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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Penn Foster secures investment to accelerate the pairing of data science with digital learning based on skills.

prnewswire | January 21, 2021

Labor force improvement pioneer Penn Foster today declared a critical new speculation from BayPine and Two Sigma Impact to quicken the form out of its computerized learning stage zeroed in on planning frontline laborers to flourish inside high-development, high-expertise occupations. The two speculation organizations will band together with Penn Foster to acquire new capacities information science and trend setting innovation to help the organization keep on contribution down to earth, reasonable answers for its understudies.

"Skill gaps and economic mobility are, in many ways, two sides of the same coin," said Frank Britt, Chief Executive Officer of Penn Foster. "This investment reflects our belief that the combination of advanced labor market analytics with low-cost digital training can help individuals make better-informed decisions about their educational investments. It's about enabling employers to close skill gaps by identifying and creating career paths for historically untapped talent."

A computerized learning stage that works in association with bosses, public labor force offices, and local area based associations, Penn Foster conveys expertise based preparing for in excess of 300,000 working students every year. Notwithstanding offering authorize projects and declarations in fields going from medical care to talented exchanges, Penn Foster accomplices with significant managers, including Lowe's and Walmart, to give secondary school recognition and vocation instructional classes that are regularly entrances to higher pay jobs.

"Two Sigma Impact believes that by focusing on creating a better workforce, we can create long term value and better business outcomes," said Ian Blasco, Partner at Two Sigma Impact. "We are excited to work with Penn Foster to apply advanced data science techniques to the development of dynamic, skills-based training that is tightly coupled with the demands of the labor market."

"For decades, Penn Foster has been at the forefront of delivering flexible, affordable, and job-relevant development programs that have redefined the intersection of education and work," said Anjan Mukherjee, Managing Partner at BayPine. "The implementation of digital transformation initiatives to unlock human potential is core to our thesis, and we look forward to working closely with management to develop a modern, agile platform at Penn Foster that leverages the power of data to drive better outcomes for working learners."

In "Unstuck in the Middle," a white paper delivered by Penn Foster a year ago, the organization put forth the defense that perceiving ability fulfillment along a range could open financial versatility for laborers utilized in positions that require in excess of a secondary school confirmation however not a long term degree. As per the National Skills Coalition, while center ability occupations make up the biggest segment of the US work market, only 44% of laborers are right now prepared to the center expertise level. A new report distributed by the philanthropic, Opportunity@Work, proposes that the assessed 71 million Americans who need four-year degrees, however are "Gifted Through Alternative Routes" (STARs), speak to an undiscovered pool of ability for US bosses.

"The critical need for different ways to approach training and education for workers has become more prominent in the past few years, and the pressure on our economy created by the pandemic has only emphasized that the time has come for a workforce transformation," said Ann Ruble, Operating Partner at Two Sigma Impact. "New data-driven approaches to learning will help expand access to training in high-demand fields for both workers and employers at a time when it is needed most."

This speculation speaks to the following period of Penn Foster's development following an effective organization with Bain Capital Double Impact, the effect contributing unit of Bain Capital. Terms of the exchange were not unveiled. Macquarie Capital filled in as monetary guide and William Blair and Company as co-consultant to Penn Foster. Everberg Capital additionally partook in the exchange. Jamieson gave exchange the board guidance.

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Higher Education White Paper Success as a Knowledge Economy

Since 2010 the HE sector has undergone a period of reform. The most significant changes have been the removal of the block grant for most university teaching, the introduction of tuition fees of up to £9,000 per year and the widening of the sector to alternative providers. All of the recent changes to the HE system have been made without passing primary legislation and the somewhat ad hoc nature of the changes have created a rather complicated regulatory system and led to calls for a higher education bill.

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Spotlight

Higher Education White Paper Success as a Knowledge Economy

Since 2010 the HE sector has undergone a period of reform. The most significant changes have been the removal of the block grant for most university teaching, the introduction of tuition fees of up to £9,000 per year and the widening of the sector to alternative providers. All of the recent changes to the HE system have been made without passing primary legislation and the somewhat ad hoc nature of the changes have created a rather complicated regulatory system and led to calls for a higher education bill.

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Omron helps to educate young talent at Lakota East High School with free e-learning resources

prnewswire | December 08, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic provokes schools to construct utilitarian frameworks for internet learning, one secondary school specifically found an ideal answer for keeping its designing courses pressing onward. This was a progression of e-taking in instructional exercises from industry-driving computerization arrangements supplier Omron Automation Americas. The online assets gave Lakota East High School designing educator Todd Hummer a viable method to instruct his Computer Integrated Manufacturing course distantly just as in a socially separated way once understudies started returning for face to face learning. Hummer has around 45 understudies, the two youngsters and seniors, who are seeking after designing information and are on target to examine the subject at a school level. Regardless of whether classes are held on the web or face to face, pandemic-related concerns make it difficult to permit different understudies to gather around a solitary bit of gear. Hummer's methodology has been to modularize the whole class and utilize a turn technique, which presents a test for tending to inquiries regarding the material. With Omron's e-learning modules, he had the option to structure his substance to help understudies remain locked in. "Not only was the Omron e-learning content valuable for remote students, now that we are back to school in person, the lessons will be just as valuable," says Hummer. "Due to social distancing requirements, we are learning content in rotations, or a modular environment. As a result, I am not always able to traditionally instruct the class, but Omron helps fill in that instruction as I move around the room helping the students who need it. Students can work through the learning modules at their own pace until they reach proficiency!" Voelker Controls Company, an Ohio-based mechanical computerization arrangements supplier and an Omron wholesaler, was instrumental in acquainting the e-learning modules with the secondary school. "We're regarded to work with our neighborhood schools and understudies to extend their designing information. At the point when customary techniques were not accessible and with restricted alternatives to show mechanization distantly, Omron's e-learning was an incredible asset," says Andy Walsh, Voelker's Product Manager of Robotics and Automation. "Voelker Controls alongside Omron has the absolute most exceptional mechanization mastery on the planet, and we are glad to share our insight to help instruct the fate of Automation." The e-learning modules have more than 50 seminars on capacities and general information on production line computerization hardware. The modules are intended for individuals of all foundations trying to become familiar with advanced mechanics and other designing points identified with modern mechanization innovation.

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Mathpresso, EdTech Leader, announces 7 million active users per month in over 50 countries.

businesswire | December 16, 2020

Today, Seoul-based EdTech startup Mathpresso declared that its math-solver application, QANDA has addressed over 1.3 billion inquiries and utilized by more than 7 million month to month dynamic clients, a 370% development inside 1 year. Created by Korea's driving EdTech startup, Mathpresso, 'QANDA' is a portable application that empowers understudies, all things considered, to get moment arrangements and 1-on-1 help from a portion of the world's top-college mentors. Clients can snap a picture of a mathematical question, transfer it to the application, and afterward QANDA's AI-based optical character acknowledgment sweep will discover and tackle it in roughly five seconds. QANDA gives both the 1-on-1 Q&A highlight (human-based) and auto-search (AI-based) include, an exceptional cross breed that takes care of any numerical statements going from conditions to mathematical inquiries. Since its dispatch in 2016, QANDA has tackled over 1.3 billion issues put together by understudies from more than 50 nations. In excess of 5 million inquiries are posed and looked through QANDA consistently. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has seen a flood popular for the e-learning stage, with its number of inquiries tackled expanding from 500 million in April 2020 to 1.3 billion today. Right now, QANDA is utilized by more than 66% of the whole evaluation K-12 understudy populace in Korea, the nation with one of the most elevated school enlistment rates on the planet. QANDA additionally bested the instructive graphs in six nations, including Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, prevailing upon driving instructive applications including Google Classroom and Photomath. "Our competitive edge is that we provide both the AI-driven instant search function and human-driven Q&A function through tutors, while no other educational apps incorporate both features seamlessly,” said Ray Lee, CEO at Mathpresso. "We will continue to provide the most effective education for all students around the world.” About Mathpresso With the mission to provide most effective education for all, Mathpresso develops the world’s leading learning platform, QANDA, a mobile app that allows students of all levels to receive instant answers and customized learning sources at zero or minimal cost. Recognized for its technological advances, Mathpresso was selected as Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia 2020, national representative of Google AI for Social Good APAC event in 2018, and guest speaker at AWS Public Sector Summit ASEAN in 2019. Since 2015, Mathpresso has raised $55 million from investors including Legend Capital, SoftBank Ventures Asia, and Samsung Ventures. Headquartered in Seoul, Korea, Mathpresso has offices in Tokyo, Japan and Hanoi, Vietnam.

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CORPORATE EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Cambium Learning Group Champions “Remote First” Work Model

Cambium Learning Group | January 31, 2022

-Cambium Learning Group, a leading provider of award-winning education technology and services for K-12 markets, today announced its “Remote First” work model, a progressive and responsive approach to remote work. Cambium's Remote First model provides the company’s employees with flexibility, giving most employees the opportunity to choose between fully remote work or a hybrid of remote and in-office work at one of Cambium's office locations. Cambium believes that continuing to allow its employees to determine where and how they work to effectively balance their work and personal lives will continue to support both the company’s goals and employees in the future. Cambium’s purpose — its reason for being — is to tackle K-12 education’s biggest challenge: helping all teachers and students feel seen, valued and supported. This purpose also extends to the employees, making sure all feel seen, valued and supported. Employees will not be required to work in an office or resume business travel, and the added flexibility is focused on driving innovation, improving equity across the company, and putting people first. “In response to the pandemic, most Cambium employees have adjusted to a fully remote working environment,” said John Campbell, CEO of Cambium Learning Group. “The transition to fully remote work has required each of us to adopt new ways of working and staying connected. We’re excited that our Remote First approach will provide a more inclusive model based on respect and trust that supports everyone to create a better work-life blend.” Cambium's bookings are more than five times higher than 2017 bookings, nearing $1B in 2021. Since accelerating its transition to a remote workforce in March of 2020, Cambium has gone on to have its two most successful years to date in 2020 and 2021. This is just one example of how the company’s focus on its purpose — helping people feel seen, valued and supported — wasn't just the right thing to do, it was beneficial for business and employees. As a result of the growth that the company has seen over the last 2 years, Cambium has invested in its existing talent and added nearly 400 new positions across the US, while looking to add more than 600 new positions in 2022. Cambium’s latest video, “Back to the Future,” highlights Cambium's legacy of impact and serves as a call to action for professionals wanting to join the edtech leader in addressing education’s most persistent challenges. Within Cambium’s Remote First approach, over 85% of Cambium's employees have the opportunity to work remotely. “Our historic growth last year and throughout the pandemic, is a testament to our employees’ hard work and tenacious dedication to teachers and students. Giving our employees the flexibility to decide where and how they work best is not only what’s best for themselves and their families, but also helps us all produce our best work.” Ashley Andersen Zantop, COO at Cambium Learning Group By applying learnings from the start of the pandemic, and adopting a Remote First work model, Cambium has invested in ways to increase support for employee remote home offices. This includes a Remote First Home Office support benefit for expenses incurred so far and those expected in 2022, as well as an enhanced suite of health and welfare benefits including virtual mental wellness visits, enhanced leave packages and other remote-friendly offerings. Cambium’s commitment to a Remote First approach will focus on encouraging all employees and teams who can work remotely successfully to do so, while also providing office facilities for some in-office work and collaboration in select locations. About Cambium Learning Group Cambium Learning® Group is the education essentials company, providing award-winning education technology and services for K-12 markets. With an intentionally curated portfolio of respected global brands, Cambium serves as a leader in the education space, helping millions of educators and students feel more universally valued each and every day. In everything it does, the company focuses on the elements that are most essential to the success of education, delivering simpler, more certain solutions that make a meaningful difference right now. To learn more, visit www.cambiumlearning.com or follow Cambium on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Medium. The Cambium family of brands includes: Cambium Assessment, Lexia® Learning, Learning A-Z®, Voyager Sopris Learning®, ExploreLearning®, Time4Learning®, and Kurzweil Education®.

Read More

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Omron helps to educate young talent at Lakota East High School with free e-learning resources

prnewswire | December 08, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic provokes schools to construct utilitarian frameworks for internet learning, one secondary school specifically found an ideal answer for keeping its designing courses pressing onward. This was a progression of e-taking in instructional exercises from industry-driving computerization arrangements supplier Omron Automation Americas. The online assets gave Lakota East High School designing educator Todd Hummer a viable method to instruct his Computer Integrated Manufacturing course distantly just as in a socially separated way once understudies started returning for face to face learning. Hummer has around 45 understudies, the two youngsters and seniors, who are seeking after designing information and are on target to examine the subject at a school level. Regardless of whether classes are held on the web or face to face, pandemic-related concerns make it difficult to permit different understudies to gather around a solitary bit of gear. Hummer's methodology has been to modularize the whole class and utilize a turn technique, which presents a test for tending to inquiries regarding the material. With Omron's e-learning modules, he had the option to structure his substance to help understudies remain locked in. "Not only was the Omron e-learning content valuable for remote students, now that we are back to school in person, the lessons will be just as valuable," says Hummer. "Due to social distancing requirements, we are learning content in rotations, or a modular environment. As a result, I am not always able to traditionally instruct the class, but Omron helps fill in that instruction as I move around the room helping the students who need it. Students can work through the learning modules at their own pace until they reach proficiency!" Voelker Controls Company, an Ohio-based mechanical computerization arrangements supplier and an Omron wholesaler, was instrumental in acquainting the e-learning modules with the secondary school. "We're regarded to work with our neighborhood schools and understudies to extend their designing information. At the point when customary techniques were not accessible and with restricted alternatives to show mechanization distantly, Omron's e-learning was an incredible asset," says Andy Walsh, Voelker's Product Manager of Robotics and Automation. "Voelker Controls alongside Omron has the absolute most exceptional mechanization mastery on the planet, and we are glad to share our insight to help instruct the fate of Automation." The e-learning modules have more than 50 seminars on capacities and general information on production line computerization hardware. The modules are intended for individuals of all foundations trying to become familiar with advanced mechanics and other designing points identified with modern mechanization innovation.

Read More

EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Mathpresso, EdTech Leader, announces 7 million active users per month in over 50 countries.

businesswire | December 16, 2020

Today, Seoul-based EdTech startup Mathpresso declared that its math-solver application, QANDA has addressed over 1.3 billion inquiries and utilized by more than 7 million month to month dynamic clients, a 370% development inside 1 year. Created by Korea's driving EdTech startup, Mathpresso, 'QANDA' is a portable application that empowers understudies, all things considered, to get moment arrangements and 1-on-1 help from a portion of the world's top-college mentors. Clients can snap a picture of a mathematical question, transfer it to the application, and afterward QANDA's AI-based optical character acknowledgment sweep will discover and tackle it in roughly five seconds. QANDA gives both the 1-on-1 Q&A highlight (human-based) and auto-search (AI-based) include, an exceptional cross breed that takes care of any numerical statements going from conditions to mathematical inquiries. Since its dispatch in 2016, QANDA has tackled over 1.3 billion issues put together by understudies from more than 50 nations. In excess of 5 million inquiries are posed and looked through QANDA consistently. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has seen a flood popular for the e-learning stage, with its number of inquiries tackled expanding from 500 million in April 2020 to 1.3 billion today. Right now, QANDA is utilized by more than 66% of the whole evaluation K-12 understudy populace in Korea, the nation with one of the most elevated school enlistment rates on the planet. QANDA additionally bested the instructive graphs in six nations, including Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, prevailing upon driving instructive applications including Google Classroom and Photomath. "Our competitive edge is that we provide both the AI-driven instant search function and human-driven Q&A function through tutors, while no other educational apps incorporate both features seamlessly,” said Ray Lee, CEO at Mathpresso. "We will continue to provide the most effective education for all students around the world.” About Mathpresso With the mission to provide most effective education for all, Mathpresso develops the world’s leading learning platform, QANDA, a mobile app that allows students of all levels to receive instant answers and customized learning sources at zero or minimal cost. Recognized for its technological advances, Mathpresso was selected as Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia 2020, national representative of Google AI for Social Good APAC event in 2018, and guest speaker at AWS Public Sector Summit ASEAN in 2019. Since 2015, Mathpresso has raised $55 million from investors including Legend Capital, SoftBank Ventures Asia, and Samsung Ventures. Headquartered in Seoul, Korea, Mathpresso has offices in Tokyo, Japan and Hanoi, Vietnam.

Read More

CORPORATE EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Cambium Learning Group Champions “Remote First” Work Model

Cambium Learning Group | January 31, 2022

-Cambium Learning Group, a leading provider of award-winning education technology and services for K-12 markets, today announced its “Remote First” work model, a progressive and responsive approach to remote work. Cambium's Remote First model provides the company’s employees with flexibility, giving most employees the opportunity to choose between fully remote work or a hybrid of remote and in-office work at one of Cambium's office locations. Cambium believes that continuing to allow its employees to determine where and how they work to effectively balance their work and personal lives will continue to support both the company’s goals and employees in the future. Cambium’s purpose — its reason for being — is to tackle K-12 education’s biggest challenge: helping all teachers and students feel seen, valued and supported. This purpose also extends to the employees, making sure all feel seen, valued and supported. Employees will not be required to work in an office or resume business travel, and the added flexibility is focused on driving innovation, improving equity across the company, and putting people first. “In response to the pandemic, most Cambium employees have adjusted to a fully remote working environment,” said John Campbell, CEO of Cambium Learning Group. “The transition to fully remote work has required each of us to adopt new ways of working and staying connected. We’re excited that our Remote First approach will provide a more inclusive model based on respect and trust that supports everyone to create a better work-life blend.” Cambium's bookings are more than five times higher than 2017 bookings, nearing $1B in 2021. Since accelerating its transition to a remote workforce in March of 2020, Cambium has gone on to have its two most successful years to date in 2020 and 2021. This is just one example of how the company’s focus on its purpose — helping people feel seen, valued and supported — wasn't just the right thing to do, it was beneficial for business and employees. As a result of the growth that the company has seen over the last 2 years, Cambium has invested in its existing talent and added nearly 400 new positions across the US, while looking to add more than 600 new positions in 2022. Cambium’s latest video, “Back to the Future,” highlights Cambium's legacy of impact and serves as a call to action for professionals wanting to join the edtech leader in addressing education’s most persistent challenges. Within Cambium’s Remote First approach, over 85% of Cambium's employees have the opportunity to work remotely. “Our historic growth last year and throughout the pandemic, is a testament to our employees’ hard work and tenacious dedication to teachers and students. Giving our employees the flexibility to decide where and how they work best is not only what’s best for themselves and their families, but also helps us all produce our best work.” Ashley Andersen Zantop, COO at Cambium Learning Group By applying learnings from the start of the pandemic, and adopting a Remote First work model, Cambium has invested in ways to increase support for employee remote home offices. This includes a Remote First Home Office support benefit for expenses incurred so far and those expected in 2022, as well as an enhanced suite of health and welfare benefits including virtual mental wellness visits, enhanced leave packages and other remote-friendly offerings. Cambium’s commitment to a Remote First approach will focus on encouraging all employees and teams who can work remotely successfully to do so, while also providing office facilities for some in-office work and collaboration in select locations. About Cambium Learning Group Cambium Learning® Group is the education essentials company, providing award-winning education technology and services for K-12 markets. With an intentionally curated portfolio of respected global brands, Cambium serves as a leader in the education space, helping millions of educators and students feel more universally valued each and every day. In everything it does, the company focuses on the elements that are most essential to the success of education, delivering simpler, more certain solutions that make a meaningful difference right now. To learn more, visit www.cambiumlearning.com or follow Cambium on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Medium. The Cambium family of brands includes: Cambium Assessment, Lexia® Learning, Learning A-Z®, Voyager Sopris Learning®, ExploreLearning®, Time4Learning®, and Kurzweil Education®.

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