Digital Transformation

An updated report from the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology found schools are improving their support for virtual learning, but cybersecurity remains a looming concern as schools embrace ed tech.

The New Hampshire-based nonprofit Future in Sight has partnered with the University of Massachusetts Boston to recruit more teachers who can work with reading devices and other needs of visually impaired students.

Klassly, a social media platform that facilitates communication between parents and teachers, nearly tripled its worldwide users in 2020. Now developers are working to attract more clients in the U.S and Canada.

COVID-19 intensified existing trends in the ed tech market, specifically an increase in investment. Some experts say the pandemic was only a part of the cause, and the trend is likely to continue after it’s over.

Of the 14 school districts that responded to the Wisconsin State Journal’s request for information, all but one had data that reflected a rise in failing grades, while trends in absenteeism was mixed or uncertain.

A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will fund technology upgrades at 42 locations, including 26 web conference-enabled classrooms, and help expand healthcare and education in rural areas.

School districts across the country expect the demand for online learning options to remain above pre-pandemic levels. Some are launching new virtual schools or preparing to accommodate future enrollment.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture collaborated with the Indiana State Fairgrounds on an educational mobile app that uses augmented reality to teach kids about crops, dairy and forest management.

A school counselor and social worker at William H. Owen Elementary School in North Carolina have set up virtual “lunch bunch” meetings with students to help them retain some interaction and normalcy through COVID-19.

The global data management company is investing in purpose-built software for higher education after seeing revenue growth in 2020, as well as a rise in demand for advanced digital education tools.

Textbook costs have been prohibitively expensive for some college students, and a growing movement on California campuses is trying to address the problem with grant programs and free online materials.

Career training courses that typically involve hands-on experience in professional environments have had to adapt with masks, distancing, virtual instruction and other COVID-related precautions.

The novelty of remote instruction has long since worn off, but school administrators in New Hampshire say online worksheets, recorded lectures and live video feeds will play a role in school going forward.

A SaaS platform that hosts thousands of digital K-12 coursework materials pulled in its best-ever fundraising haul in February, while some say remote instruction is heralding the end of the era of textbooks.

President Joe Biden signed a stimulus bill on Thursday that includes funding to expand Internet connectivity for underserved students during the COVID-19 pandemic, which ed tech advocates hail as a major step forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced students to adapt to new classroom technologies and learning platforms, but educators are skeptical the experience will translate to job skills later in life.

Some schools are offering hotlines and virtual options for teacher mental health services, but it hasn’t always been enough for those feeling stressed and hopeless in the face of hardship and wavering public support.

This week the university system launched Missouri Online, representing a $20-million investment to support system-wide infrastructure and make more than 260 programs from four campuses available online.