Oser Communications Group
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH TCEA
Maximizing Engagement in Robotics and Computer Science Programs
The coming decade will bring unprecedented changes within the workplace. From education to retail to hospitality and transportation, virtually all industries will be transformed by robotics and artificial intelligence. Millions of jobs will be eliminated by technology while millions of new jobs will be created. Still millions more jobs will be transformed and students that graduate from high schools with strong technical skills (including robotics and A.I. literacy) will be significantly advantaged. However, despite the increasing importance of robotics and computer science education, enrollment in these courses in the USA continues to lag behind many other countries. Within American high schools, enrollment averages less than 3% of boys and 0.3% of girls. To put those numbers into perspective, a school with 2,000 students will often have less than 30 boys and 3 girls in their robotics programs. This means that 1,967 students are missing out on a literacy that is rapidly becoming a key differentiator across a huge spectrum of jobs. Within middle schools, the results are marginally better with 5% to 15% of students typically enrolled – still tangibly below the needed levels. “It’s truly a crisis,” says Dennis Kambeitz, founder of Robots.Education. “Robotics and A.I. will impact all industries, but it’s only our most engineering-minded students who tend to take this type of education. The unfortunate truth is that the students who need this education the most are often the ones who are least likely to enroll.”
Dallas Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Lucid Technology Adapts to Your Ears
Every day each of us experiences an extraordinary variety of sound that is, in many ways, personal to us. The alarm tone that wakes us up, the conversations we have with people – each of these are uniquely experienced individually and personally. While we can’t individually manage all of our aural exposure, we certainly can have our preferences. Normal ears contain around 15,500 sensory hair cells that sit alongside a membrane that vibrates with each incoming sound. Each frequency of sound vibrates the hair cells in specific locations, which is why we are able to hear differences in sounds. While different sounds vibrate different parts of our membrane, louder sounds increase the amplitude of the vibration. When it comes to hearing loss, the majority is sensori-neural loss, where inner and outer hair cells have been damaged. This leads to an inability to hear soft sounds, while still being able to hear (and be sensitive) to loud sounds. So, while a person experiencing hearing loss can still have a dynamic range of hearing, it is a much smaller range than a person with normal hearing. The standard for today’s hearing aids and amplifiers is a technology called Wide Dynamic Range Compression (WDRC). WDRC logically amplifies softer sounds more than louder sounds, in an effort to balance what the user hears. It gives the most amplification to soft sounds, less to average sounds and even less to loud sounds. Ears that are experiencing hearing loss have a decreased range of what they can hear and WDRC attempts to generically boost the range of soft sounds.
BOOTH #1635 Continued on Page 5 Teaching Strategies Launches Panasonic and Olympian Katie Ledecky First-of-its-Kind Coaching App Partner to Inspire Student STEM Innovation
Continued on Page 5
To inspire student innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”), Panasonic Corporation of North America is partnering with 3-time Olympian, 15-time World Champion, 10-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer, and proud STEM advocate Katie Ledecky to launch the STEM Forward educational initiative and engaged Discovery Education to help make this educational program a reality. Announced during CES 2022, the initiative combines Katie Ledecky’s passion for STEM education and advocacy, Panasonic’s legacy of innovation, and Discovery Education’s worldwide leadership in education technology, STEM Forward connects students in grades 3-8 to the game-changing power of technology with standards-aligned resources for any learning environment at no cost. “As champions for progress at Panasonic, we’re focused on how we can move the world forward and commit ourselves to enhancing the well-being of people, communities, and society. Today’s students have a tremendous future ahead of them, one where technology is not only a tool but an inspiration,” said Megan Myungwon Lee, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation of North America. “We’re proud to continue to partner with Katie Ledecky, who is an inspiration to young people around the world, and empowers students to reach their full potential and discover new ways to think about and apply STEM to build a better world.” Building on Katie’s ongoing work with Panasonic as a STEM leader and a member of Team Panasonic, STEM Forward provides students, educators, and families with dynamic digital resources that explore how technology improves lives and makes the world a better place. In addition, STEM Forward includes a special Virtual Field Trip appropriate for both in class use and at home exploration.
Teaching Strategies, a leading developer of early childhood curriculum, assessment, professional learning, and family engagement solutions, announced the acquisition of Noni Educational Solutions, a trauma-focused edtech start-up that has developed a groundbreaking, app-based resource designed to support preschool-5th grade teachers working with children who have been impacted by trauma. The solution, called noni™ for Teachers, was developed in partnership with Adventist HealthCare The Lourie Center for Children’s Social & Emotional Wellness, a pioneer in research on best practices for supporting children impacted by trauma and adverse childhood experiences. “Even prior to the pandemic, more than two-thirds of children had experienced at least one traumatic event by the age of 16,” said Jimmy Venza, Ph.D., child psychologist and executive director of the Lourie Center. “In the aftermath of these past two years and the resulting stresses placed on families and children, that statistic is only likely to worsen.” “Now more than ever, teachers need and deserve our support for trauma-informed instruction and coaching,” said Teaching Strategies CEO John Olsen. “We’re excited to welcome Noni Educational Solutions to the Teaching Strategies family. noni for Teachers fills a gap not met by any other solution in the market and gives educators the tools and support they need to care for children impacted by trauma and help them regulate behavior so they can learn.” noni for Teachers is an app-based digital coach and collection of classroom teaching resources that guide teachers through providing trauma-informed instruction. The app uses real-time responsive technology, serving up immediate guidance based on
Continued on Page 5
Continued on Page 5
4
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
EdTech Show Daily
Why Do I Need a Document Camera? ELMO released the world’s first document camera in 1988, giving educators the opportunity to engage students and create memorable lessons like never before. With simple connectivity, portability and the option to present wirelessly, you can elevate engagement, get creative and increase retention with meaningful visual aids. ELMO’s wide range of advanced education technology caters to any lesson in any classroom. With a document camera as your trusty sidekick, students will remember your lessons for years to come, even if you’re teaching in an online environment.
Flexibility ELMO’s wide range of document camera styles ensures that your needs will be met no matter what you’re doing. Portable document cameras are lightweight and fold flat, offering the ability to travel with your document camera; use it for hybrid learning, adventurous outdoor lessons or to jump between classrooms. ELMO’s TT
series and platform document cameras provide crisp imaging and up to 288x zoom allowing you to clearly show even the smallest details of your lesson, the perfect sidekick for complex science discussions. Looking to get away from your desk? Wireless document cameras come with a built-in battery and built-in microphone, allowing you to interact with students as you speak. Android-equipped cameras let you further engage your class with STEM-oriented, educational apps such as Scottie Go! Creativity There is no limit to what you can teach with a document camera. ELMO’s extensive line of document cameras offers the ability to show anything from simple documents to complex 3D models – you can even use them as a webcam! Document cameras also seamlessly connect to interactive displays, such as ELMO Board, offering you even more ways to make your lessons memorable.
AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH TCEA Kimberly Oser Publisher Anthony Socci Vice President of Sales
Simplicity The advanced technology in document cameras creates a stress-free presentation environment. With easy setup and intuitive software, you can spend less time getting ready and more time being the heroic teacher that you are. Adding a document camera to your presentations is a no-brainer, but choosing the right one can be challenging. Stop by booth #1419 at TCEA to find out which document camera is perfect for your classroom.
For more information, visit booth #1419, go to www.elmousa.com or call 516.501.1400.
Yasmine Brown Production Manager/Art Director AJ Flick Senior Editor Jeanie Catron Associate Editor Susan Stein Customer Service Manager Marcos Morhaim Senior Account Manager Tara Neal Director of Operations Iszak Saetieo Show Logistics & Distribution Enrico Cecchi European Sales EdTech Show Daily is published by Oser Communications Group ©2022 All rights reserved.
Atlantic Introduces Dardashti Gaming Desk and Shelving The Dardashti Gaming Desk and Shelving are the latest additions to this high-end product line, joining the Gaming Chair and Gaming Riser. Inspired by today’s high-end performance vehicles, this gaming collection provides the highest design value considering materials, performance and aesthetics. The Z1-21 Gaming Desk starts with a 3-inch, anodized “Z” leg, constructed with tubular steel and supported by sturdy 25.5-inch leveling feet for no wobble. The generous 45.75-inch wide playing surface is 29 inches deep. A tinted, tempered 8mm glass playing surface is surrounded by a black engineered wood top. An integrated black steel plate protects the desktop when attaching a monitor mount. Enhancements include a black sheet metal beverage holder and a headphone/VR hook providing access within easy reach. Turn the lights down to fully experience the multi-color edge lit glass surface. Control the colors, cadence and
intensity with the LED remote. A sidemounted, high-speed, three-port USB 3.0 hub and power adapter charge your devices. Reduce cord clutter by using the undermounted power surge protector tray. The S1-21 Gaming Shelving has matching “Z” legs. The four-tier shelving spine matches the Gaming Desk and Gaming Chair colors. This storage shelving is perfect for small speakers, games and other accessories. Constructed from 2-inch tubular steel and 5mm tinted, tempered glass, the two middle glass shelves adjust in height to fit your gear. The Gaming Shelving includes remote controlled multi-color LED illumination, cable management and leveling feet. Introduced at CES 2020, the Gaming Chair was designed by an award-winning, world-class car seat designer, using his 25 years of experience. Unlike entry level gaming chairs with pillows, the designer integrated a 2-inch lumbar cushion and oversized
Battelle Funds More than 100 Ohio STEM Classroom Grants The Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) will reach 51,000 Ohio students this year with awards, funded by Battelle, to 151 Ohio classrooms. The grants will create sustainable, STEM learning projects in public and private K-12 schools across 55 Ohio counties. “The schools and educators awarded today will create powerful new experiences to amaze and inspire students,” said Kelly Gaier Evans, Director of the Ohio STEM Learning Network. “We invest in these programs to foster the next generation of Ohio
innovators.” The grant program fosters the growth of OSLN as a public-private partnership between the non-profit research institute and the State of Ohio. Providing more access for all students to experience quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is Battelle’s top philanthropic priority. “Battelle is proud to expand its impact in STEM education to support more educators across Ohio,” said Wes Hall, Vice President of Philanthropy &
Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520.721.1300/Fax: 520.721.6300 European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy www.osercommunicationsgroup.com
Lee M. Oser Founder
headrest. The result is a commercial grade Gaming Desk, Gaming Shelving and Gaming Chair designed for long gaming sessions, built to last and backed by a three-year warranty. The desk, shelving and chair share aesthetics that are striking from afar to close up, top to bottom or an all-around 360 view. The desk and shelving have an inviting wide “Z” frame design, stunning illuminated glass surfaces and a bold matching color palette. The commercial grade chair features cold cure foam, eight-way adjustable arms and PU leather accented by diamond stitch-
Education. “This program creates connections to the statewide network and STEM opportunities for thousands of new students.” Awarded classrooms will receive grants of up to $5,000. In total, $687,500 will be awarded. Projects align to one of four focus areas: Community Problem Solving, STEM Career Exploration, Building STEM Mindsets, and Design Thinking and Infrastructure.
About the Ohio STEM Learning Network The Ohio STEM Learning Network is committed to helping the State of Ohio inspire and train the next generation of innovative leaders. The network operates as a public-private partnership between
ing. Offered in five matching racing inspired accent colors, enthusiasts can choose from bold Royal Blue, Racing Yellow, Midnight, Ruby Red or Arctic White. The Dardashti gaming collection’s sophisticated design features redefine the gaming desk, shelving and chair category by melding style, function and durability. Distinct bold colors contrast with the use of glass and steel. Suggested retails are $499.99 (Gaming Desk), $299.99 (Gaming Shelving) and $499.99 (Gaming Chair) with immediate availability.
For more information, go to www.the atlanticstore.com/gaming/dardashti/ desks-and-shelves. To learn more about the Dardashti line of gaming products, go to www.theatlanticstore.com/ gaming/dardashti.
the Ohio Department of Education and Battelle.
About Battelle Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www .battelle.org.
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
EdTech Show Daily
Capture Customer Attention with Retargeted Direct Mail To stand out from the competition and capture customer attention, today’s businesses must focus on delivering relevant, personalized omnichannel messaging. Providing marketers with accessible and affordable ways to connect with customers across multiple channels, both print and digital, is a key commitment of the U.S. Postal Service. Direct mail – and retargeted direct mail, in particular – can be a powerful tactic in marketers’ campaigns, providing customers with tailored marketing that
speaks directly to their wants and needs. By seamlessly connecting digital and print efforts, retargeted direct mail can help marketers keep their brand top of mind when it matters most.
How Retargeted Direct Mail Works Here’s an example of retargeted direct mail put in action. First, a business sets specific triggers for customers taking action on the brand’s digital channels – for example, a customer making it partway through the
Ellucian Cloud Solutions to Accelerate Digital Transformation at Miles College Ellucian, a leading higher education technology solutions provider, announced that Miles College has selected Ellucian Colleague SaaS to modernize its technology operations. A new Ellucian customer and one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Miles College joins more than 1,100 institutions worldwide in the cloud with Ellucian and more than 500 institutions in the cloud with their full SIS/ERP. Maximizing Engagement (Cont’d. from p. 1)
Fortunately, there are solutions that have been shown to dramatically improve engagement. Kambeitz has demonstrated robotics to more than 18,000 students, with really exciting results. “When we demonstrate robotics with the EZ-Robot Humanoid at high schools, we’ll typically see 25% to 45% of students indicate that they would like to learn robotics. That’s an increase of about 1,000% Lucid (Cont’d. from p. 1)
Lucid identified the need for a more nuanced approach that highlights and differentiates a wider range of sounds, while optimizing comfort and natural sound. Its innovative technology focuses on an adaptive dynamic range optimization approach. Where WDRC boosts soft noises the most, Lucid technology gives Panasonic (Cont’d. from p. 1)
Premiering on January 25th at 1 PM ET, Winning with STEM: A Virtual Field Trip with Katie Ledecky and Panasonic will take students behind-the-scenes at five STEM innovation centers across North America to meet teams of Teaching Strategies (Cont’d. from p. 1)
teacher input and giving teachers the ability to track and even predict child behaviors that stem from exposure to toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences. “We know from decades of research on working with young children who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences that the teacher-child relationship can actually
Miles College will implement Ellucian Colleague SaaS, a comprehensive, modern, and cloud-based ERP to support the institution’s digital transformation strategy that focuses on building an accessible learning environment for students. Upgrading systems will provide students with an online, self-service experience for registration and course enrollment, with easy access to grades and a holistic view of financial aid and for boys and 10,000% for girls. The teachers can’t believe it.” At the middle school level, the results are even more impressive, where up to 90% of students will indicate that they would like to learn robotics, following Kambeitz’s presentations. “There’s something about EZRobot’s Humanoid that students simply love,” says Kambeitz. “Schools that implement robotics programs with it see huge increases in enrollment across the entire student population – boys, girls,
the same amplification to soft, average and loud sounds. It focuses on the average loudness of conversational speech and places this information within the listener’s dynamic range. So, rather than compress every sound to fit within the dynamic range, Lucid technology adapts the sounds to fit naturally within the listener’s range. Lucid Technology creates a personal
Panasonic scientists, engineers, and immersive design experts using their passion for STEM to make a difference in the world. An educator guide accompanies the Virtual Field Trip and features student activities to take the learning further. New activities launching in February include a subject matter expert video featuring
act as a buffer against the negative impact of trauma,” said Kai-leé Berke, co-founder of Noni Educational Solutions and an author of many of Teaching Strategies’ curriculum and assessment resources. “Having personally experienced traumatic circumstances as a young child, and eventually teaching and caring for young children who had also had exposure to adverse childhood experiences, I know firsthand what teachers face as stu-
online booking process for a resort reservation but not actually finalizing the purchase. As a result of the set trigger, the customer receives a personalized postcard a few days later reminding of the incomplete booking. The postcard includes a personalized link that the customer can visit to complete their reservation. The mailpiece may also include some enticing offers to help move the customer toward a purchase, e.g., an exclusive booking discount for reserving within two weeks of receiving the postcard, a $50 spa voucher and a $100 credit
overall financial standing. Integrated data across platforms will deliver greater insights to campus leaders, and IT administrators will recognize efficiencies and greater security. “Under the leadership of President Knight, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing our students with a seamless enrollment experience, and to do that effectively, we have to improve the way we operate,” said Michael Johnson, Chief Innovation Officer, Miles College. “The decision to move forward with Ellucian Colleague SaaS provides a valuable opportunity to improve our technological infrastructure and better nerds, jocks, at-risk, SEN, gifted and even students who aren’t as academically inclined. Everybody can have success.” What is Kambeitz’s secret to generating this level of engagement? “I’ll typically demonstrate the robot for 4 or 5 minutes, and then give the students the opportunity to volunteer to program the robot. In 40 minutes, students as young as fourth grade can program the robot to wave, talk, respond to their voices, recognize their faces and greet them by name. EZ-Robot is an incredihearing ecosystem that each person can use to create their own preferred listening experience. The new LucidShape™ technology feature allows for comprehensive real-time personalization and the ability to manage acoustics across any listening environment. The app builds on the current four hearing aid preset programs and allows individual personalization that is very specific. As the trend to personalization con-
Katie Ledecky, student activities, educator supports, and family activities. “Any opportunity I have in life to inspire young kids to pursue their passions, especially in STEM education, I’m going to take it,” said Katie Ledecky. “Whether students use STEM skills for better problem-solving or critical think-
dents return to the traditional classroom. Addressing the lifelong mental and physical challenges that can result from trauma is essential to a student’s success, and we must ensure our educators have the support to do so.” The app also provides intervention and prevention plans, whole-class guidance, support for partnering with families of trauma-impacted children, builtin teacher professional development around trauma and adverse childhood
5
for outdoor activities. Sending targeted, tailored and engaging messaging like this shortly after the customer begins the online booking process can help encourage action. Key Takeaway As the world of marketing continues to evolve, businesses of all sizes and kinds will be looking for simple, affordable ways to create well-connected, coordinated campaigns. Sending retargeted direct mail via USPS® is just one of many powerful options marketers have at their disposal.
serve our students.” “Miles College is an innovative leader focused on providing an environment that positions students for success and we are pleased to welcome them to the Ellucian customer community,” said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. “Leveraging Colleague’s SaaS delivery model, Miles College will streamline processes and modernize operations for an overall improved user experience for students, faculty and staff. We look forward to a strong partnership accelerating the institution’s digital transformation to support its growing number of students.”
bly powerful platform that is easy enough to be learned, or taught, by virtually anyone.” For more information, and to see the JD Humanoid Robot, visit the EZ-Robot team at booth #1635. See a live demonstration and learn how you can bring super-engaging robotics education to your school. For more information, visit booth #1635, go to www.ez-robot.com or email education@ez-robot.com.
tinues to improve through technology, in this ever-evolving world, one thing remains constant: the demand for a discreet, comfortable hearing enhancement solution that can quickly adapt to personal preferences in real-time. This level of comfort and personalization would not be possible without the continued advances of the proprietary Powered by Lucid® technology ecosystem.
ing in life, or for a future career, it’s important that they have equal access to help propel them forward.” “We are thrilled to partner with Panasonic to help inspire the next wave of innovative thinkers,” said Lori McFarling, President of Social Impact at Discovery Education.
experiences, and resources that address teachers’ own self-care and mental wellness. The app and teaching resources will be available for immediate purchase by schools and programs. It seamlessly joins Teaching Strategies’ family of solutions to support social-emotional learning in early childhood education including The Creative Curriculum®, Al’s Pals™, GOLD®, ReadyRosie®, and professional development courses.