Standardised exams: A disservice to young pupils

Study International | April 19, 2019

Childhood is not supposed to be a time for stress and anxiety. But one thing is increasingly making it so for young school children worldwide: exams.Writing in HuffPost, parenting author Sarah Ockwell-Smith details how her 10-year-old son turned from a kid who was hungry to learn about everything in and out of school – baking brownies, riding bikes, philosophy – last year, to one who would today describe his day at school with just one word – “stressful”.“No enthusiasm, no hunger for learning, no regaling me with tales of the kings and queens and emperors of times past. No talk of different countries, religious festivals or the latest animals he had studied. My baby boy’s world is now full of stress,” wrote the co-founder of the GentleParenting.“My boy who spoke of nature, wizards, Pugs and cartoon characters now tells me “my life sucks”. Once when we were driving past his school he said ‘There it is, the place that makes my life hell’,” she continued.

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Spotlight

Instancy is at the forefront of revolutionizing the eLearning landscape by harnessing the power of Generative AI. Our comprehensive solutions are designed to cater to diverse learning needs, transcending traditional barriers and empowering knowledge workers, trainers, and management alike. For Knowledge Workers, we provide instant access to performance-enhancing information right within their daily workflow. Our system ensures timely and efficient delivery of knowledge, enabling users to perform optimally, right at the moment. For Trainers, our no-code Generative AI-powered tools facilitate rapid and intelligent content creation. This reduces content development costs by over 50% and speeds up the content time by 70%. Our platform's unique blend of smart technology with human creativity offers trainers an unmatched experience in developing blended learning content.

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UWorld Launches Premier Online Learning Tools for the UKMLA Exam

PRnewswire | July 13, 2023

UWorld, a worldwide leader in online learning tools for high-stakes exams, today announced the launch of its U.K. Medical Licensing Assessment® (UKMLA®) test preparation resources. Aligned to the MLA Examination Blueprint, UWorld's new UKMLA AKT QBank provides educators and students with over a thousand clinically relevant questions developed by practicing doctors to complement existing medical curriculum. The UKMLA will be a new requirement for all medical students graduating in the academic year 2024-2025, replacing the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) exam. The exam will assess the fundamental knowledge, abilities, and behaviors required to practice safely as a doctor in the U.K. International Medical Graduate (IMG) students that wish to practice medicine in the U.K. will be required to take the MLA starting in January 2024 and U.K. medical students will be required to sit for the MLA starting with the 2024-2025 academic year. Designed to help students build effective study habits and improve test-taking endurance, UWorld offers practice questions that help prepare them for their high-stakes exams. UKMLA Study tools include vivid, context-specific illustrations and animations that deepen understanding of critical concepts. For each answer choice, UWorld provides concise, detailed rationales that describe the clinical reasoning behind correct and incorrect answers. Personalized performance reports and customizable flashcards ensure students recognize areas of weakness to help create efficient study sessions that maximize impact. For educators, UWorld provides tools that can be customized to supplement their medical curriculum. Formative and summative assessments can be built using UWorld's 1,500+ question bank. These questions are also easily integrated into presentation format for classroom learning. UWorld's gradebook and reporting tools for teachers provides valuable insight into classroom performance to easily identify knowledge gaps to ensure early-stage remediation and support. Additionally, students are able to continue learning on their own with access to the self-study student AKT QBank. "We are thrilled to offer U.K. medical students and educators our award-winning tools to help them succeed on the UKMLA," said Chandra S. Pemmasani, M.D., Founder and CEO of UWorld. "The expansion to the U.K. market is a natural next step after supporting more than 90% of all U.S. medical students in their preparation for the USMLE for more than 15 years. We are proud to offer content that is meticulously developed by subject matter experts, which underscores our commitment to providing resources of exceptional quality." UWorld aims to make difficult topics easy to understand so that learners at all levels are empowered to succeed in the testing room and to accomplish their career goals. About UWorld UWorld is the worldwide leader in online learning to prepare for high-stakes exams. Since 2003, UWorld has helped millions of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students prepare for their exams. At the core of UWorld's mission is an obsession with quality so that students receive only the best in learning resources. Whether students are preparing for the, ACT®, SAT®, College Board®, AP®, CFA®, CPA, MBE®, MCAT®, NAPLEX®/MPJE®/CPJE, NCLEX®, PANCE/PANRE, COMLEX®, USMLE®, ABIM®, or ABFM®, UWorld ensures success by using active learning methods. With challenging practice questions that mirror the real tests and unrivaled explanations, students can efficiently and effectively prepare for every topic on their exams.

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Black Belt Community Foundation and Hatch Early Learning Partner to Empower Education in Underserved Communities

PRnewswire | August 09, 2023

The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) is delighted to announce its collaboration with Hatch Early Learning, a leading provider of educational technology solutions. This strategic partnership aims to advance the mission of BBCF and bring transformative educational opportunities to the Black Belt Head Start program in underserved communities. BBCF is a non-profit organization committed to creating positive change in the Black Belt region of Alabama. Their mission is to improve the quality of life and foster opportunities for growth and development for the residents of the Black Belt community. In 2017, BBCF began administrating six separate Head Start schools in four counties of the Alabama Black Belt (Choctaw, Dallas, Marengo, and Wilcox). The Black Belt Head Start program has recently implemented broadband access in their facilities as part of their ongoing commitment to enhancing education. This significant step will bridge the digital divide and provide students and teachers with unprecedented access to resources and information. To complement this broadband initiative, the Black Belt Head Start program has invested in twenty cutting-edge IgniteTables from Hatch Early Learning. The IgniteTable is an innovative educational tool designed to engage young learners through interactive and immersive experiences. BBCF Head Start schools will be the first schools in Alabama to adopt this new learning tool. The introduction of the IgniteTables, combined with the implementation of broadband, is expected to be game-changing for the students and educators in the Black Belt community. Students will be better equipped to develop critical skills and knowledge essential for their future success with enhanced access to educational content and interactive learning materials. "Hatch Early Learning is thrilled to be partnering with the Black Belt Community Foundation to support their mission of providing quality education and opportunities in underserved communities," said Sam Bonfante, President of Hatch Early Learning. "We believe that every child deserves access to a high-quality education, and through this collaboration, we are proud to contribute to the positive impact on the lives of young learners in the Black Belt community." According to BBCF President, Felecia Lucky, "Head Start focuses on the whole child with an emphasis on education, health, nutrition, and social-emotional well-being, while preparing them to enter elementary school. In addition, we provide family support and promote family involvement. Being able to equip our schools with the latest, state of the art learning tools helps us to ensure that our Head Start students have every advantage we can make available for them. Being the first schools in Alabama to adopt this technology is doubly exciting!" Taquila Monroe, Director of the Black Belt Community Foundation Head Start Program, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "This collaboration with Hatch Early Learning represents a major milestone for our community. The introduction of broadband and the implementation of the IgniteTable solution will revolutionize the way our students learn and provide our educators with powerful tools to inspire and engage young minds. We are grateful for Hatch's support in advancing our educational initiatives and making a lasting difference in the lives of our children." To mark the beginning of this transformative partnership, Hatch Early Learning will be coordinating a press event on August 11th in Selma, AL, in collaboration with the Black Belt Community Foundation. The event will include on-site training sessions and provide an opportunity for guests to meet with Sam Bonfante, the President of Hatch Early Learning, Taquila Monroe, the Director of the Black Belt Community Foundation Head Start program, and leaders of the Black Belt Community Foundation board of directors. This momentous occasion signifies a step forward in educational innovation, equipping young minds in underserved communities with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. About Hatch Early Learning Hatch Early Learning is a leading provider of educational technology solutions designed to foster interactive and engaging learning experiences for young children. With a commitment to transforming education, Hatch offers a range of innovative products tailored to enhance early childhood education. About Black Belt Community Foundation The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Alabama's Black Belt region. BBCF provides support to community efforts in education, health and wellness, economic development, and cultural heritage preservation.

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HMH Launches the Center for Model Schools™ to Drive Transformational Change in Districts Across the Country

PRnewswire | August 18, 2023

Learning technology company HMH today announced the establishment of the Center for Model Schools. Building on the legacy and work of the International Center for Leadership in Education, the Center for Model Schools provides K-12 school systems with ongoing leadership support through its namesake Model Schools Conference, leadership cohorts and shoulder-to-shoulder consulting. "Now more than ever, every student must be part of a school community that enables them to thrive in an increasingly complex world," said Dr. Joshua P. Starr, Managing Partner, Center for Model Schools. "I am thrilled to introduce the Center for Model Schools as a place where districts can deepen the skills needed to transform insight into action and create environments where all learners succeed. Every child deserves a Model School, and leaders make that happen." Leaders can engage with the Center for Model Schools in three key ways: • Transformational Leadership Network: The Transformational Leadership Network, steered by experts and practitioners, connects leaders who share similar challenges. Year-round cohorts give network members opportunities to learn from and with each other via inter-district cohort sessions facilitated by specialists in improvement science, personalized 1:1 collaboration focused on meeting specific goals and flexible engagement options, including a range of in person, synchronous and asynchronous opportunities. • Leadership Consulting: Leadership consultants from the Center for Model Schools partner with school and district leaders to bring their visions to life. Partnerships are customized based on the school or district needs and helps leaders enact practical strategies that drive system-wide transformation. Strategies may include development and support for principals, leadership coaching, strategic planning, curriculum alignment, PLC-powered data teams, effective teaching and learning and keynote speakers. The Center for Model Schools' leadership consulting also supports school improvement initiatives via an exclusive partnership between UChicago Impact® and NWEA, a division of HMH. Structured around the 5Essentials® Framework and Survey, which are based on over 30 years of research by the UChicago Consortium on School Research, this approach provides a holistic, evidence-based system that defines, measures and utilizes the most important organizational conditions to improve student outcomes. • Model Schools Conference: The Model Schools Conference is the nation's largest gathering for rapidly improving K-12 schools and districts. The conference brings over 5,000 educators together for a powerful slate of workshops and sessions focused on making a difference within learning communities. From networking to sharing best practices to inspiring keynotes and panel discussions, the conference experience gives attendees a toolkit to implement meaningful change when they return home. About HMH Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions, and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students' potential and extend teachers' capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries.

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