grade are disengaged from learning activities. This is a frightening number, and one that shows the current norms do not function as intended. What we do know is that when students are engaged, when they do take ownership for their learning, outcomes dramatically improve. This is an area that our panelist universally agreed with, and an area that can have the most impact on our education system.

Here’s an article from Forbes that talks about the importance of engagement.

7. Think Different
It was a pleasure talking to Mark Maslowski from the Jefferson County Virtual Learning Academy because you can see the impact that can be made when people think differently about teaching and learning. Mark has over 10,000 students leveraging his team’s services, from multiple states and districts. They have chosen to think differently about education, and it is paying off for so many students that have difficulty adapting to the traditional models for various reasons. Similarly, David Berg and the folks at Big Picture Learning are bravely facing the challenges of the traditional school model and fearlessly turning it on its head. Principal Rubin falls into a similar category, creating pathways where once stood electively he has transformed Uxbridge into a national innovative school model.

Like Steve Jobs and Apple said in their 1997 campaign, Think Different encourages us to see that “life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact, and that is — everything around you that you call life, was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.”

BETT recap: All A.I., all the time

sschuller — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 23:50:40 +0000

BETT recap: All A.I., all the time

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

sschuller Wed, 02/14/2024 - 15:50

BETT recap

February 14 2024

All A.I., all the time
Plus the future of AI for EdGate

I had the opportunity to attend the BETT conference in London, January 22-24. Billed as the world’s biggest EdTech event, the British Educational Training and Technology show included 500+ exhibitors, 300+ speakers and 30,000 attendees. Now that I picture time with a giant sharpie clearly delineating pre-COVID and post-COVID, I can report that post-COVID BETT looked and sounded vastly different than pre-COVID BETT. My 2016 pre-COVID BETT notes were dominated by conversations with assessment publishers and observations about assessment changes. There were talks about assessments becoming more intelligent and allowing tests to grow with students. A speaker questioned who will evaluate open ended question. After all, human examiners add a degree of bias.

Fast forward to post-COVID BETT 2024. BETT 2024 was dominated by the theme of AI. There is much evidence that the use of AI can exponentially expand concerns around bias. Looking back, pre-COVID BETT suddenly seemed like a simpler time.

I pulled out my phone and started snapping photos of every company that mentioned AI on their booth display. I quickly realized that I was going to use up too much of my Google storage space because I would be taking photos of almost every single booth at the BETT conference. Abandon plan.

I heard speakers talk about the incredible ways that AI can be used to create and improve assessment products; train youth to prepare for future jobs; dynamically adjust the level of difficulty for each individual learner profile; and assist teachers in explaining very complex concepts to students.

For a reality check, I attended a very informative EdWeek seminar filled with their always informative survey data. EdWeek shared statistics explaining results of a survey showing that the majority of teachers are still not using or teaching AI in their classrooms. Many district officials are not impressed enough with AI to recommend their districts use it and therefore AI-created products would not impact their decision to purchase specific types of instructional products.

That said, the Edweek survey showed that many teachers are intrigued by the potential of AI to challenge high-performing students, help with PD and Special Ed. As quickly as something like a pandemic can happen, AI blanketed the BETT conference agenda at full tilt with speakers, teachers, students, vendors all buzzing about AI.

At EdGate we are finding ways in which we can use AI. EdGate has already created an AI-based tool called AutoAlign that is used to automatically suggest K-12 standards alignments. Now we are expanding our AI toolset to more quickly connect equivalent Career and Technical Education (CTE) standards across states. Why focus on CTE? The world of CTE is vast. Every state has their own set of CTE standards with some that are voluminous (ahem…Virginia). We want to provide the ability to align CTE content to all applicable CTE standards using a global approach (not state-by-state) exactly as we do with K-12 education content. AI will help us improve efficiency, affordability, and accuracy. The AI tool we are perfecting now will solve the complex and gargantuan task of connecting all CTE standards across the U.S. and beyond.

Please be on the lookout for further information in the next few months regarding our rollout of EdGate’s new AI tools. I’m sure there is an AI tool (Google Alerts) that can be used so that you will be automatically notified when EdGate rolls out our AI tool. Or we’ll just email you!

Gina Faulk
EdGate General Manager

Third-Party Reviews, the Complex Landscape for Publishers

sschuller — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 17:01:52 +0000

Third-Party Reviews, the Complex Landscape for Publishers

Client Solution

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

sschuller Tue, 12/05/2023 - 09:01

Navigating the Challenges: Third-Party Reviews and the Complex Landscape for Education Publishers

December 21 2023

Education publishers play a pivotal role in shaping the content that finds its way into classrooms, providing students and educators with resources that align with state standards. However, the journey from the development of educational materials to their acceptance by State Departments of Education is riddled with challenges, particularly concerning the need for Third-Party Reviews of standards alignment. In this landscape, publishers face complexities that demand a nuanced understanding and strategic navigation.

The Importance of Standards Alignment

Ensuring that educational materials align with state standards is a fundamental requirement for publishers. State Departments of Education mandate this alignment to guarantee that the content delivered to students is in sync with the educational objectives outlined by the state. This process involves a meticulous examination of each resource to ascertain its relevance and appropriateness for the intended grade level and subject area.

Introduction of Third-Party Reviews

One of the significant challenges education publishers encounter is the increasing reliance on Third-Party Reviews as part of the acceptance process. State Departments of Education often engage external entities to conduct thorough assessments of the alignment between educational materials and state standards. While the intention behind this approach is to ensure objectivity and accuracy, it introduces a layer of complexity for publishers.

Challenges Faced by Education Publishers

Cost Implications

Conducting Third-Party Reviews can be a resource-intensive process for education publishers. The costs associated with hiring external evaluators and undergoing comprehensive reviews can strain the financial resources of smaller publishing houses.

Time Constraints

The timeline for Third-Party Reviews adds another dimension of complexity. Publishers must carefully manage their schedules to accommodate these reviews within the broader timeline of developing and releasing educational materials.

Navigating Varied Standards

Education publishers often grapple with the challenge of aligning their materials with the diverse standards across different states. Each state may have unique requirements, making the alignment process intricate and requiring a nuanced understanding of regional educational landscapes.

Maintaining Quality and Consistency

Balancing the need for stringent standards alignment with maintaining the quality and consistency of educational content poses an ongoing challenge. Publishers must ensure that their materials meet the academic expectations of state standards while remaining engaging and effective for students.

Strategies for Education Publishers

Investment in Technology

Leveraging technology (like EdGate’s ExACT Alignment System) for standards alignment can enhance efficiency. Automated tools and platforms that assist in mapping educational content to state standards can expedite the review process.

Collaboration with Educators

Collaborating closely with educators during the development phase can contribute to a more seamless alignment process. Educator feedback and insights can guide publishers in creating materials that are both pedagogically effective and standards-compliant.

Advocacy for Standardization

Publishers can advocate for standardization in the requirements for Third-Party Reviews across states. Encouraging a more uniform approach can reduce the complexity associated with aligning materials with varied standards.

Engage Alignment Professionals

Firms that focus on Alignments and have a deep knowledge of Education Standards, like EdGate, are an outstanding resource for completing third-party reviews. Having experience in the space, understanding of state requirements, and subject matter experts (SMEs) to guide the process, they can significantly cut down the time to approval and even aid in aligning the same material to other states. This process rapidly opens up new markets, saving time and money for future alignment needs.

Education publishers face a multifaceted challenge in navigating Third-Party Reviews for standards alignment. As the educational landscape continues to evolve, publishers must adopt strategic approaches, leverage technology, and engage in collaborative efforts to meet the rigorous standards set by State Departments of Education. By doing so, publishers can contribute to the delivery of high-quality, standards-aligned educational materials in classrooms across the country.

Journeys Map Receives 2023 Cybersecurity Stewardship Award

sschuller — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 21:25:51 +0000

Journeys Map Receives 2023 Cybersecurity Stewardship Award

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

INFORM Journeys

sschuller Tue, 10/31/2023 - 14:25

EdGate’s Journeys Map Receives 2023 Cybersecurity Stewardship Award

October 31 2023

Journeys Map was selected to receive the San Diego Business Journal (SDBJ) & San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence’s (CCOE) 2023 Cybersecurity Stewardship Award for Organization of the Year!

Journeys Map is transforming the way students, pre-professionals and job seekers successfully navigate career pathways in Cybersecurity and other in-demand occupations. Our collaborations with the San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence, Classroom of the Future Foundation, the San Diego County Office of Education, Community Housing Works, and many other organizations help Journeys Map serve the San Diego region and beyond. On a national level, Journeys Map is also proud to work with Building Engineering and Science Talent (BEST), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), CalPoly and ManTech to provide 21st Century career navigation tools.

This is the third consecutive year that Journeys Map is being recognized with a Cybersecurity Stewardship Award, and the second time in 2023 being cited for organizational excellence including our own Peter Sibley being named the San Diego Small Business CEO of the Year by the SDBJ.

The recognition is a testament to the passion and talent of the entire EdGate corporate team including Journeys Map, ExACT, Schoolnomics and Total Reader. We are proud to say, EdGate Powers Education.

To learn more about Journeys Map or our other educational management products, connect with our team today.

AI in the Classroom - How it Affects Publishers and EdTech

sschuller — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 00:37:39 +0000

AI in the Classroom - How it Affects Publishers and EdTech

EdTech

Hot Topic

Teaching Trends

sschuller Fri, 08/11/2023 - 17:37

AI in the Classroom - How it Affects Publishers and EdTech

August 11 2023

Artificial intelligence is all the buzz recently and has the potential to reshape the educational approach of teachers and the learning experiences of students.

We are seeing a surge in corporate investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) as computers are programmed to understand the next logical step with AI and ML. For computers to “see” and “hear” requires a plethora of data points and algorithms. At the same time, society needs to be ready to embrace, and as needed, challenge this technology.

Within educational settings, AI-powered tools can efficiently analyze student data on performance and provide tailored support to improve their grades. These tools can predict future performance or potential struggles and provide additional assistance where needed.

While creating new capabilities for computers to learn and improve classroom learning, consideration should also be given to issues that may infringe on privacy and personal rights. The Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) are leading the Artificial Intelligence for K-12 (AI4K12) steering committee in an effort to educate students in the need to balance how AI and ML should be used. This initiative continues to develop national guidelines for AI education for K-12 and learning resources for AI instruction. At least a dozen states and the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards include concepts on ethics in their computer science/technology education standards.

EdTech developers and publishing firms play a central role in advancing the use of AI in the classroom. Even more importantly, these developers must ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI using these concepts.

EdGate's comprehensive standards repository includes computer science/technology education standards for numerous states, as well as the CSTA standards. If you have computer science/technology education content and need assistance aligning these to standards, please contact our Sales Team for more information.

North Carolina Updates K-12 Science Standards

sschuller — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 00:35:04 +0000

North Carolina Updates K-12 Science Standards

Client Solution

Hot Topic

State Highlight

sschuller Fri, 08/11/2023 - 17:35

North Carolina Approves Updates to K-12 Science Standards

August 11 2023

North Carolina is gearing up for its first update to the state’s general science standards since 2009. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, the K-12 Science Standards are scheduled for revision. The updated 2023 standards are “intended to foster conceptual understanding and help develop scientifically literate students.”

Designed to place a stronger emphasis on hands-on learning and catering to the needs of diverse learners, the new Standards are also inclusive of those with disabilities. While the core content remains largely unchanged, the standards have been rephrased to encourage the integration of Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) in a more immersive manner. This strategic shift is intended to put emphasis on the process of how students construct and develop their understanding of scientific concepts.

The rollout of these standards will occur in phases. Phase one is scheduled for the fall of 2023, with additional phases spanning the remainder of the 2024 school year.

The EdGate team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have started working through these changes, organizing the new standards and are ready to assist clients with a seamless transition to the updates.

Reach out to us for more information on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction changes.

The Need for High Quality Aligned Content

sschuller — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 20:58:22 +0000

The Need for High Quality Aligned Content

Client Solution

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

sschuller Wed, 08/09/2023 - 13:58

The Need for High Quality Aligned Content

August 09 2023

The post-COVID-19 era has witnessed a surge in widespread e-learning and the integration of new technologies in classrooms. However, the question remains: Do these new e-curricula and their lessons meet current state standards? A study conducted by Rand Corporation amid the pandemic revealed that only one-third of teachers are utilizing curricula that align with the current state standards. However, their study also showed an uptick in the adoption of curricula aligned with the standards since 2019, a shift largely credited to School Districts providing incentives to embrace such aligned curricula.

According to reports from RAND.org, math curricula aligned with standards have taken the lead, particularly in grades K-8. Prior research has demonstrated that the mere existence of academic standards has minimal effect on what happens in classrooms. Yet, efforts to encourage the utilization of curricula that conform to standard expectations, outlining what students should understand, has been motivating. Numerous states are already at the forefront of championing the use of higher quality student materials through participation in the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network. Participating states include California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan, Mississippi, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These states that are focused on improving use of standards-aligned, high-quality instructional materials.

Only 22% of high school teachers surveyed in the spring of 2021 reported using math and reading materials that align with standards. In contrast, approximately 48% of K-8 teachers were found to be employing math curricula aligned with standards, while an average of 29% were using English Language Arts (ELA) materials that align with the standards.

All the research underscores to the need for aligned content. Consequently, more states are requiring publishers to have their content aligned to standards, and often through outside vendors. By utilizing EdGate and our EXACT Platform, every publisher can meet learning requirements for regional, state, national and international. Reach out to learn more about the ExACT platform and how it can simplify the process of ensuring your content to meets current state standards.

Hot Topic

EdGate Supports Microsoft Teams for Education and Microsoft 365

Highlights from the 2024 1EdTech Learning Impact Conference

The Future of AI in Education

The Expiry of ESSER Funds

The Power of EdGate's ExACT Standards Authoring Platform

Introducing Standards Authoring

Centralized and Secure Management

Key Features of ExACT Standards Authoring

Access to the World's Largest Standards Repository

Exciting New Features on the Horizon

Staking out EdTech Priorities: Seven Keys to Success

BETT recap: All A.I., all the time

All A.I., all the time Plus the future of AI for EdGate

Third-Party Reviews, the Complex Landscape for Publishers

The Importance of Standards Alignment

Introduction of Third-Party Reviews

Challenges Faced by Education Publishers

Cost Implications

Time Constraints

Navigating Varied Standards

Maintaining Quality and Consistency

Strategies for Education Publishers

Investment in Technology

Collaboration with Educators

Advocacy for Standardization

Engage Alignment Professionals

Journeys Map Receives 2023 Cybersecurity Stewardship Award

AI in the Classroom - How it Affects Publishers and EdTech

North Carolina Updates K-12 Science Standards

The Need for High Quality Aligned Content

All A.I., all the time
Plus the future of AI for EdGate