TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Businesswire | April 21, 2023
Labster the world's leading edtech platform for virtual labs and interactive science courseware, is rolling out a major free user experience (UX) upgrade that will improve the Labster platform for millions of students in high school and higher education institutions worldwide. The upgrade will be pushed automatically to users when they log into Labster and will impact more than 80% of Labster simulations across all devices and LMS systems, including the Labster app for iOS and Chromebook.
With Labster, students explore interactive simulations in state-of-the-art laboratories from their digital devices. But the advanced scientific concepts and lab techniques that Labster simulations bring to life can sometimes be challenging for students who are not as well prepared. Based on extensive feedback from both users and instructors, Labster has developed a new intelligent “hint and guidance” system that will nudge students in the right direction toward successful completion of their assignments when needed. Among other features, this includes helpful new indicators and suggestions for students who appear to be stuck or struggling.
Leveraging gamification techniques has been proven to boost student enthusiasm, engagement and learning outcomes. Labster offers 300-plus titles in its catalog of STEM curriculum-aligned virtual lab simulations in fields such as biology, biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology, chemistry, and physics. Labster simulations are especially useful for pre- and post-lab assignments, so science department leads can fully optimize the time students spend on-site in high-demand physical laboratories.
“Labster plays an important role in helping students complete challenging STEM courses, so it’s critical that we leverage the power of our platform to support their learning and progress through each simulation,” said Michael Bodekaer Jensen, co-founder and CEO of Labster. “Our ultimate goal is for Labster to increase STEM student retention by encouraging students on their path to becoming the next generation of scientists to change the world. Our thanks go out to the generous educators and students who helped us build this major upgrade by providing valuable feedback and ongoing testing for continuous improvement.”
Better STEM access for all
According to the National Science Board, academic institutions need to dramatically increase the proportion of students in STEM to preserve U.S. economic and innovation leadership. But women and minority students are already underrepresented in STEM education, and inherent design flaws in introductory STEM-subject courses can actually act as a barrier for minority students rather than as a springboard for success, according to a 2022 Pennsylvania State University research study led by mathematics professor Nathanial "Nate" Brown, Ph.D.
“We know that different students have different levels of comfort with online courseware,” said Jolita Kiznyte, Labster’s lead product manager for content. “That’s why we’re continuously working to improve the UX design of Labster’s gamified, interactive science simulations. It’s really important that we accommodate a diversity of user backgrounds and technical skills. These latest updates provide key hints and signals that can offer a helping hand to students where they need it while navigating the learning experience in our simulations.”
Labster has been innovating in science education for more than a decade, providing educators with the ability to digitally explore and enhance their science offerings and supplement their in-classroom activities. In 2022, Labster released five new course packages, including Basic Lab Skills, focused specifically on practical lab skills and simulations. Additionally, more than 150 of the 300-plus Labster simulations are now available in Spanish, with over 100 also in French, German, and Italian. Labster simulations can be played on a variety of the most commonly used desktop, laptop, and tablet computers available to the broadest range of students.
Getting to know (and love) Labster
About Labster
Labster is dedicated to developing fully interactive virtual training simulations that are designed to enhance traditional learning outcomes by stimulating students’ natural curiosity and reinforcing the connection between science and the real world. The simulations can be used in a variety of different ways, from a full lab replacement to a supplemental learning activity. Over 5 million students in high schools and universities in 100 countries have used Labster to perform realistic experiments, learn key science concepts, and practice their skills in a risk-free learning environment. Labster’s team members are passionate about improving science learning, resulting in collaborations with over 3,000 leading educational institutions.
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CORPORATE LEARNING SYSTEMS
PRnewswire | April 17, 2023
Anthology, a leading provider of education solutions that support the entire learner lifecycle, today announced that its flagship learning management system (LMS) Blackboard Learn is increasingly the solution of choice for institutions worldwide. The growth is attributed in part to significant investment in the product since it became part of Anthology's portfolio in 2021. This investment has driven the availability of more than 200 new features since the merger accelerated development. That feature development is powered by an unprecedented level of client input. Recent competitive wins across the globe and a 55 percent increase year-over-year in the use of courses that unlock the benefits of Blackboard Learn Ultra further demonstrates growing global interest in the new Blackboard Learn.
"Institutions are seeking personalized, data-informed experiences for their students. As they evaluate whether they have the right tools in place, they are increasingly selecting the new Blackboard Learn to drive the future of learning on their campuses," said Jim Milton, Chairman and CEO of Anthology. "With Blackboard Learn, we're providing institutions with a market-leading LMS, where client and user feedback shapes future roadmap. We're focused on delivering the best experience in the industry and these wins and the momentum they represent reflect that commitment."
In April, Anthology will have developed and deployed more than 200 significant features for Blackboard Learn including self-expression tools, an adaptable test-taking experience designed to reduce student anxiety, superior progress tracking tools, and embedded insights. Accelerated feature development is occurring hand-in-hand with an industry-leading level of client and user input. More than 60 focus groups are providing user and instructor-level feedback and 80 percent of the top client and user-identified features are in active development. That user guidance is directing feature development like deeper student progress tracking and a more holistic overview of each student. Enhancements enable instructors to monitor student progress, manage outreach to students who haven't started an activity and provide a comprehensive view of where a student stands, including their overall grade, when they last accessed the course, accommodations, and feedback. Together, they're empowering instructors to have more personalized interactions with their learners to help guide them on their unique journey. In addition to the investments in product features, Anthology has invested significantly in the tools and resources to help clients implement the solution and transition to Blackboard Learn Ultra courses.
"We've redefined the Blackboard Learn Ultra adoption journey with free, easy-to-use resources and tools as well as a dedicated adoption team available to all clients that simplify the process," said JD White, Chief Product Officer at Anthology. "The new Learn Ultra Adoption Toolkit is an end-to-end solution designed to guide campus administrators along every step of the journey to benefit from the powerful tools available in Learn Ultra as quickly and efficiently as possible."
Blackboard Learn continues to build momentum with recent wins across the globe. Anthology's LMS is replacing Instructure Canvas at EC-Council University in New Mexico; the Culinary Institute Lenotre in Houston, Texas; and at the Amity Global Institute in Singapore. Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa and Transnet in South Africa also recently selected Blackboard Learn following competitive reviews.
The wins run the gamut, from long-time clients continuing their relationship, to current institutions deepening their relationship with additional Anthology solutions, to new clients selecting Blackboard Learn to replace their existing LMS. Colleges and universities are all gaining simpler, more-powerful teaching and learning experiences to support the needs of the modern classroom.
About Anthology
Anthology offers the largest EdTech ecosystem on a global scale for education, supporting more than 150 million users in 80 countries. With a mission to provide dynamic, data-informed experiences to the global education community through Anthology Intelligent Experiences™, we help learners, leaders and educators achieve their goals by offering over 60 SaaS products and services designed to advance learning.
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ONLINE EDUCATION
Businesswire | April 24, 2023
Sampson Community College, located in Clinton, North Carolina, has selected the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform to provide a comprehensive video and media creation, hosting, storage and distribution solution campuswide. YuJa will replace VidGrid, the institution’s former video enterprise learning platform, which is phasing out its education offering.
The institution was seeking a video tool to record and edit lectures, as well as to create and embed quizzes in Moodle, its learning management system. In addition to user-friendly features that enable instructors to create engaging, interactive content, Sampson Community College will benefit from the ability to auto-caption, gradebook integration, visual analytics, and other features that help elevate teaching and learning. Institutional leaders also wanted a platform that provides support for their team and students. YuJa provides unlimited live support, training and a dedicated support staff for all users.
“YuJa has worked with many former VidGrid customers to transition to a comprehensive video and media platform that can help create a rich learning environment for their students,” said Nathan Arora, Chief Business Officer at YuJa, Inc. “In addition to ongoing support, we provide an experienced implementation team to help create a seamless transition for instructors and students alike. We’re excited for Sampson Community College to experience all the features YuJa has to offer.”
ABOUT YUJA, INC.
YuJa is a leader in ed-tech solutions. Our platforms provide organizations of all sizes with the tools to educate, engage, inspire and collaborate. We serve learning enterprises within all sectors, including higher-ed, K-12, government, healthcare, non-profit and corporate. We have legal headquarters in Delaware with primary U.S. offices in Silicon Valley, California, and Canadian offices in Toronto.
ABOUT SAMPSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Located in Clinton, North Carolina, the mission of Sampson Community College is to provide accessible and affordable education, workforce training, and lifelong enrichment. This mission is accomplished through effective teaching, student support, public outreach, and partnering with others to improve the quality of life for the people of Sampson County. Sampson Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges to award the associate degree.
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