CORPORATE EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Discovery Education | January 20, 2023
On January 19, 2023, 3M and Discovery Education announced the launch of the Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network and Alumni Grants Program. As a part of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the initiative will support prior participants and future science leaders.
The annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the country's premier middle school science competition, invites kids in grades 5 to 8 to compete for a grand prize of $25,000, mentorship with a 3M scientist, and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist." In addition, the new Alumni Network and Alumni Grants Program provides past participants networking opportunities, events, resources, and financial support for ongoing science projects.
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network gathers a growing community of mentors and former challenge finalists to interact, celebrate, and promote innovations. America's Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, made to the Forbes' 30 Under 30 list, rung the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and shown their work at the White House Science Fair. These young innovators have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times Magazine, and Business Insider, as well as national television shows.
Each year, the Alumni Grants will award a total of $25,000 grant money to ten different alumni in three different areas:
Continuation of 3M Young Scientist Challenge Project - This will support alumni who want to continue developing the project they initially developed 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Three alumni are eligible to receive $5,000 annually.
New Idea to Improve the World - This area of funding would be available to assist projects that alumni might be working on, which are different from their initial 3M Young Scientist Challenge innovation. Two alumni can receive $2,500 annually.
Science in Your Community - Funding can be used to assist alumni initiatives, community enrichment and community engagement projects. Five alumni receive $1,000 annually.
About Discovery Education
Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Discovery Education is a global leader in ed-tech with a state-of-the-art platform to facilitate learning. Its standards-based digital content for grades K-12 redefines teaching and learning by providing award-winning multimedia content, digital textbooks, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its type. The company serves over 4.5 million educators and 45 million students globally, with its resources available in more than 100 countries and territories.
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
BibliU | February 10, 2023
On February 9, 2023, BibliU, an EdTech innovator democratizing content accessibility, received a contract from Lee College in Baytown, Texas, to provide the company's Universal Learning solution to the college. Lee College is BibliU's largest Universal Learning client, with approximately 8,000 students enrolled.
Utilizing Lee College's Learning Management System (LMS), BibliU's Universal Learning solution provides students with access to content on the first day of class and covers approximately 90% of the booklist. In addition, the solution eliminates many inconveniences associated with acquiring textbooks, including long lines at the bookstore and inaccessibility to course materials once classes begin.
BibliU had to demonstrate that it could provide Lee College learners with electronic textbooks and courseware on the first day of classes while saving students money to earn the contract. In the fall and spring, Lee College offers approximately 800 courses, while around 300 are available in the summer. Nearly 70% of classes require a textbook, and an estimated 18% of those classes also need courseware.
Dave Sherwood, Co-Founder and CEO of BibliU, shared, "Prompted by high costs and the possibility of burdensome debt, many young people are questioning the value of attending college." He added, "I believe that college provides opportunities that should be available to everyone. A digital-first, ed tech solution is a path forward for colleges, offering affordable and available content on the first day of class."
(Source – Business Wire)
About BibliU
New York-based BibliU is a learning enablement platform that is democratizing content accessibility. It facilitates higher education institutions to optimize their textbook and courseware workflows to enhance affordability, student outcomes, and social mobility. The future of higher education will involve securing affordable access to course materials for every student. To accomplish this, the company has partnered with tens of thousands of publishers and developed a Learning Enablement platform dedicated to making education more efficient, equitable, and effective.
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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
Learning A-Z | January 12, 2023
Learning A-Z, a subsidiary of the Cambium Learning Group, has announced the addition of its totally redesigned Writing A-Z® product to its superior range of learning solutions. Writing A-Z is a new and improved curriculum option for K–5 students that draw on the Learning A-Z principles of valuing the teacher at the center of the classroom. In addition, the platform provides teachers with customizable, user-friendly tools that foster excellent student results.
In addition, Learning A-Z has, for the first time, made a Teacher Grant Program available to K–5 educators interested in discovering new and innovative ways to improve student writing achievement. The winners of the grants will receive a one-year subscription to Writing A-Z. The application deadline for awards is January 31, 2023, and grants will be distributed on February 10, 2023.
Lisa O'Masta, President of Learning A-Z, said, "Writing is an essential part of K–5 education and deeply connected to the instruction of literacy." She further added, "The most recent NAEP writing scores show that nearly ¾ of students in grades 8-12 are not writing at a proficient level. Because students write daily and the practice is a foundation of their educational experience, we've recognized the need for new writing tools that are even more innovative and easy to use and are committed to delivering these tools into the hands of teachers."
Using Writing A-Z, teachers assist students in the development of their writing abilities through research-based education. Writing A-Z combines best practices for teachers with guided practice for students to facilitate writing achievement in the classroom. Lesson plans that are simple to apply, digital writing and grammar practice, and continuous professional learning are some of the elements that make Writing A-Z a comprehensive and user-friendly writing solution for K–5 education.
About Learning A-Z
Learning A-Z is an emerging provider of literacy-focused PreK–6 education technology solutions. The company's products combine traditional teacher-led instruction with technology-enabled resources to make teaching more efficient and effective, practice more personalized and accessible, assessment more automated and strategic, and learning more proactive and informed. Its award-winning digital products, such as Raz-Kids and Reading A-Z, are used by more than 12 million students in over 170 countries.
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