Continuing Education
PRnewswire | August 07, 2023
Spark Education Group, ("Spark" or "the Company"), one of the world's largest providers of small-group online classes for K-12 education, is announcing a brand upgrade from "VISPARK" to "Spark Education". As Spark Education, the company will expand upon its flagship Spark Math program, offer additional subjects, and introduce its interactive experience in offline learning centers around the world. This transformative shift reflects the edtech's commitment to continuously improving learning experiences for students and educational outcomes, all while ensuring a fun and stimulating learning environment.
Spark Education unveils brand upgrade with enhanced experiences
• Spark Math: Complete learning system from foundations to competition math
To better serve students at all levels, Spark is introducing additional features (such as daily practice, knowledge mapping, and other assessments.) Additional program options are being introduced to support students with diverse learning needs, from those looking to build a strong foundation to those looking to excel in top-tier math competitions.
• Learning Centers: New locations in Singapore and San Francisco
At many parents' requests, Spark is expanding its award-winning interactive learning experience to offline learning centers, introducing interactive components and hands-on learning elements in small-group classes. Look for us in Singapore at i12 Katong, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Vancouver Canada
• Expanded Offerings: Same great interactive learning experience, more subjects
Spark has continued to invest extensively in research and development. In the coming months, it will continue to unveil new subjects with the brand upgrade including Spark Chinese, Spark Chess, and Spark Coding (coming soon).
"This is an extensive brand upgrade that we hope will help parents and students around the world better connect with us," Tina Chen, VP of Brand at Spark commented.
"The brand upgrade to Spark Education clearly articulates our focus on education, and the essence of 'Spark.' We aspire for all students to be able to find their inner calling and discover meaning in their lives. 'Spark' also signifies the enlightening of others. Our mission is to Spark passion for learning and ignite lifelong growth. With Spark Education, we hope to bring this to life in a fun and stimulating way for students around the world, both online and offline."
About Spark Education Group
Founded in 2017, Spark Education Group is headquartered in Singapore. Its portfolio of education brands combines research-based pedagogy with technology to improve the learning experience and educational outcomes for students around the world. It was recently accredited by STEM.org, awarded "Best Interactive Learning Experience" at EdTech Asia Summit, and recognized as a Parent and Teacher Choice Award Gold Medal Recipient.
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Corporate Learning Systems
PRnewswire | August 22, 2023
Today Code.org, ETS, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and Khan Academy formally announce the launch of "AI 101 for Teachers," a free professional learning course designed to level the playing field of artificial intelligence (AI) understanding among K-12 teachers as they head back to the classroom this fall.
According to a recent survey, artificial Intelligence is poised to play a growing role in education, but the vast majority of teachers are not prepared and lack training on how to leverage this new technology in their classrooms. 75% of surveyed teachers believe AI should be taught to students, however, only 13% have had any training on how to teach AI to their students. AI 101 for Teachers will address this critical global need.
The five-part video series will kick off on August 15, 2023, with a fireside chat between Hadi Partovi, Founder and CEO of Code.org, and Sal Khan, Founder and CEO of Khan Academy. Their discussion covers a wide range of AI-related issues facing K-12 teachers today. The series continues with three additional professional development videos covering the fundamentals of AI, how AI can be combined with pedagogy to enhance student learning, and the ethical considerations and best practices of AI. The fifth and final session covers how to access and leverage free and customizable AI curriculum, content, and lesson plans which are available for use this fall within the classroom.
In addition, today, this partnership is launching resources to ensure that students and adults around the world can understand and leverage the power of AI in an effective and responsible way. Our two new "How AI Works" videos along with accompanying lessons and curricula mean that classrooms can not only use AI but also understand how it works.
"AI 101 for Teachers addresses the pressing need to expand awareness and understanding of generative AI," said Hadi Partovi, Founder and CEO of Code.org. "The release of ChatGPT has forever changed the educational landscape and will bring computer science into every classroom. Launching this free training underscores the importance of preparing teachers and students for the realities of a technology-driven society. As part of our mission to make computer science available to all K-12 students, we believe it's paramount to support and train teachers with the latest technology advancements."
"AI creates opportunities for personalized learning and dynamic assessments, and enables teachers to deliver targeted instruction," said Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS. "AI 101 will support teachers by providing free lessons so they can confidently harness the power of AI in their classrooms."
"This effort expands our commitment to empowering educators with the right information, enabling them to nurture students with the essential skills and strategic thinking necessary to navigate and thrive in an AI-infused world," said Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE and ASCD.
"As part of our mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere, we believe it's important to provide professional learning opportunities for K-12 teachers," said Sal Khan, Founder and CEO of Khan Academy. "AI is the biggest disrupter facing education today. The AI 101 for Teachers series provides an easily digestible introduction to AI and sets the stage for continued professional development."
"Artificial Intelligence has the ability to transform public education into an equitable and efficient power for good and accelerate every student toward success," Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. "These engaging and informative educational resources will enable students to fully realize their potential. We believe AI will streamline and complement the educational environment but could never substitute the human touch and talent our teachers bring to the classroom every day."
About Code.org
Code.org is a non-profit dedicated to expanding participation in computer science.Our vision is that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn how to code. We believe computer science and computer programming should be part of the core curriculum in education, alongside other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, such as biology, physics, chemistry and algebra.
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Corporate Learning Systems
PR Newswire | September 21, 2023
D2L, a global learning technology company, today announced the formal launch of D2L for Business – a corporate learning solution designed to maximize return on investment (ROI) in learning and help empower employers to attract, retain, onboard, and upskill their workforce.
D2L for Business combines the benefits of an existing network of world-class education providers, skill development solutions, and expert consulting services along with D2L's world class Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and authoring tools, creating one integrated, easy-to-use corporate solution.
The 2023 World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report predicts that 44% of workers' skills will be disrupted in the following five years – rising significantly from 35% in 2016. And, according to D2L's 2023 White Paper, 80% of U.S. adults expressed some interest in pursuing additional skills training over the next 12 months.
"With recent rapid advancements in AI, the changing nature of jobs, and skills shortages, it's essential for employees to continue to upgrade their skillsets – and for businesses to offer the right learning to remain competitive in the talent market," said John Baker, CEO of D2L. "For over two decades, we've helped hundreds of organizations drive their business forward with the right learning for the skills they need. D2L for Business will help take our customers to the next level with a simple, seamless, and personalized mix of technology and services to help fuel a skilled workforce prepared to take on the future."
D2L for Business helps employers maximize organization-wide learning ROI and their workforce's satisfaction, retention, and internal mobility through:
Skills Mapping and Pathways: D2L for Business uses AI-driven algorithms and industry experts to help develop a comprehensive skills audit, map skills to careers, and identify custom learning pathways for desired careers and skill sets. This helps businesses create a skills pipeline aligned with business objectives, fill open roles, and close skills gaps.
Network of World-Class Education Partners: D2L for Business can help businesses streamline their learning administration through a curated provider network of industry-leading universities, colleges, and training organizations. Employers can easily deploy a centralized catalog of career-aligned programs and courses to talent at every level of the organization.
Customized Learning: D2L for Business can help businesses create and deliver their own customized digital learning experiences through D2L's LXP. This can enable organizations to rapidly scale and deploy learning that aligns with their strategic goals.
Learning Analytics: D2L for Business offers built-in insights to help maximize businesses' ROI with a birds-eye-view into learner progress and outcomes. Employers can gather integrated, organization-wide data about course completion rates and employee skill development, and then make data-informed decisions to help ensure future-readiness. "When it comes to revamping your learning and development program, it's important to have a plan in place that's going to take your business to the next level, and into the future," said Melissa Stein, Officer of Learning & Development at Tompkins Financial. "Tompkins specifically chose D2L as its corporate learning platform for its flexibility, ability to provide content in all areas of learning, and its two decades of trends-focused, forward-looking innovation."
D2L for Business can help empower companies to make their skilled teams a competitive advantage, future-proofing their organization to fuel growth. For more information on D2L for Business, please visit https://www.D2L.com/solutions/corporate/.
About D2L
D2L is transforming the way the world learns—helping learners of all ages achieve more than they dreamed possible. Working closely with clients all over the world, D2L is supporting millions of people learning online and in person. Our growing global workforce is dedicated to making the best learning products to leave the world better than they found it. Learn more about D2L for K-12, higher education and businesses at www.D2L.com.
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