Talent Development
PR News Wire | August 31, 2023
Instructure, the leading learning platform and maker of Canvas, today announced that the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), the system of public community colleges in Alabama, has selected the Canvas learning management system (LMS) as part of a major statewide initiative to transform and modernize its learning experience and increase student success. By unifying the learning experience on Canvas LMS along with Canvas Studio, Impact by Instructure and Canvas Credentials, educators across the state can access foundational, evidence-based edtech solutions to support their instruction.
Comprised of 24 community and technical colleges, ACCS offers 2-to-4-year transfer, dual enrollment, technical training, adult education and community education for Alabama residents. In 2021 ACCS expanded its usage of Canvas to 12 member institutions. After a successful implementation, increased student access due to a robust mobile application, increased reliability due to decreased downtime and an improved user experience, ACCS now expands its investment by choosing a statewide deployment of Instructure Learning Platform solutions.
The proposed solution, which is backed by research and ensures a consistent learning experience across the state, provides a proven approach to extending access at scale. The statewide implementation of the Instructure Learning Platform solutions will be available to all ACCS students by fall of 2024.
The statewide implementation is a key milestone for Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker, whose efforts to modernize and streamline operations has improved the department's focus on the needs of higher education students. By scaling operations, including information security, IT and a consolidated approach to edtech, ACCS can now address challenges in a more effective and efficient manner.
"Anything that Alabama's community and technical colleges can do to consistently deliver higher education and training in an accessible way that leads our residents to finding their best success is why we exist," said Baker. "We have seen through our academic programs and work-based learning programs, such as Skills for Success and Alabama Career Essentials, that a resident's ability to start their student experience on one platform opens the door to a wealth of other training opportunities throughout our community and technical colleges across the state."
"ACCS and the state of Alabama are taking a giant leap forward with accessibility as they address learning deserts, or areas where students traditionally have less access to educational resources and opportunities," said Steve Daly, CEO of Instructure. "We're honored to play a significant role in elevating student success and amplifying the power of teaching throughout Alabama."
Alongside Canvas, ACCS students will benefit from Impact by Instructure, a data and analytics solution that improves adoption and evaluates the impact of edtech. Educators and administrators can use these insights to make informed decisions and evolve educational offerings to best suit the needs of students. With access to this timely data, ACCS can help students accelerate the completion of programs and enable them to take any program at any institution statewide. Extending needed educational moments to students in every circumstance will lead to a new generation of educated learners previously excluded. "As a unified system of community colleges, utilization of a common Learning Management System makes sense," said Cynthia Anthony, President of Lawson State Community College. "One of our goals is to eliminate barriers that hinder seamless student experiences. I think a single LMS is a win-win for our students and colleges. We must look at the big picture and remain laser-focused on student success."
The ACCS investment further magnifies the impact of the ACCS Innovation Center, an ambitious effort bringing together the state's community colleges, business, industry and community partners to deliver rapid, industry-recognized non-credit training within some of the state's most in-demand career fields. Adding Canvas Credentials to the training programs will play a key role in allowing learners to demonstrate skill mastery in a competitive workforce.
"The strategic decision for the Alabama Community College System to have a standardized Learning Management System will simplify the learning process for students that take classes at different community colleges or transfer to another system college, which is significant," said Todd Shackett, President of Southern Union State Community College. "Additionally, it will allow colleges to more easily share faculty and curriculum across schools for better service and more efficiency."
This far-reaching program serves as a model for other states seeking to address complex problems prevalent in modern learning environments, such as equitable access and student engagement. By implementing an all-Canvas Higher Education system throughout the state, Alabama promotes continuity and a consistent mobile-ready learning experience which shrinks learning deserts. The Instructure Learning Platform brings together students, instructors, and tools for a familiar digital learning environment in the physical, blended, or online classroom.
ABOUT INSTRUCTURE
Instructure is an education technology company dedicated to elevating student success, amplifying the power of teaching, and inspiring everyone to learn together. Today the Instructure Learning Platform, comprised of its flagship product Canvas LMS and several products serving K-12 and higher education, supports tens of millions of educators and learners around the world.
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Entrepreneurs and Leaders
PRnewswire | August 01, 2023
The Epilepsy Foundation today announced a five-year collaboration with Vector Solutions, the leading provider of training and software solutions for K-12 and higher education institutions, to offer the Epilepsy Foundation's Seizure Recognition & First Aid Certification training in the Vector Safety and Compliance Course Library. This agreement will provide an easy and convenient way for educators and school personnel, who are already contracted with Vector, to take the seizure first aid training to better serve their students.
There are 470,000 children living with epilepsy in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the opportunity for academic success is increased when students with chronic health conditions have a safe and supportive learning environment.
"Our collaboration with Vector will give school personnel — who are required by state laws to take seizure first aid training — a place to do so easily and effectively through a familiar learning portal," said Brandy Fureman, Ph.D., chief outcomes officer, Epilepsy Foundation. "In addition, it will expand access to our seizure first aid training to school systems around the country using Vector's platform. Our end goal is to have a seizure safe nation where everyone who has a seizure feels safe, no matter where they are. This partnership is a stepstone toward that goal."
In 2018, Kentucky led the charge to pass the nation's first-ever law requiring school personnel to complete seizure recognition and first aid training. Since then, the Epilepsy Foundation, family advocates and partner organizations have been working to pass similar Seizure Safe Schools legislation nationwide. The model Seizure Safe Schools legislation has five components, one of which requires all school personnel, including school nurses and teachers, to complete training so that they can recognize and respond appropriately and efficiently to students experiencing seizures. To date, almost half of the states have passed some form of Seizure Safe Schools legislation.
For years, the Epilepsy Foundation has partnered with the CDC to build nationwide programs to ensure school personnel, first responders, seniors, caregivers, and the public are better trained to recognize seizures and administer first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation's seizure first aid trainings provide information to increase knowledge, skills, and confidence in recognizing seizures and safely administering seizure first aid.
"We are excited to collaborate with the Epilepsy Foundation to deliver its trainings through our online learning management system," said, Rob Buelow, General Manager of Education at Vector Solutions. "The safety and well-being of students is paramount and educators must be properly equipped to address the unique needs of all students. Through this partnership, K-12 and higher education staff across the nation will be empowered to serve their students and ensure their health and safety."
About the Epilepsy Foundation
With a network of partners throughout the United States, the Epilepsy Foundation is leading the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The Foundation connects people to treatment, support, and resources; leads advocacy efforts; funds innovative research and the training of specialists; and educates the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources in homes across the country, and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services and research for new therapies. The trainings will be available in the Vector platform later this summer and school administrators who have a current subscription will receive notification when the trainings are live.
About Epilepsy
According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. Epilepsy is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.
About Vector Solutions for K-12 Education
Vector Solutions for K-12 Education is a leading provider of training, software and professional development solutions committed to creating safer, smarter and better school environments. Trusted by more than 5,000 K-12 districts in the United States, Vector's award-winning suite of products save administrators time, improve compliance, and streamline administrative processes. Vector trainings on imperative topics like safety and compliance; inclusive instruction; mental health and well-being; diversity, equity and inclusion; and cybersecurity enable students and teachers alike to make schools safer, more inclusive, and more effective places to work and learn.
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Talent Development
Gravyty | July 14, 2023
Gravyty announced its groundbreaking fundraising and engagement software platform for higher education advancement and alumni relations teams.
The Gravyty higher education platform revolutionizes how university advancement teams engage, solicit and steward students, alumni and donors through personalization, seamless integrations and AI. Through the fully integrated platform, institutions will benefit from sustainable long-term growth, reportable ROI and a simplified user experience.
"We're thrilled to be able to provide a holistic platform that helps institutions solve for the challenges they face in advancement—from engaging with alumni at scale to executing a dynamic digital fundraising strategy to stewarding donors and building pipeline year-round," said Josh Robertson, VP of Product at Gravyty. Robertson continued, "We've designed the platform to get smarter as insights grow. The data and analytics provided in the platform paired with the cyclical approach to engagement, fundraising and stewardship provides schools with a comprehensive advancement solution."
About Gravyty
Gravyty is the leading provider of purpose-driven technology, providing higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations and K12 schools the tools they need to create an engaging community and fundraise smarter. Backed by K1 Investment Management, Gravyty has $72 million in funding and six strategic industry acquisitions to build a holistic, mission-driven ecosystem of solutions. Gravyty is headquartered in the United Kingdom, with operations in the United States, Canada and Israel.
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Online Education
PR Newswire | September 26, 2023
eDynamic Learning, North America's largest provider of digital curriculum for electives and Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses for schools, announces they have acquired the company behind Learning Blade® and Ready for Industry®. This is eDynamic Learning's fourth industry acquisition and further expands access for students and teachers to industry-leading career exploration curriculum and a growing suite of college and career readiness tools.
"Learning Blade and Ready for Industry offer an impactful expansion of the tools and resources from eDynamic Learning to further support our mission of guiding students' passion to purpose. By reaching learners at pivotal stages of their academic development, we can guide them to visualize and prepare for their futures and ultimately, enter the workforce ready for success with the necessary knowledge, skills, and certifications for a wide range of industries." Jerry Wooden, President and CEO of eDynamic Learning.
Learning Blade introduces students in grades five through nine to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), CTE, and computer science careers through interactive and engaging online tools in "mission" based storylines. Students work together in teams as they accomplish goals and explore over 100 careers by completing more than 400 online lessons, project-based lessons, and presentations. Parent resources, 3D printing, and design thinking lesson plans are also provided. Learning Blade's newly released Introduction to Coding course is also widely used to introduce computer science to middle school students.
The innovative Ready for Industry (RFI) platform creates a career bridge for learners by providing essential industry knowledge for the five highest-demand industries across the country: healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, construction, and logistics. Specifically designed to address career preparedness and awareness, RFI provides 20-hour courses suited for high schools, community and technical colleges, and adult education programs. The program has also worked in collaboration with National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) to create an industry-recognized credential program in all five industries.
"By joining eDynamic Learning, more students and adults will have the ability to discover and better prepare for high-demand careers that align to their interests and meet the needs of the workforce. With this new relationship and our successful statewide strategy, we are excited to have more support allowing even more states and organizations to have access to these innovative tools." Sheila Boyington, Co-Founder of Learning Blade and Ready for Industry.
About eDynamic Learning
eDynamic Learning is the K-12 publishing industry's largest provider of college and career readiness solutions established with a mission of helping students find their passion and prepare them with the knowledge and skills to make life-shaping decisions. eDynamic Learning offers award-winning courseware for grades 5-12 with more than 250 career-focused elective and career technical education courses. eDynamic Learning is also the leading provider of simulation-based educational content with over one-third of all U.S. high schools using the Knowledge Matters- Virtual Business line of simulations.
About SAI Interactive, Inc. d/b/a Thinking Media
SAI Interactive, Inc. has made the past two years of Inc. 5000 and was named Small Business of the Year by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce. The company was founded by Sheila and Dr. Dane Boyington who have developed some of the most respected and innovative tools in the education technology field. In addition to the current products Learning Blade® and Ready for Industry®, Thinking Media has been widely recognized by experts and innovators in the fields of education and workforce development.
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