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Improve Remote Learning With Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

The fall 2020 semester won’t be business as usual for many higher education students. While some schools — including the University of Notre Dame and Purdue University — recently announced plans to resume in-person classes, others are planning for continued online instruction. According to recent COVID-19 guidelines from Harvard University Medical School, for example, “fall 2020 courses will commence remotely for our entering classes of medical, dental and graduate students.” Meanwhile, the California State University System announced that its planned approach “will result in CSU courses primarily being delivered virtually for the Fall 2020 term, with limited exceptions for in-person teaching.”

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Education Technology

Purple Mash Games Design Competition - Winners

Article | July 20, 2022

We are delighted to announce the winners of the Purple Mash Games Design Competition. We received over 8,200 entries in total across all three categories and across the 2Simple team we ensured each and every single game was played. Huge congratulations to Lara from Queen’s Park Academy for her game ‘Pets in Peril’. Our judging panel commented.

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Education Technology

3 AI Trends to Watch in K–12 Educational Technology for 2022

Article | July 14, 2022

There’s no question the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to everyday life. But it has also spurred rapid growth in technologies that aim to make everyday life simpler, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Many industries have been fueling this growth, automating processes through AI (the use of computers and machines to mimic human problem-solving and decision-making abilities). K–12 education is no exception. As schools rushed to accommodate remote learning with little notice — and maintain a secure online network for students and staff — many incorporated elements of AI and ML. Between digital assistants, endpoint security, chatbots and more, AI is gaining a foothold in U.S. classrooms. Here are three trends to look for in 2022: AI in Digital Assistants Helps K–12 Teachers Manage Classrooms “Alexa, read us a story.” That’s one way teachers are using digital assistants, such as the popular Amazon Echo device — technology that many parents of home-bound students used last year to aid in their children’s educational routines — in the classroom. One school district in California has integrated this technology even further with the Symphony Classroom device from Merlyn Mind, described as the world’s first digital assistant for education. The device is powered by Edge AI, combining artificial intelligence with edge computing technology. It’s a way of getting technology to kids where they’re at and when they need it, says Brian Fish, an English teacher at Rancho Verde High School in California. “Nothing can replace a teacher. However, technology can expand teaching,” Fish says. Elsewhere in the Val Verde Unified School District, first grade teacher Jennifer Thornton says it comes in handy in her classroom because she’s never at her desk for very long. Through voice commands, Merlyn — the name given to the AI — can navigate tabs on Thornton’s computer and play or pause a YouTube video for a lesson, for example. “It’s helped a lot with the classroom management,” she says. Darren Crist, an elementary special education teacher in the district, also uses it for videos in his classroom. But Merlyn’s best feature, at least for Crist’s students, is its visual timer, which helps them with time management and more. Crist also assigns students to be in charge of Merlyn as a classroom job, which helps them develop life skills. “As a special ed teacher I’m focused a lot on, not just the normal standards of academics, but making sure that my kids are able to get some of that executive functioning they might be lacking,” he says. "Nothing can replace a teacher. However, technology can expand teaching.” - Brian Fish English teacher, Rancho Verde High School Next-Generation Cybersecurity Solutions Integrate AI Technology The use of AI and ML is also shaping cybersecurity and the IT industry. For example, these technologies “can offer IT security professionals a way to enforce good cybersecurity practices and shrink the attack surface instead of constantly chasing after malicious activity,” BizTech reports. So, what does that mean for schools? Between January and May 2020, as the pandemic took root, the use of remote management and collaboration apps increased by 87 percent and 141 percent, respectively, in K–12 schools, according to an Absolute Software survey of more than 10,000 school and district representatives. Despite the rise in online applications for teaching and learning, “educational institutions are spending more on endpoint security yet gaining less visibility and control. Forty-one percent of schools say tracking devices is one of their most significant challenges,” Forbes reported. That’s where technology such as next-generation endpoint security comes into play. “This advanced protection leverages artificial intelligence to recognize potentially dangerous threats — both known and unknown — in real time without the need for signatures, increasing speed-to-action via a proactive, streamlined security protocol,” according to a CDW•G white paper. Cybersecurity solutions powered by AI and ML are becoming more popular in school districts because they give time back to small IT teams and allow them to scale security with the introduction of large device fleets. Chatbots Rely on AI to Improve Communication and Tutoring AI-powered chatbots have been shown to improve classroom efficiency and help teachers communicate with parents. Since the onset of the pandemic, even more uses for chatbots have started to gain steam. With tutoring seen as a solution to helping students overcome the COVID-19 learning disruption, chatbots could help bridge the equity gap between students who can’t afford private, traditional tutors and those who can. “To me, AI is just a set of simple tools that we can use, in this case, to figure out some problems that teachers and kids are persistently having,” researcher Neil Heffernan, a computer science professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, says. “The real magic is giving human tutors and teachers a little bit of information on what’s going on so they can be more efficient.” Google released a suite of programs for higher education that include virtual assistants and, as of November, an AI tutor. The applications in this software suite, called Student Success Services, can be customized for use in K–12 classrooms.

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Education Technology, Continuing Education

3 Pillars of SEL that Every Educator Must Embody

Article | August 8, 2022

As a learning method, social and emotional learning (SEL) has solidified its importance in nurturing children to become thriving students. But SEL programs are not just a nice-to-have. They need to be implemented fully, and educators must understand their role and implement it to their full strength for it to be successful. Here are five best practices for educators when navigating an SEL program at their schools. Acknowledge the Significance of Educator SEL Often, educators and administrators are so occupied with achieving measurable metrics and tracking quantifiable KPIs that SEL programs seem redundant. Educators’ embodying SEL is just as essential to its success as implementing it for students. A research paper by Edward Fergus and Anne Gregory concluded that the educator’s social and emotional capabilities are just as critical to the success of SEL programs. Schools must outline ways to support teachers in order for SEl to be effective. Make SEL Meaningful for Educators Schools and districts don't have much free time, but implementing teacher-first SEL is not a privilege but a necessity, particularly after a challenging couple of years. Set time during meetings to discuss SEL, reflect, and connect with fellow teachers to imbibe SEL. Promote Introspection Education leaders should promote the embedding of SEL into teaching practices. Encourage asking questions such as, what teachers have learned in the past couple of years, how they have connected with students, and how to reimagine lesson plans in the light of SEL? To Conclude SEL should be embedded in the DNA of learning and education. The more connected educators are with the principles of SEL, the better they are able to impart it to students and stay prepared for disruption in learning methods.

Read More

Education Technology

Leveraging Cognitive Dissonance to Enhance Student Learning

Article | June 15, 2022

Perhaps you remember the story of William Miller, the Baptist preacher who predicted that Jesus Christ’s second coming would occur on Oct. 22, 1844. When the advent failed to occur as Miller foretold, many of his followers turned away from the Millerite church in disappointment and disillusionment. But some did not. In the face of Miller’s failed prophesies, true believers found ways to preserve their earlier beliefs. Loyalists reinterpreted Miller’s prophesies. Some insisted that Christ had returned to earth spiritually on Oct. 22, marking the beginning of a new age of atonement. Others claimed that the date witnessed the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, a precursor to Christ’s second coming. These ideas helped shape several religious sects, including the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Baháʼí faith. We’ve all heard variations of Thomas Huxley’s 1870 phrase “the great tragedy of Science—the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.” Facts may indeed be stubborn things, but prior beliefs and ideological commitments often trump facts.

Read More

Education Technology

6 Technology Trends That Redefine Data Analytics in Higher Ed

Article | July 20, 2022

We are delighted to announce the winners of the Purple Mash Games Design Competition. We received over 8,200 entries in total across all three categories and across the 2Simple team we ensured each and every single game was played. Huge congratulations to Lara from Queen’s Park Academy for her game ‘Pets in Peril’. Our judging panel commented.

Read More

Education Technology

3 Ways to Recession-Proof the Education Technology Department

Article | July 14, 2022

There’s no question the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to everyday life. But it has also spurred rapid growth in technologies that aim to make everyday life simpler, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Many industries have been fueling this growth, automating processes through AI (the use of computers and machines to mimic human problem-solving and decision-making abilities). K–12 education is no exception. As schools rushed to accommodate remote learning with little notice — and maintain a secure online network for students and staff — many incorporated elements of AI and ML. Between digital assistants, endpoint security, chatbots and more, AI is gaining a foothold in U.S. classrooms. Here are three trends to look for in 2022: AI in Digital Assistants Helps K–12 Teachers Manage Classrooms “Alexa, read us a story.” That’s one way teachers are using digital assistants, such as the popular Amazon Echo device — technology that many parents of home-bound students used last year to aid in their children’s educational routines — in the classroom. One school district in California has integrated this technology even further with the Symphony Classroom device from Merlyn Mind, described as the world’s first digital assistant for education. The device is powered by Edge AI, combining artificial intelligence with edge computing technology. It’s a way of getting technology to kids where they’re at and when they need it, says Brian Fish, an English teacher at Rancho Verde High School in California. “Nothing can replace a teacher. However, technology can expand teaching,” Fish says. Elsewhere in the Val Verde Unified School District, first grade teacher Jennifer Thornton says it comes in handy in her classroom because she’s never at her desk for very long. Through voice commands, Merlyn — the name given to the AI — can navigate tabs on Thornton’s computer and play or pause a YouTube video for a lesson, for example. “It’s helped a lot with the classroom management,” she says. Darren Crist, an elementary special education teacher in the district, also uses it for videos in his classroom. But Merlyn’s best feature, at least for Crist’s students, is its visual timer, which helps them with time management and more. Crist also assigns students to be in charge of Merlyn as a classroom job, which helps them develop life skills. “As a special ed teacher I’m focused a lot on, not just the normal standards of academics, but making sure that my kids are able to get some of that executive functioning they might be lacking,” he says. "Nothing can replace a teacher. However, technology can expand teaching.” - Brian Fish English teacher, Rancho Verde High School Next-Generation Cybersecurity Solutions Integrate AI Technology The use of AI and ML is also shaping cybersecurity and the IT industry. For example, these technologies “can offer IT security professionals a way to enforce good cybersecurity practices and shrink the attack surface instead of constantly chasing after malicious activity,” BizTech reports. So, what does that mean for schools? Between January and May 2020, as the pandemic took root, the use of remote management and collaboration apps increased by 87 percent and 141 percent, respectively, in K–12 schools, according to an Absolute Software survey of more than 10,000 school and district representatives. Despite the rise in online applications for teaching and learning, “educational institutions are spending more on endpoint security yet gaining less visibility and control. Forty-one percent of schools say tracking devices is one of their most significant challenges,” Forbes reported. That’s where technology such as next-generation endpoint security comes into play. “This advanced protection leverages artificial intelligence to recognize potentially dangerous threats — both known and unknown — in real time without the need for signatures, increasing speed-to-action via a proactive, streamlined security protocol,” according to a CDW•G white paper. Cybersecurity solutions powered by AI and ML are becoming more popular in school districts because they give time back to small IT teams and allow them to scale security with the introduction of large device fleets. Chatbots Rely on AI to Improve Communication and Tutoring AI-powered chatbots have been shown to improve classroom efficiency and help teachers communicate with parents. Since the onset of the pandemic, even more uses for chatbots have started to gain steam. With tutoring seen as a solution to helping students overcome the COVID-19 learning disruption, chatbots could help bridge the equity gap between students who can’t afford private, traditional tutors and those who can. “To me, AI is just a set of simple tools that we can use, in this case, to figure out some problems that teachers and kids are persistently having,” researcher Neil Heffernan, a computer science professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, says. “The real magic is giving human tutors and teachers a little bit of information on what’s going on so they can be more efficient.” Google released a suite of programs for higher education that include virtual assistants and, as of November, an AI tutor. The applications in this software suite, called Student Success Services, can be customized for use in K–12 classrooms.

Read More

Education Technology, Continuing Education

3 Ways K-12 Can Benefit from Classroom Management Software

Article | August 8, 2022

As a learning method, social and emotional learning (SEL) has solidified its importance in nurturing children to become thriving students. But SEL programs are not just a nice-to-have. They need to be implemented fully, and educators must understand their role and implement it to their full strength for it to be successful. Here are five best practices for educators when navigating an SEL program at their schools. Acknowledge the Significance of Educator SEL Often, educators and administrators are so occupied with achieving measurable metrics and tracking quantifiable KPIs that SEL programs seem redundant. Educators’ embodying SEL is just as essential to its success as implementing it for students. A research paper by Edward Fergus and Anne Gregory concluded that the educator’s social and emotional capabilities are just as critical to the success of SEL programs. Schools must outline ways to support teachers in order for SEl to be effective. Make SEL Meaningful for Educators Schools and districts don't have much free time, but implementing teacher-first SEL is not a privilege but a necessity, particularly after a challenging couple of years. Set time during meetings to discuss SEL, reflect, and connect with fellow teachers to imbibe SEL. Promote Introspection Education leaders should promote the embedding of SEL into teaching practices. Encourage asking questions such as, what teachers have learned in the past couple of years, how they have connected with students, and how to reimagine lesson plans in the light of SEL? To Conclude SEL should be embedded in the DNA of learning and education. The more connected educators are with the principles of SEL, the better they are able to impart it to students and stay prepared for disruption in learning methods.

Read More

Education Technology

Leveraging Cognitive Dissonance to Enhance Student Learning

Article | June 15, 2022

Perhaps you remember the story of William Miller, the Baptist preacher who predicted that Jesus Christ’s second coming would occur on Oct. 22, 1844. When the advent failed to occur as Miller foretold, many of his followers turned away from the Millerite church in disappointment and disillusionment. But some did not. In the face of Miller’s failed prophesies, true believers found ways to preserve their earlier beliefs. Loyalists reinterpreted Miller’s prophesies. Some insisted that Christ had returned to earth spiritually on Oct. 22, marking the beginning of a new age of atonement. Others claimed that the date witnessed the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, a precursor to Christ’s second coming. These ideas helped shape several religious sects, including the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Baháʼí faith. We’ve all heard variations of Thomas Huxley’s 1870 phrase “the great tragedy of Science—the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.” Facts may indeed be stubborn things, but prior beliefs and ideological commitments often trump facts.

Read More

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Spotlight

IELTS USA

IELTS is jointly owned by a global partnership of education and language experts – British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.

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Education Technology

Lakeshore IT and Splashtop Partner to Bring Secure Remote Ed Tech Solutions to IT Teams Supporting K-12 Schools

Splashtop Inc. | January 18, 2022

Lakeshore IT Solutions, a consultative IT reseller serving K-12 schools, and Splashtop, a leader in secure remote access and support software, today announced a partnership. Together, they will provide high-performance technology solutions to strategic educational institutions that are investing in the future of classrooms. Splashtop’s secure cloud and on-premise solutions enable school districts to shift effortlessly in and out of remote learning modes without overwhelming IT operations. IT teams can manage remote access to virtual machines and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) seamlessly from the same application. Faculty can securely access school computers from a range of devices and operating systems. When support is required, help desk teams can swiftly troubleshoot on-demand from anywhere, allowing schools to adapt and acclimate to change without disrupting classrooms. "We are proud to partner with Splashtop and to recommend their high-performance education technology for IT help desk support, work from home enablement, and classroom cloud,” said Rian Yablun, President at Lakeshore IT Solutions. “Their solutions are a great fit for a majority of our K-12 clients, and the feedback we have received is outstanding.” Splashtop for Education enhances learning by providing an in-person experience that helps students reach their full potential, whether in-classroom or accessing the resources they need after hours. Students can use lab computers and licensed software from Adobe, Autodesk or other providers from their laptops, iPads, Chromebooks or additional devices, even after lab hours. IT teams can easily schedule remote lab access sessions for students to optimize the use of lab computers and expensive software licenses, as well as provide support to teachers and students who may not be off-site at other locations. Teachers and students can use Splashtop Mirroring360 to create interactive classroom experiences by allowing them to mirror content, ideas and apps on their personal device to share with the whole class. This collaboration tool operates seamlessly with tablets, smartphones, computers, and Chromebooks to create a productive learning environment where teachers can move freely through their classrooms and effectively engage with their students. “As the world normalizes flexible workplaces, schools need technology that enhances productivity, enables work from home, and makes lives of students, faculty and IT professionals easier. Splashtop offers classroom collaboration tools and remote access solutions that are user-friendly for technical and nontechnical audiences. They are easy to implement, easy to support and safeguard against vulnerabilities commonly exploited by cybercriminals.” Justin Windsor, Splashtop’s Channel Chief for the Americas ABOUT LAKESHORE IT SOLUTIONS Lakeshore IT is a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) based in Spring Grove, Illinois that specializes in providing consultative IT services and support to the K-12 educational. Lakeshore IT was founded in 2016 by Rian Yablun after more than 15 years in the IT industry, with the goal of providing IT solutions to clients with the exceptional service and support they deserve. Lakeshore IT strives to be a one stop shop for all customers whether it be for products or services. ABOUT SPLASHTOP Splashtop delivers secure remote access and remote IT support software for enterprises, education, government, SMBs, MSPs, IT departments, and individuals. It’s cloud-based, secure, and easily managed remote solutions are used by more than 30 million customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500, and have earned a 93 Net Promoter Score (NPS).

Education Technology

WeVideo Releases Wevideo Classroom for Educational Multimedia Creation

WeVideo | January 17, 2022

WeVideo today launched WeVideo Classroom, a cloud-based multimedia creation platform customized for educators to help drive student engagement and ignite deeper learning through the creative process. Developed in response to evolving education demands during an unprecedented year, WeVideo Classroom makes it easy for teachers to incorporate multimedia creation into more enriching daily lessons, further helping students to think critically, collaborate, and gain a deeper understanding of knowledge. “Education has been extremely challenging for students and teachers as they’ve navigated remote, in-person, and hybrid learning environments. With this in mind, we developed WeVideo Classroom to make multimedia creation accessible to all students, while also better serving the everyday needs of schools. Simultaneously, the enhanced platform frees educators to focus on lesson planning and instruction, rather than tool management.” Krishna Menon, CEO, WeVideo Tailored specifically for the unique needs of education environments, WeVideo Classroom features intuitive organizational tools that allow teachers to easily create and assign multimedia projects, set up collaborative student groups, monitor progress, and share feedback. Whether educators are experienced WeVideo users or have no prior video knowledge, getting started with WeVideo Classroom is simple and takes only a few minutes to set up projects. Appropriate for students of all grade levels, WeVideo Classroom offers a simplified, real-time, collaborative video editor; a drag-and-drop timeline; and streamlined multimedia tools that empower students to flex creative muscles and demonstrate their understanding of concepts. As educators have been forced to pivot and prioritize more flexible learning environments, WeVideo also introduced a new WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder tool for everyday instructional needs. Built directly into the Chrome browser for easy use and accessibility, the Quick Recorder makes creating instructional videos a two-click task. Ideal for remote or hybrid learning environments, the tool allows teachers to record their screens for dynamic video lessons that can be shared as-is or plugged into WeVideo templates for an instantly polished and engaging classroom resource. “One of the most important things in the field of education today is giving students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge through creation, which offers students the ability to showcase their creativity and leverage their voices. However, the challenges of today’s classroom have made it difficult for teachers to provide opportunities for students to create, and most multimedia tools aren’t designed for education environments. WeVideo has responded to these challenges with a straightforward and simple-to-use platform tailored for students and learning that will ultimately lead to more positive classroom experiences, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching, students to spend more time creating, and both spending less time managing the platform,” said Andrew Fekete, Instructional Technology Specialist. “WeVideo has done it again! They have pioneered new ways to make learning and teaching more engaging, and I love using WeVideo Classroom to make video creation simple for students and easy for teachers to assign projects and guide their students through the process. It’s an essential tool for all educators!” said Rhonda Jenkins, LMC Director, Kendall Elementary School. WeVideo Classroom is available now across all platforms and devices, including Mac, PC, Google Chromebook, iOS, and Android, and educators can access the WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder as a free Chrome plugin. About WeVideo WeVideo is a powerful, easy to use, cloud-based collaborative video creation platform. With over 38 million accounts created to date, WeVideo is the first choice of businesses, consumers, educators and students, as well as being the video backbone for many third-party media solutions. WeVideo can be accessed from any computer or device: at school, home, work or on the go. Users can easily capture, edit, view and share videos for personal, social media, business or learning purposes with secure storage of their content in the cloud.

Education Technology

Verizon Explores the 5G Future of Learning at Arizona State University 5G Innovation Hub

Verizon | January 14, 2022

Verizon and Arizona State University are exploring how 5G can enable immersive educational experiences and transform the future of learning. To do this, Verizon has launched a 5G Innovation Hub at the University's Learning Futures Collaboratory, Studios and Emporium. Students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners can now work together at the Hub to test and create 5G-powered educational experiences that are more inclusive, equitable and accessible. Digital equity is on the national agenda as leaders aim to address the digital divide, deepened during the pandemic. And in Arizona where as many as one million residents, including more than 200,000 students, do not have regular access to the internet, ASU has been instrumental in leading a series of initiatives aimed at surfacing solutions to help further close the digital divide. The first program to launch out of the 5G Innovation Hub at ASU will be “The Digital Equity Jam” sponsored by Verizon, AWS and Inseego. This program kicks off in early February 2022. Competing teams will develop use cases showcasing how Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute can be used to help bridge the digital divide. Focus areas will include health, climate, poverty, human rights and education. The winning team will receive project seed funding, access to intensive summer entrepreneurship training in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and VentureWell, and the opportunity to pitch their venture to CGI in fall 2022. “Working with ASU, we have an extraordinary opportunity to research and develop new 5G-enabled experiences that can improve remote learning and help bridge the digital divide. Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband’s super-fast speeds, high bandwidth and low latency can enhance applications ranging from immersive education to connected communities. By collaborating with ASU’s researchers, we hope to accelerate the innovation process and develop technology that will harness the full potential of 5G and edge compute.” Tami Erwin, Verizon Business CEO “We are in the most transformative technological moment since the early stages of the industrial revolution. And even with the social, political, and economic impacts that we are still learning to navigate as a society, there have been incredibly meaningful results from this use of technology,” said ASU President Michael Crow this morning during a keynote with Erwin at the Smart Region Summit. “Who gets educated is no longer socially stratified, we are able to unleash human creativity in ways not possible before…and so what these technologies that leverage broadband at the fastest speeds and most advanced level imaginable allow us to create is an environment in which the person, the learner, becomes emotionally connected in the story around the learning process itself. At ASU, we’ve become, with this next phase of our partnership with Verizon, the furthest at the tip of the spear to be empowered with technology and continue to improve the ways in which we learn, work and live.” Additionally, ASU plans to continue testing and deploying a variety of immersive educational experiences, powered by Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute. Students will be able to enter a Dreamscape pod where they can experience a Biology class in virtual reality (VR). Remote students will have access to a VR and web browser version. 5G use cases being explored will also include a career arcade using VR, where students can experience a day in the life of certain careers. 5G applications are also being tested for athlete performance analytics applications and virtual fighter pilot training. This engagement is part of Verizon’s broader strategy to partner with enterprises, startups, universities, national labs and government/military to explore how 5G can disrupt and transform nearly every industry. Verizon operates five 5G Labs in the U.S. and one in London that specialize in developing use cases in industries ranging from healthcare to public safety to entertainment. In addition, Verizon is collaborating with several customers to establish 5G Innovation Hubs on-premises as part of an ongoing initiative to co-innovate and create new 5G applications. Verizon's long-standing relationship with ASU includes collaboration and support for Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon's award-winning education initiative addressing barriers to digital inclusion and a key program under Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. The initiative includes bringing 5G to schools, enabling more robust, immersive learning experiences via technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality. Students leverage technology, social innovation and design thinking through a project-based online curriculum, developed by the J.Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU, to positively impact their communities. Verizon's partnership with ASU also extends to Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free next-gen online education portal that includes content curated by ASU, among other academic institutions, that provides immersive AR and VR experiences paired with lesson plans. Through Citizen Verizon, the company is committed to providing 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030, among other goals. About Verizon: Verizon Communications Inc. was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

Education Technology

Lakeshore IT and Splashtop Partner to Bring Secure Remote Ed Tech Solutions to IT Teams Supporting K-12 Schools

Splashtop Inc. | January 18, 2022

Lakeshore IT Solutions, a consultative IT reseller serving K-12 schools, and Splashtop, a leader in secure remote access and support software, today announced a partnership. Together, they will provide high-performance technology solutions to strategic educational institutions that are investing in the future of classrooms. Splashtop’s secure cloud and on-premise solutions enable school districts to shift effortlessly in and out of remote learning modes without overwhelming IT operations. IT teams can manage remote access to virtual machines and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) seamlessly from the same application. Faculty can securely access school computers from a range of devices and operating systems. When support is required, help desk teams can swiftly troubleshoot on-demand from anywhere, allowing schools to adapt and acclimate to change without disrupting classrooms. "We are proud to partner with Splashtop and to recommend their high-performance education technology for IT help desk support, work from home enablement, and classroom cloud,” said Rian Yablun, President at Lakeshore IT Solutions. “Their solutions are a great fit for a majority of our K-12 clients, and the feedback we have received is outstanding.” Splashtop for Education enhances learning by providing an in-person experience that helps students reach their full potential, whether in-classroom or accessing the resources they need after hours. Students can use lab computers and licensed software from Adobe, Autodesk or other providers from their laptops, iPads, Chromebooks or additional devices, even after lab hours. IT teams can easily schedule remote lab access sessions for students to optimize the use of lab computers and expensive software licenses, as well as provide support to teachers and students who may not be off-site at other locations. Teachers and students can use Splashtop Mirroring360 to create interactive classroom experiences by allowing them to mirror content, ideas and apps on their personal device to share with the whole class. This collaboration tool operates seamlessly with tablets, smartphones, computers, and Chromebooks to create a productive learning environment where teachers can move freely through their classrooms and effectively engage with their students. “As the world normalizes flexible workplaces, schools need technology that enhances productivity, enables work from home, and makes lives of students, faculty and IT professionals easier. Splashtop offers classroom collaboration tools and remote access solutions that are user-friendly for technical and nontechnical audiences. They are easy to implement, easy to support and safeguard against vulnerabilities commonly exploited by cybercriminals.” Justin Windsor, Splashtop’s Channel Chief for the Americas ABOUT LAKESHORE IT SOLUTIONS Lakeshore IT is a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) based in Spring Grove, Illinois that specializes in providing consultative IT services and support to the K-12 educational. Lakeshore IT was founded in 2016 by Rian Yablun after more than 15 years in the IT industry, with the goal of providing IT solutions to clients with the exceptional service and support they deserve. Lakeshore IT strives to be a one stop shop for all customers whether it be for products or services. ABOUT SPLASHTOP Splashtop delivers secure remote access and remote IT support software for enterprises, education, government, SMBs, MSPs, IT departments, and individuals. It’s cloud-based, secure, and easily managed remote solutions are used by more than 30 million customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500, and have earned a 93 Net Promoter Score (NPS).

Education Technology

WeVideo Releases Wevideo Classroom for Educational Multimedia Creation

WeVideo | January 17, 2022

WeVideo today launched WeVideo Classroom, a cloud-based multimedia creation platform customized for educators to help drive student engagement and ignite deeper learning through the creative process. Developed in response to evolving education demands during an unprecedented year, WeVideo Classroom makes it easy for teachers to incorporate multimedia creation into more enriching daily lessons, further helping students to think critically, collaborate, and gain a deeper understanding of knowledge. “Education has been extremely challenging for students and teachers as they’ve navigated remote, in-person, and hybrid learning environments. With this in mind, we developed WeVideo Classroom to make multimedia creation accessible to all students, while also better serving the everyday needs of schools. Simultaneously, the enhanced platform frees educators to focus on lesson planning and instruction, rather than tool management.” Krishna Menon, CEO, WeVideo Tailored specifically for the unique needs of education environments, WeVideo Classroom features intuitive organizational tools that allow teachers to easily create and assign multimedia projects, set up collaborative student groups, monitor progress, and share feedback. Whether educators are experienced WeVideo users or have no prior video knowledge, getting started with WeVideo Classroom is simple and takes only a few minutes to set up projects. Appropriate for students of all grade levels, WeVideo Classroom offers a simplified, real-time, collaborative video editor; a drag-and-drop timeline; and streamlined multimedia tools that empower students to flex creative muscles and demonstrate their understanding of concepts. As educators have been forced to pivot and prioritize more flexible learning environments, WeVideo also introduced a new WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder tool for everyday instructional needs. Built directly into the Chrome browser for easy use and accessibility, the Quick Recorder makes creating instructional videos a two-click task. Ideal for remote or hybrid learning environments, the tool allows teachers to record their screens for dynamic video lessons that can be shared as-is or plugged into WeVideo templates for an instantly polished and engaging classroom resource. “One of the most important things in the field of education today is giving students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge through creation, which offers students the ability to showcase their creativity and leverage their voices. However, the challenges of today’s classroom have made it difficult for teachers to provide opportunities for students to create, and most multimedia tools aren’t designed for education environments. WeVideo has responded to these challenges with a straightforward and simple-to-use platform tailored for students and learning that will ultimately lead to more positive classroom experiences, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching, students to spend more time creating, and both spending less time managing the platform,” said Andrew Fekete, Instructional Technology Specialist. “WeVideo has done it again! They have pioneered new ways to make learning and teaching more engaging, and I love using WeVideo Classroom to make video creation simple for students and easy for teachers to assign projects and guide their students through the process. It’s an essential tool for all educators!” said Rhonda Jenkins, LMC Director, Kendall Elementary School. WeVideo Classroom is available now across all platforms and devices, including Mac, PC, Google Chromebook, iOS, and Android, and educators can access the WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder as a free Chrome plugin. About WeVideo WeVideo is a powerful, easy to use, cloud-based collaborative video creation platform. With over 38 million accounts created to date, WeVideo is the first choice of businesses, consumers, educators and students, as well as being the video backbone for many third-party media solutions. WeVideo can be accessed from any computer or device: at school, home, work or on the go. Users can easily capture, edit, view and share videos for personal, social media, business or learning purposes with secure storage of their content in the cloud.

Education Technology

Verizon Explores the 5G Future of Learning at Arizona State University 5G Innovation Hub

Verizon | January 14, 2022

Verizon and Arizona State University are exploring how 5G can enable immersive educational experiences and transform the future of learning. To do this, Verizon has launched a 5G Innovation Hub at the University's Learning Futures Collaboratory, Studios and Emporium. Students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners can now work together at the Hub to test and create 5G-powered educational experiences that are more inclusive, equitable and accessible. Digital equity is on the national agenda as leaders aim to address the digital divide, deepened during the pandemic. And in Arizona where as many as one million residents, including more than 200,000 students, do not have regular access to the internet, ASU has been instrumental in leading a series of initiatives aimed at surfacing solutions to help further close the digital divide. The first program to launch out of the 5G Innovation Hub at ASU will be “The Digital Equity Jam” sponsored by Verizon, AWS and Inseego. This program kicks off in early February 2022. Competing teams will develop use cases showcasing how Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute can be used to help bridge the digital divide. Focus areas will include health, climate, poverty, human rights and education. The winning team will receive project seed funding, access to intensive summer entrepreneurship training in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and VentureWell, and the opportunity to pitch their venture to CGI in fall 2022. “Working with ASU, we have an extraordinary opportunity to research and develop new 5G-enabled experiences that can improve remote learning and help bridge the digital divide. Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband’s super-fast speeds, high bandwidth and low latency can enhance applications ranging from immersive education to connected communities. By collaborating with ASU’s researchers, we hope to accelerate the innovation process and develop technology that will harness the full potential of 5G and edge compute.” Tami Erwin, Verizon Business CEO “We are in the most transformative technological moment since the early stages of the industrial revolution. And even with the social, political, and economic impacts that we are still learning to navigate as a society, there have been incredibly meaningful results from this use of technology,” said ASU President Michael Crow this morning during a keynote with Erwin at the Smart Region Summit. “Who gets educated is no longer socially stratified, we are able to unleash human creativity in ways not possible before…and so what these technologies that leverage broadband at the fastest speeds and most advanced level imaginable allow us to create is an environment in which the person, the learner, becomes emotionally connected in the story around the learning process itself. At ASU, we’ve become, with this next phase of our partnership with Verizon, the furthest at the tip of the spear to be empowered with technology and continue to improve the ways in which we learn, work and live.” Additionally, ASU plans to continue testing and deploying a variety of immersive educational experiences, powered by Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute. Students will be able to enter a Dreamscape pod where they can experience a Biology class in virtual reality (VR). Remote students will have access to a VR and web browser version. 5G use cases being explored will also include a career arcade using VR, where students can experience a day in the life of certain careers. 5G applications are also being tested for athlete performance analytics applications and virtual fighter pilot training. This engagement is part of Verizon’s broader strategy to partner with enterprises, startups, universities, national labs and government/military to explore how 5G can disrupt and transform nearly every industry. Verizon operates five 5G Labs in the U.S. and one in London that specialize in developing use cases in industries ranging from healthcare to public safety to entertainment. In addition, Verizon is collaborating with several customers to establish 5G Innovation Hubs on-premises as part of an ongoing initiative to co-innovate and create new 5G applications. Verizon's long-standing relationship with ASU includes collaboration and support for Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon's award-winning education initiative addressing barriers to digital inclusion and a key program under Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. The initiative includes bringing 5G to schools, enabling more robust, immersive learning experiences via technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality. Students leverage technology, social innovation and design thinking through a project-based online curriculum, developed by the J.Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU, to positively impact their communities. Verizon's partnership with ASU also extends to Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free next-gen online education portal that includes content curated by ASU, among other academic institutions, that provides immersive AR and VR experiences paired with lesson plans. Through Citizen Verizon, the company is committed to providing 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030, among other goals. About Verizon: Verizon Communications Inc. was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

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