Today,wecanseethateducationhasbecomemoreinteresting
unlikebeforeandamajorpercentageofcreditgoestotechnology anditsinfluence.Emergingtechnologieshavetotallytransformed thewayoflearningprocessbymakingitmoresimple,accessibleand effective.EducationTechnologycompaniesareendlesslyintroducing innovativeeducationaltoolsandprogramswhichareimprovingevery aspectofthecurrenteducationsystem.
Interestingly,onlinelearningprogramsarebecomingmoreandmore popularwiththeirflexibility,cost-effectiveness,andsimplicityas comparedtoconventionalclassrooms.Somecompaniesareintegrating newtechnologicaltoolswithconventionaleducationsystemandthis combinationisresultinginthecost-effectivenessandoverallsimplicityin thelearningprocessforstudents.
M-learningisgainingmoremomentumasoneoftheeffectivetoolsfor learning.Today,ingeneral,wecanseethateveryonepossessestheirown mobilephonesfromyoungchildrentotheelderonesandmostofthemare steadilyconnectedwithit.Thismakestooeasytorunaneducational programthroughmobiledeviceswithfullflexibility.
EducationalTechnologyIndustryisnotonlymakinglearninginteresting, butalsofulfillingtheoverallconditionsofeducationlikefinancialaidfor educationoflow-incomestudentandsuchmore.That’swhyEducation Technologyhasnowbecomeavastindustryasitisnotonlylimitedto educatorsforteachingstudents,butalsocoveringthestudents,teachers, institutions,andwholeeducationprocess.
TheEducationalTechnologyindustryissteadilyexpandinginthe educationalspacewiththeirgamechanginginnovativetechnologiesand strategies,makingeducationsosimpleandavailabletoallirrespectiveof theirageorexperience.
Intheupcomingfuture,wewillseethemoresophisticatedsolutionsfrom EducationalTechnologyindustryandimprovedcommunicationnetworks like5GandIoTwilladdtheadvantage.So,itwillbeinterestingtoseehow EducationalTechnologyindustrywillreformtheeducationsectorbyuseof futuretechnologiesandmakeeducationmoresimpleandinterestingagain.
Suhel Mashayak
Educationisoneofthemostimportantpartsofthehumanlifeandanyphysicaloreconomicormental
obstructionforeducationmaygenerateundesirablecomplicationsinthehumanlife.Aseducationplaysa vitalroleintheoverallimprovementofahumanbeing,itishighlysignificanttomakeeducationeasily
availableandaffordableforall.Forthat,theEducationTechnologyprovidersarecontinuouslyworkingto simplifytheeducationsystembyridingonadvancedtechnologies.Withtechnicaladvancementandeffortsof EducationTechnologyproviders,todaywecanseethatdigitallearningprocessessuchasonlinelearning,mobile learning,virtualclassrooms,etc.havebecomemorepopular Whateveryouwanttoknowcanbeeasilyavailable onthewebwithonlyneedofonesearch.Thisincreasedadoptionofdigitallearningduetoitssimplicityand readilyavailabilityismakingEducationTechnologycompaniesmorevaluable.Sowehaveintroducedourlatest issueThe10MostInnovativeCompaniesinEducationTechnology2017toshowcasetheeffortsofEducation Technologyindustryintransformingoureducationsystem. WehavehighlightedthecoverofthisissuewithYouBthere,whichischangingtheEducationalLearning LandscapethroughDigitalStudentEngagementSoftware.YouBthereisacloud-basedstudentengagement softwareapplicationthathelpsprofessorsandstudentsengage,discuss,andstayconnectedregardlessofa preferredlearningenvironment.Itoffersanenhancedclassroomoronlinelearningexperiencebycreatingan interactiveexchangeofideasanddiscussiontopicsallthroughaclickofabutton.Itseasysetupcapabilitiesand end-userexperiencearechangingthewayinstructorsandstudentsengageandlearn.YouBtherehelpsstudentsto betterfocusontheirsubjectmatterviatheirpreferredsmartdevices.
Afterdoingin-depthresearchandstudieswehaveenlisted;CampusLogic:SimplifyingAccesstoCollege ThroughBetterFinancialAidProcesses,NetworldSolutions:CustomizingtheBusinessofK-12Educationwith InnovativeITSolutions,ReviewStudio:ACollaborativePlatformforCreativeReview,andSchoolSoftware Group:RevampingtheFoundationoftheEducationSystem.
Whilegoingthroughourmagazine,youcanalsoreadthemasterlywrittenarticlesbyourin-houseeditorssuchas Big Data and Analytics for Education, Flipped Learning: A Technological Advancement That Takes Learning at Ease, Popular Technology Waiting to be Scaled,and What Will Define the Face of Education? FromtheEditor’s Pick Disrupt the distruptest technologies, The Need to Understand the Necessity of Innovation and The Real-Time World-Wide Learning through the Internet fromtheViewofsometheSuccessfulLeaders.
Hopethisspecialeditionofeducationfromuswillcreateamarkonyourmind.
Christopher
Today,technologicaladvancementistotallytransformingtheeducationalexperiencefromits
origins.Studentsarenowlearningthroughtheirsmartdevicesmoreeasilyandeffectivelythan everbeforethankstocompanieslikeYouBthere.Thecombinationofbothclassroomandon-line programswithinhighereducationisgainingmorepopularityduetoitsflexibility,cost-effectivenessand overallsimplicity.Thisincreasingtrendofhybridorblendedlearningstudentsastheyarecalled,is creatingtremendouspressureoneducationalinstitutionstotryandfindnewvalue-addeddigital technologies.Findingthoserelevantdigitaltechnologiesthatwillhelpcreateanddeliverameaningful impactonimprovingstudenteducationaloutcomesisthenextwaveineducationtoday
YouBthereisacloud-basedstudentengagementsoftwareapplicationthathelpsprofessorsandstudents engage,discuss,andstayconnectedregardlessofapreferredlearningenvironment.Itoffersanenhanced classroomoronlinelearningexperiencebycreatinganinteractiveexchangeofideasanddiscussiontopics allthroughaclickofabutton.Itseasysetupcapabilitiesandend-userexperiencearechangingtheway instructorsandstudentsengageandlearn.YouBtherehelpsstudentstobetterfocusontheirsubjectmatter viatheirpreferredsmartdevices.
YouBthere’scoretechnologyisarobust,digitalstudentengagement(SE)solutionthatworksinallthree learningenvironments: classroom,synchronizedandasynchronousonlinecourses.TeamYouBthere’s exclusiveapproachallowsthemtocombinemanyapplicationsintoonesimplesoftwaresolutionwhichis fullyintegratedinrealtimewithinaschoolsLearningManagementSystem(LMS).YouBthere’sproactive approachaddressestheneedtomatchrelevantdigitaltechnologywiththechanginglearninglandscapeina student’seducationaljourney
ChristopherRevordistheFounderandCEOofYouBthere.LikemostCEO’s,Mr.Revordis responsibleformanagingtheoveralldirectionandexecutionofthecompany’sdomesticandinternational businessplans.PriortoYouBthere,ChristopherhasbeenaManagingPartneratChicagoResearch& Trading,ManagingDirectoratBankofAmericaandPresidentofParagonGlobalCapital,LLC.His previousfinancialsectorexperienceinbuildingrelevantsoftwareandprofitcentershasproventobe extremelyhelpfulinguidingYouBthere’soveralldevelopmentanddirection.
“Ibelievewehaveraisedthebarofwhateducationalinstitutionsshouldexpectfromdigitaltechnologies. Eventodaythefactthatthemajorityofinstitutionsonlyuseapollingfeature,ornothingatallsuggeststhat thereneedstobeamoreexploratoryapproachtoevaluatingnewandrelevantdigitaltechnologies.The preferredmethodofpilottrialsiscertainlyunderstandable,buttherealsoneedstobeaneasierandquicker processtotestandimplementsoftwarethanmostinstitutionssupportatthistime,”saidMr.Revord.
Educationalinstitutionsthatdonotadoptnewdigitaltechnologiestoresolvependingissuesorfeelthat theycanwaitwillbeleftfarbehindbytheircompetitorswhodo.Thecompetitivelandscapeforhigher educationschoolsisheatinguptokeepandattractnewstudents.Studentsresearchuniversitiesthatwill helpthemsucceedpriortocommitting.Withtuitionfeesapproachingsixfiguresonayearlybasis,students wanttofeelthatthereisaprocessinplacetohelpderiveasuccessfuloutcome.
TechnologicallyfillingthePotentialHolesinthecurrentEducationalSystem
ThroughtheuseofYouBthere’sadaptivefeatures,theirsoftwarecanincreaseparticipationandcreatea better-connectedexperienceregardlessofcourseimplementationmethod.Theirpathprovidessomething foreveryone,includingincreasedengagementandcommunicationforstudents,easierimplementationof
coursematerialsforinstructors,andreal-time measurementofstudentcomprehensionand progress.Inaddition,administratorscansave moneybycombiningtheirmultitudeoffeatures intoonesingledigitalsolution.
“Ouruniqueandexclusiveapproachliesinour abilitytocreatenewandmeaningfulfeaturesand toprovidethosenewfeaturesinallthreelearning environments.Bydesign,wedevelopedasoftware thatisflexiblewithveryfewlimitations.When institutionsbegintorealizethattheircurrentsolution isboxed-inandincapableofexpandingasthe schoolsneedchange,itisawatershedmoment. Digitalsolutionsshouldbeevaluatednotonlyfora school’spresentneedsbutalsofortheirfutureneedsas well,”saysChristopherabouttheirtechnological approachanddistinctivestrategies.
Currently,therearemanyissuesandtrendsthatareshaping theeducationalsector.ThemainissuesYouBthereistrying topositivelyimpactinclude:theneedforincreased engagementwithinadigitallearningsetting,meetingor exceedingstandardssetbyaccreditationagenciesforstate andfederalfunding,institutionalbudgetaryconcernsand theincreasingriseofhybridlearningprograms.
YouBthereaddressestheseconcernsbyprovidingan affordable,robustinteractivedigitalstudentengagement softwaretobeusedfortoday’shighereducationstudents thatdoesn’tignoretheneedsofblendedlearningstudents. TeamYouBthererecognizedthisgrowinghybridtrendand createdYouBtheretoenableinstructorsandstudentstouse
onesinglesoftwaresolutioninsteadofthreeormore applications.
Allhighereducationinstitutionsneedtoengagestudentsas thisuniversalandheavilyresearchedcomponentisdirectly tiedtosuccessfuleducationaloutcomes.YouBthere’s digitalsolutionprovides15adaptivelearningfeatures, includinglearninganalytics,synchronizeddigitalmaterials andinteractivediscussionboards,allatasignificant cost-savings.
Forallneweducationalsoftwarecompaniesenteringthis sector,twomainchallengesexist:First,theeducational institution’slongevaluationprocessofnewtechnologies needstobeshortenedandsecondly,anLMS’sheavy relianceonpre-existingrelationshipsnarrowsan institutions’exposuretonewideas.Thesehurdlescreatean unnecessarilylongsales-cycleandultimatelyrewardthe wrongentities.
Todirectlycombattheseongoinghurdles,TeamYouBthere continuestobuildgame-changingnewfeaturesorelements thatcannotbereplicatedoutsidetheirsoftware.YouBthere provides13morefeaturesatatremendouscost-savings.
Christopher’sAdviceforYoungEntrepreneurs
Christopherexpressedhissuggestionstotheyoung entrepreneursenteringtheEducationTechnologyin two-fold;
“First, entrepreneurs should plan for a long sales cycle. Secondly, it’s important for new companies to know the
hurdles within this sector. Here are three external factors that need to be acknowledged and hopefully changed to help new education technology companies penetrate this sector and equally important entice continued education technology investment. They are:
• LMS companies need to embrace new technology companies for their relevancy and for the problem(s) they resolve, not focus exclusively on the number of current users
• Institutional LMS administrators and instructional designers need to embrace new solution providers.
• Educational institutions need to find a way to shorten their edtech evaluation and implementation process.
Recognizing these external factors up-front can help shape your company’s approach and in-addition hopefully help avoid early pitfalls when trying to gain traction.”
YouBthere will continue to add new features that will improve or enhance the everyday learning experience. YouBthere will focus on the need to improve the long-ignoredasynchronouslearning environmentbutwillservethechangingneedsof educationalinstitutionsaswell.
“Acknowledging sector-specific challenges help shape our product, we are excited about the role our technology will play in the future of higher education,” saysChristopher.
CampusLogic campuslogic.com
CompetentumGroup Competentum.com
NetworldSolutions networldsolutions.com
PickAtime pickatime.com
Realityworks realityworks.com
GreggScoresby
Founder&CEO
NataliaSoboleva Founder&President
DarrylVidal VicePresident
JohnTaves Founder
TimmBoettcher President&CEO
ReviewStudio reviewstudio.com
SchoolSoftwareGroup schoolsoftwaregroup.com
StuartFeldman Co-founder&President
ChrisTrina Co-founder
SunburstDigital sunburst.com
Texthelp texhelp.com
YouBthere youbthere.com
KenLeonard Chairman&CEO
MartinMcKay
Founder&CTO
ChristopherRevord Founder&CEO
CampusLogicisanEducationTechnologySolutioncompany, whichprovidesend-to-endstudentfinancialservicessolutions.
CompetentumGroupisaglobalindustryleaderwithover twentyyearsofexperience.Overtheyears,thecompanyhas proveditselfasaturnkeyeducationtechnologyprovider.
NetworldSolutionsisaleadingproviderofvalue-added InformationTechnologysolutions.Itdesigns,implements,and managescomplexe-businesssolutions,anddeliversthese systemswithqualityandcustomersatisfactionasa critical-successmetric.
PickAtimeprovidesanawardwinningonlinescheduling solutionthatisusedbyschoolsandorganizations,intheUnited StatesandCanadaaswellasinlocationsaroundtheglobe.
Realityworksprovidescomprehensivelearningsolutionsthat paircurriculumwithhands-onlearningaids,studentactivities andassessmenttoolstocreateinnovativelearning environments.
ReviewStudiodevelopscollaborativeservicesandsoftware toolsforcreativeteamsthatneedafasterandeasierwayto collectandorganizefeedbackandapprovalsoftheirdigital mediaprojects.
SchoolSoftwareGroupisawebdevelopmentandtechnology companyspecializingineducationwellknownforits award-winningweb-basedsoftware, BuildYourOwnCurriculum(BYOC).
SunburstDigitalhasconnectededucatorswithinstructional technologyanddigitalcontentsolutionsforthreedecades.Their solutionsarefoundinmorethan97%ofUSschooldistricts.
Texthelpishelpingeveryoneread,writeandcommunicatewith clarityinclass,atworkandinlife
YouBthereisaweb-basedstudentengagementsoftware applicationthathelpsprofessorsandstudentsconnectinside theirclassroomsandonlinelearningprograms-allinreal-time.
Technologyisaboonandit’sprovingitagainandagain invariousaspectsofhumanlives.However,onecan stilldebateonifisitacurseoraboon,butitwillbe wrongnottoappreciatethetechnologyadvancements. Technologyadvancementsarechangingthewaybusiness wastakingplaceandwillbedoingthesameinthecoming years.
Whiletechnologyisdrivingarevolutionineveryfield,how educationwouldlagbehind?Yes,educationcombinedwithtechnology isanotasurprisingthinganymore,asstudentsarealreadyusingitanyway.Flipped learningisoneofthefocaladvancement,technologyhasgiventothestudentsaswellas educators.
Inaconventionalsystem,studentsgenerallytryto capturewhatisbeingsaidattheinstantspeaker saysit.However,theyfacedifficultyingetting alltheinformation,astheycannotstopthe speakertoreflectuponwhatisbeingsaid. Contrarytotraditionallearning,flipped learningallowsstudentstocontrolthe lecture:theycanwatch,rewind,and fast-forwardasneeded.Thisability allowsstudentstogetinformationat ease.
Thedaysaregonewhenstudents usedtoattendeverylecturebeing presentphysically Themodernera demandseverythingataclickaway andthat’swhereFlippedlearning makesanimpact.Shortvideolectures, viewedbystudentsathomeor somewhereelse,beforetheclass session,makingthemdevotedto exercises,discussionsorprojectsinclasstime.Flippedapproachismainlybasedon videolecturescreatedbytheinstructoror postedonline.Apodcastcanbeagood exampleofFlippedapproach,where informationisateaseandonecangetitanytime, anywhere.Activelearning,studentengagement, coursepodcasting,andhybridcoursedesigncanbe achievedthroughFlippedclassrooms.
Thereisnocertainmodelfortheflippedclassroomthatcould constraindiversityoftheconcepttothelimiteduse.Theterm canbeusedtodescribeanyclassstructurethatprovides prerecordedlecturesfollowedbyin-classexercise.Inonemodel, studentsgetlecturesoffivetosevenminutes,whilein-classtheycan solveonlinequizzesonthetopictheyhavelearnedoralsocertain activitiescanbeperformedin-classtoknowwhattheyhavelearned, whichcanhelpclarifypointsofconfusion.Instructorsalsomightleadin classdiscussionsortransformtheclassroomintoastudiowherestudents cancollaborate,createandputintopracticewhattheyhavelearned.
Thefutureofeducationpaintssuccessforthoseadvancementswhich aimtotransformthetraditionalsystemintosomethingbetter,widerand easier
GreggScoresbyfounded CampusLogicin2011to solveanationwideproblem. IntheU.S.,morethan85%ofcollege studentsreceivesomeformoffinancial aid,butthestudentfinanceprocessis filledwithchallenges.Inefficient financialaidprocessingsystems,poor studentcommunications,and confusingscholarshipprocessescreate barrierstoenrollmentandretention.
Manystudentsdon’tmakeitinto schoolbecauseoftheseseemingly insurmountablehurdles—especially low-incomestudents—with40% failingtoenrollbecauseofcomplex financialprocesses.“Iknewthatwe couldhelpcollegesanduniversities changelivesbysimplifyingthestudent financialservicesjourney,”Scoresby recalls.
“I’vebeeninfinancialaidsoftwareand operationsforabout20yearsnow,”he adds.“AsI’vemetwithcollege presidents,chancellors,business officersandotherleadersinfinancial aidandenrollmentovertheyears,I oftenaskthequestion,‘Whatwould theidealstudentfinancefunctiondo?’
Theresponsesalmostalwaysinclude oneormoreofwhatIcallthe‘ABC’s ofstudentfinance.’Leadersknowthat partoftheirsocialmissionand
obligationistoincreaseaccessibility, reducestudentborrowing,anddrive downadministrationcosts.”
FounderScoresby’sVisionBecomes SuccessfulReality
Today,Scoresby’svisionhasevolved intoarobust,studentfinancialservices platform—theonlyoneofitskindin highereducation.TheArizona-based SaaScompanynowhelpsmorethan 450institutionsprovideeasy,mobile, personalizedfinancialservicesto3 millionstudentsnationwide.
CampusLogictransformstheway collegesanduniversitiesdeliver studentfinancialservices,helping schoolsgrowenrollment,improve efficiency,andincreasestudent engagementby:
• Creatingcostandvalue transparencyinhighereducation withClearCost,theindustry’s leadingcommercialnetprice calculator;
• Improvingscholarship managementthrough ScholarshipUniverse,which matchesstudents’profileswith scholarshipopportunities, streamlinesthereviewandaward processes,andkeepsdonors engaged;
• Deliveringdigitalawardletters
Scoresby Founder & CEO
andalltypesofstudentfinancial servicescommunicationswith AwardLetter;
• Simplifyingfinancialaidforms andprocessesthroughsecure, mobile-optimizedsubmissionand reviewprocessesvia StudentForms;
• Drivingstrategicdecision-making withdataderivedfrom CampusMetrics,whichrides alongsideallstudentfinancial servicesproductsontheplatform andprovidesinstantinsightsto meaningfulbehind-the-scenes data.
Studentsandstaffcanmanagefinancial servicesprocessesmorequicklyand efficiently—supportedbytextand emailprompts,imagecapture, e-signature,andgovernment-grade security Thecloud-basedtechnologyis scalabletoserveschoolsofallsizes, integrateswithallStudentInformation Systems(SIS),andrequireslittleIT intervention.Regulatoryupdatesare seamlessandautomatic,too.
“Bymakingstudentfinancialservices moreaccessible,we’rehelpingmake
highereducationmoreaccessible,” Scoresbysays.“And,thattiesdirectly toourpurpose,whichisto‘help schoolschangelives.’
ScholarshipUniverse,
Reducingfrictionacrossthe scholarshipprocessisupnextfor growth-focusedCampusLogic. ScholarshipUniverselaunches commerciallyinSpring2018andis alreadygainingoverwhelminginterest withinthehighereducation community.Thetechnology streamlinesscholarshipmanagement forstaffandstudents,simplifies complexapplicationandreview processes,andimprovesscholarship fundutilization.Plus,forthefirsttime ever,studentswillbeabletomatch to—ratherthansearchfor—relevant institutionalandvettedexternal scholarshipopportunitiesviaone integratedcollection.“Whenstudents getscholarships,theyborrowless
federalaid—helpingto shrinkloandebtwhile alsohelpingstudentsstay inschool,”says Scoresby.“Andthat benefitseveryone.”
AskedaboutthefutureofEdTech, “hyper-personalized,”isScoresby’s response.“Ineveryaspectof life—insideandoutsidethe classroom—studentsand administratorsreceivea hyper-personalizedexperience.Think television,healthcare,banking, shopping.Collegesanduniversities needtodrivepersonalization throughouttheeducationexperience forstudents.Inthewayclassesare offeredandstructured,downtohow studentscanenrollandfinancetheir education,hyper-personalizationis
goingtodrivesuccess—forstudents andinstitutions.”
In2017,CampusLogicranked1,426 onthe Inc. 5000 listoffastest-growing companiesintheU.S.,placing twenty-eighthinArizona.The companyisalsoa“SpiritofEnterprise, EmergingEnterprise”awardwinner, andearnedthirdplaceonthe2017 Phoenix Business Journal “BestPlaces toWork”forsmallbusinesses.
‘
We are on a mission to transform student financial services
Themillennialsareallbornwithakeensenseof
technologicalacumen.Atanagewhenbaby boomerswerebeingintroducedtotheconceptof computers,millennialsarewellversedwiththeintricate workingsofmoderncomputers.Today’sstudentsare experimentingwith3Dprintersandarehavingfullaccess toallthebooksfoundinalibraryrightfromtheirhomes. So,yes,theinternetisaseriousrevolutionifyouconsider everysectoroperatingintheworld.But,howfarhavethe solutionprovidersbeenabletoproperlyharnessthefull potentialoftheselatestinnovationsinthefieldof education,isarealconcern?
Withimprovisedlearningtoolsandsomesuavegadgets, studentsareactuallymuchmoreengagedintheirlearning objectivesthaneverbefore.Mathisactuallyturningoutto befunformanywithadedicatedperseverancefrommany Math-loverstoincreaseitsfanbase.Softwaremodulesare thelatestnormsthathavebeenimplementedwithregardsto learnersofdifferentlevels.
However,thesesoftwaremodulesneedtobeconstantly upgradedwithlatestupdatedsubjectmaterialsandcitations orelsetheystandtogoobsolete.ThisiswhereAIand MachineLearningarebeingperfectedupon.Therearefew researchesgoingonandsomecompaniesarealready preparingtoincorporatebothintotheirlearningmodules. Accordingtooneongoingresearch,ArtificialIntelligenceis beingdeveloped,soastobeabletounderstandthelearning patternsofthelearner,theirgraspingpower,thekindof citationstheycanrelateto,thedifficultyleveloftests,and thepointswherethemoduleitselfisnotcapableof convincingthelearner ThemodernArtificialIntelligence systemsarebeingdesignedtolearnaboutthestudentwhile
thestudentislearningonthemodules.Thisway,thesystem learnsaboutthestudent’sinterestinvarioustopicsand hencethelessonscanbecraftedaccordingly,similartothe wayvideosarerecommendedonvideohostingsites.
Thereisnodoubtthatsocialmediaplaysaveryproactive roleineveryone’slifetoday.Thepopularityofvarious socialmediaplatformsisalreadybeingtappedbyinstitutes ineverycorneroftheworld.Theonlyconcern,however, withsocialmediais,keepingthemengrossedintothe educationaltopicsandnottheusualfunandfrolicsthat socialmediaattracts.
SocialMediacouldbethemostpowerfullearningtoolwith theright,well-focusedgroupsanderuditediscussion sessions.Suchgroupsdoexistinmostoftheseplatforms, butlikemany,theyarehardlyunbiasedandhence,could notberelieduponfordoingcompletejusticetothe purpose.Onceagain,ArtificialIntelligencecomestothe rescue.Manyofthenewlydevelopedsocialmedia platformsareinvestinghighlyintothepowerofreal-time ArtificialIntelligence-basedAnalyzingtechnologytokeep thestudentsengrossedintheirlearningactivities,muchlike thecurrentsocialmediaplatforms.
Currently,thistechnologyispopularlybeingusedinthe gamingindustry.Withtherequirementofadvanced processingtechnologiesandsophisticatedprogramming, VirtualRealitywouldreallytakesometimetogetadopted
forthefinanciallybackwardlearningindustry.However, therearemanynon-profitorganizationsthataretakinghuge stridesinmakingitarealityassoonaspossible.The cardboardcut-out,smartphone-enabled,budgetvirtual realitydevicesavailabletodayareconsideredtoo naïvetobeadoptedforthecurrentlotofstudents. Thatis,itdoesn’thavetheabilitytokeepa studentengagedforalongtime.This, however,isamatterofdevelopingthe contentthatleveragesthecomplete potentialoftheVRTechnology.
Thescience-fictionphenomenonthat hasbeencontinuouslyportrayedasa thingofthefutureissoongoingtobea reality.Wealreadyhavelaserprojector keyboardsandmouseandothermotionenabled,holographic-baseduserinterfaces. TheHolographicprojectorscertainlyseemtobe thenextfrontierinthesmartphoneeraand inevitablyitwillbethenextbestthingtohappeninthe educationsector Videosofclassesbeingconductedusing theholographictechnologyseemsverypromisingandwith anengaginguserinterface,hologramsaregoingtomake thetopicsveryinterestingandeasiertograsp.
Thisisthemosthappeningtoolthathasgottheentire researchworldexcited.Fromprintingaprostheticlimbtoa syntheticDNAstrandandevenawholebuilding,the possibilitieswith3Dprintingisendless.Thisisexactly whatmakesitthemostdemandedtoolinalmostevery industrialsectorintheworld.
However,thebiggestdrawbackofa3Dprintingequipment isitscost.Itisbeyondthereachofmostoftheresearch institutesanditsaccessoriesalsocomeatapremium.Yet, therearesomepremiumschoolsthatareincorporatingthe know-howsof3Dprintersandmakingtheirstudents accustomedtothebasicsofitsoperation.Inthenearfuture, craftactivitiesusingclayandpaperaregoingtobe complementedbytheuseof3Dprinters.Eventhoughitis shunnedbymany,therearestillsomeartinstallationsthat aregarneringattentionaroundtheworld,justforbeing developedona3Dprinter
Thistechnologycannotbetermedasthefuture,butisbeing heavilyexploitedbythepresentsystemitself.Studentsno longerneedtohaulheavybooksintheirbackpacks.But thereismoretothistechnologythanjustdatastorage. ThereareprogramscomingupthataimstoimplementBig DataAnalyticsinstudent'sstudypatterns,theiroverall performanceinvarioussubjectsandconsequently,their scopeofcreativity
Therehasbeenalong-standingargumentregardingthe removalofthepresentevaluationsystemwherethestudents areevaluatedbasedontheirscoresinvarioussubject matters.However,therearesomerevolutionscomingup thatconsidertheperformanceofanupcomingsportsman,a scientist,acivilservantandmanymore.Proposalshave beengoingaroundtogiveequalconsiderationstoevery studentshowcasingdifferentstrataofinterestindifferent activities.Usingthecloud-basedperformanceevaluation tools,itispossibletoevaluatedifferentstudentsonvarying benchmarksandhence,theycouldberecommendedforthe mostaptcareeroptions.Inaway,theworldwouldbe gettingthemostproductivecitizensthroughthisprogram.
Asperanundergoingprogram,students’everylittle academicactivitywillbemonitoredthroughsmartcameras installedineverynookandcornerofthecampus,which wouldbeequippedwithspectraltechnology,motion trackers(evenfortheeyethatsensesyourlevelofinterest foraparticularsubject)andothergimmicks.Thesecameras andothersensors,won’tbejusttrackingthestudents’ academicactivity,butalsotheirpersonalityandtheirsocial interactions.Theentireinformationwillbeprocessed, analyzedandevaluatedtodeterminethefurthercoursethe studentsneedtofollow.Theonlyglitchtothiscollaborative technologywouldbethelevelofsophisticationtoacquire therequiredlevelofaccuracy.
WiththeadvancementsinthetimelineofMankind,the amountofdataandknowledgewillonlygoonincreasing andtheupcominggenerationsareboundtolearnmany thingsinamuchshorteramountoftime.However,the latesttechnologiesstandtobetheonlyrespitetothe growingconcernsoftheeducationalinstitutes.Beitin preparinganengagingcurriculumorinthesmooth functioningoftheinstitute,studentsaregoingtoreapthe benefitsofthelatestadvancementsinthetechnology
Andrew Bagrin is the Founder and Chief Executive Ofcer of My Digital Shield (MDS), a leading provider of Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) for small businesses. With more than 17 years of experience in the IT security industry, Andrew started MDS in 2013 to bring cloud-based, enterprise-level security technology to small businesses at an affordable price.
Bigger,faster,everywhere!The measurementofhowwerate technologyingeneral,but morespecificallydata communications.Fromthedaysof spendinghundredsofdollarsto upgradefroma14.4toa28.8modem, wehavealwayswantedthedatato arriveasfastaspossible.More importantly,wehavealwayswanted theuserexperiencetokeepimproving aswebreachnewhorizonsandfigure outhowtomakeitbigger,fasterand everywhere.
It’sinhumannaturetowanttoalways makethingswildlymoreimpressive fromaperformanceperspective.The carenginesjustkeptgettingbiggerand biggertomakethecarsgofasterand faster Atacertainpoint,therealists hadtostepinandmakeitclearthatan evenbiggerenginedoesn’tdo anything,becausetherestofthecaris notequippedforthatpower The engineitselfhastogetmoreefficient withtechnology,notjustbigger,and wehavetostartthinkingaboutother things,suchasstability,safety, efficiencyandlongevity Asnostalgic assomeofuscanbeoverthe1960’s vehicles,theeraofthePriusandTesla arehere.Eventheolderstylemuscle carsarepackedwithmuchnewer technologyandsafetyfeatures.
Irememberthedaysofbraggingabout thebonded128kISDNlineandwhen myfriendgota500kmodem.The locationtolivewouldgreatlybe determinedbywhattypeofinternetis available.Today,ifIasksomeofthe savvynetworkengineerswhattheir bandwidthisathome,theywon’teven know,andiftheycheck,it’susually aroundthe50-100Mb.Meanwhilethe lesssavvywillbragabouttheir300Mb
or1Gbfiberandwillbeupsetifthey areonlytestingat700Mb.
Whyisthisthecase?Whatchanged? Arewejustgettingolderandnot caringaboutlatestandgreatesttech anymore?Afterdiggingabitdeeper intothisquestionIrealizedthatweare thoserealistjumpingandsaying“do youseriouslythinkyouareusingmore than100Mbathome?”Thereasonthe internetiscrappyisnotbecauseofthe speed,butbecauseit’scrappy!
So, what are the important applications of the internet?
Browsing, Voice, Email/messaging, Social media, Shopping, Video streaming (movies), Payments/banking etc.Ofallofthese applications,itseemsthatsecurity, privacy,latency,qualityandreliability wouldbethemostimportantthings. Bandwidthwouldreallyonlycome intoplayforstreamingvideo.Netflix suggests5Mb/sforeveryHDstream. Thatmeansat100Mb,Icanhave twentyseparateHDNetflixstreamsat thesametime,andeventhatI’msure neverhappensinanyhouseholdor office.Sowhydowepushfor200Mb, 500mbor1Gb? Dowejustlovethe soundofit?
Ipredictthattherewillbesome refocusofhowconnectivityis provided.Themainfocuswillnotbe bandwidth,butwillbealltheother parameterswithbandwidthbeingone ofthem.Intelfinallychangedtomodel numberstomakeitclearthattheclock speedisnottheonlymetric.(I3,I5,I7)
SD-WANisbecomingarealityforall businessesanditwillsoonbecomea realityforhomesaswell.SD-WAN
providesreliability,quality,some privacyandlatency/jitterprevention.It alsoopensanewwayofdoingsecurity andmakingitmoreaccessiblefor everyone.Thisisthebeginningofa nextevolutionofhowdatawillbe deliveredworldwide.Theconnection betweenLANandinternethasrelied onthewrongmetricandpoorquality forlongenoughandtheworldis realizingitnow.Alongwiththe realizationsandnewtechnologies, peoplewillquicklyretiretheold metricandstartlookingatnewmetrics asthelitmustestofconnectivity
Carriershavebeenbuildingservices bundledtogetherwiththeirunreliable connection.Theyarenowstartingto shifttoprovidethoseserviceOTPorat thetop,whichmeanprovideitonthe IPlayeranddecoupledfromthe connectioncarrierlayer.Longtime ago,Nortelmadeabigbetonservices overlayer2andtheylost,becauseit wasn’tdecoupledandcouldn’tprovide thelevelofintegrationthatwas needed.Meanwhile,othercompanies likeCiscoputtheirservicesoverlayer 3andquicklybecamethedominant playerintheindustry
Connectivitywilldecouplefrom servicestoenhancetheconnectivity andprovidetheservicesseparatelyon topoftheenhancedconnection.
Welcome to the future of always connected with quality, reliability, performance for its intended uses, not just making the gauge hit the red line!
NetworldSolutionsisaleading providerofvalue-added InformationTechnology solutionsbasedinSanDiego. NetworldSolutions’expertsrealize therearemanychoicesavailablewhen selectinganITconsultingcompany, butwiththeirnicheservicesand unmatchedexpertise,theyaresecond tonone.NetworldSolutions’staffcan helpanybusinessbecomemore efficientthroughautomation,business transformation,e-commerce,website developmentandnetwork infrastructureservices.
TheNetworldSolutions’K-12focusis ontechnologystrategicplanning,IT assessment,andITproject management.ThisfocushelpsK-12 districtsdeveloplong-range technologyplansthatdirectlyaddress LCAPandBoardGoalsand Objectives.Fromthesestrategic technologyplans,NetworldSolutions definestechnologyinitiativesandthey canplanandmanagethemthrough implementation.
DarrylVidalistheVicePresident andSeniorEducationTechnology ConsultantofNetworldSolutions.He holdsaBachelor’sdegreeinBusiness andaMaster’sinEducation Technologyandhasbeenmanaging NetworldSolutionssuccessfullyfor over20years.Throughoutthistenure, hehasconsultedwiththelargest schooldistrictsinSouthernCalifornia andhelpedplanandmanageover$500 millionintechnologyprograms.He
hasalsopublishedNetworldSolutions’ ITstrategicplanningandproject managementmethodologycalled MAPIT®.
Darryl Vidal Vice President
• EducationTechnologyInitiatives
• EducationTechnologyStandards
• ProjectManagementOffice
• InformationTechnology Operations
ThedeliverablesfromtheETSA assessmentinclude:
“We like to deal with districts at the highest possible level, but that is not always possible, especially at the larger school districts. In terms of specialization, it’s really in developing technology infrastructure. We started 20 years ago writing design guides and specifications for Local-Area Networks and classroom audio/video systems. With the larger initiatives, the more facilities infrastructure are required, like data centers, MDF/IDF facilities, fiber-optic backbones, wide-area networks, wireless saturation, and security,” assertsDarrylabouttheir coreconsultingservices.
TodayNetworldSolutions’Education TechnologyStrategicAssessment (ETSA)providesahigh-levelreview andanalysisofanyschooldistrictby lookingatfourstrategictechnology areas:
• EducationTechnologyReadiness score
• AssessmentofEdTechinitiatives andstandardswith Recommendations.
o IncludingRoughOrder Magnitude(ROM)costmodel
• Projectandprogrammanagement Recommendations
• ITOperationsAssessmentand Recommendations
“In line with MAPIT® methodologies, we feel districts must strategically plan technology initiatives based on LCAP and Board Goals and Objectives. This means that all dollars spent on infrastructure and technology are identified, standardized and implemented specifically to address these goals. Many districts are driven by technology-based initiatives like 1-to-1 devices and interactive displays. These programs are not always aligned
Networld Solutions: Customizing the Business of K-12 Education with Innovative IT Solutions
with the needs of each school, class, and student,” assertsDarryl.
ByusingMAPIT®methodologiesto firstdevelopastrategictechnology planthatencompassesalltechnology andinfrastructureatthedistrictlevel, eachtechnologyinitiativeis prioritized,sequencedandfunded, basedontheoverallplan.Ofcourse, professionaldevelopmentbecomesa keyfactorinthesuccessofany academicinitiative,andthesetypesof thesuccessfactorsareincludedinthe MAPIT®methodsintheformofData IntegrityandQualityAssuranceplans.
ImprovedCommunicationsand WorkflowwiththeIncorporationof MAPIT®
NetworldSolutionsutilizesthe MAPIT®methodologytodefinea district’stechnologystrategies.In ordertodothis,thedistrictmusthave avisionfortechnology,butthisvision mustbebasedonacademicgoalsand nottechnology-centricgoals.By ensuringthattechnologyprogramsare basedonacademicneed,therateof adoptionandsuccessincreases. Districtsmustlookattheformand functionoftheinstructionalmodeland developinfrastructurestandardsbased onthatmodel.
TheMAPIT®strategicplanning methodologycallsforthedefinitionof academicandinstructionally-based needs.Theseneedsarethenaddressed throughsystemsandtechnologies.So ifanacademicinitiativecallsfornew technologies,suchas3-Dprinters, robotics,makerspaces,andcoding classes,thentheimplementationplan willhelpdefinethescopeandscaleof eachinitiative.
NetworldSolutionsseekstogrowtheir consultingservicesalongwiththeir
corenetworkingservices business.IntheK-12 space,they’re continuingtofocuson theETSAdeliverable becauseit’seasyfora schooldistrictto understandand fund–thedeliverablesarefully implementable.
Interestingly,NetworldSolutionshas observedaneedintheSMBspacefor onsitetechnologysupport,asopposed toaremote,MSP-basedservice.Some customersinthisspacehavebeen burnedandbecomedisillusionedwith thepromiseoftheMSPandService LevelAgreements.Thesebusinesses seektohavea real personwhothey canspeakwith,showthings,andget somehands-onsupportforlocaloffice technology
NetworldSolutionsispioneeringthe conceptoftechnologyindependencein K-12Education–aconceptbeyond 1-to-1ComputingandBYOD(Bring YourOwnDevice)initiatives. TechnologyIndependentModelfor Education™isatrademarkedmodel thatpromotesthedevelopmentof enterprisesystemstoproactively managealltechnicalaspectsofaK-12 schooldistrict.
ThemodelusesMAPIT® methodologiestounderstandand definerequirementsforfourareas,and thendevelopprocessesandplatforms formaintainingandsupportingthem:
• Curriculum
• Technology
• TechnologyResource Management
• Sustainment
Themodel’scoreobjectiveistoensure deviceneedisaddressedonan“as needed–justintime”basis.Meaning thatdevicesaremanagedanddeployed asopposedtodistributedandfixed. Thecoretenetbeingthatnosingle deviceisalwaysappropriateforthe curriculumandpedagogy.Byplanning andmappingcurriculum,theschool shouldbeabletodeploytechnology accordingtoneed.
ThustheITOperationsorganization movesfrombeingareactive, “break-fix”operation,tobeinga proactivedeploymentteam.Insteadof fixingbrokenequipment,theIT departmentisdeployingfully-charged andconfiguredequipmentasrequired bythecurriculumplan.
Thinkofaracecarpitcrew,versusan autorepairgarage.Thepitcrewtunes andreadiesthecarformaximum performancespecifictoitspurpose. Therepairgaragefixesbrokencars.
We pride ourselves on customization based on need, and can plan and execute any IT solution to fityour school or business
ReviewStudioisanonline proofingandcollaboration toolfor marketing,education andcreativeteamswhoneedafaster andeasierwaytocollectandorganize feedbackontheirdigitalmedia projects.BasedinMontreal,Canada, ReviewStudiooffersavisualand collaborativeapproachtocollecting andconsolidatingfeedbackand approvals– keepingeveryoneonthe samepagethroughoutthecourseofa project.
Whenitcomestocreativereview, consistencyiskey Yet,eventoday, someofthelargestcreativeagencies andproductionstudiosuseamixedbag ofsolutionstomanageteamworkflows andorganizefeedbackandapprovals.
Thiscanbeanightmarefor project-relatedcommunication–makingdelays,errorsandbudget overrunsalltoocommon.Ascreative projectsbecomeincreasingly constrainedbytightdeadlinesand budgets,theyneedabetterwayto managetheiterativereviewand approvalcyclesthatdrivesuccessful designandproductionworkflows.
ReviewStudio’sreal-time, mobile-friendlyapplicationallows creativeprojectgroupsto collaborativelyshare,markupand approvemultipleformsofdigital contentincludingvideo,images,and
PDFfiles.Unlikemostgenericproject managementapplications,theplatform offersa“media-centric”approachthat presentsallprojectcommunications andtaskmanagementdirectlyinthe contextofthemediabeingproduced.
Inthecontextofeducation,Students andeducatorsaroundtheworlduse ReviewStudiotogiveclearvisual feedbackonmediaassignmentsand hostliveinteractivereviewswith individualsorentireclasses.
TheArchitectbehindReviewStudio
StuartFeldmanisaCo-founderand PresidentofReviewStudio.Witha backgroundinbotharchitectureand computergraphics,Stuartstartedhis careerasaCo-founderofLightscape Technologies,a3Dvisualization softwarethatprovidedarchitectsand designerstheabilitytovisualize, analyzeandpresenttheirvirtual3D projectsunderaccuratelighting conditions.
AftertheacquisitionofLightscapeby Autodesk,Stuartbecameasenior projectmanagerfordesign visualizationsoftwareatAutodeskand latermanagedaprojecttoextendthe availabilityof3Dtools(“virtual photography”)tomarketing professionals.Hisexperiencewith creativedesignandproductionteams ledtothedevelopmentof
Stuart Feldman Co-Founder & President
ReviewStudioasaplatformtosolve theuniquechallengesinherentinthe developmentofdigitalmediaprojects.
ReviewStudiobeganasaprojectto helptheartproductionstaffofamajor motionpictureaddresstheirproblems gettingtimelyfeedbackandapprovals frommultiplestakeholdersspread acrossthreecontinents.Poor communicationandalackofeffective collaborationwasseverelyimpacting thefilm’sproductionscheduleand budget.Inresponse,theReviewStudio teamdevelopedasimple,web-based solutionforuploading,sharingand reviewingthedigitalcompsthat significantlystreamlinedthereview andapprovalcycles.
Sincethatinitialsolution,the ReviewStudioteamhascontinued engagingandcollaboratingclosely withclients,ultimatelyexpandingto addressamuchbroaderrangeof creativeworkflows. “Today,our customerscomefromawidevarietyof creativedisciplines–marketing,digital productionartists,videographersand photographers,designersand
educators,”explainsStuart.“Our missionistoprovidethesecreative professionalsandteamswiththebest toolspossibletohelpthemcollaborate moreeffectivelyandrealizethefull potentialoftheircreativeeffortsin advertising,filmandvideoproduction, educationandpublishing.”
ReviewStudio’sinnovativeapproachto media-centricprojectmanagement helpscreativeteamsdelivertheir projectsontimeandonbudget.Some ofitsmostimportantfeaturesand benefitsinclude:
■ Simplicity.Aneasy-to-use non-technicalmarkuptoollets collaboratorsandclients immediatelyreview,markupand approveawiderangeofdigital mediafilesfromanyonline computerormobiledevice.They havenoneedtopurchase,installor learnspecializedtoolstoprovide clearandeffectivefeedback.
■ Agility.Designandproduction cyclesarefasterbecauseall contentdisplayandmarkupsare centralized.Collaborativethreaded discussionshelpavoidmultiple iterationsbycentralizingfeedback fromallprojectcollaborators. Integratedversioningmakesiteasy totrackandcomparetheprogress ofaprojectfromearlydesign throughfinisheddeliverable.
■ Dialogue.Projectteammembers canholdliveonlinereview presentationswhereall collaboratorscanview,discussand markupcontenttogether.This functionalityhelpstoresolve
issuesfasterand avoid communication errors.
■ Reference.The platform maintainsacomplete,searchable recordofallcontent-related communicationsandactivitiesthat takeplaceoverthecourseof projectdevelopment.Thishelps teammembersstayorganizedand avoidconflictsbyprovidinga verifiableaudittrailofallreview activities.
TheDistinctiveMethodologyof ReviewStudio
ReviewStudio’sdistinctiveadvantage isthatitsupportsboththeindependent and synchronizedcollaborativereview ofdigitalmedia.
Independentreviewsallowclientsor collaboratorsindifferentlocationsand timezonestoviewcontentandprovide feedbackindependentlyattheir convenience.
Synchronizedreviewsallowteamsto worktogetherfromremotelocationsto brainstormordiscussvariousaspects ofaprojectinlivereal-timereview sessions.Ateammembercan synchronizetheplaybackofa slide-showorvideowithanynumber ofonlineparticipantsandstoponany frametodiscussandmarkupthe contenttogether
Thiscombinationofindependent reviewandreal-timeconferencing makesReviewStudioparticularly well-suitedforthe theiterativeand
collaborativenatureofcreativeproject workflows.
StuartattributesReviewStudio’s successtoitsteam’sextensive experienceinthecreativeproduction environmentanditsdeep understandingofclientworkflows. “Weareveryengagedwithour clients,”observesStuart.“Weseethe ongoingdevelopmentofReviewStudio itselfasahighlyengagedand collaborativeefforttomeettheirneeds andgoals.”
In the coming year, ReviewStudio will be focussing on three primary goals:
▪ Extendingprojectmanagement workflowstofacilitatethetool’s adoptionbylargeragenciesand educationalinstitutions.
▪ ExtendingAPIsandintegrations withpopularprojectmanagement andeducationalplatforms.
▪ Supportforemergingmedia formatssuchasimmersiveVR imagesandvideos.
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Ourunique combination ofeasy-to-use markup tools and advanced real-time collaboration capabilities helps creative teams deliverdigital media projects on time and on budget
Thegustywindsofeducationduetoinsufficientfunding,advancingtechnology,andtheneedoftoughjobsinthelast fewyearshasbeenathingtothinkformanythinkersandexperts.Theeconomichealthandcapacitytoinnovate largelydependontheimprovementineducation.Whilethe“howto”improveisstillunfolding.Buttherearesome trendsthatareaimingtochangethefaceofeducationinthecomingyears.
Thereisaconcentratedefforttoreinventthetraditionalclassroompatternandrearrangetheentireschoolexperience.A trendthatisbeingdrivenbytheimpactofinnovativelearningapproaches.Projectandchallengebasedlearningmethodsare removingthelimitationsofthetraditionalbellscheduleforschoolsthatallowstudentstomovefromonelearningactivityto anothermoreeasily Theintegrativenatureofthesetraditionalapproacheshaspopularizedtheinnovativeapplicationof technologyandencouragedinnovativedesignsofschoolmodelsthatconnecteachclassandsubjectmattertooneanother Also,aslearningbecomingmorestudent-centeredandfluid,someadministratorsandteachershavestartedtobelievethat schedulesshouldbemoreflexibletoallowopportunitiesforauthenticlearning.Tochangethetraditionalwayoflearning thattakesplaceinclassroomsisbecomingmoreagileandopentotryingnewapproaches.
Therehasbeenalong-termprominenceintheclassroomondeeperlearningapproachesthatdeliversrichcorecontentto
studentsininnovativeways,whichallowthemtolearnandthenapplywhattheyhavelearned.Problem-basedlearningand similarmethodsencouragemoreactivelearningexperiences.Astechnologiessuchassmartphonesandtabletsaremore willinglyacceptedinschools,educatorsareusingthesetoolstoconnectthesyllabuswiththereallifeapplications.Withthe advancedexamplesofthistrend,studentsareabletocreatesolutionstopresslocalandglobalproblemsandbegintoexecute themintheircommunities.
Collaborativelearning,whichreferstostudentsorteachersworkingtogetheringroupactivitiesorpeer-to-peer,isbasedon theviewwhichsayslearningisasocialconstruct.Itinvolvesactivitiesthatgenerallyfocusedonfourmainthings,puttingthe learneratthecenter,highlightinginteraction,workingingroups,anddevelopinganswerstorealworldproblems. Collaborativelearningmodelsaresuccessful,especiallyforshystudentsinimprovingengagementandachievement. Teachersalsogetbenefitsthroughpeergroupsastheyengageinprofessionaldevelopmentandteachingopportunities.An increasingfocusononlineglobalcollaborationaroundtheworldtosupportcurricularobjectivesandintercultural understandingisanaddeddimensiontothistrend.
Aswitchistakingplaceinschoolsallovertheworldasstudentsarelearningthesubjectmatterthroughtheactofcreation
ratherthantheconsumptionofcontent.Awidenumberdigitaltoolsareavailabletohelpthistransformation.Indeed,a wholenewlevelofcomfortisgrowingduetotheaccessibilityofmobiletechnologies.Manyeducatorsbelievethat sharpeningtheseskillsinstudentscanleadtoengaginglearningexperiencesinwhichstudentsbecometheauthoritieson subjectsthroughstorytelling,investigation,andproduction.Gamemakinganddevelopmentthatnurtureslearnersas inventorsandentrepreneursareothercomponentsofthistrend.Intellectualpropertyissueswillbecomeakeycomponentas learnerswillbeactiveproducersandpublishersoftheeducationalresources.
Blendinglearningmodelsaregivingfavorableexperiencetostudentsallovertheworld.Onlinelearninghasbeenthemost activemodelforstudentsinrecentyears.Hybridlearningwhichisacombinationofbestpracticesfromonlineandoffline learningisontherise.Wellfundedinstitutesaresolidifyingthistrendallovertheworld.Blendingandhybridmodel embracingschoolsarefindingonlinemethodisdifferentbutatthesametimecomplementaryfunctionstophysical institutions.Studentscanachievemasteryofcontentthattoowithonlinelearningwhendesignedandimplementedcorrectly. Ontheotherhand,teacherscanfocusonsmallgroupslessstrongstudentswhoneedsupport.Thistrendwillcontinueto growtowardsintegratedonlinelearningduetoprogressinadaptivelearning,learninganalyticsandcombinationofcutting edgedigitalplatforms.
ThemovementfromSTEMtoSTEAMlearninghasbeentakingrootoverthepastfewyearsandismovingforwardona st positivenotetotrulymeettheneedsofthe21 century.SeveralkeycomponentsweremissedinSTEMlearningformany educators,parents,andemployers.Thus,theneedforSTEAMlearninghasbeenessentialfortheeducation.STEAMisan educationalmethodthatmainlyusesScience,Technology,Engineering,Arts,andMathematicsasmainpointsforguiding studentdialogue,inquiry,andcriticalthinking.Theendresultslearnerswhotakethoughtfulrisks,persistinproblemsolving,workthroughthecreativeprocess,embracecollaboration,andengageinexperimentallearning.Theinnovators, leaders,andeducatorsareinthemakingthroughSTEAMlearning.
Educationisthekeytofuture,andmakingitadvancedwillonlyhelpmankindinreachingabrightertomorrow.
ThestoryoftheInternetstarted inthe1950swiththe developmentofelectronic computers.Thefirstmessagewassent overtheinternetfromcomputer scienceProfessorLeonardKleinroc’s laboratoryattheUniversityof California,LosAngeles(UCLA)tothe secondnetworknodeatStanford ResearchInstitute(SRI).
Vastresearchesandinventionsmade today’smostsophisticatedinternet platformthatweareusing.Withina fractionofasecond,wecaninter-act withanyonepresentinanypartofthe world.Thisopensthedoorforhighendcommunicationandeducation.
PriortotheInternetage,studentswrote withpenandpaper,senditbypost, waitedforweekstohearbackfrom theirfriendsaroundtheworld; Studentshavebeenconnectingwith penpalstolearnaboutothercountries andcultures;manyhaveeventraveled tomeetinpersonafterdecadesof correspondence;Studentsfullydepend onhardcopiesofthebookandtheir schoolteachers;unliketoday Today’s extremearchitectureofInternetnot onlyovercomesthecommunication
issuebutalsoopensthetremendous opportunityoflearningforthe students.
Onemightthinkthatfastandeasy communicationthroughtheInternet wouldhavemadepenpalexchanges evenmorepopular- butinfact,the oppositehashappened.Online communicationthroughletters,have fallenoutoffashionacrosstheUnited States.Why?Teachersnowface intensepressuretouseeveryminuteof classroomtimetopreparestudentsfor standardizedteststhathave implicationsfortheirschool’s reputationandfunding.This heightenedfocusontestingleaveslittle timeforactivitiessuchaspenpal exchangesthatdon’tfocusontheskills thatwillbetestedattheendofthe year
Thisdecreasedthepopularityofpen palscouldn’tcomeataworsetime. Duetotherapidlyexpandingnetwork ofculturalandeconomictiesbetween nations,studentsaregraduatingintoan increasinglyinternationalworkplace. Whetherstudentspursuecareersin technology,manufacturing, professionalservicesoralmostany
otherindustry,theywillbeworking side-by-sideandonlinewithcolleagues fromChina,India,Mexicoanddozens ofothercountries.Inanagewhen employersareincreasinglysettingtheir sightsoverseas,wecan’taffordforour schoolstoshutthemselvesofffromthe worldforthesakeofbetterscoresona test.
Whilestudentsinothercountriesmay notsufferfromthesamefocuson standardizedtesting,theyfaceanother challengethatisevenmoreurgent: learningEnglish.Forstudentsaround theworld,theabilitytounderstand, writeandspeakEnglishcanoften meanthedifferencebetweenalifeof povertyandanopportunitytobuilda career.Morethan80percentofthe informationstoredelectronically aroundtheworldisinEnglish. Schools,governments,businessesand nonprofitshaveinvestedheavilyin Englishinstruction,butdespitethese effortsmanyschoolsarestill challengedtofindqualifiedteachers. Eveninwealthierschools,many studentsstruggletolearnEnglish withoutevery-onehavingthe opportunitytointeractwithanative Englishspeaker.
Theremustbeliteracyandcultural awarenesswithinthelearningyouthof allaroundtheworld.Studentsfurther awareoftheissueslike,environmental sustainability,genderequality,human rightsandothersubjectsinadditionto worldreligions,internationaltradeand politics,literature,cooking,athletics andmanyothersubjects.Voluntarily teachersarealsoneededforschools andadultlearnerstoavoidthebarrier forthepoorwhocan’tpay,sothat everyoneshouldgeteducated.All learnersrequireacommononline platformthatconnectsthem,tolearn together,whichhelpstobuildthe foundationforamorepeacefuland collaborativeplanet,regardlessoftheir ageortopicofconversation.
Penpalsmayhavegoneoutofstylefor afewyears,butthat’squickly changingthankstorapidlyexpanding accesstotheinternetthroughoutthe developingworldandtheuniversal desiretoconnect,learn,andsharethe experience.
Joe Troyen has founded PenPal Schools, an organization that connects over 100,000 students from more than 170 countries to learn together. PenPal provides a common online platform for all learners from all around the world for overall improvement in all elds. Before starting PenPal Schools Joe worked for 5 years designing software for Education and other industries, taught English in Spain, and researched the effectiveness of afterschool programs in the Bronx. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Pomona College and is passionate about connecting learners and expanding educational opportunities around the world.
Thereappearstobearenewed commitmenttoopennessand integrationintheeducation technologyindustry,andthisis exciting.Educationissodiversethat onecompanycannotdoeverything alone.Asaresult,districtshavealways beenfacedwiththechallengeof implementinganoverwhelming numberofdiverse,leadingedge, solutionsandstrugglingwith integrationorchoosingonelarge companywhichoffered well-integrated,butinadequate solutions.Withtheemergenceof industryinitiatives,suchasOneRoster, districtscanbeinapositionto leveragethebesttoolsavailableina fashionwheretheyeasilywork together
SchoolSoftwareGrouphasalways beencommittedtoworkingwithother educationalproducts;however,thishas oftenbeenlimitedtocustomdata exportsandimports.Withthe emergenceoftheindustryinitiative, OneRoster,SchoolSoftwareGroupis committedtomovingtowardsan ecosystemoftoolsthatallowdistricts toeasilyintegrateandprosper.School SoftwareGroup’sgoalhasalwaysbeen topositiondistrictstoaccomplishkey, basic,functionsthatmosthave struggledtotrulyaccomplish.Their coreoffering,
BuildYourOwnCurriculum (BYOC), wascreatedasacollaborativeeffort workingdirectlywithdistrictsand teacherstoimplementthebasicvision ofacurriculum-driveneducational systemthatmostdistrictsand educationalleadershavelong expoundedon,butseldomrealized.
BYOCisfocusedonthebasictaskof educationalplanningandcoordination. Thisproductisutilizedbyteachersand schooladministratorstoplanand executedailyinstructionmore effectively.Studentsusetheirsystem toviewandsubmitclassroomwork andalsototakeonlineassessments.
SchoolSoftwareGrouphastwo co-founders,ChrisTrinaandJohn Pranica.Chrisisasoftwareengineer bytradehavingworkedforavarietyof largesoftwareorganizationsinhis30+ yearcareer.Duringhiscareer,Chris’ responsibilitieshavefocusedontools andpracticestopromotedeveloper productivityandconsistency,whichhe hasappliedtohowheworkswith educatorsanddistrictleadershipteams. “Our offerings for schools strongly reflect this ongoing pursuit of proactively driving consistency and efficiency,” saysChris.
Chris Trina Co-founderJohnisaCPAbytrade,havinghelda varietyofrolesfororganizations includingChiefFinancialOfficerand Presidentthroughoutis30+year career.Johnhasconsistentlyprovided SchoolSoftwareGroupwithastrong infrastructureandfinancialstability
Combined,ChrisandJohnhave createdasolidorganizationthat continuallyreinvestsinitsproducts. Theyhavetakenaconservative approachthathasledtocontrolledbut steadygrowthwhilemaintainingtheir commitmenttoprovidingschoolswith thebesttoolspossibleina cost-effectivefashion.Asatestament, BuildYourOwnCurriculumpricehas neverchangedsinceitsinitialrelease over12yearsago!
“The basic concept behind everything we do is that school districts need a consistent, documented plan of agreed upon, student-friendly goals and
pacing for each grade and subject area. This intentional plan can be evolved over time for continual, ongoing, student performance growth. Furthermore, that plan needs to be the basis for all activities across the district, including lesson planning, assessments, grading, and teacher observations. Please understand that the goal of this plan is not, in anyway, to lessen or stifle teacher innovation, but merely to focus and direct it onto a consistent set of shared goals and time constraints. One prominent educational author has stated that teacher creativity comes to the forefront when constraints regarding content and durations are applied,” saysChris.
“Honestly, our goal is to make the basic foundations of education work better. Without an effective, intentional plan, schools have little to no hope of ongoing success for their students.
Districts who continually apply the “latest and greatest” tools, regardless of their quality, are doomed to long-term failure without a plan that defines consistent goals and directions. Implementing tools without this underlying plan simply results in a continual cycle of successes and failures. Our goal is to provide that underlying plan, driving the selection and implementation of tools and professional development that support it,” saysChris.
oftheirclients.Feedbackand suggestionsfromtheseencounters driveeverythingtheydo.These schoolsandagenciesarethefrontline expertswhotrulyknowwhattoolsand servicestheyneedtosucceed.
SchoolSoftwareGroupistotallyclient driven.Theyconstantlyinterfacewith clientsduringcustomersupport engagements,trainingopportunities, andstate-specificuser’sgroups. Additionally,theypartnerwith educationalserviceagenciesacrossthe countrytobetterunderstandtheneeds
SchoolSoftwareGroupstrongly believesthatopennessisthekeytothe future.Productintegrationsaretoo time-consumingandoneprovider solutionsaretoolimiting.Fordistricts tothrive,educationtoolproviders,as anindustry,needtofulfillthepromise ofdeliveringeasilyintegrated,bestof breedsolutionstoeducators.
We are committed to moving towards an ecosystem oftools that allow districts to easily integrate and prosper
BigDataishavinganinfluenceeverywhereandeducationisnotanexemption.Bigdataisbecomingafruitfultool
intheeducationsystem.Inthelastdecade,learninghaschangeditsphasefromapassivetoanactiveexperience. Thetraditionaleducationsystemrequiresclassrooms,textbooks,referencebooks,teachers,andallinstitutional managementwhicharenowdrasticallychanging.Institutionsarenolongerrequiredtocontinueeducationina conventionalway.Fromhomeschoolingprogramsthathasbecomehighlyeffectivetotheonlinecolleges,totheefficient onlineeducationaltoolstoboostprofessionalcareer,theopportunitiestoexpandintelligenceoflearnerfromtheirdesk areabundant.
BigDataisMakingEducationMoreInteresting,AffordableandAvailable BigDataisassistingeducationalinstitutionsandcompaniestounderstandthingstheycouldnothavepreviously.For studentenrollments,BigDataandpredictiveanalyticshavetheabilitytoprepareanalyticaldatabaseswhichcancaterto collegeadministratorswithfast,actionableinformation.Thisinformationhelpsthemtotakesmartenrollmentdecisions andallocatebothstafftimeandfinancialresourcestoraiseenrollmentfromcurrentmarketswhileconstructingnewones. CompanieslikeedXareusingBigDatatodeterminewhatkindsofclassescanbeconductedonlineandwhicharebest suitedtoaclassroomculture.
Fromastudent’sviewpoint,BigDataandpredictiveanalyticscanassistthecandidatetoshortlistcollegesthatbestfitfor theirprofile.Theseconclusionsbasedonthousandsofdatapointsthatcanguidetheapplicantstowardsthosecolleges anduniversitieswhichwillbethebestmatchtotheirprofile.Collegestudentsareincreasinglyusingsocialmediato guideandinfluencetheircollegechoice.
Whileconsideringmoderndayeducationallearning,there’snodoubtthatstudentsarehavingmoreoptionsthanever before.Theycanlearnattheirconveniencefromhome,thecoffeeshop,ortheclassroomwiththeassistanceofBigData asatoolwhichismorepowerfulthanconventionallearning.
FutureTextbookswillbenotlikelytoanyonewhocarried aroundheavybackpacksintheirhighschoolsandcolleges. Thetransformationfromabackpackthat’s fullofbookstoaslimsmartphonehasbeen anongoingphenomenaforsometime,but thefuturetextbookswillbeincreasingly interactive,collaborative,andupdatedfor accuracyinreal-time.
GregFenton,CEOofRedshelf(the digitaltextbookcompany)says,“There isaplentyofinformationavailableon students’habitsofreadingandthe amountoftimetheyspendfor studying.Withonlinetextbooks, publishersandprofessorsnowhave accesstoinformationthatshows exactlyhow,when,howoftenand whythestudentsusetextbooks.”
Thisdata,assistspublisherswith insightsthatinformtheeditorial processandalsogivesteachers accesstoinformationthatcan helpthemtoimproveasthe instructionsbasedonstudent’s learninghabits.Withthedigital textbook,updatescanbe automatedinrealtime wheneverrequired,homework sectionsinthebookalsocanbegraded inrealtime,videofilesandaudiofilescanbe installed,andmuchmore.
TheIoTmarketiscontinuouslyexpanding,fromconsumer electronics,manufacturing,e-commerce,autonomous vehicles,dronesandeducation.IoTintegrationismuch beneficialforhighereducationbecauseitscloud capabilitiesreducehardwarecosts.Mostofthestudents haveInternet-connecteddeviceswhichcreateanacademic infrastructurethatisnolongerrestrictedbytraditional barriers,suchasgeographicallocation,language, specializedlearningneeds.Itmakesthecampuswithouta physicallibrary.Allbookscanbedigitizedandreadily availableforeverystudentatthesametime,independentof thenumberofcopiesofphysicalbooksunlikebefore.
Plentyofdataandanalyticstoolsavailabletogivean opportunitytocreateahighlevelofpersonalization.Every singlelearnerisn’tthesame,thusteacherscanbecome
muchmoreeffectivewhenequippedwiththetoolsto evaluatethestudent’sabilitiesandchallenges.Mostofthe studentsgetboredwhilestudyinginatextualformatso now,textbooksarenotonlycomingwithjustadigitalcopy, butalsotheyhaveweb-basedsitesthatinclude animations,videos,andsample quizzes.Digital textbookshave benefitedwithan activefeedback loopinwhich studentsand teacherscannote areasofconfusion alsotheycan highlightthetoolsthat arehelpful.Changes andimprovementmade inrealtimecanactually beprofitableforthe studentsandteachers immediately,insteadof semestersoryearslater unlikebefore.
Nowe-learningisnotonly limitedtoclassroomsfor studies,butitalsobenefitsto thecorporateworldforthe improv ementofemployeeskillswithin leasttimespan.Also, thee-learningisbecomingmore usefulforphysicallyhandicappedandillstudentswhocan’t attendclasses,ithelpsthemtoovercomethelossesthey sufferduetounavailabilityintheclassrooms.The conventionalclassroomsarealsobecominge-classrooms whichprovidee-learning,helpsstudentstoeasilygrasp knowledgeasitisavailableinpictorialforms.BigDatais fruitfuline-learningaslearningmaterialisanalyzedbased onusefulnessandacceptabilitytomakeitreadilyavailable forallatthesametime.
Generally,thegoalofanyinventionistomakethelifeof humanbeingeasyandcomfortable.TheBigDataalso alteredthewayoflearningbymakingiteasy,simpleand interesting.Thetraditionalclassroomenvironmentisno longernecessaryforlearning.Technologywillcontinuously makelearningeasyfortheconvenienceofstudents,no mattersomeonelikesitornot.
Todaywearesurroundedwithmanybuzzwords:AI,
VR,AR,Blockchain,Bitcoin,Machinelearning, etc.Thatmaybeverystressful,especiallyifyou leadacompanyandchoosewhichwaytoturnthewheel.
CEOsandtopmanagersareunderbigpressureandafraidto makemistakes. Nooneknowswhichisthebestdirection orwhetheryoushouldmakearaiseonaflopor3-betona turnhopingtocatchafull-house.
In“FromGoodtoGreat”JimCollinsstatesthat technologiescan’ttheonlykeytobuildaGreatcompany, sametimetechnologiesaccelerategrowthorfailure.
Here,atVironITwebelieve,thatcompaniesshouldfocus on3keypoints:
Ÿ Yourpassion.Whatyoureallytakecareof.
Ÿ Whatyoubelieveyoucanbethebestat.
Ÿ Theappropriatebusinessmodelyouliveon.
Manycompanies,whofailedhadmanyCEOswith “outstandinginnovationsprograms”whichwere inconsistentwiththepreviousstepsthecompanyhadmade. So,consistencyandperseveranceoftenwins(asChinese turture).Bytheway,mycollege-matewastryingtomakea passatthemostbeautifulgirlatourclassandgotmany denials,butintheend,after5yearsofattemptstheygot married.
Let’scomeclosertothepoint: Ifyoualreadyhaveaviableproductwhichbringsprofit, youshouldthinkwhichnewtechnologycanenrichyour softwareorbusinesstomake“learningcurve”higherfor yourcompetition.
Forinstance,ifyouhavesoftwarewhichteacheshowto drivetractorsorexcavators,youshoulddefinitelyapplyVR toyourexistentsoftware.
Ifyouareinthemiddleandwanttomakeapivot: I adviseyoutomakeanexperimentandallocatetheamount ofbudgetyoucanforasideresearch.Oneofthekey successofIsraelstartupsisthatthecountryinvestsheavily inR&D(4.25%ofGDP https://www.ft.com/content/546af0b2-ede5-11e6-930f061b01e23655?mhq5j=e3).
- Igetyourpoint,Idon’thavetherightpeopleon board.
Technicaltalentisabigissueeverywhere.AsCollinsaysin his“GoodtoGreat”,“acompanycangrowasfastasits abilitytohiretherightpeople”.
Whatdowehearaboutlookingfortechnicaltalent? Ÿ
HireagoodHRagency Ÿ Askamongfriends Ÿ DoLinkedINresearch Ÿ
TryoutsourcingtoIndia,getburnedandtrytooutsource EasternEurope
IwillshareourVironIT’ssecret(weneverpublishedit online)onhiringsavvytechnicaltalent.“Itisplainand evident,repeatableanywhereintheworld.”Wehire developers,whotookpartinprogrammingcontests: topcoder,internationalcompetitions,Olympiads,etc.
Asyoudon’tknowtheplotofyourtomorrow’sday,you don’tknowwhichtasksyouhavetocopewith.
Programmingcontestshavenon-trivialtaskstobesolved withinashortperiodoftime.Programmerswhoarethebest atsuchcompetitionscaneasilycrack95%ofother“realworld”programming.Theyareusuallysmarterthan averagedeveloper,usedtoworkunderstressfulconditions, fast-learnersandself-confident.
Forsuchdevelopers,eveniftheyarestillundergraduates, within1-2weeksofdivingintotechnologytheyoutperform thosewhohadbeenseveralyearsintheindustry.Ofc,if youwanttobuildanextMSQRD(theappcreatedat hackathonandsoldtoFacebookwithin3monthsafterits creation)thatapproachwon’twork.MSQRD’ssuccess storywasbasedon10yearsofexperienceofoneteam membersinfacialrecognition.
So,hiringsomeundergraduateswithappropriatemindsis: Ÿ faster Ÿ cheaper Ÿ doable
Weusedthatapproachseveraltimesandnevermissedthe target.
Ifyoujusthavearawuniqueidea: Whereshouldyou go?AI,VR,AR,Blockchain,Bitcoin,Machinelearning,or maybeIOT?AsJobssaid,“Dowhatyoulove”.AsCollins says:“Dowhatyouarepassionatewith”.Ithinkallthat buzzwillbringyourshiptosomeshore.Youhavetomake therightanswertoyourself:“Canyoubethebestat XXX”?whereXXXisnotonlytechnology,itismoreabout marketindustryorverticalmarket.
ThisyearIattendedNassimTaleb’sspeech, wherehesharedhisthoughtsonantifragile world.Ilikedthethought“makingabet onunknown”.Youneverknow100% percenttheshoreyourreachwiththatflow Makingabetonunknowncanbringyou eithertopositive“BlackSwan”oryou getnothing.Agoodtryisbetterthan regrettingpassingbyonadeathbed. Buthereisatrick.
Thestepyoutakeshouldbe consistentwiththe“core”ofyour business(unlessyouchoosetoopen anewbranch).Itisquiteeasyto losefocus.“Great”companiesalso had“non-todo”listsand “immediately-stop-doing”lists. Thatisveryimportanttosay “no”tomanygoodideasto chooseone“great”idea.
So,AI,VR,AR,Blockchain, Bitcoin,Machinelearning what’snextbigthing? IthinkthenextBigThingisthe rightcombinationofwell-known thingsintherightorder, implementedbyrightpeopleattheright timebackedbyrightinvestorsattheright market.
Author: Alexey Grakov Co-owner & Chief Marketing Ofcer VironIT
