The shifting tide: The push for financial literacy classes in schools

Study International | July 09, 2019

Preparing youths to be financially savvy before they embark upon their next great chapter in life – going to university and beyond – and potentially taking on debt in the form of student loans or credit card debt, becomes essential to ensure they enjoy good economic standing. Worldwide, YaleGlobal notes that student debt has been rising. For instance, the federal student loan debt stands at US$1.5 trillion in the US. While numerous factors are at play for this figure, such as the high cost of tuition fees and low or stagnant wages of graduates upon graduation, a solid grasp of financial literacy can help prepare students for the world they will soon be stepping into. One American study found that nearly one third of young adults “were found to be ‘financially precarious’ because they had poor financial literacy and lacked money management skills and income stability”. Conversely, “22 percent of the 18- to 24-year-olds in the study sample were deemed to be financially stable, according to lead author Gaurav Sinha, a graduate student in social work at the University of Illinois.

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Join Professor Brian Hallett, an expert in Visual Communication and Branded Content, as he unveils the transformative power of AI in education at IE University. Discover how IE University empowers students to embrace AI as a valuable tool for creativity and critical thinking. Witness real-life examples where AI enhances students' inventions and analyses, raising the bar for excellence. Experience the future of personalized learning, where AI and humans collaborate to create a dynamic and enriching academic environment. Hit play now and unlock your true potential with AI-enhanced education at IE University! IE University

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edX Launches Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp with Leading Universities Across the U.S.

PRnewswire | August 04, 2023

edX, a leading global online learning platform from 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU), today announced the launch of a new Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp in partnership with leading universities nationwide. The intensive online program is designed for learners with little to no prior technical training who want to rapidly build the skills needed for an entry-level technical role requiring AI skills. Classes will begin in fall 2023, with Michigan State University, University of Denver, The Ohio State University College of Engineering, and Southern Methodist University welcoming their first cohorts in September, and Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Utah, and University of North Carolina at Charlotte welcoming their first cohorts in November. The part-time, 24-week boot camp program will educate early- to mid-career professionals in practical and technical skills across data science, machine learning, and AI. Informed by real-time industry needs, the program curriculum covers marketable technologies and foundational concepts including Python, unsupervised and supervised machine learning, transformers, natural language processing, AI applications, time series forecasting, and AI and data ethics. The Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp with edX is guided by seasoned industry practitioners with the support of on-demand tutors and is designed to ensure graduates emerge with the dynamic, in-demand skills to succeed in today's rapidly changing tech landscape. "Every individual, irrespective of their profession or trade, stands to benefit from a fundamental understanding of AI–it is now a requisite literacy in our times," said Anant Agarwal, Founder of edX, Chief Platform Officer at 2U, and former director of CSAIL, MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. "The Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp with edX will help equip more people with the AI knowledge and skills necessary to augment their capabilities and ensure they're harnessing the myriad opportunities unfolding in this fascinating and rapidly shifting technology." edX recently commissioned a survey of technical hiring managers and learners from across the U.S. It found that while hiring managers surveyed expect close to half (42%) of all job candidates hired in the next five years will need AI skills, they believe less than 20% currently have these skills. The survey also revealed strong demand for AI training, with 82% of learners surveyed saying they've researched AI-related higher education programs in the last six months. At the same time, there has been a surge in interest in AI-related programs on edX, as evidenced by an 80% increase in searches for 'artificial intelligence' on the platform in the first six months of 2023. "We have leveraged the edX platform through our partnership with 2U in developing innovative and affordable educational programs that serve the evolving needs of learners and employers," said Michael J. Robertson, Assistant Provost for Global, Online & Continuing Education at SMU. "By broadening our partnership to include the Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp, we're helping equip individuals in Dallas and beyond with the tools to navigate and shape this new era of AI innovation while creating meaningful and rewarding careers pathways." edX and its partners continue to invest in high-quality, cutting-edge AI content. In addition to the Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp program, learners can access a dozen Machine Learning and AI MicroBootCamps™ and five ChatGPT open courses available on edX.org. The open courses, which are free to audit, include Prompt Engineering Advanced ChatGPT, and ChatGPT for education, business, healthcare, and tech/coding/data. The Artificial Intelligence Boot Camp adds to edX's portfolio of boot camp programs in coding, data science, cybersecurity, UX/UI, and fintech. As one of the world's largest developers of technology talent, edX has supported more than 70,000 boot camp graduates globally with the skills, knowledge, and career resources to achieve their goals. According to a 2U-Gallup survey, boot camp graduates surveyed reported being nearly four times happier with their jobs after graduation from the boot camp, and over 86% reported achieving a positive outcome. About edX edX is the global online learning platform that fuels the world's ambition. edX was developed in 2012 by Harvard and MIT to make the world's best education available to everyone. Today, as a part of 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU), edX connects over 76 million people with online learning to meet every professional moment. Together with top-ranked universities and organizations at the forefront of their fields, edX offers thousands of job-relevant programs across nearly every career discipline, from artificial intelligence and robotics to sustainability and public health. Find online courses, certificates, boot camps, and degrees that fuel your ambition at edX.org.

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Bethlehem Area School District (Pennsylvania) Selects Synergy Education Platform

Send2Press News wire | July 11, 2023

Edupoint® Educational Systems announced today that Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) has selected the company’s industry-leading Synergy® Student Education Platform for its K 12 student data management needs. The district’s solution will include Synergy Student Information System, Synergy Online Registration, Synergy MTSS, and Synergy Special Education, and will be hosted in the Synergy AWS Cloud environment. BASD serves over 13,300 students across 22 schools in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Bethlehem district leadership assembled a team to explore current industry offerings and evaluate their ability to offer improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. Over a period of six months, 67 participants representing a wide variety of roles at all levels of the organization – including secretaries, teachers, principals, assistant principals, and applications specialists, in addition to the district technology team – contributed feedback on the solutions under consideration. After extensive evaluation, including hosting week-long software demonstrations with three finalists, the team selected Synergy based on a number of key factors, including the following: • Integrated student information, special education, and MTSS management • Streamlining of special education and MTSS processes • Robust query, reporting, and decision support tools • Timely, reliable data • Federal and state reporting capabilities • An established and growing presence in Pennsylvania The district also sought a vendor with a long-term commitment to building and supporting its solutions in-house – a criterion that only Edupoint was able to meet. “We didn’t want multiple separate systems,” said Marie Bachman, Chief Technology Officer at BASD. “We wanted to give our teachers an improved user experience, greater access to students’ special education information, and a better system for MTSS – all of which will enhance their ability to support students. Teachers are excited about these modules, which work together and are built right into the interface that they will already be using for everyday tasks.” With Synergy, Bethlehem Area School District is getting a student data management system that will aid in eliminating unnecessary data-entry and integration busywork so stakeholders can focus their time on higher priorities, including supporting students and improving learning outcomes,” said Rob Wilson, Edupoint’s President and Chief Innovation Officer. “The seamless integration built into Synergy Education Platform will make a significant contribution, as well, to the district’s efforts to improve data governance. We are pleased to welcome BASD aboard as an Edupoint partner. About Edupoint Educational Systems For over 35 years, the leadership of Edupoint Educational Systems has provided well-designed, technologically advanced student data management systems that empower K-12 stakeholders to improve student achievement. Synergy Education Platform by Edupoint is an industry-leading student data management ecosystem built to fit the way educators already work. Synergy is unique among K-12 student data management solutions in providing an array of role-based mobile apps designed to give all stakeholders access to the tools they need when and where they need them. More than 5.5 million students use Synergy in 22 states.

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TutorMe Reaches One Million Live Tutoring Sessions, Supporting Personalized Student Learning

PRnewswire | July 07, 2023

TutorMe, an online tutoring solution from leading digital learning company GoGuardian, today announced it has conducted over one million live student tutoring sessions. TutorMe was founded in 2015 with a commitment to improve educational equity through personalized learning support offered at no cost to students, and this milestone reflects the significant impact TutorMe is making to support students through one-on-one engagement. TutorMe provides high-impact, personalized tutoring for learners across the country, partnering with schools to provide 24/7 on-demand online tutoring to students across all grade levels. Through TutorMe's platform, students connect with a tutor to collaborate in real-time during live sessions, with the option to engage face-to-face in a safe digital environment. This type of differentiated, one-on-one learning is more essential than ever, especially in the wake of pandemic-related unfinished learning, where recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show many students across the US continue to score below pre-pandemic levels. "Tutoring is a valuable tool when it comes to personalized student learning and meeting students where they are to close learning gaps," said Mariana Aguilar, Vice President of Education at GoGuardian. "We're proud to reach one million live sessions, a milestone that serves as a representation of our commitment to building equitable, effective digital solutions for classrooms." TutorMe helps teachers maintain differentiated instruction via a scalable, trusted platform that works for all students across subjects. It operates at no cost to students, making it an equitable and inclusive solution accessible to all learners. "We use TutorMe because it supports both our teachers and students," said Dr. Lisa Stanley, Superintendent, North Texas Collegiate Academy. "Our teachers are able to provide differentiated learning experiences in real time for students of all levels, who are then able to ask questions, clarify important concepts, or even pursue extra work based on their academic interests. On average, our students who accessed TutorMe last year progressed 9 percent more than students who did not." Through TutorMe, tutors and students use opt-in audio and video features, virtual whiteboards, text and code editors, and screen sharing to gain deeper understanding, ultimately improving learning outcomes and increasing equity in schools. Students are also able to work with writing experts through the Writing Lab, getting valuable, prompt feedback on essays and other assignments. This milestone comes on the heels of TutorMe's release of the RAISE approach, a 5-step framework that translates the learning science of tutoring best practices into clear guidelines tutors can apply. About GoGuardian GoGuardian aims to help all learners feel ready and inspired to solve the world's greatest challenges by combining the best in learning and science technology across every part of the learning journey. Our award-winning system of educational tools, which includes Giant Steps, Pear Deck, and GoGuardian Teacher for learning engagement; Edulastic for formative assessments; TutorMe for virtual on-demand tutoring; and GoGuardian Admin and Beacon to support student safety, is purpose-built for K-12 and trusted by school leaders to promote effective teaching and equitable engagement while empowering educators to help keep students safe.

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