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Improve Remote Learning With Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

The fall 2020 semester won’t be business as usual for many higher education students. While some schools — including the University of Notre Dame and Purdue University — recently announced plans to resume in-person classes, others are planning for continued online instruction. According to recent COVID-19 guidelines from Harvard University Medical School, for example, “fall 2020 courses will commence remotely for our entering classes of medical, dental and graduate students.” Meanwhile, the California State University System announced that its planned approach “will result in CSU courses primarily being delivered virtually for the Fall 2020 term, with limited exceptions for in-person teaching.”

Spotlight

G-Cube Solutions

G-Cube’s product portfolio includes our cutting edge G-Cube LMS V7, which comprises Virtual Class Room, Content Authoring Tool, Assessment Engine, and Skill Gap and ILT management systems. Content services include designing and developing custom e-courses, mobile learning, content localization, game-based learning, simulations, and consulting for curriculum design.

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Education Technology, Continuing Education

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

Article | August 8, 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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Education Technology

3 Inclusive Classroom Strategies to Use for Higher Student Enrollment

Article | October 7, 2022

In 2021, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that student enrollments were at an all-time low. Community college enrollment dipped by 11% while post-secondary enrollment saw a dip of 4.2% year-on-year. The impact of the last two years’ events clearly demonstrates the strain faced by all levels of educational institutions. The shift to the virtual classroom setup also saw parents and students recognize the importance of teaching and learning online. The significance of a virtual classroom is emphasized more than ever. It has forced schools to improve their online teaching infrastructure so that they can keep growing. But this has also affected inclusivity. According to UNESCO, school closures during the pandemic affected 1.2 billion children in 186 countries. In this article, we discuss why virtual learning is in dire need of inclusivity and inclusive learning practices. Why Does Inclusive Learning Matter in the Era of Zoom Classes? Edtech is a booming industry. In 2019, edtech investments reached a whopping US $18 billion. Further, the online education market is estimated to cross the $350 billion mark by 2025. There is no doubt that learning institutions are investing heavily in online learning. But inclusivity is still lagging far behind. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that 25% of secondary school-aged students from underprivileged backgrounds lack a computer. The writing on the wall is clear. Virtual learning is bound to widen the divide, and its impact will be felt most by underprivileged students. For educational institutions, delivering a positively inclusive learning experience online is essential to attracting students who do have access to educational technology. “In the higher education space, most schools were, and still are, predominantly focused on that in-person campus visit to do all those same things, but it’s expensive and it means only students and parents who travel to campus can get that real-life feel and experience.” - Matthew Pellish, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at CampusReel Bringing Personalization to the Virtual Classroom Although virtual learning has stripped away the human touch that accompanies a classroom setting, there are ways to make it more engaging and meaningful. Engage students even before the class starts. This can be done by setting an agenda for the session beforehand and asking students to send in their queries and expectations from the session. Turning the greeting into a short discussion is a great way to engage everyone right off the bat. Tools like Zoom make it simpler to personalize every class with features like backgrounds and notes. Use the chat feature generously. Teaching and learning online has to be a one-sided flow of information for it to be effective. However, the chat feature empowers teachers to break the monotony. The best way to keep students attentive is through personalization. Attentiveness can be achieved by asking many questions, even if they are simply yes-or-no questions. It enables teachers to keep a check on engagement and pivot when needed. Simulating a Sense of Community A discussion on an inclusive learning environment is incomplete without mentioning student community building. Online teaching and learning is limited in its ability to provide a sense of community. Since students are physically separated from their peers, one-on-one connections are lacking. Despite the distance, there are a few solutions you can use to reduce the distance virtually. Identify the type of community you want to develop. Whether you’re offering synchronous or asynchronous courses, it is crucial to keep the student-peer-instructor link active. Create a loop of feedback between teachers and students to enable community building. Modern tools offer a number of ways to seek feedback that provides insight on teaching style and the general classroom environment. Create a classroom forum online. Forums offer the best of two-way interactions with a platform outside of the online class. This ensures constancy and inclusive learning even after the class is over. For those who weren’t able to attend due to technical difficulties or poor connectivity, they never lose track of what’s going on. Cultivating Two-Way Interaction Two-way interactions are an integral part of engaging learning experiences. Inclusive classroom activities online may not completely replace them, but much can be done to build a more involved form of communication. One way to design such activities is to use the Kanevsky and Keighly framework to engage students with the five Cs: choice, challenge, control, complexity, and care. Use screen sharing and remote access tools. Physical classrooms offer avenues for students to present to their peers. In a virtual classroom setting, this can be achieved with screen sharing. Empower students to retain better by making them present their perspective and understanding of different concepts. This gives other students the impetus to do the same. Initiate group discussions through your course management system. Inviting students to design the resources and collaborate on group projects will jumpstart in-depth discussions. Many course management systems allow students to share their notes with each other. This creates inclusive learning environment. Finally: Why Will the Online University Experience Will Attract More Students Although learning institutions are beginning to open up for the in-person learning experience, the effectiveness of a virtual classroom is undeniable. Like remote working, remote learning is gaining ground, and inclusive online teaching is inevitably important. A Cengage survey revealed that 68% of students prefer hybrid learning: a combination of online and offline course delivery. In addition, the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found that the number of students who enrolled in online-only programs rose from 3.5 million during the fall to 5.8 million. Fostering meaningful, hands-on learning similar to that in a classroom is difficult. Even though student enrollment in online courses is rising, learning institutions are facing the challenge of delivering a highly engaging learning experience. But with an understanding of the learning outcome and the right tools, institutions can develop robust, inclusive classroom activities that every student will want to benefit from. Frequently Asked Questions Do students and teachers prefer online teaching and learning? According to a recent survey by Cengage, about 73% of students prefer some courses to be delivered fully online. In addition, 57% of teachers said they prefer teaching hybrid courses over online-only courses. Is online teaching and learning a growing trend? Yes. Online learning platform Coursera experienced a huge spike in enrollments. In 2021, enrollment increased by 32% and peaked at 189 million. What are the principles of inclusive education? The principles of inclusive education are: Togetherness Participation Acceptance Equality

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Education Technology

3 Ways K-12 Can Benefit from Classroom Management Software

Article | July 15, 2022

K-12 teachers and learners are witnessing a shift in learning methods, and much of the change is driven by technology. In the face of the pandemic, many schools adopted classroom management software as a temporary measure, but it is fast becoming the norm. If your school is still considering refining your classroom management or switching to a new platform, it is essential to understand the advantages it offers for administrators, educators, and learners. Here are three ways classroom management enriches K-12 education and why you should embrace it in 2023. Student Security The emergence of the use of laptops, tablets, and other devices has exposed students to not just increased screen time but also cybersecurity mishaps. Classroom management solutions offer extensive security modules that enable educators to keep a firm grasp on the safety of students online. These solutions offer visibility across devices used by students, which can prove to be mission critical in the case of data leaks. The two features that address device management concerns that can be addressed with these solutions are: Web filtering This software protects students by restricting access to inappropriate, objectionable, and harmful content that can impact students and risk the school’s network security. Combined with classroom management, web filtering provides richer insights into devices and fosters effective learning. Mobile device management Technology investment doesn’t come cheap. This is why mobile device management, or MDM, is so valuable. It helps the school’s technology department to keep a close eye on the access and user management, permissions, application deployment, remote access, lost equipment tracking, and so much more in order to prevent any kind of security breaches, and is especially handy in a hybrid classroom environment. Collaborative Activities Classroom management solutions can prove to be a meaningful investment only if they can address the most important need of a classroom, i.e., collaborative learning. Thanks to technology, collaboration in the classroom has become seamless and more engaging than ever before. Here are some ways that it is creating rewarding learning experiences. Screensharing Screensharing allows teachers to share their screen with the whole class and even allow certain students to share theirs. This encourages collaboration and allows teachers to conduct two-way discussions during each class. Secure messaging Classroom management solutions specialize in providing teachers with complete control of the online class and maintaining decorum. Teachers can lock screens and even devices, close tabs, and even message students individually to keep them engaged. Student Support One of the best features to ensure student engagement is an avenue for students to reach out to teachers. This way, students are able to stay in the loop, get their queries cleared, and avoid neglecting doubts and problems due to the inability to connect with their teachers. Better Learning Being able to cultivate ample learning opportunities in a creative, fun setting is one of the best ways to use classroom management platforms. Here are some ways that such solutions reduce the hurdles that many schools and educators face in creating conducive and enriching learning environments. Flexibility Classroom management promotes learning by supporting multiple settings for learning, like in-person classes, remote and mixed modes of instruction. Higher teacher efficiency Increasing teacher efficiency is another benefit schools can look forward to when equipping classes with classroom management solutions. Thanks to features like pop quizzes and report card generation, classroom management eliminates extensive paper work and promotes teacher efficiency. What’s the Word? There is little doubt that technology can propel learning and education to new heights. With the above features, it is easy to see why classroom management is a substantial piece in the puzzle for schools trying to figure out their long-term game plan for learning delivery methods. The right solution will not only be important, but it will also be a turning point in improving educational outcomes in K–12 schools, which are always looking for ways to make learning more fun and interesting while also making teachers' jobs easier and reducing teacher burnout.

Read More

Boston Dynamics’ Handle robot recreated with Raspberry Pi

Article | August 25, 2020

You in the community seemed so impressed with this recent Boston Dynamics–inspired build that we decided to feature another. This time, maker Harry was inspired by Boston Dynamics’ research robot Handle, which stands 6.5 ft tall, travels at 9 mph and jumps 4 feet vertically. Here’s how Harry made his miniature version, MABEL (Multi Axis Balancer Electronically Levelled). MABEL has individually articulated legs to enhance off-road stability, prevent it from tipping, and even make it jump (if you use some really fast servos). Harry is certain that anyone with a 3D printer and a “few bits” can build one.

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Education Technology, Continuing Education

3 Ways K-12 Can Benefit from Classroom Management Software

Article | August 8, 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.

Read More
Education Technology

Top 7 Features to Look for in a Classroom Management Platform

Article | October 7, 2022

In 2021, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that student enrollments were at an all-time low. Community college enrollment dipped by 11% while post-secondary enrollment saw a dip of 4.2% year-on-year. The impact of the last two years’ events clearly demonstrates the strain faced by all levels of educational institutions. The shift to the virtual classroom setup also saw parents and students recognize the importance of teaching and learning online. The significance of a virtual classroom is emphasized more than ever. It has forced schools to improve their online teaching infrastructure so that they can keep growing. But this has also affected inclusivity. According to UNESCO, school closures during the pandemic affected 1.2 billion children in 186 countries. In this article, we discuss why virtual learning is in dire need of inclusivity and inclusive learning practices. Why Does Inclusive Learning Matter in the Era of Zoom Classes? Edtech is a booming industry. In 2019, edtech investments reached a whopping US $18 billion. Further, the online education market is estimated to cross the $350 billion mark by 2025. There is no doubt that learning institutions are investing heavily in online learning. But inclusivity is still lagging far behind. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that 25% of secondary school-aged students from underprivileged backgrounds lack a computer. The writing on the wall is clear. Virtual learning is bound to widen the divide, and its impact will be felt most by underprivileged students. For educational institutions, delivering a positively inclusive learning experience online is essential to attracting students who do have access to educational technology. “In the higher education space, most schools were, and still are, predominantly focused on that in-person campus visit to do all those same things, but it’s expensive and it means only students and parents who travel to campus can get that real-life feel and experience.” - Matthew Pellish, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at CampusReel Bringing Personalization to the Virtual Classroom Although virtual learning has stripped away the human touch that accompanies a classroom setting, there are ways to make it more engaging and meaningful. Engage students even before the class starts. This can be done by setting an agenda for the session beforehand and asking students to send in their queries and expectations from the session. Turning the greeting into a short discussion is a great way to engage everyone right off the bat. Tools like Zoom make it simpler to personalize every class with features like backgrounds and notes. Use the chat feature generously. Teaching and learning online has to be a one-sided flow of information for it to be effective. However, the chat feature empowers teachers to break the monotony. The best way to keep students attentive is through personalization. Attentiveness can be achieved by asking many questions, even if they are simply yes-or-no questions. It enables teachers to keep a check on engagement and pivot when needed. Simulating a Sense of Community A discussion on an inclusive learning environment is incomplete without mentioning student community building. Online teaching and learning is limited in its ability to provide a sense of community. Since students are physically separated from their peers, one-on-one connections are lacking. Despite the distance, there are a few solutions you can use to reduce the distance virtually. Identify the type of community you want to develop. Whether you’re offering synchronous or asynchronous courses, it is crucial to keep the student-peer-instructor link active. Create a loop of feedback between teachers and students to enable community building. Modern tools offer a number of ways to seek feedback that provides insight on teaching style and the general classroom environment. Create a classroom forum online. Forums offer the best of two-way interactions with a platform outside of the online class. This ensures constancy and inclusive learning even after the class is over. For those who weren’t able to attend due to technical difficulties or poor connectivity, they never lose track of what’s going on. Cultivating Two-Way Interaction Two-way interactions are an integral part of engaging learning experiences. Inclusive classroom activities online may not completely replace them, but much can be done to build a more involved form of communication. One way to design such activities is to use the Kanevsky and Keighly framework to engage students with the five Cs: choice, challenge, control, complexity, and care. Use screen sharing and remote access tools. Physical classrooms offer avenues for students to present to their peers. In a virtual classroom setting, this can be achieved with screen sharing. Empower students to retain better by making them present their perspective and understanding of different concepts. This gives other students the impetus to do the same. Initiate group discussions through your course management system. Inviting students to design the resources and collaborate on group projects will jumpstart in-depth discussions. Many course management systems allow students to share their notes with each other. This creates inclusive learning environment. Finally: Why Will the Online University Experience Will Attract More Students Although learning institutions are beginning to open up for the in-person learning experience, the effectiveness of a virtual classroom is undeniable. Like remote working, remote learning is gaining ground, and inclusive online teaching is inevitably important. A Cengage survey revealed that 68% of students prefer hybrid learning: a combination of online and offline course delivery. In addition, the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found that the number of students who enrolled in online-only programs rose from 3.5 million during the fall to 5.8 million. Fostering meaningful, hands-on learning similar to that in a classroom is difficult. Even though student enrollment in online courses is rising, learning institutions are facing the challenge of delivering a highly engaging learning experience. But with an understanding of the learning outcome and the right tools, institutions can develop robust, inclusive classroom activities that every student will want to benefit from. Frequently Asked Questions Do students and teachers prefer online teaching and learning? According to a recent survey by Cengage, about 73% of students prefer some courses to be delivered fully online. In addition, 57% of teachers said they prefer teaching hybrid courses over online-only courses. Is online teaching and learning a growing trend? Yes. Online learning platform Coursera experienced a huge spike in enrollments. In 2021, enrollment increased by 32% and peaked at 189 million. What are the principles of inclusive education? The principles of inclusive education are: Togetherness Participation Acceptance Equality

Read More
Education Technology

3 Pillars of SEL that Every Educator Must Embody

Article | July 15, 2022

K-12 teachers and learners are witnessing a shift in learning methods, and much of the change is driven by technology. In the face of the pandemic, many schools adopted classroom management software as a temporary measure, but it is fast becoming the norm. If your school is still considering refining your classroom management or switching to a new platform, it is essential to understand the advantages it offers for administrators, educators, and learners. Here are three ways classroom management enriches K-12 education and why you should embrace it in 2023. Student Security The emergence of the use of laptops, tablets, and other devices has exposed students to not just increased screen time but also cybersecurity mishaps. Classroom management solutions offer extensive security modules that enable educators to keep a firm grasp on the safety of students online. These solutions offer visibility across devices used by students, which can prove to be mission critical in the case of data leaks. The two features that address device management concerns that can be addressed with these solutions are: Web filtering This software protects students by restricting access to inappropriate, objectionable, and harmful content that can impact students and risk the school’s network security. Combined with classroom management, web filtering provides richer insights into devices and fosters effective learning. Mobile device management Technology investment doesn’t come cheap. This is why mobile device management, or MDM, is so valuable. It helps the school’s technology department to keep a close eye on the access and user management, permissions, application deployment, remote access, lost equipment tracking, and so much more in order to prevent any kind of security breaches, and is especially handy in a hybrid classroom environment. Collaborative Activities Classroom management solutions can prove to be a meaningful investment only if they can address the most important need of a classroom, i.e., collaborative learning. Thanks to technology, collaboration in the classroom has become seamless and more engaging than ever before. Here are some ways that it is creating rewarding learning experiences. Screensharing Screensharing allows teachers to share their screen with the whole class and even allow certain students to share theirs. This encourages collaboration and allows teachers to conduct two-way discussions during each class. Secure messaging Classroom management solutions specialize in providing teachers with complete control of the online class and maintaining decorum. Teachers can lock screens and even devices, close tabs, and even message students individually to keep them engaged. Student Support One of the best features to ensure student engagement is an avenue for students to reach out to teachers. This way, students are able to stay in the loop, get their queries cleared, and avoid neglecting doubts and problems due to the inability to connect with their teachers. Better Learning Being able to cultivate ample learning opportunities in a creative, fun setting is one of the best ways to use classroom management platforms. Here are some ways that such solutions reduce the hurdles that many schools and educators face in creating conducive and enriching learning environments. Flexibility Classroom management promotes learning by supporting multiple settings for learning, like in-person classes, remote and mixed modes of instruction. Higher teacher efficiency Increasing teacher efficiency is another benefit schools can look forward to when equipping classes with classroom management solutions. Thanks to features like pop quizzes and report card generation, classroom management eliminates extensive paper work and promotes teacher efficiency. What’s the Word? There is little doubt that technology can propel learning and education to new heights. With the above features, it is easy to see why classroom management is a substantial piece in the puzzle for schools trying to figure out their long-term game plan for learning delivery methods. The right solution will not only be important, but it will also be a turning point in improving educational outcomes in K–12 schools, which are always looking for ways to make learning more fun and interesting while also making teachers' jobs easier and reducing teacher burnout.

Read More

Boston Dynamics’ Handle robot recreated with Raspberry Pi

Article | August 25, 2020

You in the community seemed so impressed with this recent Boston Dynamics–inspired build that we decided to feature another. This time, maker Harry was inspired by Boston Dynamics’ research robot Handle, which stands 6.5 ft tall, travels at 9 mph and jumps 4 feet vertically. Here’s how Harry made his miniature version, MABEL (Multi Axis Balancer Electronically Levelled). MABEL has individually articulated legs to enhance off-road stability, prevent it from tipping, and even make it jump (if you use some really fast servos). Harry is certain that anyone with a 3D printer and a “few bits” can build one.

Read More
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Spotlight

G-Cube Solutions

G-Cube’s product portfolio includes our cutting edge G-Cube LMS V7, which comprises Virtual Class Room, Content Authoring Tool, Assessment Engine, and Skill Gap and ILT management systems. Content services include designing and developing custom e-courses, mobile learning, content localization, game-based learning, simulations, and consulting for curriculum design.

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Education Technology

Lakeshore IT and Splashtop Partner to Bring Secure Remote Ed Tech Solutions to IT Teams Supporting K-12 Schools

Splashtop Inc. | January 18, 2022

Lakeshore IT Solutions, a consultative IT reseller serving K-12 schools, and Splashtop, a leader in secure remote access and support software, today announced a partnership. Together, they will provide high-performance technology solutions to strategic educational institutions that are investing in the future of classrooms. Splashtop’s secure cloud and on-premise solutions enable school districts to shift effortlessly in and out of remote learning modes without overwhelming IT operations. IT teams can manage remote access to virtual machines and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) seamlessly from the same application. Faculty can securely access school computers from a range of devices and operating systems. When support is required, help desk teams can swiftly troubleshoot on-demand from anywhere, allowing schools to adapt and acclimate to change without disrupting classrooms. "We are proud to partner with Splashtop and to recommend their high-performance education technology for IT help desk support, work from home enablement, and classroom cloud,” said Rian Yablun, President at Lakeshore IT Solutions. “Their solutions are a great fit for a majority of our K-12 clients, and the feedback we have received is outstanding.” Splashtop for Education enhances learning by providing an in-person experience that helps students reach their full potential, whether in-classroom or accessing the resources they need after hours. Students can use lab computers and licensed software from Adobe, Autodesk or other providers from their laptops, iPads, Chromebooks or additional devices, even after lab hours. IT teams can easily schedule remote lab access sessions for students to optimize the use of lab computers and expensive software licenses, as well as provide support to teachers and students who may not be off-site at other locations. Teachers and students can use Splashtop Mirroring360 to create interactive classroom experiences by allowing them to mirror content, ideas and apps on their personal device to share with the whole class. This collaboration tool operates seamlessly with tablets, smartphones, computers, and Chromebooks to create a productive learning environment where teachers can move freely through their classrooms and effectively engage with their students. “As the world normalizes flexible workplaces, schools need technology that enhances productivity, enables work from home, and makes lives of students, faculty and IT professionals easier. Splashtop offers classroom collaboration tools and remote access solutions that are user-friendly for technical and nontechnical audiences. They are easy to implement, easy to support and safeguard against vulnerabilities commonly exploited by cybercriminals.” Justin Windsor, Splashtop’s Channel Chief for the Americas ABOUT LAKESHORE IT SOLUTIONS Lakeshore IT is a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) based in Spring Grove, Illinois that specializes in providing consultative IT services and support to the K-12 educational. Lakeshore IT was founded in 2016 by Rian Yablun after more than 15 years in the IT industry, with the goal of providing IT solutions to clients with the exceptional service and support they deserve. Lakeshore IT strives to be a one stop shop for all customers whether it be for products or services. ABOUT SPLASHTOP Splashtop delivers secure remote access and remote IT support software for enterprises, education, government, SMBs, MSPs, IT departments, and individuals. It’s cloud-based, secure, and easily managed remote solutions are used by more than 30 million customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500, and have earned a 93 Net Promoter Score (NPS).

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Education Technology

WeVideo Releases Wevideo Classroom for Educational Multimedia Creation

WeVideo | January 17, 2022

WeVideo today launched WeVideo Classroom, a cloud-based multimedia creation platform customized for educators to help drive student engagement and ignite deeper learning through the creative process. Developed in response to evolving education demands during an unprecedented year, WeVideo Classroom makes it easy for teachers to incorporate multimedia creation into more enriching daily lessons, further helping students to think critically, collaborate, and gain a deeper understanding of knowledge. “Education has been extremely challenging for students and teachers as they’ve navigated remote, in-person, and hybrid learning environments. With this in mind, we developed WeVideo Classroom to make multimedia creation accessible to all students, while also better serving the everyday needs of schools. Simultaneously, the enhanced platform frees educators to focus on lesson planning and instruction, rather than tool management.” Krishna Menon, CEO, WeVideo Tailored specifically for the unique needs of education environments, WeVideo Classroom features intuitive organizational tools that allow teachers to easily create and assign multimedia projects, set up collaborative student groups, monitor progress, and share feedback. Whether educators are experienced WeVideo users or have no prior video knowledge, getting started with WeVideo Classroom is simple and takes only a few minutes to set up projects. Appropriate for students of all grade levels, WeVideo Classroom offers a simplified, real-time, collaborative video editor; a drag-and-drop timeline; and streamlined multimedia tools that empower students to flex creative muscles and demonstrate their understanding of concepts. As educators have been forced to pivot and prioritize more flexible learning environments, WeVideo also introduced a new WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder tool for everyday instructional needs. Built directly into the Chrome browser for easy use and accessibility, the Quick Recorder makes creating instructional videos a two-click task. Ideal for remote or hybrid learning environments, the tool allows teachers to record their screens for dynamic video lessons that can be shared as-is or plugged into WeVideo templates for an instantly polished and engaging classroom resource. “One of the most important things in the field of education today is giving students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge through creation, which offers students the ability to showcase their creativity and leverage their voices. However, the challenges of today’s classroom have made it difficult for teachers to provide opportunities for students to create, and most multimedia tools aren’t designed for education environments. WeVideo has responded to these challenges with a straightforward and simple-to-use platform tailored for students and learning that will ultimately lead to more positive classroom experiences, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching, students to spend more time creating, and both spending less time managing the platform,” said Andrew Fekete, Instructional Technology Specialist. “WeVideo has done it again! They have pioneered new ways to make learning and teaching more engaging, and I love using WeVideo Classroom to make video creation simple for students and easy for teachers to assign projects and guide their students through the process. It’s an essential tool for all educators!” said Rhonda Jenkins, LMC Director, Kendall Elementary School. WeVideo Classroom is available now across all platforms and devices, including Mac, PC, Google Chromebook, iOS, and Android, and educators can access the WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder as a free Chrome plugin. About WeVideo WeVideo is a powerful, easy to use, cloud-based collaborative video creation platform. With over 38 million accounts created to date, WeVideo is the first choice of businesses, consumers, educators and students, as well as being the video backbone for many third-party media solutions. WeVideo can be accessed from any computer or device: at school, home, work or on the go. Users can easily capture, edit, view and share videos for personal, social media, business or learning purposes with secure storage of their content in the cloud.

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Education Technology

Verizon Explores the 5G Future of Learning at Arizona State University 5G Innovation Hub

Verizon | January 14, 2022

Verizon and Arizona State University are exploring how 5G can enable immersive educational experiences and transform the future of learning. To do this, Verizon has launched a 5G Innovation Hub at the University's Learning Futures Collaboratory, Studios and Emporium. Students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners can now work together at the Hub to test and create 5G-powered educational experiences that are more inclusive, equitable and accessible. Digital equity is on the national agenda as leaders aim to address the digital divide, deepened during the pandemic. And in Arizona where as many as one million residents, including more than 200,000 students, do not have regular access to the internet, ASU has been instrumental in leading a series of initiatives aimed at surfacing solutions to help further close the digital divide. The first program to launch out of the 5G Innovation Hub at ASU will be “The Digital Equity Jam” sponsored by Verizon, AWS and Inseego. This program kicks off in early February 2022. Competing teams will develop use cases showcasing how Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute can be used to help bridge the digital divide. Focus areas will include health, climate, poverty, human rights and education. The winning team will receive project seed funding, access to intensive summer entrepreneurship training in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and VentureWell, and the opportunity to pitch their venture to CGI in fall 2022. “Working with ASU, we have an extraordinary opportunity to research and develop new 5G-enabled experiences that can improve remote learning and help bridge the digital divide. Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband’s super-fast speeds, high bandwidth and low latency can enhance applications ranging from immersive education to connected communities. By collaborating with ASU’s researchers, we hope to accelerate the innovation process and develop technology that will harness the full potential of 5G and edge compute.” Tami Erwin, Verizon Business CEO “We are in the most transformative technological moment since the early stages of the industrial revolution. And even with the social, political, and economic impacts that we are still learning to navigate as a society, there have been incredibly meaningful results from this use of technology,” said ASU President Michael Crow this morning during a keynote with Erwin at the Smart Region Summit. “Who gets educated is no longer socially stratified, we are able to unleash human creativity in ways not possible before…and so what these technologies that leverage broadband at the fastest speeds and most advanced level imaginable allow us to create is an environment in which the person, the learner, becomes emotionally connected in the story around the learning process itself. At ASU, we’ve become, with this next phase of our partnership with Verizon, the furthest at the tip of the spear to be empowered with technology and continue to improve the ways in which we learn, work and live.” Additionally, ASU plans to continue testing and deploying a variety of immersive educational experiences, powered by Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute. Students will be able to enter a Dreamscape pod where they can experience a Biology class in virtual reality (VR). Remote students will have access to a VR and web browser version. 5G use cases being explored will also include a career arcade using VR, where students can experience a day in the life of certain careers. 5G applications are also being tested for athlete performance analytics applications and virtual fighter pilot training. This engagement is part of Verizon’s broader strategy to partner with enterprises, startups, universities, national labs and government/military to explore how 5G can disrupt and transform nearly every industry. Verizon operates five 5G Labs in the U.S. and one in London that specialize in developing use cases in industries ranging from healthcare to public safety to entertainment. In addition, Verizon is collaborating with several customers to establish 5G Innovation Hubs on-premises as part of an ongoing initiative to co-innovate and create new 5G applications. Verizon's long-standing relationship with ASU includes collaboration and support for Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon's award-winning education initiative addressing barriers to digital inclusion and a key program under Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. The initiative includes bringing 5G to schools, enabling more robust, immersive learning experiences via technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality. Students leverage technology, social innovation and design thinking through a project-based online curriculum, developed by the J.Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU, to positively impact their communities. Verizon's partnership with ASU also extends to Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free next-gen online education portal that includes content curated by ASU, among other academic institutions, that provides immersive AR and VR experiences paired with lesson plans. Through Citizen Verizon, the company is committed to providing 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030, among other goals. About Verizon: Verizon Communications Inc. was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

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Education Technology

Lakeshore IT and Splashtop Partner to Bring Secure Remote Ed Tech Solutions to IT Teams Supporting K-12 Schools

Splashtop Inc. | January 18, 2022

Lakeshore IT Solutions, a consultative IT reseller serving K-12 schools, and Splashtop, a leader in secure remote access and support software, today announced a partnership. Together, they will provide high-performance technology solutions to strategic educational institutions that are investing in the future of classrooms. Splashtop’s secure cloud and on-premise solutions enable school districts to shift effortlessly in and out of remote learning modes without overwhelming IT operations. IT teams can manage remote access to virtual machines and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) seamlessly from the same application. Faculty can securely access school computers from a range of devices and operating systems. When support is required, help desk teams can swiftly troubleshoot on-demand from anywhere, allowing schools to adapt and acclimate to change without disrupting classrooms. "We are proud to partner with Splashtop and to recommend their high-performance education technology for IT help desk support, work from home enablement, and classroom cloud,” said Rian Yablun, President at Lakeshore IT Solutions. “Their solutions are a great fit for a majority of our K-12 clients, and the feedback we have received is outstanding.” Splashtop for Education enhances learning by providing an in-person experience that helps students reach their full potential, whether in-classroom or accessing the resources they need after hours. Students can use lab computers and licensed software from Adobe, Autodesk or other providers from their laptops, iPads, Chromebooks or additional devices, even after lab hours. IT teams can easily schedule remote lab access sessions for students to optimize the use of lab computers and expensive software licenses, as well as provide support to teachers and students who may not be off-site at other locations. Teachers and students can use Splashtop Mirroring360 to create interactive classroom experiences by allowing them to mirror content, ideas and apps on their personal device to share with the whole class. This collaboration tool operates seamlessly with tablets, smartphones, computers, and Chromebooks to create a productive learning environment where teachers can move freely through their classrooms and effectively engage with their students. “As the world normalizes flexible workplaces, schools need technology that enhances productivity, enables work from home, and makes lives of students, faculty and IT professionals easier. Splashtop offers classroom collaboration tools and remote access solutions that are user-friendly for technical and nontechnical audiences. They are easy to implement, easy to support and safeguard against vulnerabilities commonly exploited by cybercriminals.” Justin Windsor, Splashtop’s Channel Chief for the Americas ABOUT LAKESHORE IT SOLUTIONS Lakeshore IT is a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) based in Spring Grove, Illinois that specializes in providing consultative IT services and support to the K-12 educational. Lakeshore IT was founded in 2016 by Rian Yablun after more than 15 years in the IT industry, with the goal of providing IT solutions to clients with the exceptional service and support they deserve. Lakeshore IT strives to be a one stop shop for all customers whether it be for products or services. ABOUT SPLASHTOP Splashtop delivers secure remote access and remote IT support software for enterprises, education, government, SMBs, MSPs, IT departments, and individuals. It’s cloud-based, secure, and easily managed remote solutions are used by more than 30 million customers, including 85% of the Fortune 500, and have earned a 93 Net Promoter Score (NPS).

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Education Technology

WeVideo Releases Wevideo Classroom for Educational Multimedia Creation

WeVideo | January 17, 2022

WeVideo today launched WeVideo Classroom, a cloud-based multimedia creation platform customized for educators to help drive student engagement and ignite deeper learning through the creative process. Developed in response to evolving education demands during an unprecedented year, WeVideo Classroom makes it easy for teachers to incorporate multimedia creation into more enriching daily lessons, further helping students to think critically, collaborate, and gain a deeper understanding of knowledge. “Education has been extremely challenging for students and teachers as they’ve navigated remote, in-person, and hybrid learning environments. With this in mind, we developed WeVideo Classroom to make multimedia creation accessible to all students, while also better serving the everyday needs of schools. Simultaneously, the enhanced platform frees educators to focus on lesson planning and instruction, rather than tool management.” Krishna Menon, CEO, WeVideo Tailored specifically for the unique needs of education environments, WeVideo Classroom features intuitive organizational tools that allow teachers to easily create and assign multimedia projects, set up collaborative student groups, monitor progress, and share feedback. Whether educators are experienced WeVideo users or have no prior video knowledge, getting started with WeVideo Classroom is simple and takes only a few minutes to set up projects. Appropriate for students of all grade levels, WeVideo Classroom offers a simplified, real-time, collaborative video editor; a drag-and-drop timeline; and streamlined multimedia tools that empower students to flex creative muscles and demonstrate their understanding of concepts. As educators have been forced to pivot and prioritize more flexible learning environments, WeVideo also introduced a new WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder tool for everyday instructional needs. Built directly into the Chrome browser for easy use and accessibility, the Quick Recorder makes creating instructional videos a two-click task. Ideal for remote or hybrid learning environments, the tool allows teachers to record their screens for dynamic video lessons that can be shared as-is or plugged into WeVideo templates for an instantly polished and engaging classroom resource. “One of the most important things in the field of education today is giving students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge through creation, which offers students the ability to showcase their creativity and leverage their voices. However, the challenges of today’s classroom have made it difficult for teachers to provide opportunities for students to create, and most multimedia tools aren’t designed for education environments. WeVideo has responded to these challenges with a straightforward and simple-to-use platform tailored for students and learning that will ultimately lead to more positive classroom experiences, allowing teachers to spend more time teaching, students to spend more time creating, and both spending less time managing the platform,” said Andrew Fekete, Instructional Technology Specialist. “WeVideo has done it again! They have pioneered new ways to make learning and teaching more engaging, and I love using WeVideo Classroom to make video creation simple for students and easy for teachers to assign projects and guide their students through the process. It’s an essential tool for all educators!” said Rhonda Jenkins, LMC Director, Kendall Elementary School. WeVideo Classroom is available now across all platforms and devices, including Mac, PC, Google Chromebook, iOS, and Android, and educators can access the WeVideo for Schools Quick Recorder as a free Chrome plugin. About WeVideo WeVideo is a powerful, easy to use, cloud-based collaborative video creation platform. With over 38 million accounts created to date, WeVideo is the first choice of businesses, consumers, educators and students, as well as being the video backbone for many third-party media solutions. WeVideo can be accessed from any computer or device: at school, home, work or on the go. Users can easily capture, edit, view and share videos for personal, social media, business or learning purposes with secure storage of their content in the cloud.

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Education Technology

Verizon Explores the 5G Future of Learning at Arizona State University 5G Innovation Hub

Verizon | January 14, 2022

Verizon and Arizona State University are exploring how 5G can enable immersive educational experiences and transform the future of learning. To do this, Verizon has launched a 5G Innovation Hub at the University's Learning Futures Collaboratory, Studios and Emporium. Students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners can now work together at the Hub to test and create 5G-powered educational experiences that are more inclusive, equitable and accessible. Digital equity is on the national agenda as leaders aim to address the digital divide, deepened during the pandemic. And in Arizona where as many as one million residents, including more than 200,000 students, do not have regular access to the internet, ASU has been instrumental in leading a series of initiatives aimed at surfacing solutions to help further close the digital divide. The first program to launch out of the 5G Innovation Hub at ASU will be “The Digital Equity Jam” sponsored by Verizon, AWS and Inseego. This program kicks off in early February 2022. Competing teams will develop use cases showcasing how Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute can be used to help bridge the digital divide. Focus areas will include health, climate, poverty, human rights and education. The winning team will receive project seed funding, access to intensive summer entrepreneurship training in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and VentureWell, and the opportunity to pitch their venture to CGI in fall 2022. “Working with ASU, we have an extraordinary opportunity to research and develop new 5G-enabled experiences that can improve remote learning and help bridge the digital divide. Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband’s super-fast speeds, high bandwidth and low latency can enhance applications ranging from immersive education to connected communities. By collaborating with ASU’s researchers, we hope to accelerate the innovation process and develop technology that will harness the full potential of 5G and edge compute.” Tami Erwin, Verizon Business CEO “We are in the most transformative technological moment since the early stages of the industrial revolution. And even with the social, political, and economic impacts that we are still learning to navigate as a society, there have been incredibly meaningful results from this use of technology,” said ASU President Michael Crow this morning during a keynote with Erwin at the Smart Region Summit. “Who gets educated is no longer socially stratified, we are able to unleash human creativity in ways not possible before…and so what these technologies that leverage broadband at the fastest speeds and most advanced level imaginable allow us to create is an environment in which the person, the learner, becomes emotionally connected in the story around the learning process itself. At ASU, we’ve become, with this next phase of our partnership with Verizon, the furthest at the tip of the spear to be empowered with technology and continue to improve the ways in which we learn, work and live.” Additionally, ASU plans to continue testing and deploying a variety of immersive educational experiences, powered by Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute. Students will be able to enter a Dreamscape pod where they can experience a Biology class in virtual reality (VR). Remote students will have access to a VR and web browser version. 5G use cases being explored will also include a career arcade using VR, where students can experience a day in the life of certain careers. 5G applications are also being tested for athlete performance analytics applications and virtual fighter pilot training. This engagement is part of Verizon’s broader strategy to partner with enterprises, startups, universities, national labs and government/military to explore how 5G can disrupt and transform nearly every industry. Verizon operates five 5G Labs in the U.S. and one in London that specialize in developing use cases in industries ranging from healthcare to public safety to entertainment. In addition, Verizon is collaborating with several customers to establish 5G Innovation Hubs on-premises as part of an ongoing initiative to co-innovate and create new 5G applications. Verizon's long-standing relationship with ASU includes collaboration and support for Verizon Innovative Learning, Verizon's award-winning education initiative addressing barriers to digital inclusion and a key program under Citizen Verizon, the company’s responsible business plan for economic, environmental and social advancement. The initiative includes bringing 5G to schools, enabling more robust, immersive learning experiences via technologies like artificial intelligence, 3D printing, augmented and virtual reality. Students leverage technology, social innovation and design thinking through a project-based online curriculum, developed by the J.Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU, to positively impact their communities. Verizon's partnership with ASU also extends to Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, a free next-gen online education portal that includes content curated by ASU, among other academic institutions, that provides immersive AR and VR experiences paired with lesson plans. Through Citizen Verizon, the company is committed to providing 10 million youths with digital skills training by 2030, among other goals. About Verizon: Verizon Communications Inc. was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

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