The impact of increased VR use in K-12 education

As the use of digital technology expands across the K-12 spectrum, newer tools like virtual reality (VR) are creating quite an impact. A slew of ed-tech companies have introduced VR apps that can transform the way we teach and learn by bringing vivid experiences to the classroom, which can attract and inspire young minds. VR-based lessons, virtual field trips, and immersive science labs all have immense potential to increase student engagement and performance and boost learning outcomes.

Spotlight

Eduscape

Eduscape, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey is an innovative developer and provider of professional development, curriculum, and instructional design led by a team of educators. We facilitate the effective integration of technology by teachers in a deliberate manner by aligning learning outcomes to selected standards, including Common Core, STEM and Next Generation Science Standards. Our expertise extends from Google Apps and Microsoft Office 365 to successful classroom implementations of one-to-one initiatives and other classroom technologies, including interactive whiteboards and projectors. We also partner with leading technology manufacturers and resellers, as well as learning management system providers, to ensure successful adoption and application of their solutions.

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Education Technology

21 Fastest-Growing Edtech Startups (2021)

Article | October 7, 2022

This is a list of growing startups in the education technology space. Overall, VC funding in the edtech space grew by 94% last year, reaching $13 billion. Big names like Udemy, MasterClass and Teachable might get all the attention. (And we will cover many edtech unicorns on this list.) But there are plenty of smaller, fast-growing Edtech startups to keep an eye on in 2021 and beyond. Without further ado, let's dive into the list. Teachoo 5-year search growth: 7500% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2014 Location: Pune, India Funding: Undisclosed What they do: Teachoo is an education platform that hosts a variety of online courses designed for English speaking students in India. Current course offering include tax preparation, Microsoft Excel and math. Outschool 5-year search growth: 6300% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2015 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $240.2M (Series D) What they do: Outschool has created an educational platform for small live classes designed for homeschooling. Specifically, students and parents can choose from over 1,000 live classes designed for children, including ballet, drawing, STEM skills and anthropology. To date the company has had 500,000 students take at least once class and a total of 140,000 classes. Outschool now has a valuation of $3 billion and teachers have generated a reported $45 million from the platform. Preply 5-year search growth: 3200% Search growth status: Exploding Year founded: 2012 Location: Brookline, Massachusetts Funding: $50.6M (Series B) What they do: Preply is an online marketplace for finding tutors in a variety of different languages. The Preply platform also contains a "structured learning" option for those that want a tutor to help them take a more organized route. In addition to rankings, Preply also ranks tutors based on a machine learning model. The company reports that they have over 100,000 students on their platform. Labster 5-year search growth: 575% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2011 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Funding: $103.5M (Series C) What they do: Labster hosts several "virtual labs" for doing experiments in VR. Specifically, students use VR and AR software to practice lab techniques virtually. The major benefit is that students can practice in a safe environment. And prepare them for real-world lab work. Labster currently has over 150 virtual labs on its platform and boasts over 1,000 University clients. Cambly 5-year search growth: 99X+ Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2012 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: Undisclosed (Series B) What they do: Cambly is an on-demand video platform for finding English language tutors. Includes features for lesson recordings, chat translations, courses and certifications. Cambly has a plan specifically for organizations that want to learn English. Lessonly 5-year search growth: -4% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2012 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Funding: $29.1M (Series C) What they do: Lessonly is software to help facilitate in-house staff training for companies. In other words, it's a learning platform for the B2B market. Their software comes with plug-and-play modules for training customer service reps and sales staff. Along with interactive tools that help employees practice scenarios they'll face in the real world. Embrace 5-year search growth: 1900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 1999 Location: Highland, Illinois Funding: Undisclosed What they do: Embrace is a tool for helping teachers document student performance in the classroom. The tool is designed to save educator's time when creating lesson plans and documenting results. Embrace reports that their tool cuts down reporting time by about 50% compared to traditional methods. GoPractice 5-year search growth: 0% Search growth status: Peaked Year founded: 2013 Location: Simpsonville, South Carolina Funding: Undisclosed What they do: GoPractice is an online training program for learning how to grow a customer base. Unlike some of the other edtech companies on this list, GoPractice doesn't offer a variety of courses in different areas. Instead, their 12-week course is designed to help startups find product market fit, launch, and scale their product. GoPractice includes lessons on product management, systems thinking, and data analytics. BetterUp 5-year search growth: 600% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2013 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $569.8M (Series E) What they do: BetterUp is a coaching and training platform designed to boost employee engagement and productivity. Focused on enterprise companies, BetterUp is technically SaaS. But also delivers coaching services through its platform. The company is currently valued at $4.7 billion and has raised $600 million. CuriosityStream 5-year search growth: 273% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2015 Location: Silver Spring, Maryland Funding: $279.7M (Post-IPO Equity) What they do: CuriosityStream is "Netflix for educational content", like documentaries and educational series. Plans range from $2.99/mo for HD video to $9.99 for 4K quality. CuriosityStream's advisory board includes notable names like Glenn Close, Don Henley, and Michio Kaku. In Q3 2021, CuriosityStream posted $18.7 million in revenue and grew their direct subscriber count by 50% over the past year. Udemy 5-year search growth: 223% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $311.4M (Secondary Market) What they do: Udemy is a platform with 130,00 courses on dozens of different topics, from marketing to singing. In addition to à la carte course offerings, Udemy also has a "Udemy for Business" plan. This a subscription service that allows unlimited access to 5,000 courses. Lingoda 5-year search growth: 900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2013 Location: Berlin, Germany Funding: $79.1M (Private Equity) What they do: Lingoda is an online language school. The startup’s platform offers group or 1-to-1 classes in English, German, French, or Spanish. Also, Lingoda develops its own learning material in-house, which helps standardize the methodology. The company reports that they have 70,000 students and 1,400 teachers. GoStudent 5-year search growth: 4900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2016 Location: Vienna, Austria Funding: $345.4M (Series C) What they do: GoStudent is an online tutoring platform. The website helps find tutors across 14 different school subjects, from math to English. The site claims to have more than 10,000 students. In November 2021, GoStudent became the highest valued K through 12 education technology platform in Europe with a valuation of $1.6 billion. Brainly 5-year search growth: 2000% Search growth status: Exploding Year founded: 2009 Location: Kraków, Poland Funding: $148.5M (Series D) What they do: Brainly is a social learning network. Users can ask questions about a range of different school subjects. And help their peers in order to receive points. The number of Brainly users grew from 150 million users in 2019 to 350 million a year later. Cuemath 5-year search growth: 300% Search growth status: Exploding Year founded: 2013 Location: Bengaluru, India Funding: $64.5M (Series C) What they do: Cuemath operates a live-class platform for learning math and coding. Classes are held on Cuemath’s own platform with access to video calls and personalized worksheets. Parents can track the progress of their child on the app, which updates after each class. Quizizz 5-year search growth: 1328% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2015 Location: Bangalore, India Funding: $47M (Series B) What they do: Quizizz is a gamified learning platform for children and employees. Teachers can create quizzes or use a library of existing content for student assignments. Employers can create polls or quizzes to support employee training (during presentations, onboarding, etc.). Reports are available in the product with instant feedback on class performance. Photomath 5-year search growth: 470% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2014 Location: San Mateo, CA Funding: $29M (Series B) What they do: Photomath is a mobile application for solving mathematical equations instantly. The app uses the smartphone's camera to scan math problems and provide solutions with step-by-step explanations. Photomath has more than 220 million downloads from App Store and Google Play. Mursion 5-year search growth: -38% Search growth status: Peaked Year founded: 2014 Location: San Francisco, CA Funding: $35.1M (Series B) What they do: Mursion is a VR training platform for workplace training. Specifically, developing "emotional quotient" (EQ) skills. Their product delivers personalized simulations with the use of AI and human specialists. The company has offers training programs for leadership training, healthcare, and more. SplashLearn 5-year search growth: 4900% Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2010 Location: Gurugram, India Funding: $25M (Series C) What they do: SplashLearn is a gamified math learning product for elementary school children. Their content library includes more than 4,000 games designed to explain math concepts. RangeForce 5-year search growth: 700% Search growth status: Peaked Year founded: 2015 Location: Manassas, VA Funding: $18M (Series A) What they do: RangeForce operates a cloud-based learning platform for cybersecurity training. The startup's product offers a cyber attack simulator for employees to improve their skills. Managers can track the team's performance with reporting features. CoachHub 5-year search growth: 99X+ Search growth status: Regular Year founded: 2018 Location: Berlin, Germany Funding: $133M (Series B) What they do: CoachHub is a B2B digital coaching provider. This startup creates personalized talent development programs for employees to hone their skills and delivers them remotely via video. Employees and HR teams can measure performance within the application. CoachHub has more than 2,500 business coaches in its network. Conclusion That completes this list of 21 Edtech startups with significant growth in 2021. What stands out about many of these companies is the fact that they cater to completely different markets, from schoolchildren all the way up to executives that spend most of their time in B2B boardrooms.

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Continuing Education

What’s it Like to Attend Arizona’s Best Online High School?

Article | November 15, 2022

Arizona is home to many things: the Grand Canyon, the Arizona Cardinals, and Arizona’s best online high school—ASU Prep Digital. Founded in 2017, ASU Prep Digital has quickly become Arizona’s best online high school, succeeding in bridging the gap between high school and college, equipping part-time and full-time students with the tools they need to earn their diploma, and helping them get on an accelerated path to university admission.

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Online Education

Data Science Skills Guide: Learning Opportunities in COVID-19

Article | July 12, 2022

The demand for data science skills and data-driven decision making has been rapidly accelerating for years. Now, organizations across industries are putting professionals to the test to understand and respond to the drastic shift in business operations and consumer behavior caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Download our free data science guide for an overview of key data science and analytics learning opportunities in today’s unusual economic landscape. Whether you want to explore data science for the first time or advance your career, gain valuable analytics skills that can be applied to a range of job functions, or earn a degree.

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What are the highest paying jobs roles in the Data Science industry?

Article | June 18, 2020

When we talk about technology in current time and age, the first thing that pops up in our head is Data Science. There are a million reasons for saying so. The market is full of job opportunities, multiple field applications, growth, higher demand and much more. Data Science is not like other technologies which come and go instead; it is here to stay. Why I say so is that this stream has multiple co-streams that have sub-streams and the web is getting dense. The best part is due to its universal usage the technology is developing at lightning speed. Due to its high demand and lack of supply, the salary bracket of a Data Scientist is way more when compared to other technical streams irrespective of your experience.

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Spotlight

Eduscape

Eduscape, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey is an innovative developer and provider of professional development, curriculum, and instructional design led by a team of educators. We facilitate the effective integration of technology by teachers in a deliberate manner by aligning learning outcomes to selected standards, including Common Core, STEM and Next Generation Science Standards. Our expertise extends from Google Apps and Microsoft Office 365 to successful classroom implementations of one-to-one initiatives and other classroom technologies, including interactive whiteboards and projectors. We also partner with leading technology manufacturers and resellers, as well as learning management system providers, to ensure successful adoption and application of their solutions.

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Corporate Learning Systems

Vector Solutions acquires PATHWAYos to close skills gap for students entering the workforce

PRWeb | October 25, 2023

Vector Solutions, the leading provider of training and software solutions dedicated to helping schools make their communities safer, smarter, and better, today announced it has acquired PATHWAYos, the leading platform for connecting K-12 schools and students to work-based learning opportunities. The acquisition expands Vector Solutions' footprint at the intersection of education and industry with a move into the Career and Technical Education (CTE) market. The transaction brings together two companies passionate about providing best-in-class technology to support building a stronger and more successful workforce. As the lines between education and employment increasingly blur, Vector Solutions and PATHWAYos aim to support students on their chosen career paths and bridge the gap between education and workforce-ready skills. Today, Vector Solutions provides skills and safety training to over 2,000 industry customers, who use that training to ensure their workforce has the necessary skills to perform their jobs effectively. Together with PATHWAYos career-connected learning software, Vector Solutions will be able to offer CTE courses, industry-recognized credentials, and safety training content to K-12 students, districts, intermediaries, state agencies, and colleges. In the future, Vector Solutions plans to use the PATHWAYos platform to connect its industry customers with trained talent, supporting customers in addressing skills gaps and labor shortages by providing a direct 'skills-based' talent pipeline. Our acquisition of PATHWAYos reaffirms our commitment to helping students excel on their chosen career paths, said Jonathan Cherins, Chief Executive Officer of Vector Solutions. The combined power of our offerings will serve to bridge the skills gap between students seeking more training and work-based learning opportunities and industry customers looking to build a skilled workforce. PATHWAYos was established in 2017 with a mission to unlock work-based learning opportunities for all. Its mission is to change how students view their options, how educators see their workload, and how the industry considers its growing talent pool. Work-based learning (WBL) prepares students for the job market and helps build a pipeline of skilled workers, all while lowering recruitment and training costs for employers, and expanding economic development in local communities. The company's WBL programs have impacted over 800,000 students across 2,000 schools in 30 states, leading to more than three million work-based learning hours logged. "Joining forces with Vector Solutions catapults us to an ambitious new era, where we can serve as an unrivaled catalyst for Career and Technical Education," said Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, CEO of PATHWAYos. "Our aim is nothing short of empowering students at scale by unlocking paths towards the future they want, and granting access to economic mobility that often is reserved for an exclusive subset of students. Together, we aspire to impact countless students, breaking barriers between education and the workforce, and reshaping the landscape." Vector Solutions serves over 24,000 customers and thirty-one million end users across the Education, Commercial, and Public Sector markets. With an increased focus on CTE, Vector Solutions will accelerate its presence in this critical market. The company will support students no matter what path they choose to take into the workforce and enable industry customers to access a pipeline of skilled talent. Post acquisition, PATHWAYos will be a product under a new business unit within Vector focused on CTE. The combined expertise and resources will strengthen Vector Solutions' CTE offerings and solidify its position as a leader in the industry. About Vector Solutions Vector Solutions is the leading provider of impactful technology solutions dedicated to driving safer, smarter, better decision-making in the world's most critical industries. Embedded into daily workflows to drive improvements in compliance, safety, performance, and preparedness, our software includes training management, industry-focused online course libraries, EHS management, workforce scheduling, risk communication, operational readiness, and more. Vector's unique combination of information and technology - delivered when and where it is needed - is integral to our more than 34 thousand clients looking to achieve better outcomes and safeguard lives. Vector is committed to providing resources to support those who need them most and launched a collection of free courses on critical mental health and safety topics through Vector Cares. For more information, visit http://www.vectorsolutions.com. For access to free Vector Cares courses visit https://www.vectorsolutions.com/about-us/vector-cares/. 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. For more information about Vector Solutions for K-12 Education, visit http://www.vectorsolutions.com/k12. About PATHWAYos PATHWAYos® is the innovative software at the center of all career-connected learning. School districts, states, and career centers can now collaborate with businesses to expand work-based learning programs. The software streamlines processes while allowing partners to provide numerous opportunities that enhance the development of skills required by the workforce of the future. The world-class platform is quickly becoming a household requirement for innovative school districts.

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Education Technology

iD Tech and Harvard Business Publishing Bring University Business Content to the K-12 Market

iD Tech | February 28, 2022

Today iD Tech, the world leader in youth STEM education, announces that it is now the exclusive K-12 education partner of Harvard Business Publishing Education, the not-for-profit with a mission to improve the practice of management in a changing world. This partnership provides access to a unique collection of over 55,000 business learning materials including case studies, simulations, and articles designed to grow learners’ business knowledge and professional skills. This marks the first strategic partnership spearheaded by Emeritus, the global leader in making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals, companies, and governments around the world, which acquired iD Tech in 2021. The curriculum, which has been developed by iD Tech, enables students to develop business and entrepreneurship fundamentals in courses like, “Build Your Business: Think It, Make It, Sell It” and “Disruption: Breaking the Rules of Business.” iD Tech and Harvard Business Publishing have committed to funding full-scholarships for at least 10% of students participating in the courses, ensuring underrepresented students from all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to the program. iD Tech serves as a clear pathway to educational and career success, with 97% of iD Tech students going on to attend a 4-year college. Higher levels of education are generally associated with a greater likelihood of employment, and those with higher levels of education are more likely to be employed in higher paying jobs. With 8 in 10 kids wanting to be their own boss one day, students have even more avenues to future success with the engaging learning material from Harvard Business Publishing. “Between hybrid learning adjustments and curriculum challenges, parents are turning to supplemental learning options to best position their kids for future success,” says Pete Ingram-Cauchi, CEO of iD Tech. “Like wealth, education should improve with each generation. We are positioned to possibly miss that goal largely due to inequitable access to quality instruction. We are honored to partner with Harvard Business Publishing to ensure our future leaders have an environment to learn, explore, and build on their interests.” The opportunity gap in college admissions, and ultimately career success, is taking a front seat after a tumultuous year in education. The number of total college applications submitted increased by 22% in 2021. However, just 5% of applicants came from the bottom quintile of neighborhoods [Common App Estimate]. Additional learning methods, such as this iD Tech program, serve to close this gap, and create more ways for all students to have an equal opportunity at fulfilling their dreams. “As we celebrate the centennial of the case method pioneered by Harvard Business School, Harvard Business Publishing is pleased to partner with iD Tech to bring this learning to a pre-college audience. Our impactful case studies, simulations, Harvard Business Review articles and other learning materials will help these students develop important leadership and entrepreneurship skills that will benefit them throughout their lives,” said Ellen Desmarais, Senior Vice President of Higher Education for Harvard Business Publishing. “This strategic partnership is an impactful way for iD Tech’s incredible expertise in youth education and our existing university partnerships to work together. iD Tech’s partnership with Harvard Business Publishing combines the best of each organization to further build on our mission of providing access to high quality educational content for learners of all ages around the world.” Ashwin Damera, CEO and co-founder of Emeritus As one of the first purpose-driven companies out of Silicon Valley, iD Tech believes you cannot dream what you cannot experience. Together with Harvard Business Publishing, iD Tech is bringing an evolution to how students gain access to world-class instruction to ignite their passions. About iD Tech iD Tech is the world leader in STEM education where kids and teens learn from the best. With live learning and mentorship from experienced instructors, iD Tech converts real-world interests into lasting STEM careers. Curriculum developed in partnership with professors from top universities and tech entrepreneurs covers topics like coding, 3D modeling, artificial intelligence, robotics, game design, and entrepreneurship. Family-founded 23 years ago, iD Tech is one of the first purpose-driven companies to come out of Silicon Valley, granting life-changing educational experiences to underrepresented communities. In 2021, iD Tech was acquired by Emeritus, the global leader in making high-quality education accessible and affordable to adults, companies, and governments, in order to facilitate a lasting learning pipeline to prepare individuals of all ages to succeed in the workforce. About Emeritus Emeritus is committed to teaching the skills of the future by making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals, companies, and governments around the world. It does this by collaborating with more than 50 top-tier universities across the United States, Europe, Latin America, India and China. Emeritus’ short courses, degree programs, boot camps, and senior executive programs help individuals learn new skills and transform their lives, companies and organizations. Its unique model of state-of-the-art technology, curriculum innovation, and hands-on instruction from senior faculty, mentors and coaches educates more than 100,000 students per year across 80 countries. Founded in 2015, Emeritus, part of the Eruditus Group, has more than 1,000 employees globally and offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Palo Alto, Mexico City, New York, London, and Dubai. The company has raised over $160 million in capital and is backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Sequoia India, Leeds Illuminate, and Prosus Ventures. About Harvard Business Publishing Harvard Business Publishing is a not-for-profit, wholly-owned subsidiary of Harvard University, reporting into Harvard Business School. Our mission is to improve the practice of management in a changing world. This mission influences how we approach what we do here and what we believe is important. HBP serves as a bridge between academia and enterprises around the globe through its publications and platforms for content delivery. The company is comprised of three divisions: Higher Education, Corporate Learning, and Harvard Business Review.

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Continuing Education

South American Education Program Expands Utilization of PowerSchool Solutions to Nearly 1 Million Uruguayan Students

PowerSchool | February 19, 2022

PowerSchool, the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America, today announced that Plan Ceibal, Uruguay's ambitious 1-to-1 instruction program, has expanded its utilization of PowerSchool Unified Classroom® Schoology Learning as its primary learning management system to now serve 800,000 students countrywide. Through Schoology Learning, Plan Ceibal has seen improvements in creating more tailored curriculums, student-teacher collaboration, and facilitating instruction through blended learning environments. “PowerSchool’s Schoology Learning has played a key part in helping Plan Ceibal's mission to ensure Uruguayan educators and students have access to education technology,” said Mauro Carballo, Manager of Educational Technologies, Plan Ceibal. “PowerSchool’s implementation team has been with us each step of the way for nearly a decade, and their passion toward providing intuitive software solutions for schools around the world is the reason we continue to invest in this reliable education technology platform.” Since 2014, Plan Ceibal has utilized Schoology Learning to enhance regular instruction and student-teacher engagement, which has proven to be especially impactful throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the initial challenges schools around the world faced when quickly pivoting to online instruction in 2020, Plan Ceibal was prepared for the rapid shift thanks to Schoology Learning, which resulted in over 93% of students and 94% of teachers in Uruguay utilizing the platform that year. Since then, more than 800,000 students and 45,000 teachers within the Plan Ceibal program are now regular Schoology Learning users. “Plan Ceibal’s utilization of Schoology Learning is a true example of the expanded capabilities school systems can benefit from by implementing this type of software into regular instruction. We’re proud to be long-time supporters of Plan Ceibal and their mission toward providing more technology access to Uruguayan students and educators. Plan Ceibal’s mission is a strong testament to the positive impact education can bring to communities around the world; we can’t wait to see what they do next.” Maulik Datanwala, PowerSchool Chief Operating Officer Founded in 2007, Plan Ceibal is a Uruguayan initiative dedicated toward creating more equitable solutions for students by supporting Uruguayan educational policies with technology. Since its implementation, the program has evolved to ensure every child who enters the public education system in any part of the country has access to a computer for personal use with free internet connection at school. Additionally, Plan Ceibal has grown to provide an expanded array of educational programs and resources for both Uruguayan educators and students, including training courses to enhance methods of teaching and learning. About PowerSchool PowerSchool is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 45 million students globally and more than 13,000 customers, including over 90 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in over 90 countries.

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Corporate Learning Systems

Vector Solutions acquires PATHWAYos to close skills gap for students entering the workforce

PRWeb | October 25, 2023

Vector Solutions, the leading provider of training and software solutions dedicated to helping schools make their communities safer, smarter, and better, today announced it has acquired PATHWAYos, the leading platform for connecting K-12 schools and students to work-based learning opportunities. The acquisition expands Vector Solutions' footprint at the intersection of education and industry with a move into the Career and Technical Education (CTE) market. The transaction brings together two companies passionate about providing best-in-class technology to support building a stronger and more successful workforce. As the lines between education and employment increasingly blur, Vector Solutions and PATHWAYos aim to support students on their chosen career paths and bridge the gap between education and workforce-ready skills. Today, Vector Solutions provides skills and safety training to over 2,000 industry customers, who use that training to ensure their workforce has the necessary skills to perform their jobs effectively. Together with PATHWAYos career-connected learning software, Vector Solutions will be able to offer CTE courses, industry-recognized credentials, and safety training content to K-12 students, districts, intermediaries, state agencies, and colleges. In the future, Vector Solutions plans to use the PATHWAYos platform to connect its industry customers with trained talent, supporting customers in addressing skills gaps and labor shortages by providing a direct 'skills-based' talent pipeline. Our acquisition of PATHWAYos reaffirms our commitment to helping students excel on their chosen career paths, said Jonathan Cherins, Chief Executive Officer of Vector Solutions. The combined power of our offerings will serve to bridge the skills gap between students seeking more training and work-based learning opportunities and industry customers looking to build a skilled workforce. PATHWAYos was established in 2017 with a mission to unlock work-based learning opportunities for all. Its mission is to change how students view their options, how educators see their workload, and how the industry considers its growing talent pool. Work-based learning (WBL) prepares students for the job market and helps build a pipeline of skilled workers, all while lowering recruitment and training costs for employers, and expanding economic development in local communities. The company's WBL programs have impacted over 800,000 students across 2,000 schools in 30 states, leading to more than three million work-based learning hours logged. "Joining forces with Vector Solutions catapults us to an ambitious new era, where we can serve as an unrivaled catalyst for Career and Technical Education," said Cecilia Retelle Zywicki, CEO of PATHWAYos. "Our aim is nothing short of empowering students at scale by unlocking paths towards the future they want, and granting access to economic mobility that often is reserved for an exclusive subset of students. Together, we aspire to impact countless students, breaking barriers between education and the workforce, and reshaping the landscape." Vector Solutions serves over 24,000 customers and thirty-one million end users across the Education, Commercial, and Public Sector markets. With an increased focus on CTE, Vector Solutions will accelerate its presence in this critical market. The company will support students no matter what path they choose to take into the workforce and enable industry customers to access a pipeline of skilled talent. Post acquisition, PATHWAYos will be a product under a new business unit within Vector focused on CTE. The combined expertise and resources will strengthen Vector Solutions' CTE offerings and solidify its position as a leader in the industry. About Vector Solutions Vector Solutions is the leading provider of impactful technology solutions dedicated to driving safer, smarter, better decision-making in the world's most critical industries. Embedded into daily workflows to drive improvements in compliance, safety, performance, and preparedness, our software includes training management, industry-focused online course libraries, EHS management, workforce scheduling, risk communication, operational readiness, and more. Vector's unique combination of information and technology - delivered when and where it is needed - is integral to our more than 34 thousand clients looking to achieve better outcomes and safeguard lives. Vector is committed to providing resources to support those who need them most and launched a collection of free courses on critical mental health and safety topics through Vector Cares. For more information, visit http://www.vectorsolutions.com. For access to free Vector Cares courses visit https://www.vectorsolutions.com/about-us/vector-cares/. 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. For more information about Vector Solutions for K-12 Education, visit http://www.vectorsolutions.com/k12. About PATHWAYos PATHWAYos® is the innovative software at the center of all career-connected learning. School districts, states, and career centers can now collaborate with businesses to expand work-based learning programs. The software streamlines processes while allowing partners to provide numerous opportunities that enhance the development of skills required by the workforce of the future. The world-class platform is quickly becoming a household requirement for innovative school districts.

Read More

Education Technology

iD Tech and Harvard Business Publishing Bring University Business Content to the K-12 Market

iD Tech | February 28, 2022

Today iD Tech, the world leader in youth STEM education, announces that it is now the exclusive K-12 education partner of Harvard Business Publishing Education, the not-for-profit with a mission to improve the practice of management in a changing world. This partnership provides access to a unique collection of over 55,000 business learning materials including case studies, simulations, and articles designed to grow learners’ business knowledge and professional skills. This marks the first strategic partnership spearheaded by Emeritus, the global leader in making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals, companies, and governments around the world, which acquired iD Tech in 2021. The curriculum, which has been developed by iD Tech, enables students to develop business and entrepreneurship fundamentals in courses like, “Build Your Business: Think It, Make It, Sell It” and “Disruption: Breaking the Rules of Business.” iD Tech and Harvard Business Publishing have committed to funding full-scholarships for at least 10% of students participating in the courses, ensuring underrepresented students from all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to the program. iD Tech serves as a clear pathway to educational and career success, with 97% of iD Tech students going on to attend a 4-year college. Higher levels of education are generally associated with a greater likelihood of employment, and those with higher levels of education are more likely to be employed in higher paying jobs. With 8 in 10 kids wanting to be their own boss one day, students have even more avenues to future success with the engaging learning material from Harvard Business Publishing. “Between hybrid learning adjustments and curriculum challenges, parents are turning to supplemental learning options to best position their kids for future success,” says Pete Ingram-Cauchi, CEO of iD Tech. “Like wealth, education should improve with each generation. We are positioned to possibly miss that goal largely due to inequitable access to quality instruction. We are honored to partner with Harvard Business Publishing to ensure our future leaders have an environment to learn, explore, and build on their interests.” The opportunity gap in college admissions, and ultimately career success, is taking a front seat after a tumultuous year in education. The number of total college applications submitted increased by 22% in 2021. However, just 5% of applicants came from the bottom quintile of neighborhoods [Common App Estimate]. Additional learning methods, such as this iD Tech program, serve to close this gap, and create more ways for all students to have an equal opportunity at fulfilling their dreams. “As we celebrate the centennial of the case method pioneered by Harvard Business School, Harvard Business Publishing is pleased to partner with iD Tech to bring this learning to a pre-college audience. Our impactful case studies, simulations, Harvard Business Review articles and other learning materials will help these students develop important leadership and entrepreneurship skills that will benefit them throughout their lives,” said Ellen Desmarais, Senior Vice President of Higher Education for Harvard Business Publishing. “This strategic partnership is an impactful way for iD Tech’s incredible expertise in youth education and our existing university partnerships to work together. iD Tech’s partnership with Harvard Business Publishing combines the best of each organization to further build on our mission of providing access to high quality educational content for learners of all ages around the world.” Ashwin Damera, CEO and co-founder of Emeritus As one of the first purpose-driven companies out of Silicon Valley, iD Tech believes you cannot dream what you cannot experience. Together with Harvard Business Publishing, iD Tech is bringing an evolution to how students gain access to world-class instruction to ignite their passions. About iD Tech iD Tech is the world leader in STEM education where kids and teens learn from the best. With live learning and mentorship from experienced instructors, iD Tech converts real-world interests into lasting STEM careers. Curriculum developed in partnership with professors from top universities and tech entrepreneurs covers topics like coding, 3D modeling, artificial intelligence, robotics, game design, and entrepreneurship. Family-founded 23 years ago, iD Tech is one of the first purpose-driven companies to come out of Silicon Valley, granting life-changing educational experiences to underrepresented communities. In 2021, iD Tech was acquired by Emeritus, the global leader in making high-quality education accessible and affordable to adults, companies, and governments, in order to facilitate a lasting learning pipeline to prepare individuals of all ages to succeed in the workforce. About Emeritus Emeritus is committed to teaching the skills of the future by making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals, companies, and governments around the world. It does this by collaborating with more than 50 top-tier universities across the United States, Europe, Latin America, India and China. Emeritus’ short courses, degree programs, boot camps, and senior executive programs help individuals learn new skills and transform their lives, companies and organizations. Its unique model of state-of-the-art technology, curriculum innovation, and hands-on instruction from senior faculty, mentors and coaches educates more than 100,000 students per year across 80 countries. Founded in 2015, Emeritus, part of the Eruditus Group, has more than 1,000 employees globally and offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, Singapore, Palo Alto, Mexico City, New York, London, and Dubai. The company has raised over $160 million in capital and is backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Sequoia India, Leeds Illuminate, and Prosus Ventures. About Harvard Business Publishing Harvard Business Publishing is a not-for-profit, wholly-owned subsidiary of Harvard University, reporting into Harvard Business School. Our mission is to improve the practice of management in a changing world. This mission influences how we approach what we do here and what we believe is important. HBP serves as a bridge between academia and enterprises around the globe through its publications and platforms for content delivery. The company is comprised of three divisions: Higher Education, Corporate Learning, and Harvard Business Review.

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Continuing Education

South American Education Program Expands Utilization of PowerSchool Solutions to Nearly 1 Million Uruguayan Students

PowerSchool | February 19, 2022

PowerSchool, the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America, today announced that Plan Ceibal, Uruguay's ambitious 1-to-1 instruction program, has expanded its utilization of PowerSchool Unified Classroom® Schoology Learning as its primary learning management system to now serve 800,000 students countrywide. Through Schoology Learning, Plan Ceibal has seen improvements in creating more tailored curriculums, student-teacher collaboration, and facilitating instruction through blended learning environments. “PowerSchool’s Schoology Learning has played a key part in helping Plan Ceibal's mission to ensure Uruguayan educators and students have access to education technology,” said Mauro Carballo, Manager of Educational Technologies, Plan Ceibal. “PowerSchool’s implementation team has been with us each step of the way for nearly a decade, and their passion toward providing intuitive software solutions for schools around the world is the reason we continue to invest in this reliable education technology platform.” Since 2014, Plan Ceibal has utilized Schoology Learning to enhance regular instruction and student-teacher engagement, which has proven to be especially impactful throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the initial challenges schools around the world faced when quickly pivoting to online instruction in 2020, Plan Ceibal was prepared for the rapid shift thanks to Schoology Learning, which resulted in over 93% of students and 94% of teachers in Uruguay utilizing the platform that year. Since then, more than 800,000 students and 45,000 teachers within the Plan Ceibal program are now regular Schoology Learning users. “Plan Ceibal’s utilization of Schoology Learning is a true example of the expanded capabilities school systems can benefit from by implementing this type of software into regular instruction. We’re proud to be long-time supporters of Plan Ceibal and their mission toward providing more technology access to Uruguayan students and educators. Plan Ceibal’s mission is a strong testament to the positive impact education can bring to communities around the world; we can’t wait to see what they do next.” Maulik Datanwala, PowerSchool Chief Operating Officer Founded in 2007, Plan Ceibal is a Uruguayan initiative dedicated toward creating more equitable solutions for students by supporting Uruguayan educational policies with technology. Since its implementation, the program has evolved to ensure every child who enters the public education system in any part of the country has access to a computer for personal use with free internet connection at school. Additionally, Plan Ceibal has grown to provide an expanded array of educational programs and resources for both Uruguayan educators and students, including training courses to enhance methods of teaching and learning. About PowerSchool PowerSchool is the leading provider of cloud-based software for K-12 education in North America. Its mission is to power the education ecosystem with unified technology that helps educators and students realize their full potential, in their way. PowerSchool connects students, teachers, administrators, and parents, with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. From the office to the classroom to the home, it helps schools and districts efficiently manage state reporting and related compliance, special education, finance, human resources, talent, registration, attendance, funding, learning, instruction, grading, assessments and analytics in one unified platform. PowerSchool supports over 45 million students globally and more than 13,000 customers, including over 90 of the top 100 districts by student enrollment in the United States, and sells solutions in over 90 countries.

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