In close with a dedicated force in our field who believes in the power of education to shape lives. 

INTERVIEW | by Victor Rivero

As CEO of Savvas Learning Company, Bethlam Forsa leads up a global next-generation K-12 learning solutions provider that recently acquired Outlier, an edtech startup that has created a portfolio of high-quality online college-level courses enabling high school students to earn dual credit while never having to leave their school building. A leader whose career in education and publishing spans over two decades, Bethlam has guided Savvas to deliver award-winning product lines. The Savvas Realize digital platform won the 2024 EdTech Digest Cool Tool Award for Learning Management System Solution. The company’s enVision Mathematics and SuccessMaker: Foundations of High School Math were named EdTech Cool Tool Award finalists in the Math Solution and the Personalized Learning Solution categories, respectively. Bethlam was also recently named the Most Influential Thought Leader in EdTech by the 2024 CODiE Awards. In this EdTech Digest exclusive, hear why she first became drawn to the work of education, how she defines an oft-used phrase, and her thoughts on technology’s role in—and what the future of—learning might look like.  

What prompted you to first become involved with technology and learning?

I was drawn to this work because I fundamentally believe in the power of education to shape lives. The best way to make a difference in the world is through a quality education. To do this, all of us at Savvas have dedicated ourselves to supporting educators by developing innovative, high-quality learning solutions that enable all students to succeed. Early in my career, I realized that education technology, when leveraged effectively, could revolutionize the way students learn, just as it has empowered us in our everyday lives. We’ve long been a leader in the digital transformation of K-12 education, including our pioneering use of adaptive technology to provide personalized learning solutions that help educators meet the needs of all learners. Our learning management system, Savvas Realize, — it’s earned more than a dozen edtech innovation awards, including one from EdTech Digest — has been widely recognized as a game-changing platform known for driving innovation and exemplifying the best in edtech solutions. It’s an exciting time to be in the edtech industry. Technology will continue to significantly impact education, especially with the advent of generative AI and the possibility of it taking personalized learning to new heights.

‘It’s an exciting time to be in the edtech industry. Technology will continue to significantly impact education, especially with the advent of generative AI and the possibility of it taking personalized learning to new heights.’

How do you define “next-generation learning,” and why?

There is a simple truth in education that student engagement leads to student achievement. For us, next-generation learning is about combining the power of advanced technology with research-based pedagogy and compelling content to deliver interactive, real-world learning experiences that spark student engagement and drive student achievement. Another important aspect of next-generation learning is enabling differentiated instruction to meet the needs, skills, and interests of individual learners, making education personalized, relevant and engaging to each student. We know that the traditional, one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for all learners. That is why at Savvas we make it our mission to design flexible learning solutions that enable teachers to tailor instruction to each student’s distinct learning style and pace, ensuring that they receive personalized support and challenges that align with their abilities and goals. The educators and students who use our learning solutions deserve nothing less.

What does “proven pedagogy” mean to you and the team behind Savvas?

We take great pride in developing the highest-quality instructional materials available in today’s educational marketplace. Proven pedagogy is the very foundation of this. What it means to me, and all of us at Savvas, is that we develop research-based, standards-aligned learning solutions that incorporate the most current educational best practices coupled with compelling, relevant, and accurate content — all developed by dedicated teams of authors who are experts in their fields, working in conjunction with top editors, academic consultants, and teacher reviewers. In order to create our high-quality, evidence-based curriculum, we adhere to strict editorial standards and a rigorous product development process.

‘In order to create our high-quality, evidence-based curriculum, we adhere to strict editorial standards and a rigorous product development process.’

In the end, the gold standard for us is ensuring that the educational solutions we provide our customers prove to be efficacious and improve the educational outcomes and opportunities for all learners. As such, we believe that rigorous research should include multiple studies, creating a large body of research supporting an educational solution. For us, this involves continuously conducting research to measure the effectiveness of a product, as well as gain insights into educators’ experiences in the classroom. We partner with educators and school districts nationwide to constantly evaluate and test our instructional materials and drive development of evidence-based learning solutions. Our extensive research, combined with the feedback we receive from educators and teachers who use our programs, helps inform every step of our product development process, from pedagogy and instructional design to usability and efficacy in the classroom. Our goal is to ensure we deliver the most effective learning solutions that make a positive impact so that every student — no matter where they come from or which school they are in — has an opportunity to achieve their full potential.

What are some important guiding elements involved in helping students become productive contributing adults?

I believe it is important that we impart in young students the skills to help them thrive not just in the classroom but in life. Critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, teamwork, and other soft skills are essential for preparing students to navigate the complexities of adulthood. Likewise, encouraging curiosity and a love for lifelong learning can equip students with the mindset they’ll need to continuously adapt and grow.

As a next-generation K-12 education leader, Savvas develops instructional materials that make learning relevant to students’ lives and prepare them for college and career. Our programs challenge students to think more deeply and analytically about what they’ve read, giving them the tools to become critical thinkers and effective communicators, which is especially important in today’s fast-paced digital world. I think it’s important to also provide educators solutions that build upon the strong foundation of knowledge and life skills that they’ve taught their students by delivering personalized pathways to support college and career readiness for their high schoolers. Giving students the ability to “try on” college and earn valuable credit through dual-enrollment courses or take career technical education (CTE) classes to launch their careers is a critical next step to helping high school students become productive adults.

‘Giving students the ability to “try on” college and earn valuable credit through dual-enrollment courses or take career technical education (CTE) classes to launch their careers is a critical next step to helping high school students become productive adults.’

What trends are you looking at (AI, others) with the ‘future of learning’ in mind? And what does that look like to you—what do you see in the next couple of years for Savvas, for learning generally?

We are actively developing ways to use generative AI to create time-saving tools for teachers to reduce their burdensome administrative tasks, such as grading assignments and lesson planning. This will help make their jobs easier and alleviate some of the causes that have led to teacher burnout, allowing them to do what they love most: instructing students.

We are also leveraging AI to generate even more robust data-driven insights to differentiate instruction and enhance the adaptivity of our learning solutions. Another major focus of ours is using AI-powered tools to develop highly sophisticated and, most importantly, reliable “tutorbots” or “coaches” that can provide real-time feedback to students to improve their writing and math skills. The idea is that we want students to get better at literacy and math, and with machine-learning capabilities we can now give them in-the-moment, constructive critiques of their work that can guide them to become stronger at writing and math.

These are just some of the ways we are incorporating AI into our learning solutions. The use of generative AI in K-12 education is going to grow rapidly as more use cases are identified. Looking ahead, I think generative AI offers the potential to provide a deeply personalized learning experience like we’ve never seen before. It will bring to market new solutions to solve real world problems for teachers and learners in ways that were not previously possible. However, like with any new technology, the use of AI’s capabilities as a classroom tool must be pedagogically sound and implemented responsibly, with clear guardrails for its use that prioritize safety, integrity, and efficacy, above all else. Lastly, we must ensure that we keep teachers and students at the center of whatever learning solutions we create. AI may help revolutionize learning but it will never replace the teacher.

Anything you care to add or emphasize concerning edtech, the future of learning, or anything else regarding tech’s role in learning?

Edtech will continue to have a significant role in the future of learning. There’s no doubt about that. However, what I think is really important to point out is that edtech is also now reimagining learning for the future.

‘Edtech will continue to have a significant role in the future of learning. There’s no doubt about that. However, what I think is really important to point out is that edtech is also now reimagining learning for the future.’

We all know it’s vitally important that we prepare today’s students with the skills they will need to be successful in college and the workforce. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 70 percent of jobs will soon require education or training beyond high school. Yet only two in 10 high school students believe they are career-ready, according to a 2021 survey by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Dual-enrollment courses can help fill the gap in college and career readiness by allowing students to simultaneously earn course credit for both high school and college while also exploring career pathways and learning skills needed in the job market. However, logistical challenges in the way these courses have been traditionally offered have often posed barriers to students. For example, in many cases students have long needed to travel to a nearby college — if one even exists in their community — to take a college-level dual-enrollment course. 

By utilizing technology, we can eliminate those barriers. Through our acquisition of Outlier, we are now able to offer the millions of students we serve the opportunity to experience the rigor of college courses through high-quality, online dual enrollment courses. Credit for these courses come from the University of Pittsburgh, a top 50 school, and are highly transferable. Since Outlier’s cinematically produced courses are offered asynchronously, students can take them virtually — in the comfort of their own school, at a time that fits conveniently into their high school schedule. What’s really exciting about these state-of-the-art Outlier offerings is that students, no matter where they live, can experience college-level courses taught by professors from Harvard, MIT, NYU and other first-rate institutions without the hassle of leaving their building or missing other classes. There’s nothing else like it on the market that makes earning college credit while in high school so accessible for students, jump-starting learning for their future. Outlier technology is the future of learning, happening now.

—

Victor Rivero is the Editor-in-Chief of EdTech Digest. Write to: victor@edtechdigest.com

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ClassWallet is a purchasing and reimbursement platform for public funds. Founded in 2014, the company’s technology is used by state education departments, districts and public and private schools to get public funds to the right people and ensure they are used for the right purpose – from teacher stipends for classroom supplies to scholarships and other federal and state education grants.

The company’s solution replaces outdated reimbursement processes including teacher/ administrator expense reports and receipts, debit cards and other manual systems which are inefficient and difficult to audit. Managing the compliance around getting public funds to the right people while ensuring those funds are used for the right purpose is very complicated. ClassWallet does it at a fraction of the time and cost compared to legacy processes, in a fully transparent manner, without any sacrifice to compliance.

ClassWallet has emerged as the national de facto technology standard in education with 10% of teachers in America having a ClassWallet account. It is used across 32 states serving 6,200 K-12 schools and more than six million students. The company has helped its clients realize the full potential of over $2.7 billion in public funds.

One ClassWallet school district reported a reduction in purchase orders from 3,772 to 37 and a 42% increase in funds being utilized for their intended purpose, aided by the digital wallet technology. That same district expanded their usage from one to eight funding sources including Pre-K Funds, Special Education Funds and State Classroom Instructional Supplies. For these reasons and more, ClassWallet was named “Best Reimbursement Platform Helping Education Funds Distribution in a Compliant Manner” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Archipel Academy was born as the Managed Learning Services business line of Schouten & Nelissen. As learning consultants, the people behind it become very familiar with the challenges in the Learning & Development community and in 2019 their founder and CEO Omar Fouab decided to make learning more personal, more impactful and more accessible.

That is how their Learning Management System with LXP capabilities (Learning tracks and skill management) and the biggest content marketplace in Europe was born. Since then, they kept adding features to keep their customers as well as employees everywhere fit for future: the “search & book” function is AI-driven, learners can access an AI-powered job coach that helps them further develop in their current role or grow towards a different position, engagement is kept high through the use of gamification and more recently they added in-real-time learning through the Archi chatbot.

All of these developments have at their core the company’s strong motivation to keep employees and organizations what they call “fit for future.”

Since becoming their customer, VodafoneZiggo has managed to achieve the following numbers:

• Employees followed an average of 2.3 trainings/ year/ per person, which is 4x more than before
• 31% decrease in voluntary resignation
• In 2022 savings of 1.5 milion euros on learning costs, excluding the 5 administrative FTEs that were repurposed to focus on high-level people strategy
• Becoming an employer of choice- with 1 in 3 people applying at VodafoneZiggo doing so because of the learning culture
• Filling 60% of vacancies from within and adressing knowledge gaps through learning

For these reasons and more, Archipel Academy was named “Best All-in-One Learning Platform” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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UbiSim is the first immersive virtual reality (VR) training platform built specifically for nurses. It is a complete simulation lab that provides nursing trainees with virtual access to a variety of clinical situations and diverse patients in a broad continuum of realistic care settings, helping institutions to overcome limited access to hospitals and other clinical sites for nursing students.

This cool tool allows institutions to create repeatable, real-life scenarios that provide engaging, standardized multi-learner experiences using VR headsets. It combines intuitive interactions, flexible modules, and immediate feedback. These contribute to developing clinical judgment, critical thinking, team interaction, clear communication, and patient engagement skills that enhance safe clinical practice and are essential to improving Next Generation NCLEX test scores.

UbiSim reduces the burden of purchasing and maintaining expensive simulation lab equipment, allowing nursing programs to scale and standardize their simulation activities. Faculty choose from 50-plus existing training scenarios created in collaboration with nursing educators and simulation experts. Educators may also customize content or create original scenarios to fit learning objectives.

Founded in 2016, UbiSim has been a Labster company since 2021. The UbiSim customer roster has grown by 117% since Fall 2022, extending its footprint at universities, community colleges, technical colleges, and medical centers within 9 countries, including 21 American states. UbiSim now partners with 100-plus nursing institutions in North America and Europe to advance the shared mission of addressing the nursing shortage by reducing the cost, time, and logistical challenges of traditional simulation methods and scaling high-quality nursing education. For these reasons and more, UbiSim, a Labster company, is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality (AR/VR) Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Here’s an adaptive, interactive video streaming program for middle school and high school students. Never passive and highly interactive, every MATHstream lesson is taught by a dynamic “math influencer” who breaks down concepts in an encouraging, game-based environment. Lessons adapt to students in real time, motivating them to test new skills and outperform themselves, while teachers can easily track student progress. It’s a flexible solution that works with any math classroom; students take a deeper dive into math concepts anytime, anywhere. MATHstream uses adaptive learning paths to help students improve where they need it most and accelerate when they’re ready. Students don’t just watch—they participate in embedded exercises and game-based activities that are fun, encouraging, and proven effective. 

MATHstream is engaging for students, effortless for teachers, and standards-aligned to improve classroom and school-wide performance. Game-based lessons keep students engaged and motivated, and help them develop a love of math; students build their skills and make progress in a reaffirming and low-risk environment that relieves math anxiety; it’s also very personalized: adaptive learning paths ensure students get extra instruction and practice where they need it most. 

For teachers, there are plenty of on-demand videos available anytime, anywhere and help in instances of student or teacher absences; it saves them time: teachers can focus more on collaborative exercises and classroom activities while MATHstream supports personalized learning; the platform also provides more insights: formative skills assessments track student progress and performance.

This solution works as a supplemental solution in any math classroom, it can be used for schools and districts with teacher shortages, and offers on-demand instruction to extend the reach of existing teachers and support students when certified teachers are not available. A mix of conceptual and skills-based lessons are aligned to math standards and help with remediation, acceleration, and advancing students on or above grade level. For these reasons and more, MATHstream from Carnegie Learning is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Video-Based Learning Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Pearl is a research-based tutoring platform and ecosystem that streamlines operations, reports actionable data, and improves outcomes for districts, state agencies, and organizations tutoring tomorrow’s workforce, today.

The Pearl Tutoring Ecosystem is the combination of its operational and data platform with specialized resources from the nation’s leading colleges, universities, and community partners across critical aspects of evidence-based tutoring programs. Its strategic ecosystem partnerships include Centers for Research and Reform at Johns Hopkins University, The National Student Support Accelerator at Stanford University, Stanford Graduate School of Education, and Deans for Impact.

Pearl’s fully integrated classroom and administrative tools allow its partners to start, scale, and sustain evidence-based tutoring to support measurable outcomes for all communities.

From California to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Pearl has delivered hundreds of thousands of high-impact tutoring sessions for tutoring partners including Dakota Dreams, Illinois Tutoring Initiative, the NJ Tutoring Corps, On Your Mark Education, and the Virginia HBCU Urban League Partnership. Pearl is now used in all 50 states, has experienced more than 55% staff growth, is in use in upwards of 1,000 schools, and nearly 500 school districts across the country. 

For these reasons and more, Tutor with Pearl: All-In-One Tutoring Platform and Ecosystem is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Tutoring Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Here is a class study tool that improves students’ confidence and ability to reach their potential.

In the digital age, learners access vast amounts of information, but common classroom challenges prevent learners from getting the most from their studies. Glean’s web and mobile app helps learners manage information effectively using a note taking process that’s based on learning science. Glean works with over 800 colleges and universities worldwide to help support learners of all abilities, ranging from Harvard, Berkeley, and Columbia University.

With Glean, classroom barriers to learning effectively from class content are removed, and students are able to capture information and then structure the process to build knowledge after class. Glean’s CORA process puts the student in control of their learning by giving them the framework to organise, refine and then apply meaningful information into their notes. Glean’s UI has been designed to remove distractions so that the student can engage fully in class.

Enabling the student to break the note taking process down reduces stress and builds transferable lifelong skills that will benefit students throughout their education, career and beyond. 87% of students using Glean’s technology users have noticed a considerable improvement in their grades. 93% of users feel more prepared for exams and presentations and 93% are more engaged throughout lectures. Natalie, a student from Carleton University, said: ”Glean has dramatically improved my grades. Before I got Glean I was a C- student, I’m now an A student. I wouldn’t do my learning any other way now.”

For these reasons and more, Glean is a Cool Tool Awards Winner for “Best Student Study Tools Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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This award-winning Cool Tool covers Inquiry, Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth and Space Science with lessons specifically designed for early learners. Within the subjects, there are eight units and 28 modules. Each module has eight sessions that teach science using the 5E Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate).

Within this digital product, the sessions contain 1000s of online and offline activities that can be completed in as little as 10 minutes and teach students using videos, interaction, poems, songs, and digital notebooks. Students broaden their vocabulary and understanding of scientific terminology while allowing educators to teach literacy and science simultaneously. The exercises incorporate literacy skills, exposing students to science vocabulary, sight words, and more.

Stacy Taylor has more than 18 years of educational experience. Taylor is the Principal of Advance Learning Academy in Maitland, Florida. Advance Learning Academy provides its students with a strong, innovative curriculum that includes 1-to-1 iPad usage. One of the favorite programs is Science4Us. Taylor mainly chose Science4Us because it aligns with her school’s focus of providing a unique and differentiated experience that works with each child.

“There are so many options within the Science4Us program and teachers can pick and choose what works best with their students,” says Taylor. In fact, the students enjoy using it so much that Taylor notes that sometimes the students don’t feel like they are doing schoolwork. “They want to play the games on their iPads and use it during their earned break time!” To her, this dedication speaks volumes.

For these reasons and more, ExploreLearning Science4Us is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best STEM Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more.

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Cloud Monitor by ManagedMethods is a cloud security solution specifically tailored for technology teams working in the education market. As schools strive to create safe and enriching digital learning environments for students and educators alike, Cloud Monitor stands as the vanguard of cloud security, ensuring data protection and privacy in the ever-evolving edtech space.

At the forefront of innovation, Cloud Monitor harnesses the power of AI-driven technology to provide visibility and control into cloud applications, thereby detecting and thwarting potential security threats. As education embraces the cloud to foster collaborative and flexible learning experiences, safeguarding sensitive student and financial data is critical. Cloud Monitor empowers districts to fulfill their duty of care, securing data while fostering a climate of trust among students, educators, and parents.

Implementing Cloud Monitor is easy, thanks to its user-friendly design and seamless integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, it requires minimal training. It’s automated alerts and remediation capabilities enables swift action against any potential breaches, malware attacks, or student safety risks, freeing district technology teams to focus on the million other things they have on their to-do list.

With the ever-evolving data privacy landscape, adhering to industry standards and regulations such as COPPA, FERPA, and a variety of state-level regulations is a must. Cloud Monitor assists districts in maintaining compliance, monitoring data, and detecting policy violations.

Cloud Monitor by ManagedMethods is the ultimate guardian of cloud security and safety for K-12 schools, empowering districts to create safe, secure, and compliant cloud learning environments. For these reasons and more, Cloud Monitor by ManagedMethods is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Security (Cybersecurity, Student safety) Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more.

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What works best in early childhood—hands-on experience with physical manipulatives and playful opportunities for self-directed knowledge construction—also works best for teaching AI. KIBO provides a research-proven method to explore computer science, engineering, and now AI concepts in early childhood STEM education. With KIBO, advanced and abstract concept like AI become accessible to young kids.

This new (and free!) AI curriculum, Thinking with KIBO: Introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Early Grades, is designed to help students in grades 1–3 understand how artificial intelligence works, what its limitations are and how to think critically about how these tools can improve lives in their communities.

Featuring five lessons, students explore fundamental ideas about AI through activities with the hands-on and screen-free KIBO robot. Thinking with KIBO engages with computer science concepts in K–5, alongside evolving content standards in artificial intelligence. The curriculum is ideal for a 5–6 week unit in computer science or technology/media classes, as well as afterschool programs, enrichment centers, libraries, makerspaces, and more.

The curriculum’s core learning objectives include:

• AI is a tool made by people.
• AI systems (and robots!) make decisions based on input and rules.
• AI doesn’t think like people do, and it’s not alive.
• AI can help people solve difficult problems.

Based on 20+ years of early child development research by co-founder, Dr. Marina Bers, KIBO engages young students to learn STEAM concepts through play and creative self-expression. KIBO provides developmentally appropriate robotics and coding to young learners: teaching computer science, engineering, and computational thinking.

For these reasons and more, KIBO Robots is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Robotics (for Learning, Education) Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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A curriculum-connected learning tool that builds fundamental reading and research skills for independent learning, used in nearly 30,000 schools by more than 5 million students annually, PebbleGo is one of the most popular research tools out there. Specifically designed for K-2 students, PebbleGo is packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for students of all abilities. Plus, with the addition of PebbleGo Create, students can demonstrate their learning in a digital workspace. Linked from every article—no need to login to a different tool—students can share their knowledge using their choice of video, text, drawing, and more.

All PebbleGo modules are available in English and Spanish languages for dual-language development and content-area literacy for ELL students. Each PebbleGo article includes a read-aloud option featuring real voice actors—not robotic text-to-speech—modeling pronunciation and fluency. Text highlighting helps readers of all ability to follow along. Guided keyword searching, large visual search, and consistent navigation make information easy to find and recognize for young researchers, and every sentence is carefully written to be at the right level for comprehension and engagement. PebbleGo is Section 508 compliant, providing accessibility supports for students with vision, cognitive, physical, and hearing disabilities.

PebbleGo is a go-to K-2 resource for teachers across the country, helping them extend student learning by encouraging critical thinking and research skills, reinforcing the curriculum, supporting personalized learning, and inspiring children’s diverse interests through independent learning and exploration in core subject areas. For these reasons and more, PebbleGo from Capstone is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Research / Reference Tools Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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ScreenPal Stories is an intuitive drag-and-drop video planning and creation tool that lets anyone easily create presentation videos in a simple storyboard mode, a script mode, or toggle between both views.

Stories is designed to streamline video creation workflows and make it easy for users to save time and repurpose existing content into dynamic presentations. Educators, students, and business professionals all value the one-click option to turn an existing slide deck into a video storyboard. Each slide becomes a section of their presentation video. Users can add scripts and notes for guidance, narrate over their sections, and import and overlay additional media. Users can rearrange their presentation within the simple drag-and-drop storyboard builder, and automatically add captions to their presentation video for accessibility.

Storyboards are popular tools for content planning. But until now, users have had to create storyboards on paper or in one app, write their scripts in another app, and then use additional software to create a video. With Stories, we’ve brought storyboards, scripts, and video editing together in one simplified, streamlined video creation tool that is easy for anyone to use to create engaging, interactive video presentations.

Stories seamlessly integrates with ScreenPal’s hosting platform, allowing users to add interactive links, questions, and polls to their presentations for audience engagement, knowledge checks, and feedback. Users can embed their interactive presentation videos anywhere and gain actionable insights with analytics and heatmaps.

For these reasons and more, ScreenPal Stories is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Presentation Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more.

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Camai! You walk through a beautiful forest, listening to the nearby stream, and settle by the campfire, while your grandfather and a bear await you by the waterfall. After fishing with your grandfather, you carefully cross the stream and start collecting berries for the bear. Your adventures in the game Nunaka have just begun.

Created with Chugachmiut, a non-profit that serves Native tribes in the Chugach region of Alaska, Nunaka is an early childhood mobile game that excites 3-5-year-olds about the Alaska Native Sugpiaq culture, teaches the Sugt’stun language, and targets key school readiness goals. The game recently won the Formal Learning (Elementary) award at the James Paul GEE! Learning Game Awards.

In the story-driven game, players take on the role of a Sugpiaq child living with their grandparents, Emaa and Apaa, in a fictionalized version of a community based on villages in the Chugach region. Players create an avatar and explore the village, completing activities and minigames, while collecting items and interacting with other residents, including human characters and animals from the region.

Nunaka is now available as a mobile app in the App Store and Google Play for phones and tablets. Nunaka from FableVision Studios is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best New Product or Service” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Radix device management platform is a tailor-made solution for IT admins and support teams, enabling them to manage all school devices in one easy-to-use management platform.

The management platform is OS and device agnostic, covering all device management aspects: app management, configuration and settings management, remote support, monitoring and analysis (telemetry), OTA firmware updates and much more.

Schools using this management platform keep their devices healthy, patched and tuned to their mission while reducing operational complexity and customer churn, save time and money, and in increase the overall satisfaction.

Key benefits:

• OS and device agnostic
• Running on the AWS
• GDPR, CCPA and ISO compliant
• Efficiently manage and proactively support your deployed devices and improve quality of service
• Save time and money
• Serving all stakeholders and streamline operations
• Easy depl0yment and enrollment
• Competitive pricing
• All channel support (chat, email, phone, self-service, webinar)

Key features:

• Take remote control over devices for assistance
• Centrally manage apps, OS settings and updates of all devices
• OTA firmware update,time-based, triggered and automatic
• Install applications and updates on all devices remotely
• API integration with CRM and third-party management systems
• Lock, track and wipe lost or stolen devices
• Simplify batch tasks and simultaneous workflows
• Analyze device usage to make fact-based decisions
• Apply and enforce policies and regulations
• Group and tag devices according to predefined criteria
• Create Geo-fences and device location perimeters
• Broadcast alerts and notices to all or selected devices

For these reasons and more, Radix Device Management Platform is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Mobile Device Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Nearly 50% of teachers leave the profession within five years, citing behavior and discipline as major reasons for leaving (Ramos, G. & Hughes, T., 2020). However, quality professional development and mentoring can keep teachers in the classroom and hone their skills. The Emergent Tree Classroom Coaching Tool allows mentors and instructional coaches to better support teachers in classroom management strategies and behavioral interventions.

Evidence-based quantitative data measures are combined with structured qualitative information to provide a comprehensive picture of teacher strengths and needs in classroom management skills. By isolating critical components of an effective classroom management plan—such as setting expectations prior to activity transitions—the Classroom Coaching Tools guides teacher mentors and instructional coaches in what areas to prioritize during coaching sessions.

Graphic representations of each classroom component guides teachers in accurately reflecting on their current skill level and identify areas to target for focus. Since all mentors bring different areas of expertise background experiences, the Classroom Coaching Tool makes it easy to collect the right measures to start coaching conversations whether you’re an expert in behavior or newly expanding your knowledge.

The Classroom Coaching Tool:

• Analyzes use of instructional time
• Quantifies student engagement
• Explores classroom interactions
• Monitors behavioral feedback to students
• Reviews management strategies
• Facilitates data sharing and collaborative action planning

With the Classroom Coaching Tool, educational leaders can support teachers in the skills most likely to help them stay in the profession, ensuring every teacher feels confident and compentant in social, emotional and behavioral supports for the classroom. For these reasons and more, Emergent Tree Classroom Coaching Tool is a Cool Tool Awards Winner for “Best Mentoring Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Robo 3D printers are the ultimate catalyst for Maker and DIY projects, offering a seamless experience for educators and students. They come ready-to-use, complete with access to MyStemKits, featuring an extensive library of standards-driven 3D-printable STEAM curriculum tailored to K-12. 

One distinctive feature of Robo 3D printers is its safety; they are fully enclosed and equipped with HEPA filters, ensuring secure usage in both classrooms and school maker spaces. The Robo printers make 3D printing accessible even to the youngest students, setting the stage for key skills like creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

Robo 3D printers have also adapted to the technological preferences of modern classrooms. They are Wi-Fi and Hot Spot enabled, aligning perfectly with the widespread use of Chromebooks and iPads in schools. Robo cloud printing further amplifies their accessibility. Educators and students can initiate projects from anywhere, including their homes, enhancing flexibility and promoting a sense of class community.

Robo 3D printers transform traditional, book-based learning into a more tactile and tangible educational experience. This approach empowers students to solidify their collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking skills which have direct applications in daily life, local communities, and even in addressing global challenges.

Through the entire process of 3D printing, from concept to completion, students gain confidence in their learning and open their eyes to a world of STEM-related career possibilities. For these reasons and more, Robo E3 3D Printer from Boxlight is a Cool Tool Awards Winner for “Best Maker / DIY Tools Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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Read 180 represents a blended learning solution meticulously designed to elevate literacy proficiency and cultivate a growth mindset in Grades 3-12. Functioning as an intervention program, it extends essential support to all students reading below grade level, encompassing those with disabilities, special education requirements, and multilingual learners, including newcomers. At its core, Read 180 aligns with the latest findings in the science of reading research, delivering an empirically grounded program that amalgamates best practices in literacy instruction.

Read 180 effectively incorporate the well-regarded Scarborough’s Rope Model and the quintessential five pillars of reading into the pedagogical approach. The program seamlessly integrates teacher-led instruction and student application software, thereby enhancing students’ proficiency across all facets of the rope model. By meticulously addressing the fundamental components of reading, Read 180 serves as a cornerstone for struggling readers, enabling them to establish a robust foundation in reading and thereby enhancing their overall reading achievements.

Within the Read 180 paradigm, students are provided with independent reading options as well as access to the student application, guiding them along a customized path aligned with their zone of proximal development. This application encompasses six distinct zones: Explore, Reading, Language, Fluency, Writing, and Success. Student progression through these zones hinges on their performance in assessments, prior application activities, engagement metrics, personal interests, and teacher insights.

The hallmark of Read 180 lies in its systematic approach to nurturing students’ literacy aptitude, commencing with a focus on phonics and culminating in the development of fluency and ultimate proficiency. For these reasons and more, Read 180 from HMH is a Cool Tool Awards Winner for “Best Literacy / Reading Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more.  

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The edtech ecosystem can be complex for educators to navigate, often requiring different platforms for student data and instruction, with tech integration and usability varying widely. The Savvas Realize learning management system (LMS) offers a flexible and dynamic platform that meets all of a district’s needs, from central office tools to classroom curriculum across all grade levels and disciplines.

Savvas Realize is the engine that powers Savvas Learning Company’s many high-quality, evidence-based, and interactive K-12 learning solutions and state-of-the-art assessment tools. The single sign-on platform allows teachers to access everything they need, from standards-aligned content and customizable assignments to rich student data and powerful class-planning tools. Featuring cutting-edge adaptive technology, it provides data-driven insights to help teachers differentiate instruction and personalized, interactive content to foster student engagement, all on one easy-to-use platform.

Unlike LMSs retrofitted from higher-ed platforms, Realize was developed exclusively for K-12 applications. A trailblazer of LTI-A integration, Realize offers plug-and-play interoperability with 30+ edtech tools educators use most, including Google Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology.

Inspired by input from educator users and updated to be better than ever, Savvas Realize delivers even greater simplicity, shareability, and interoperability. The platform’s seamless integrations and time-saving tools give educators faster access to their most important tasks, helping them to manage lesson plans, assist with grading, and reduce paperwork — making for less stress and administrative work and more time with students.

Savvas Realize is a game-changing platform that has been widely recognized for driving innovation and exemplifying the best in edtech solutions. Most recently, Savvas Realize earned a Cool Tool Award (Winner) for “Best Learning Management System” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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PowerSchool Analytics & Insights, a leading K-12 analytics and data management solution, offers rich analytics that provide educators the actionable insights they need to improve student outcomes. It delivers actionable data and insights to school/district/state education agencies with solutions that help support the needs of the whole child, including:

• Student learning outcomes (attendance, behavior, and coursework)
• Early warning and intervention
• Social emotional learning (SEL) reporting
• College, career, and life readiness (CCLR)
• Talent analytics
• And multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)

PowerSchool Analytics & Insights is a single solution to conveniently track, manage, and monitor all aspects of a district’s student, school, classroom and teaching data and performance metrics. It leverages predictive analytics and AI/machine learning capabilities to ensure that students are more quickly getting the personalized support they need. Analytics & Insights includes the most comprehensive K-12 MTSS solution on the market. It is a single, secure tool that establishes personalized student plans to intervention teams, provides teams with critical data needed to identify at-risk students, enables teams to assign and monitor interventions, and track progress toward goals. It provides a single solution to analyze, collaborate, and act on all the critical student data—including historical information—required for their MTSS practice.

As schools and districts continue to digitally transform their operations, PowerSchool’s Analytics & Insights solution offers rich analytics that provide educators actionable insights they need to improve student outcomes. For these reasons and more, PowerSchool Analytics & Insights is a Cool Tool Award Winner for “Best Learning Analytics / Data Mining Solution” as part of The EdTech Awards 2024 from EdTech Digest. Learn more. 

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