Digital Discourse / Education Events

Leveraging the New Normal

February 17, 2012 By Mark Schneiderman Leave a Comment
As outlined by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan more than a year ago, the New Normal in education is the challenge of “doing more with less” in our pK-20 education system. But as Duncan — and others including SIIA would respond – “this challenge can, and should be, embraced as an opportunity to make dramatic improvements . . . [E]normous opportunities for improving the productivity of our education system lie ahead if we are smart, innovative, and courageous in rethinking the status quo.”

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) continues to support our education system’s efforts to reimagine and retool by personalizing learning and leveraging technology and digital learning. SIIA’s latest effort is the March 7-8 Ed Tech Government Forum, which will bring SIIA member technology and education entrepreneurs together with national, state and local education leaders to dialogue about the policies of the New Normal digital age in education. 

The following keynote speakers will share how at the local, state and college levels, they are removing outdated policy barriers and modernizing practices to better meet the individual needs of their students through digital learning:
- Jorea Marple, State Superintendent of Schools, West Virginia Department of Education
- Kaya Henderson, Chancellor, Washington DC Public Schools
- Jay Box, Chancellor, Kentucky Community and Technical College System

We will share examples of how agencies and institutions are Doing More w/Less through Technology and eLearning, featuring Michael Casserly (Council of Great City Schools), Amber Winkler (Thomas B. Fordham Institute) and Todd Wirt (Mooresville, NC Graded School District) which was recently featured in the NY Times. 

And senior officials from state agencies in TN, OH, KY, GA and UT will share their initiatives in digital and open content, online assessment, virtual learning and data systems to meet the goals of Race to the Top and other state policies and ensure students meet the Common Core State Standards.

Throughout, this members-only SIIA forum will support two-way dialogue, enabling technology and digital learning providers to understand the needs of our pK-20 education system, while also providing learning opportunity for education leaders to understand the vision and innovative learning technologies coming from the private sector.

SIIA members not yet plannign to attend, please review the full agenda and speakers and register. For all, SIIA will be sure to help attendees and presenters leverage the results of this discussion to further support all stakeholders in Leveraging the New Normal to improve education and our students’ college and career readiness.

Mark SchneidermanMark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

Share|
Filed Under: Ed Tech Government Forum, Education, Education Events, Education Policies, Education Policy, Events, Personalized Learning, Policy, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Vision K20: Achieving Personalized Learning through Public-Private Partnership

January 26, 2012 By Mark Schneiderman Leave a Comment

[This blog was also published January 26, 2012 by the Alliance for Excellent Education, sponsor of Digital Learning Day.]

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is pleased to be among dozens of education and technology organizations partnering to promote Digital Learning Day (DLD), 2/1/12, sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education. SIIA is promoting DLD to its high-tech member software, digital content and online services companies, and asking them to promote DLD through their networks. 

For those with the vision and successful use of digital learning, the idea of a DLD awareness campaign — showcasing how technology supports students learning and teacher instruction – may seem unnecessary.  But the reality is that too many of our educators and education leaders have not been provided the support they need to understand what is possible, nor the resources to make it happen.  This shift is not simply about replacing print with digital or giving every student a computer.  This shift is about reimagining how we teach and learn, and creating more customized, engaging, and productive learning made possible through technology and through public-private partnership with high-tech innovators.

SIIA has developed a series of resources to assist education stakeholders in this process, including:

For SIIA member and other high-tech companies, we encourage you to support Digital Learning Day:

  • Sign up and be counted in this effort
  • Add the DLD button to your website, and promote DLD to your customers and partners
  • Provide access to your online teaching and learning resources for the day
  • Showcase success stories of how teachers and students are using technology
  • Visit the DLD toolkits for more ideas and resources. 
  • Promote SIIA resources for educators, including Vision K20 and Software Implementation Toolkit
  • Use your imagination and creativity to promote education technology and Digital Learning Day

Thank you to the Alliance and all DLD partners for this important effort and for including SIIA and the high-tech industry. We look forward not only to A successful day on February 1st, but more importantly to THE day soon when all students will have access to the most relevant, engaging and effective learning opportunities that meet their personalized needs anytime and everywhere.

Learn more about Digital Learning Day at http://www.digitallearningday.org.

Mark SchneidermanMark Schneiderman is Senior Director of Education Policy at SIIA.

Share|
Filed Under: Ed Tech Government Forum, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Events, Education Policy, Personalized Learning, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Take the Vision K-20 Survey – closes Thursday, June 30

June 27, 2011 By SIIA 1 Comment

For the fourth year, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has been monitoring the results in its national survey: Vision  K-20. The 2011 survey, which closes Thursday, June 30, asks participants to help benchmark their institution’s use of technology in meeting their educational goals. We’ll be very curious to see if there’s been any real progress in this past school year.

As the Association of companies who provide technology tools and content to education, SIIA members felt a responsibility to promote a “vision” of the best technology uses to help educations and K-20 students achieve an inclusive 21st century education. The Vision initiative includes a website (www.siia.net/visionK20/), booklet, and an online survey.  The survey helps educators benchmark the use of appropriate tools, providing access, closing the achievement gap, use of assessment tools and enabling the enterprise – through the use of technology.

Of the benchmarking questions, the highest ranking was in access to high-speed broadband (both for instructional, administrative and collaborative learning) and security tools (to protect student data and privacy). The greatest room for improvement still lies in increasing technology-based assessments, access to online courses, and personal ePortfolios for individual students.

In past years, the average increase in overall scores was less than 1 percent year-over-year.  That means educational institutions are making VERY SLOW progress in achieving SIIA Vision K-20 benchmarks. Will it be different this year?

Help us build on this baseline data and find out how much progress is being made. We invite all interested educators to participate in this year’s survey here. Monitor the your progress in using education technology for 2011, to be part of this year’s survey, we need your input by Thursday, June 30!

Share|
Filed Under: Analytics and Metrics, Education, Education Events, Education Policy, Uncategorized

CODiE Finalists: Ed Use of a Device-Specific Application & Instructional Solution in Other Curriculum Areas

April 21, 2011 By Wendy Tanner Leave a Comment

Congratulations to the finalists in Best Educational Use of a Device-Specific Application and Best Instructional Solution in Other Curriculum Areas!

Best Educational Use of a Device-Specific Application recognizes the best educational software solution, either curriculum or administrative, designed for integration and use with unique devices. Such devices include interactive white boards, testing/diagnostic equipment, etc. This solution may be designed for the K-12 or postsecondary markets or both.

Finalists are:

  • SuccessMaker Collaborate, Pearson

Best Instructional Solution in Other Curriculum Areas recognizes the best teaching application focusing in non-core curriculum areas for students in the K-12 market. These areas include art, foreign language, music, technology or multi-disciplinary topics.

Finalists are:

Join SIIA at the 2011 Ed Tech Industry Summit CODiE Awards Dinner on Monday, May 23rd where the winners will be announced!

Share|
Filed Under: CODiEs, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Events, Finalists Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

CODiE Finalists: Education Community Solution & Education Game or Simulation

April 15, 2011 By Wendy Tanner Leave a Comment

Congratulations to the 2011 CODiE Awards finalists in Best Education Community Solution and Best Education Game or Simulation!

Best Education Community Solution recognizes the online system designed to provide social networking and education community support for K-12 or postsecondary students, teachers and administrators. It includes teacher communication, collaboration and planning tools, wikis and other interactive solutions.

Finalists are:

Best Education Game or Simulation recognizes the best application designed for K-12 or postsecondary students that uses entertaining or scenarios that imitate real-life environments to educate students. This solution can be either an instructional, diagnostic, or assessment tool designed for students or instructional/administrative leaders.

Finalists are:

  • ABC-CLIO Databases for Higher Education, ABC-CLIO
  • Hospitality and Tourism Interactive, Pearson

Winners will be announced at the 2011 Ed Tech Industry Summit on Monday, May 23rd.

Share|
Filed Under: CODiEs, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Events, Finalists Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

CODiE Finalists: Classroom Management System & Corporate Learning Solution

April 13, 2011 By Wendy Tanner Leave a Comment

Congratulations to the finalists in the CODiE Awards education technology categories Best Classroom Management System and Best Corporate Learning Solution.

Best Classroom Management System recognizes the best system designed for K-12 educators that provides any or all of the following: data management and reporting tools, gradebooks, standards alignment tools, packages that link data and resources to instruction, and other platform tools that take user content.

Finalists are:

Best Corporate Learning Solution recognizes the best platform, service or provider that supports the efforts of organizations (business, government, academia) to educate employees on internal processes, practices, expectations, and objectives via electronic means. It includes learning management systems, and content development, delivery and packaging tools.

Finalists are:

  • Blackboard Learn, Release 9.1 for Professional Education, Blackboard Inc.

Winners will be announced at a special dinner during the 2011 Ed Tech Industry Summit on Monday, May 23rd.

Share|
Filed Under: CODiEs, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Events, Events, Finalists Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

SIIA Announces Finalists for 2011 CODiE Awards in Education Technology

April 11, 2011 By Wendy Tanner Leave a Comment

SIIA announces the finalists for the 26th annual CODiE Awards. A full list of finalists can be viewed at http://www.siia.net/codies/2011/finalists.asp.

Of 425 total nominations, 113 products from 80 companies were selected as finalists. Nominated
products underwent an extensive review by judges via live demonstration, trial product access, and
analysis of product documentation. With 14 nominations moving to the second round, Pearson garnered
the most finalist slots for one company in all CODiE Awards categories this year.

Of particular note, several categories experienced dramatic increases in participation during the entry
period, reflecting trends seen in the education technology market. They include:

Best Virtual School Solution for Students – nominations up almost 270 percent
Best Corporate Learning Solution – nominations up 100 percent
Best Postsecondary Instructional Solution – nominations up about 90 percent
Best Reading/English Instructional Solution – nominations up about 70 percent
Best Education Community Solution – nominations up about 60 percent

Karen Billings, Vice President of the SIIA Education Division, commended the companies that qualified as
finalists: “The CODiEs reflect excellence and innovation in the education technology industry. We are
pleased and proud to have so many companies participating this year and to have so many moving on to
the member voting phase.” Billings continued, saying, “We have a diverse range of companies
represented, which reflects the overall health of the industry.”

Winners will be announced Monday, May 23rd at the CODiE Awards Reception and Dinner as part of the 2011 Ed Tech Industry Summit.

Share|
Filed Under: CODiEs, Ed Tech Industry Summit, Education, Education Events, Finalists, Mobile: Education
« Older Posts
CmTr