EdTech Show Daily @ ISTE • June 24, 2024

EDTECH Daily Show

JUNE 24, 2024

Trafera Acquires AXI Education Solutions

“Bringing together Trafera and AXI will help us bring even more value to our school district partners,” commented Scott Gill, Chief Executive Officer of Trafera.

“AXI’s talented team has earned the trust of

Promethean interactive displays. Coupled with their exceptional professional devel-

services, I’m excited to welcome the AXI team to Trafera and look forward to growing together.”

“Trafera really understands and appreciates the technology challenges faced by educators and district IT leaders today. I’m thankful that our customers and employees will have the opportunity to be part of an organization that shares our commitment to improving student outcomes through technology.”

Trafera is a portfolio company of Rotunda Capital Partners. Rotunda, along

SchooLinks’ New Portfolio Solution Elevates College & Career Readiness for Next Generation

announced enhancements to its Elementary Solution, designed to instill the foundations of self-discovery and career exploration among young learners These innovations highlight the necessity of nurturing students’ interests and potential from an early age, providing them with the tools to embark on a lifelong journey of personal and professional growth

In an era of evolving career landscapes and rapid technological advancements, it has become imperative to introduce students to the world of possibilities as early

career readiness programs into elementary school curricula. The objective is clear –to equip students with essential skills that will shape their futures and cater to the demands of the ever-evolving workforce.

SchooLinks’ Elementary Solution emerges in response to this growing necessity. It acknowledges that young minds need time to foster self-awareness, discover their passions, and understand how these passions can translate into potential professions. By facilitating early exposure to diverse careers and industries, students

How Modern Learning Platforms

Help Power Personalized Learning Journeys

MakerBot, a Stratasys company, announced that Calcasieu Parish School Board has invested in 200 MakerBot SKETCH Classroom™ sets, totaling 400 SKETCH 3D printers, to further advance its STEAM education and build critical skills among its students The addition of SKETCH 3D printers brings the latest technological innovations to students to enhance classroom learning across grade levels and better prepare them for the future

“We want to make a difference with our students and give them all equal opportunities to succeed,” said Kim Leblanc, Chief Technology Officer at Calcasieu Parish School Board “To do that, we need to give them tools and resources that will help them develop critical thinking, collaboration and creativity skills We believe that 3D printing and the MakerBot 3D printers fits right in and can support our teachers and students along their learning journey ”

largest school district in the state The district has 29,500

An interview with Graham Glass, Chief Executive Officer, CYPHER Learning

ESD: Why are you passionate about personalized learning?

GG: Throughout my career, I’ve taught thousands of people, both in higher-ed settings and in corporate environments, so I know from experience that personalization in learning is crucial However, as a senior lecturer at the University of Texas at Dallas, I realized that when working with many learners at once, it was more difficult to provide personalized instruction and feedback equitably, and on a large scale That’s why I created CYPHER Learning – a company that puts personalized learning at the forefront of its modern learning platform, to help educators provide personalized instruction for students leveraging a competency-based approach This way, they can absorb and master information at their own pace, the way they want to learn

ESD: What makes personalized learning so effective?

Newline Interactive Unveils

Newline Interactive, a global leader in interactive displays and AV solutions, and Merlyn Mind, a pioneering force i n e d u c a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y p o w e r e d by advanced artificial intelligence (AI), announced a new partnership to revolutionize collaborative learning. This c o l l a b o r a t i o n a i m s t o c h a n g

t h e l a n d s c a p e o f i n t e r a c

v e t e c h n o l o g y f o r b o t h e d u c a t o r s a n d b u s i n e s s e s , offering a seamless and user-friendly experience through the integration of M e r l y n A I w i t h N e w l i n e i n t e r a c t i v e panels.

Newline’s Q and Q Pro Series displays, known for their state-of-the-art features and user-friendly designs, will now integrate seamlessly with Merlyn Mind’s AI capabilities. This integration will empower users to leverage the benefits of generative AI during active instruction, collaborative sessions and b u s i n e s s m e e t i n g s . M e r l y n M i n d ’ s a d v a n c e d A I t e c h n o l o g y e n h a n c e s e n g a g e m e n t , f o s t e r s c r e a t i v i t y a n d provides intelligent content generation to elevate the overall user experience

Merlyn AI, renowned for its ability t o e n h a n c e u s e r e x p e r i e n c e ,

Newline interactive panels easier to use than ever before. Through natural language voice commands, educators and b u s i n e s s p r o f e s s i o n a l s c a n a c c e s s a comprehensive set of features on the Q and Q Pro, including whiteboard funct

browser and more.

“ A t N

committed to pushing the boundaries of collaborative technology to transform the way people learn and work together. The partnership with Merlyn Mind aligns perfectly with our vision, bringing together the best of interactive displays and advanced AI for a truly immersive and productive experience,” s a i d C h r i s B r a d f o r d , P r e s i d e n t o f Newline Interactive. “The Q and Q Pro Series with Merlyn AI represents a significant step forward in making interactive panels more accessible and intuitive for both educational and business applications ”

Merlyn Mind, recognized for its

EverDriven and School Bus Logistics

Team Up to Streamline Routing and Logistics for Districts

EverDriven Technologies, the leader in

dent transportation for school districts nationwide, announced a new alliance w i t

( S B L ) t o provide a compreh e n s i v e s u i

e o f logistics and routi n g s e r v i c e s t o schools and districts Together, SBL & EverDriven will analyze and optimize routes for busing and small capacity vehicles, which will enable all drivers

expertise in AI-driven solutions, is excited about the opportunities this partnership presents “At Merlyn Mind, we believe that leveraging the power of AI to understand human language will m a k e t e c h e a s i e r t o u s e a n d w i l l change teaching and learning forever,” said Merlyn Mind’s Levi Belnap “We’re t h r i l l e d t o p a r t n e r w i t h N e w l i n e because they’re one of the leaders in bringing helpful, user-friendly tech into the classroom With Merlyn, teachers can now use natural language voice commands to access all of the Newline features they know and love from anywhere in their classroom That’s a win for teachers and their students ” This partnership marks a significant step toward providing educators, business professionals and collaborative teams with an integrated solution that seamlessly blends interactive displays and advanced AI capabilities For more information on the collaboration b e t w e e n N e w l i n e I n t e r a c t i v e a n d M e r l y n M i n d , v i s i t h t t p s : / / n e w l i n ei n t e r a c t i v e c o m / u s a / p r o d u c t s / n e wline-with-merlyn-ai

About Newline Interactive

H e a d q u a r t e r e d i n A l l e n , T e x a s ,

N e w l i n e I n t e r a c t i v e i s a l e a d i n g s u p -

p l i e r o f i n t e r a c t i v e t o u c h s c r e e n s a n d

i n n o v a t i v e s o f t w a r e t h a t i n c r e a s e s

p r o d u c t i v i t y a n d e n a b l e s c o l l a b o r a -

t i o n . N e w l i n e I n t e r a c t i v e d e v e l o p s

p r o d u c t s t h a t h e l p o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n a

w i d e r a n g e o f v e r t i c a l m a r k e t s i n c l u d -

i n g f i n a n c i a l s e r v i c e s , e d u c a t i o n ,

h e a l t h c a r e , l a w e n f o r c e m e n t , m a n u -

f a c t u r i n g , m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a n d l e g a l

s e r v i c e s . F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t

w w w . n e w l i n e - i n t e r a c t i v e . c o m .

About Merlyn Mind

Merlyn Mind is a deep-tech generative

A I c o m p a n y t r a n s l a t i n g t h e l a t e s t advances in AI to improve human productivity. Its first solution is Merlyn, the

A I a s s i s t a n t f o r e d u c a t i o n M e r l y n seamlessly integrates into classrooms and existing ed-tech tools to automate e v e r y d a y w o r k f l o w s f o r t e a c h

studies and boundary analysis, to help

operations By working together, EverDriven and SBL will bring together all the ways students get to and from school which w

EDTECH Daily Show

they can focus more time and attention on students Merlyn Mind is backed by visionary investors led by Learn Capital The company has attracted top talent f

Broadcom, the Allen Institute for AI,

Merlyn Mind is headquartered in New York City For more information, visit merlynmind ai

For more information, go to www newlineinteractive com, call 888 233 0868, email sales@newline-interactive com or stop by booth #1914

From sleep

EverDriven and SBL will identify and evaluate the transportation impact of any bell-time changes and will adjust transportation accordingly

and vehicles to be used as efficiently as possible and ultimately minimize the impact of the ongoing bus driver shortage With this alliance, school districts will be able to tap into the EverDriven a

points, including:

• D r i v e r S h o r t a g e s : U s i n g d i s t r i c t data, SBL will optimize routes to find possible reductions in the number of drivers required

• R

evaluating bus and small capacity vehicle ridership changes, routes will be adjusted to make sure they remain efficient and cost effective

• Out-of-Date Maps and Boundaries: Working together, EverDriven and SBL can ensure maps and boundaries are

platforms as efficiently as possible

CYPHER Learning (Cont’d from p 1)

GG: Think about it: We all benefit from p e r s o n a l i z e d a t t e n t i o n I k n o w t h a t whether I’m teaching a student about astronomy or mitosis, learners will better comprehend and retain the information when the delivery is tailored to their needs It’s difficult for one teacher to give individualized guidance and attention to everyone – especially with more than 100 students per class, lecture-hall style That’s where a modern learning platform can help scale per-

with other investors, provided addit i o n a l c a p i t a l f o r t h e a c q

i o n o f AXI. AXI will continue to be based out of Madisonville, Louisiana.

About Trafera

t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g y t o K - 1 2 s c h o o l s a n d

sonalized learning for hundreds of students at a time and really help teachers make sure no student is left behind

ESD: How can AI help with the personalized learning process?

GG: There are several ways that incorporating AI can help teachers better tailor the learning journey It starts with the understanding that any AI tool is there to be a co-pilot to the teacher and will not replace the human elem

a t o p K - 1 2 f o c u s e d r e s e l l e r o f G o o g l e C h r o m e d

SchooLinks (Cont’d. from p. 1)

gain a head start in honing their skill sets, allowing them to cultivate and develop these talents throughout their educational journey.

Recognizing the need for a comp r e h e n s i v e a n d a c c e s s i b l e p l a t f o r m , SchooLinks Elementary has undergone a remarkable transformation, incorpor a t i n g v a r i o u s f e a t u r e s d e s i g n e d t o enrich the learning journey and prepare young minds for a successful future.

K e y F e a t u r e s o f t h e R e v i t a l i z e d

SchooLinks Elementary Product:

1. Career Learning Units: Educators now have access to an extensive library of career learning units, enabling them to seamlessly deliver engaging and informative content to young students. These units ignite curiosity and broaden horizons by introducing students to various career pathways, instilling a sense of

schools Its mission is to “build foundations for the future,” and it does so by providing students with the latest technologies they need to be successful in and out of the classroom In addition to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) classes, the s c h o o l d i s

career and technical education to prepare students with skills needed for 21st century careers

Using its allocated funds from the Title I, Part A federal grant program to p u r c h a s e t h e 3 D p

P a

i s h S c h o o l B o a r d c o n t i n u e s t o ensure that all of its students have equitable access to technology that w i l l h e l p a c c e l e r a t e l e a r n i n g i n t h e classroom and support the development of cognitive and technical abili-

modern learning platform with AI can accelerate and scale learning by building class curriculum in minutes and creating quiz banks that assess student k n o w l e d g e a n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n A modern learning platform can also reco m m e n d

learners For example, if a student gets an 85 percent competency rating in geometry, the modern learning platform can recommend the next course of action, which could be a deeper dive into geometry proofs or a brand-new aspect that builds on the areas the stu-

s

b r o a d r a n g e o f a d d i t i o n a l h a r d w a r e

About AXI Education Solutions

Promethean Partner of the Year, is a leading provider of educational technology focused on enhancing teaching and learning. With a portfolio of products and services including interactive displays and professional development, and a host of supportive tech-

dent needed to master On the flip side, if a student is struggling, the platform can identify which areas they need to review, and share content accordingly Similarly, learning doesn’t follow a one-

recommendations that cover not only n

items, but the entire learning journey

cypherlearning@threeringsinc com

nologies, AXI partners with school districts to support college and career readiness for every child regardless of social or economic background. AXI is based in Madisonville, Louisiana, with a

spanning the mid-South states. Visit www.axiedu.com.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a

www trafera com

purpose and direction from an early age.

2. Student Portfolio: Portfolios allow students to document artifacts on their profile, like projects. The student experience is designed differently for elementary to walk them through each item step by step.

3. SMART Goals: Students can create goals in a way that suits them best, offering both guided and self-led experiences. In the guided experience, students are taken step by step through the SMART acronym, as they build their goal by selecting from a variety of options. The self-led experience encourages students to take charge and type out each part of the SMART acronym independently.

4. Individualized Learning Plans: In compliance with K-12 ICAP initiatives and state mandates, SchooLinks Elementary empowers educators and guardians alike

ties Each SKETCH Classroom includes two SKETCH 3D printers, ISTE-certified MakerBot Certification™ training programs for educators and students, and additional accessories and materials Calcasieu Parish’s EdTech partner for t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n t o M a k e r B o t w a s Bluum, the leading provider of transformational technology solutions for educators

The driving force behind the purchase was the opportunity to give students equal chances to learn and use 3D printing to help develop their problem-solving and design thinking skills

Calcasieu Parish School Board takes its e d u c a t i o n s e r i o u s l y a n d w o r k s t o ensure its teachers are well-equipped with the tools and resources needed to teach their students In addition to the SKETCH 3D printers, the district has other MakerBot 3D printers, laptops, d e s k t o p s , c o d i n g r o b o t s , a n d o t h e r

by providing individualized learning plans for each student. With the ability to monitor progress and upload documents for portfolio tracking, staff can provide a collaborative approach to education to ensure students receive the support they need to thrive.

5. T a i l o r e d b y G r a d e L e v e l : Understanding the diverse needs of students across different grade levels, S c h o o L i n k s E l e m e n t a r y h a s c u r a t e d content that is segmented and customized for various age groups. This thoughtful approach ensures that the platform’s offerings are age-appropriate and resonate with students’ developmental stages.

“One challenge many of our partners share with us is that they do not have enough time to help students plan for their futures We believe the conversation needs to start early, and it needs to

STEAM technologies One of the district’s goals with 3D printing is to integrate it seamlessly into teachers’ curricu l a , a l o n g w i t h o t h e r t e c h n o l o g i e s offered

C a l c a s i e u P a r i s h S c h o o l B o a r d offers its teachers ongoing technical and 3D printing curriculum support through a series of in-person trainings, webinars, and more The district plans to run additional activities to engage students and the community, including tech camps for the summer, design competitions, a STEM bus, and community events to showcase the technologies used in the schools

“ B l u u m ’ s m i s s i o n i s t o p r o v i d e a f u t u r e w h e r e e v e r y s t u d e n t h a s a c c e s s t o a w o r l d - c l a s s e d u c a t i o n , i m p r o v e l e a r n i n g a n d m a k e i t m o r e a c c e s s ib l e , ” B l u u m V i c e P r e s i d e n t o f P r o d u c t

R y a n S e m a n s s a i d . “ S o , i t i s t h r i l l i n g t o

start with self-discovery and awareness. Establishing a sense of self is not only a need but a prerequisite to being able to relate to the world of work,” said Katie F a n g , F o u n d e r a n d C h i e f E x e c u t i v e Officer at SchooLinks. “Our continued development and releases on not just our Elementary Solution but the overall platform represents our commitment t o a l w a y s s t a

d b a c k - d

n d help our districts with growing needs.” As SchooLinks unveils its advanced Elementary Solution, it stands at the forefront of a transformative educational movement. By fostering a holist

young learners to dream big, discover their passions and ultimately embark on a journey of personal and professional fulfillment.

www schoolinks com

“We believe that STEAM education is important to the success of future generations,” said Nadav Goshen, Chief E

printing’s versatility as a learning tool as well as a training tool unlocks the possibilities of what can be achieved Calcasieu Parish School Board continues to stand at the forefront of education to provide the latest technologies to its students to enable them to succeed.”

s e e a d i s t r i c t l i k e C a l c a s i e u P a r i s h , w h e r e t h e e n t i r e s t u d e n t p o p u l a t i o n i s g r a n t e d a c c e s s t o t h e f e d e r a l l y a s s i s t e d N a t i o n a l S c h o o l L u n c h P r o g r a m , u s e i t s r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s t o e q u i p i t s s t u d e n t b o d y w i

Trafera (Cont’d. from p. 1)

Calcasieu (Cont’d from p 1)